Jesus without Baggage is a place where people can come with questions about their faith—particularly individuals from traditions that teach harsh, controlling doctrines or practices. Above all else, this must be a safe place for them to ask questions and receive support without fear of backlash.
1. Please: no insults, name calling, or personal attacks
2. General policy
Anyone is free to ask questions, offer opinions, or challenge statements. Some of the most valuable exchanges are when back-and-forth dialog clarifies issues and brings new insight.
3. Interaction with me
Readers don’t have to agree with me and I don’t mind being challenged; in fact I appreciate it as it often causes me to re-evaluate or to clarify my position. Well informed skeptics, conservatives, and others help keep me honest.
Sometimes I participate on tough debate sites, but Jesus without Baggage is not that sort of site. If it seems that a reader and I have exhausted a topic, and further discussion is unhelpful, I will ask them to talk with me by email rather than in comments.
4. Interaction among readers
My regular commenters are comfortable with the discussion format and can take care of themselves if challenged, but I will watch for situations that seem to be getting out of hand.
However, if any reader begins to feel badgered or harassed by another reader, they should contact me by email at the address on the contact page and I will speak to the other reader.
Enjoy the discussion! ~Tim
Jesus Without Baggage 
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Short and direct. I like it.
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My problem is that so little has been taught about what He did and Taught up until the Last Supper, compared with all the emphasis on His Terrible Death and Resurrection.
I will add that I am 77, so that you will be patient and clear as you strongly differ with what I have come to believe, I add this so that you will be kind as well.
I believe that Jesus was God the Father’s Son, chosen to be born here on Earth and He Was willing to live His Life knowing that His teachings would be seen as heresy for which the punishment was crucifiction and death. He knew it was dangerous to continue teaching as He was of the Father’s Love for each of us, as well as the importantance of our loving each other in the same way, It doesn’t appear that God loves love for us had been emphasized or even spoken of that often in the past and so these thoughts were radically different. Upon hearing the words he said and the stories He told, so many were quickly drawn in and as the number of His followers grew, those who had seen themselves wise and important now saw themselves losing their power and position and would not allow it. I believe this small group of men were responsible for manipulating Jesus’s Death, as He knew they would if He continued to teach.
I believe in His Death on the Cross, His Reserection as well as His continuing on earth for 40 more days.
I just am unable to believe that God would create us imperfect, with all of our faults and then demand we become perfect, As a mom, no matter what any of my children did, I could not abandon them, and I do not believe that God, who is capable of so much more love, would ever abandon any of us, regardless of how we might deserve to be.
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Hi Patricia. I assume this comment is in response to the current post How Substitutionary Atonement Fails https://jesuswithoutbaggage.wordpress.com/2016/02/29/how-substitutionary-atonement-fails/.
I always try to be patient and kind, and I am 64 myself–not too far behind you. However, you said that I differ from what you have come to believe, but I can’t find the disagreement in what you said. I can agree with basically everything you said–especially your last statements:
“I just am unable to believe that God would create us imperfect, with all of our faults and then demand we become perfect…and I do not believe that God, who is capable of so much more love, would ever abandon any of us, regardless of how we might deserve to be.”
I strongly agree with that! In fact I think you said it very well. Thanks for your comment, and I hope to hear more from you as you are inclined.
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I too was touched by Patricia’s paragraph quoted by Tim. After God created man, He said “very good” (Gen. 1:31). God was happy. Not too long afterwards man fell and sin and death entered but God still has His purpose. Sin and death cannot defeat God.
Now, God does not demand that we become perfect, because He knows we cannot do it. However, we do have Matt. 5:48, ” You therefore shall be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Here Jesus does not say “God” but “Father” because we can receive the Father’s life to become His children and that perfect life can work His perfection into us. This is a marvelous salvation.
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I want to believe. I was raised Catholic, went to Catholic school, etc… I prayed for my mother to be healed all my life, and she never was. I prayed that I find a way out of my financial desperation and as of now there has been no answer. I prayed that I find a job, sent out hundreds of resumes, spent gas going to interviews, and still no job, no money, bills mounting, close to being evicted, no food except for peanut butter. I want to believe but I have a hard time believing he would allow me to become homeless. I’m not so concerned for myself as I am for my dog and cats. Everyone tells me in “his time, not mine” or “He does not give you more than you can handle”, well despite all that, now is the time and I can’t handle anymore. So my question is, where is he?
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Hi Rosemarie. I am so sorry for your difficulties. You said: “Everyone tells me in ‘his time, not mine’ or ‘He does not give you more than you can handle’”. These are well-meaning attempts at encouragement, but I think they are misguided. I don’t think this is the way God works; it is not as though God controls the details of our lives, and I certainly don’t think God gives us burdens and difficulties.
I hope you find a job soon, but I think that depends more on the economy and finding the right opening at the right time than it depends on God’s manipulation. I was without a job for several years, so I know the distress it can cause. I truly empathize with your situation, and I know it seems intolerable, but I don’t know what I can say to help.
I think it is good to continue praying, but I believe prayer serves more to change us than to enlist God’s assistance in changing our circumstances. I wish I could say more, but I can only say that I hope your situation changes for the better very soon.
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” I don’t think this is the way God works; it is not as though God controls the details of our lives, and I certainly don’t think God gives us burdens and difficulties.”
Tim:
I just found this site this morning and I feel as though I have found a pot of gold… I feel so validated by what you said to Rosemarie especially in the above quote as I have come to the same conclusion as I suffer through my own personal tribulations. I believe it was C. S. Lewis who said it: To paraphrase, Prayer changes us, not God.
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“A pot of gold” Wow! Thanks for the compliment. I am glad you like what you have read and that you feel comfortable here. I hope you continue to be with us and I look forward to your further comments.
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I’m late to this discussion here, but I’ve just come across this site and I must agree with the “pot of gold” comment. In all honesty, Christianity nearly ruined me as a child and young adult thanks to all of the misguided, and sometimes downright harmful, teachings of man. I rebelled for a while, but God brought me back home and showed me that He wasn’t like that at all. I am glad to have found this site with so much useful and comforting insight.
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Kat, I am glad you have found useful and comforting insight on this blog. I am always happy when I can be of help.
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