Rocking the Foundation of Christianity

Whatever you build a house, you start with the foundation, if you're writing a book, it might be an outline for the table of contacts, but when were talking about Christianity, rarely do any Christians ever research the origins or how Christianity began.

Most Christians assume that Jesus was the one who started Christianity, however, he was Jewish and there is a good chance that he never even thought about starting a new religion. I know, Jesus is God and he knows everything and he knew that he was going to start Christianity. Okay, but what if.

That might not be entirely true. We don't have any proof that Jesus was actually a superior god like being. We can speculate or assume all that we want to, however there is very little evidence to support, that Jesus did anything that the writers of the New Testament, suggested he had done.

I would like to challenge most Christians, to do a little research and quite possibly start rocking the foundation of Christianity. It's much more important to understand Christianity than to call yourself a Christian. Will a little bit of research help or hurt you, as you study Christianity.

You can start by looking at the origins of the Bible, the Council of Nicaea, the Emperor Constantine, the missing years of Jesus in the early Roman Catholic Church.

To understand anything, you must understand its origins. Take some time out of your busy life, to start studying the foundation of Christianity.

Do Christians Believe Everything
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Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing, and personal development.

Greg is currently working on a Christian Article Library filled with great subjects on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world. His views on religious freedom are slowly changing the way people think about institutional religion.
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Properly Exercising Faith - People Who Represent Christianity

It's your responsibility as a Christian to properly exercise your faith and to express your opinions as such. If you don't know something for a fact, you are obligated to seek and gather more information about these so-called facts.

With this said, if you hear a Bible verse quoted to you by someone and you don't necessarily understand 100% of what they are saying or you think that they might be twisting around the Scripture, it's your obligation to find out, the truth and nothing but the truth.

Let me give you an example of how to properly exercise your faith. An atheist walks up to you and asks you why you believe in God, you reply," Because it says so in the Bible." Wrong.., wrong answer. Because it says so in the Bible, isn't what I would consider a good answer. It's what I would consider to be a controlled Christian answer, simple but untrue.

The minute that you start referring to things in the Bible and you don't really understand what it is that you're talking about, you're not doing Christianity any favors. The minute that you listen to another person quote out of the Bible and start repeating, what it is that they were saying, without clearly understanding the truth, you're simply spreading rumors.

Think about this, the next time that you tell someone something that you heard, just because you hear something three times, doesn't make it a fact. I would like to tell you a little secret, so pay attention, simply because someone within your religious community, who others look up to, say something that sounds believable, don't start spreading rumors, find out for yourself, if it's actually true.

Christian Bible Problems

You are free to copy this article to your site as long as you include the following resource information with an active link to my site:

Greg Vanden Berge is a published author and a inspiration to millions of people. He has been involved in religious research for almost 30 years, and his influence in the Christian community is growing. The Holy Bible, is the core to Christian beliefs and most Christians don't even question it. Was the Bible actually written by men?

His newest book," Did God Actually Say That?" Was written specifically for Christians who are interested in gaining additional knowledge about the Bible. This book provides Christians with advanced biblical knowledge, answer some tough questions and should be read by every faithful follower of Christ.

Understanding the Bible

Does Anyone Have a Direct Line to God?

I have heard Catholics tell me that the pope has a direct line to God. I don't really know if that's true, but if he does, or anyone else does, I would like to ask them to do me a favor.

I would like them to ask God a few questions, these questions aren't going to be difficult, and we could even make them in yes or no formats, but these answers need to be asked and only God can provide us with the answers.

The first question that I would like to ask God, would be about starvation, why are there so many starving people all over the world? Are we or are we not supposed to be fruitful and multiply? Is overpopulation creating more problems in the world today, than it might have 2000 years ago?

These questions above, could be a little difficult to answer, but they shouldn't be too difficult for someone like God. I believe that God can handle a few tough questions and if the Pope or anyone else has direct communication with God, I would like to suggest something to them, quit wasting your time on frivolous things and start asking God the serious questions, that every one is really interested in.

It doesn't make a lot of sense, to pray and worship to somebody who realistically won't answer or deliver the things that we are requiring. I realize that most religious people are told, that God only answers some prayers or that God isn't ready to answer your prayers yet.

Anyway, if gods not going to answer all of our prayers, couldn't he at least answer some of our questions.

You are free to copy this article to your site as long as you include the following resource information with an active link to my site:
Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing, and personal development. Check out one of his recommended authors, Don Miguel Ruiz

His newest book," Did God Actually Say That?" Was written specifically for Christians who are interested in gaining additional knowledge about the Bible. This book provides Christians with advanced biblical knowledge, answer some tough questions and should be read by every faithful follower of Christ.

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Embrace the Idea About Learning - Shouldn't You Be Studying the Bible Regularly?

Most Christians own at least one Bible, but the idea of studying it on a regular basis, is normally considered a difficult task for those to perform. If you really want to call yourself a Christian, shouldn't you at least understand, a few things in the Bible?

Maybe something about Adam and Eve, Noah's Ark, or what about that guy, what's his name, I think he died for our sins and wasn't he the son of God, what was his name... You might think I'm kidding, but very few Christians, know very little about the Bible.

How do we get Christians to embrace the idea that studying the Bible could benefit them or change their views entirely about their religion? I've always had problems with those who consider themselves practicing Christians, while trying to convert others to Christianity with a limited knowledge about the religion itself.

If you go to church every Sunday, there's a good chance that you will have to touch the holy book of scriptures, at least once. You might even pick it up and turn some of the pages while listening to the sermon. Is this the only time during the week that you will pick up the Bible? And does this bother you?

What about those who read the Bible regularly and don't take the time to interpret it literally. Read the Bible, word for word in order to get a simple understanding of each Bible verse. Don't try to read anything into it or look for hidden messages.

Wouldn't it be nice to be able to answer simple questions or understand what your church leaders are talking about? When they mention Paul or Isaiah, are you thinking about your cousin and his friend? Spend a little more time learning about your religion and you will reap the rewards that education has to offer.

There Are Plenty of Problems with the Bible and If You Need More Help, Click on This Link Understanding the Bible

You are free to copy this article to your site as long as you include the following resource information with an active link to my site:

Greg Vanden Berge is a published author and a inspiration to millions of people. He has been involved in religious research for almost 30 years, and his influence in the Christian community is growing. The Holy Bible, is the core to Christian beliefs and most Christians don't even question it. Was the Bible actually written by men?

His newest book," Did God Actually Say That?" Was written specifically for Christians who are interested in gaining additional knowledge about the Bible. This book provides Christians with advanced biblical knowledge, answer some tough questions and should be read by every faithful follower of Christ.

Click Here If You're a Positive Christian Person.

What Parents of Teens Need to Know

The words we speak have power, and unfortunately, they can not be taken back!

Think for a moment! Do negative words that were spoken to you in your formative years keep reverberating in your mind today, affecting how you live and behave? Research has shown that even the words spoken while being in our mother's womb are inexplicitly imbedded in our minds, setting us up for ongoing rejection or acceptance throughout our lives. As adults we are the sum total of all we have heard and experienced since conception.

Words we speak are like seeds of a flower that are planted in the soft, warm spring soil; they wait for the moment to germinate. Given the right environmental conditions, we anticipate the growth of a gorgeous array of summer flowers. So are the words that we speak to our children; they ultimately produce in their tender hearts fruit of one kind or another depending on whether they were positive or negative.

A heart is like a field of fertile soil waiting in anticipation for seeds of affirmation to be planted which will sprout into a useful and productive life. And if we speak loving and affirming words into the fertile soil of a child's heart, they will grow up healthily and happily.

I liken a newborn baby to a closed rose, bringing a life of pleasant fragrance and lasting beauty to the world. As the baby grows into an inquisitive toddler, its nature is to trust the parents, opening like a rose in anticipation of the love it needs. However, when the love and affirmation is nor forthcoming, the soul of the child will become wounded, and like a young rose it will prematurely close in an act of preservation. Children are resilient and will continue to seek what they desperately want - love and affection. Being eager to recover, they will begin again to trust their parents, but if the ongoing series of dysfunctional behavior continues, they will again feel the sting of rejection. Finally, after many attempts to reach out for loving arms has been rejected, this child like a rose closes; and unless this hurt is healed somewhere along the line, the child will withdraw into a closed shell. The world, sadly, will never enjoy the unique fragrance of this perfectly formed "rose" because the emotions were crushed too often by dysfunctional parents.

Do any of the above comments bring back memories of your own childhood trauma, or memories of how you yourself may not have adequately met your child's needs? Take heart, for all is not lost. There are those who have experienced the joy of restoration, and, yes, I also have experienced this. If your child has developed wounded emotions from the damage done by a negative home atmosphere, it will take some fine tuning, if not major redesign, to begin the healing process. Begin by changing some of your thoughts, beliefs, actions, and words that affect your children. Then be ready to listen attentively, quick to apologize, ready to forgive, and love unconditionally.

Raising teens in a fast-paced world can be a challenge. Children of all ages do not need "things" as much as they need our time and affection. Research shows that the average mother only spends three minutes a day really communicating with her child. The average dad? Forty-nine seconds, according to Martin Brokenleg, a professor of native American studies at Augusta University in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

You may be asking, "What can I do now that my child is in the turbulent teen years and emotionally moving away from the family home?" First of all, listen to them in an unjudjemental manner. At times overlook their outbursts and let them vent, as long as profanity is a no, no.. This is the time when they will distance themselves emotionally from you, but this is not a negative thing. Just think that of this does not happen, they may still be living with you when they are thirty!

Finally, I encourage you to give up on the fast lane and instead, give your teen some of your undivided attention and unconditional love.

Audrey Pihulyk is Nurse Audrey, the "stress specialist", who brings you stress relief through her speaking, writing and entertaining. She uses her years of experience as a practical nurse and professional speaker to help you "flush out" negative stress, replacing it with a healthy "infusion" of proven strategies and thought provoking ideas to help you mobilize stress for creative purposes. Her audiences say the she is "real", what you see is what you get! When it comes to stress and balancing your life - Nurse Audrey has been there and done that!

I have three children of my own and realize the challenges you as parents are facing. Help is on the way with my CD: Slow Parenting In A Fast Paced World which can be found at: http://www.nurseaudrey.com/resources.html While you are there, check out my latest Blogs for ideas on how to balance your life more effectively.

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What's so Important about Learning - Zig Ziglar Video

Zig Ziglar explains how the learned will inherit the earth.

Greg is currently working on a self help library filled with great subjects on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world. His views on religious freedom are slowly changing the way people think about institutional religion.

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Religious Education And Fear

What You Expect is What You Get

Your expectations define your reality. What you expect is what you get. It's simple, yet powerful and profound all at the same time. The question is, "Do you expect the best possible outcome for yourself and others?" If you do expect that good things will happen, they usually do. Not all of the time, but in general, when you expect to succeed, you will. When you expect to win you're more likely to do so. When you expect to live a happy and satisfying life, it happens. Conversely, when you expect to fail, be miserable, confused, conflicted or stressed .... you are.

It's not fate or karma at work here. It is the basic fact that your attitude, your mental disposition, and general outlook attract similar behaviors and reactions in those around you. Positive people are surrounded by positive influences. They have a support system of positive people who rally behind them when things don't go as planned. Negative people only receive more negativity and doubt when they are faced with adversity or challenge.

The expectations that you present to the world about yourself, and the people around you, will usually manifest. Just the way our expectations of others influence how we deal with them, they also influence how other people respond to us.

If you've ever worked with a person who is primarily negative you will know what I'm talking about. A negative workplace is the least productive, least satisfying, and least motivating environment to be in. Negativity is like a black hole that even the brightest light can't escape from. Once you get caught up in negativity, it is almost impossible to break free. To avoid this trap you can work on developing positive expectations about yourself and others.

This does not mean you can choose any expectation and expect it to come true. Aside from having a positive and expecting attitude, your expectations must meet two other criteria before they can help you become the person you want to be. They must be realistic and true to your self.

Unrealistic expectations are just as damaging as negative ones. When you never achieve success you begin to doubt yourself. All your positive energy is swiftly transformed to negativity. This brings you right back to where you don't want to be.

If your expectations are not true to the person you are or to person you want to become, you won't commit to making them a reality. All too often people try to live up to the expectations of others, such as a parent, a manager, a significant other, a teacher or another authority figure. Make sure your expectations are congruent with who you really are. That is the only way you will realize long term success, and the only way your expectations will continue to remain positive.

"High achievement always takes place in the framework of high expectation." (Charles F. Kettering)

- Commit yourself to setting positive and realistic expectations about all the things you truly want and deserve. Write an affirmation statement that asserts your expectation of a positive outcome.

- Make sure your affirmations are aligned with the beliefs you hold about yourself and others.

- Take the necessary action steps to make your self-affirmations a reality.

- Develop confidence and take responsibility for your own life.

- Remind yourself constantly that you get what you expect.

- Create a powerful visual message or anchor that you can refer to when you feel negativity creep in.

- Work everyday at bringing to you the resources you need to make your expectations a reality.

You will find both power and happiness when you begin to set your own standards and expectations based on what is true for you. You are what you believe, and you become what you expect. Expect the best, and only the best, from life, from others, and from yourself!

Dieter Pauwels is an international certified life coach, business coach, speaker and author, facilitating personal and organizational transformation.

He works with individuals and teams to better identify and achieve their business and life goals. He works out of his base in St. Louis MO. His coaching clients are located in the US and Europe.

http://www.dieterpauwels.com

http://lifecoaching.dieterpauwels.com

Thomas Keating