Do you believe that Jesus Christ rose from the dead?

[Billy]

I made this poll anonymous so you can be honest.

Do you believe that Jesus Christ, died on the cross, was buried and then arose from the dead days later?

 

[Kmal]

Literally? Probably not. Symbolically, its obvious. It doesnt matter if he literally rose from the dead if you look at it like a parable, not a history lesson.

 

[Billy]

Im confused though. How can you call yourself a Christian if you dont literally believe it? Its a cornerstone of the faith...

 

[Jill Hives]

I was also somewhat confused by that. I was raised in a Christian family and grew up going to numerous Christian churches and they all literally believe that happened. Also they believe if you don't, you aren't "welcome into the kingdom of heaven" when you die. Because believing Jesus died and rose for our sins was as @Billy said, a cornerstone of the faith.

Somewhat unrelated:
When I was still going to church, whenever I heard that phrase used "let Jesus into your heart" I always assumed what it was REALLY supposed to mean was "let love into your heart". I saw a lot of people around me declare "I believe in Jesus" but not so many actually opening their hearts to love.

 

[Kmal]

Im confused though. How can you call yourself a Christian if you dont literally believe it? Its a cornerstone of the faith...

You dont have to believe it happened literally to be a Christian, that's not the faith it's talking about. It's a parable- a story that illustrates a point, lesson, or set of principles. The death and resurrection have a deeper meaning than just "believe this lol and you'll go to heaven." You can think it happened literally, that's fine, but if it didnt happen literally, the principle is negated? Did a tortoise and a hare actually race and the rabbit take a nap to poke fun at the tortoise and lose because he was boasting? Probably not, but that fable's lesson remains even though it didnt happen 'in real life.' Fable uses animals, parable uses people.

 

[knight in battle]

It's a great question with many implications.

I do believe in the literal resurrection of Jesus, and this one crucial fact in itself, according to St. Paul, is the reason for expecting that we will live in the next life. He goes so far as to say that if Jesus did not rise from the dead, then our sins are still held against us.

Of course, he didn't say that we actually have to believe in the literal resurrection in order to live eternally, but it seems logical to do so, if we already believe that Jesus died for our sins -- only that the whole belief system in itself would be pointless if Jesus did not literally rise from the dead (which would lead to the conclusion that we do not rise from the dead, either).

 

[Billy]

You dont have to believe it happened literally to be a Christian, that's not the faith it's talking about. It's a parable- a story that illustrates a point, lesson, or set of principles. The death and resurrection have a deeper meaning than just "believe this lol and you'll go to heaven." You can think it happened literally, that's fine, but if it didnt happen literally, the principle is negated? Did a tortoise and a hare actually race and the rabbit take a nap to poke fun at the tortoise and lose because he was boasting? Probably not, but that fable's lesson remains even though it didnt happen 'in real life.' Fable uses animals, parable uses people.

Incorrect. You have to literally believe that Christ rose from the dead, in order to be a real Christian. Moreso that he died for your sins, to say that that's just a parable, is absurd. Its like saying I am a communist but don't believe in any of its tenets or follow any of it, and yet still proclaim the title for myself. Its nonsense.

 

[88chaz88]

Incorrect. You have to literally believe that Christ rose from the dead, in order to be a real Christian. Moreso that he died for your sins, to say that that's just a parable, is absurd. Its like saying I am a communist but don't believe in any of its tenets or follow any of it, and yet still proclaim the title for myself. Its nonsense.

No.

 

[Billy]

No.

Yes

 

[Rferraris]

No, but I believe in Red Ferries and Green Goblins and that the world will learn to love and care for itself.

 

[Billy]

Oh Hi there, I'm Joe Blow, Im a christian, I mean in name... like I dont believe anything in the bible, I dont believe any of it was real, I dont believe that Christ died for my sins or that he even existed, or that he rose from the dead, I just dont believe any of the actual doctrines of faith required to be a Christian in practice, but i'm a christian.

I guess that makes sense.

 

[the]

No, but I believe in Red Ferries and Green Goblins and that the world will learn to love and care for itself.

Whoa....

 

[88chaz88]

Yes

What authority do you have to say if something is Christian or not?

 

[Billy]

What authority do you have to say if something is Christian or not?

What right do you have to claim to be Christian when you do not abide the religions tenets? I cannot call myself a master chef without lying when I cant cook. And if following the actual tenets of the religion is no longer a requirement of being a Christian, does it mean anyone can be a Christian even Atheists?

 

[acd]

Why would anyone bother to believe Jesus was lord and god if not for the miracles? I thought he performed all those to demonstrate his power over life and death and prove he was savior? I was brought up catholic. Catholics believed he literally existed, performed miracles, and rose from the dead. I then became a Protestant and attended Pentecostal and baptist and non denominational bible church. All believed that he literally existed, performed miracles, and rose from the dead. What kind of church do you go to @Kmal ? I'm curious because when I read your posts, it is usually through the lens of my own personal experience with Christianity and I'd like to better know where you are coming from.

 

[88chaz88]

What right do you have to claim to be Christian when you do not abide the religions tenets?

I don't claim anything of the sort, but at least I don't impose my will on what people are suppose to believe in, especially when I don't even share their faith.

 

[the]

Oooo a religious debate! I can't wait to see who is declared the winner!

----

Why would anyone bother to believe Jesus was lord and god if not for the miracles?

Isn't that what Jeffersons Bible is about?

 

[acd]

Oooo a religious debate! I can't wait to see who is declared the winner!

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Isn't that what Jeffersons Bible is about?

What?

 

[Kmal]

Incorrect. You have to literally believe that Christ rose from the dead, in order to be a real Christian. Moreso that he died for your sins, to say that that's just a parable, is absurd. Its like saying I am a communist but don't believe in any of its tenets or follow any of it, and yet still proclaim the title for myself. Its nonsense.

How do you know what it takes to be a 'real christian?' Is there a particular verse you're referring to, or just dogma?

Oh Hi there, I'm Joe Blow, Im a christian, I mean in name... like I dont believe anything in the bible, I dont believe any of it was real, I dont believe that Christ died for my sins or that he even existed, or that he rose from the dead, I just dont believe any of the actual doctrines of faith required to be a Christian in practice, but i'm a christian.

I guess that makes sense.

You're jumping to conclusions. A symbol can do all sorts of things a human cant, like die and rise from the dead without having to do it literally. Why are you so stuck on it having to happen literally for the principles to be 'validated'? You don't hold the same for the tortoise and the hare, and I havent been shown anywhere in the bible that would make me think it is a history lesson. You must have though, right? Where is it?

@acd I'm not a christian, nor do I go to church. I just try to understand the bible from a christians perspective.

 

[j654dgj7]

It's impressive that we have books as old as the Tanakh and the New Testament in the first place. I come from Scandinavia, and the vikings ruled Denmark and Norway for close to two-hundred years on a state-level, yet all we know about them are from tablets found on Iceland. They just never left anything behind, burnt all that wasn't needed in the immediate future, and kept moving. So from a historian perspective, it's very impressive.

.. Oh, your question .. No, I don't believe he rose from the dead, I don't believe a guy lived in a whale's stomach, I don't believe one dude saved all of the animals, I don't believe in Adam and Eve, I don't believe in David & Goliath, I don't believe in Samson and Delilah. But they are nice stories!