# Christians. You Love Jesus? Why? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [May 14, 2011, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christians-you-love-jesus-why/581851 "2011-05-14T00:11:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2011, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christians-you-love-jesus-why/581851/41 "2011-05-18T13:46:41Z")
> [@monavis](#): > > I think you believe Jesus loves you because you were taught that, but that doesn’t make it true. Well, all my evidence for Jesus’ love for me is experiential and will be unconvincing for anyone else. But saying I only know he loves me because I was taught that is like saying I only know my parents love be because they said so. In fact, my experience would convince me it was true even if they never said it. > [@](#): > > If you like to believe that then I see nothing wrong with you believing it, and if you also follow all that Jesus taught like many who claim they love Jesus but spend most of their time, judging others and doing a lot of things he asked them not to do, like not turning the other cheek, or acting like the Pharisee’s( who Jesus didn’t seem to like)because they wore their religion on their sleeves and kept the letter of the law ,but mot the spirit! Too busy seeing the speck in their neighbor’s eye but missing the plank in their own. It seems to me that in the story about Jesus he spent most of his time with sinners and riff raff that the so called good Christians today spend all their time looking down on. I can’t tell if you are accusing me of hypocrisy or not. For sure, there are plenty of Christians out there who give Christ a bad name, and occasionally I am one of them. But most are not like what you describe - the bad ones are just a lot more noticeable. > [@](#): > > When one studies only things that agree with, what they want things to be, it really isn’t study but looking for things that help them stay in the same frame of mind. I agree with this, which is why I try to expose myself as much as I can to differing opinions and arguments. > [@monavis](#): > > This is not a proven fact, could just be the way the early church made up stories to get converts? I’m not sure what you mean - that the Transfiguration and Pentecost are not proven facts? Of course not! I’m just showing you that _in the context of the Gospel narrative_, the prediction that there were people standing there who would see the coming of the Kingdom was probably not a reference to the final judgement, but a reference to the Kingdom of God that Jesus elsewhere said was already at hand, specifically demonstrated by these two events and others described in the story. I’m not making any historical claim. > [@monavis](#): > > I believe in the Jewish tradition the Messiah would’ not’ be God incarnate he would just be a human being who would help the Jewish nation. This is true, the Messiah was supposed to be a political leader/savior who would restore David’s throne to Isreal. Jesus’ followers, who were Jews, came to understand that the traditional expectation of the Messiah was incorrect and that Jesus, in fact, fulfilled the Messianic prophesies in the OT. ---
**Author:** ![Cheshire\_Human](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cheshire\_Human](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheshire_Human)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2011, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christians-you-love-jesus-why/581851/42 "2011-05-18T14:55:15Z")
> [@vivalostwages](#): > > > [@cmyk](#): > > > > I’d still love Him, because, just look at that [smile](http://youoffendmeyouoffendmyfamily.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/jesus-smiling1.jpg)… huh? HUH?! > > I’m a bit disturbed by that. Thanks a lot! 😃 In that case, how about [this one](http://c2.api.ning.com/files/JbnLqLBUaXk0lglTP-uImIPID5Jvo2vK*lJH0tvFizMVLqPvvXT6*RnyPdYcyGyDiG8e*UWGRmWzAfHfAwM5T*wLx12EaRCJ/jesusdude.jpg)? Even better, eh? ---
**Author:** ![monavis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e0b2c6/32.png) [@monavis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monavis)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2011, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christians-you-love-jesus-why/581851/43 "2011-05-19T13:15:15Z")
> [@Skammer](#): > > Well, all my evidence for Jesus’ love for me is experiential and will be unconvincing for anyone else. But saying I only know he loves me because I was taught that is like saying I only know my parents love be because they said so. In fact, my experience would convince me it was true even if they never said it. > I can’t tell if you are accusing me of hypocrisy or not. For sure, there are plenty of Christians out there who give Christ a bad name, and occasionally I am one of them. But most are not like what you describe - the bad ones are just a lot more noticeable. > > I agree with this, which is why I try to expose myself as much as I can to differing opinions and arguments. > > I’m not sure what you mean - that the Transfiguration and Pentecost are not proven facts? Of course not! I’m just showing you that _in the context of the Gospel narrative_, the prediction that there were people standing there who would see the coming of the Kingdom was probably not a reference to the final judgement, but a reference to the Kingdom of God that Jesus elsewhere said was already at hand, specifically demonstrated by these two events and others described in the story. I’m not making any historical claim. > > This is true, the Messiah was supposed to be a political leader/savior who would restore David’s throne to Isreal. Jesus’ followers, who were Jews, came to understand that the traditional expectation of the Messiah was incorrect and that Jesus, in fact, fulfilled the Messianic prophesies in the OT. Your parents were with you from the time you were born, you experienced the love physically and mentally, a big difference, you never met Jesus as you didn’t live 2000+ years ago. So you do go just by faith in what you were taught read or thought, and faith is not fact! Jesus is quoted as saying he would come in his father’s Glory with all his angels during the life time of some of the people standing there, he also told his followers that the Kingdom of God was with in them! It was the belief, that in those days the world was going to end, just as people have thought through almost every generation. Jesus was also quoted as saying, the end of the world would be in that generation,(the sun would’t give it’s light the stars would fall and the moon would turn to blood) some religions teach that the word generation had a different meaning, but Matthew who was said to have written it, also used the word generation as we do today when he said the generations between David and Jesus were 14. Most religious scholars that I have heard, or read, said that a generation was considerd to be 100 years! It was the sect that left the Jewish faith that then decided that Jesus filled all the promises of the Messiah , but the Jewsish people disagree with this concept. It is a matter of belief in one side or the other. I don’t know how you live your life and so I would not say you were one of the Christians who talk the talk but not walk the walk, they pick and choose what they do. I could not say any one in particular is a hypocrit, I do not know how you live, or how you act, that is for you to decide. To me a person’s belief is a personal thing, and as long as it isn;t harming others and helps them to be a better person I would say,“Go For It”. ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2011, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christians-you-love-jesus-why/581851/44 "2011-05-19T21:14:51Z")
> [@Cheshire\_Human](#): > > In that case, how about [this one](http://c2.api.ning.com/files/JbnLqLBUaXk0lglTP-uImIPID5Jvo2vK*lJH0tvFizMVLqPvvXT6*RnyPdYcyGyDiG8e*UWGRmWzAfHfAwM5T*wLx12EaRCJ/jesusdude.jpg)? Even better, eh? :eek::eek::eek::eek: ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2011, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christians-you-love-jesus-why/581851/45 "2011-05-20T01:17:02Z")
> [@Cheshire\_Human](#): > > In that case, how about [this one](http://c2.api.ning.com/files/JbnLqLBUaXk0lglTP-uImIPID5Jvo2vK*lJH0tvFizMVLqPvvXT6*RnyPdYcyGyDiG8e*UWGRmWzAfHfAwM5T*wLx12EaRCJ/jesusdude.jpg)? Even better, eh? That’s my Jesus! ---
**Author:** ![monavis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e0b2c6/32.png) [@monavis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monavis)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2011, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christians-you-love-jesus-why/581851/46 "2011-05-20T12:00:38Z")
I see no difference in saying one loved George Washington.Ben Franklin, or any other person from centuries ago. One can love the things told about them, but I can’t see how one can love someone that can not be proven to have really existed,( like Moses or even Jesus for that matter). One loves what they were told about the person , not the person.The person’s actions may have been good, but if it is only through stories I can’t understand how one can say they knew or know a person they never met. I couldn’t say I loved my great- great- great grandparents, I know they existed, but I know nothing about them, only that they did live. To me the word Love Means wishing and doing others well.After a person dies one can then just love the memory of that person. One can believe they live on in an other life but it cannot be proven. ---
**Author:** ![Find\_Friends](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c37758/32.png) [@Find\_Friends](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Find_Friends)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2011, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christians-you-love-jesus-why/581851/47 "2011-05-20T13:43:49Z")
> [@vivalostwages](#): > > :eek::eek::eek::eek: > [@cmyk](#): > > That’s my Jesus! I had a feeling that was coming. No pun intended. “Coming.” 😃 ETA: I should have included Cheshire Human in the multi-quote. ---
**Author:** ![raindog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@raindog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raindog)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2011, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christians-you-love-jesus-why/581851/48 "2011-05-20T17:40:06Z")
> [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](#): > > Now that you’ve explained why, would you still love him if you received irrefutable proof that the New Testament authors misrepresented his divinity ? That Jesus isn’t God ? Assume He’s still watching you from heaven like all the saints. > > Is your love for him conditional ? I generally don’t like to put forth much effort to GD threads where the OP put forth little him/her self. I would simply point out that the NT authors **did not** lie about the divinity of Christ. He was not God. He is not God. _And they didn’t say he was._ ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2011, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christians-you-love-jesus-why/581851/49 "2011-05-21T14:24:23Z")
Sorry, my question ws not directed at Jehovah Witnesses. ---
**Author:** ![Paid\_Informant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d26b3c/32.png) [@Paid\_Informant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paid_Informant)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christians-you-love-jesus-why/581851/50 "2011-05-26T22:31:17Z")
I love Jesus Christ because He has given me life eternal and loves me unconditionally. He restored every facet of my life and continues to provide for my needs as I grow in Him. The bible is crystal clear that Jesus is the Son of God and God, the Son. I could post many many passages which prove it beyond all doubt but I like this one best: Heb 1:8 (Jehovah speaking) But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. God, the Father, calls His Son, “God”. Your argument is with God, Himself. Good luck with that. ---
**Author:** ![Paid\_Informant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d26b3c/32.png) [@Paid\_Informant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paid_Informant)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christians-you-love-jesus-why/581851/51 "2011-05-26T22:37:13Z")
Jesus claimed to be God. His resurrection confirmed His claims. ---
**Author:** ![raindog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@raindog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raindog)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christians-you-love-jesus-why/581851/52 "2011-05-27T02:45:00Z")
> [@Paid\_Informant](#): > > Jesus claimed to be God. > His resurrection confirmed His claims. No, he did not. Quite the opposite. ---
**Author:** ![raindog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@raindog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raindog)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christians-you-love-jesus-why/581851/53 "2011-05-27T02:46:29Z")
> [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](#): > > Sorry, my question ws not directed at Jehovah Witnesses. Is that so you don’t have to actually show us the premise of the OP? ---
**Author:** ![monavis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e0b2c6/32.png) [@monavis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monavis)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christians-you-love-jesus-why/581851/54 "2011-05-27T11:25:28Z")
> [@Paid\_Informant](#): > > Jesus claimed to be God. > His resurrection confirmed His claims. If you read Psalm 82 in KJV(81in RC versions) you will see that the psalmist says all are gods and sons of god. Then Jesus uses this same referance to himself when accused of blasphemy! ---
**Author:** ![Find\_Friends](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c37758/32.png) [@Find\_Friends](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Find_Friends)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christians-you-love-jesus-why/581851/55 "2011-05-27T21:54:58Z")
> [@monavis](#): > > If you read Psalm 82 in KJV(81in RC versions) you will see that the psalmist says all are gods and sons of god. Then Jesus uses this same referance to himself when accused of blasphemy! Yes, this was first brought to my attention in an Alan Watts article on the dangers of a fundamentalist approach to reading the Bible. I was 22 at the time and it was the first popular-writing criticism of the Bible I had encountered. Two years earlier, almost immediately after I had “gotten religion” I had studied [Bultmann’s](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bultmann) criticism, though. _ **- Jack** _ ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2011, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christians-you-love-jesus-why/581851/56 "2011-05-28T13:19:56Z")
> [@raindog](#): > > No, he did not. > > Quite the opposite. I would say that He did, but we’d both agree that if Jesus didn’t claim Godhood, He did claim Lordship, Authority over all Creation, and that His Resurrection confirmed that. ---
**Author:** ![raindog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@raindog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raindog)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2011, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christians-you-love-jesus-why/581851/57 "2011-05-28T19:48:13Z")
> [@FriarTed](#): > > I would say that He did, but we’d both agree that if Jesus didn’t claim Godhood, He did claim Lordship, Authority over all Creation, and that His Resurrection confirmed that. Yes we would. (and do…)🙂 ---
**Author:** ![monavis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e0b2c6/32.png) [@monavis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monavis)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2011, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christians-you-love-jesus-why/581851/58 "2011-05-29T11:58:59Z")
> [@FriarTed](#): > > I would say that He did, but we’d both agree that if Jesus didn’t claim Godhood, He did claim Lordship, Authority over all Creation, and that His Resurrection confirmed that. The Ressurection is not proven, just a belief. There still is no proof that Jesus really lived as was written about Him. There are quotes that were not true attributed to Jesus. It is probable that a man named jesus lived and that is about as far as proof goes. All is based on the writing of another human! ---
**Author:** ![raindog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@raindog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raindog)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2011, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christians-you-love-jesus-why/581851/59 "2011-05-29T18:59:47Z")
> [@monavis](#): > > The Ressurection is not proven, just a belief. There still is no proof that Jesus really lived as was written about Him. There are quotes that were not true attributed to Jesus. It is probable that a man named jesus lived and that is about as far as proof goes. All is based on the writing of another human! As is your custom you seem unable to realize that most swords have 2 edges. At any rate, thanks for the witness. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2011, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christians-you-love-jesus-why/581851/60 "2011-05-30T03:30:12Z")
> [@raindog](#): > > As is your custom you seem unable to realize that most swords have 2 edges. > > At any rate, thanks for the witness. We really need a “Like” button here. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christians-you-love-jesus-why/581851.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christians-you-love-jesus-why/581851.md?page=4)