Timothy Keller Lecture at MIT on Christianity Cambridge MA

[potpie921]

thank you for sharing this video

[shieldsff]

this was informative & helpful discussion;.I think it may also prove helpful to some of the viewers here to try to evaluate many of the more aggressive claims of the anti-theist critique ("brights") from a ideological/ metaphysics perspective. Check out the recent article by Jackson Lears in the May 16, 2011 issue of the The Nation entitled "Same Old New Atheism" .The article offers a compelling analysis of Sam Harris' works. Consideration is given to general atheistic social perspectives

[Dendilyon]

Religion is not about belief and hope for deeper, hidden truths... it's about institutions, dogmas, silly community groups, politics... and that is conditioned by the upbringing. The belief stuff is only somewhere at the background to make all that crap bearable.

[Deej1188]

@Dendilyon In many ways, you're right. Religion IS all of those things. Faith in Christianity is not. It is about a personal savior in Jesus Christ and his love and sacrifice.

What we have confused this with is the actions of religion. You have to do this or that and be good "or else". The politics and everything have clouded the message of the gospel. The real concept behind Christianity is often hardest for the lifelong Christian to understand since they are too accustomed to the motions.

[vilicus07]

I am not talking about imposing beliefs. Simply sharing our beliefs. Whats wrong with that? I tell you how I live and you tell me how you live. You may convince me and win me over. I hear and read things daily which change my way of thinking. I'm sure you do as well. The more we know about the world and others beliefs the more well informed our decisions will be.

[Zman00012]

Billy Graham also gave one of the greatest deceptions in Christianity, the "sinners prayer" or "alter call."

[megenoita]

I don't know why this gets negative comments. Graham sat with Catholics (who believe in good works for salvation) and definitely leaned towards teaching (if not explicitly) that praying the prayer leads to salvation unquestionably, which is certainly a deceptive teaching that can lead many to hell.

[larrywalkerntbi]

Amen. Charles Finney started the "alter call" or the "anxious seat" which eventually lead to Graham playing "Just as I am" 200 times to play on peoples emotions to "get a decision". These are all unscriptual and deplorable methods that have lead to many false converts.

[blijytoo]

yap yap yap why do intellectual christens all ways yap about there faith instead of going out in to the field and practice what they preach billy graham once said the English are good at knowing there bible but doing it is another ball game

[vilicus07]

The reason Christians yap is because every human yaps about what he or she is passionate about. I think we all should give our reasons for why we believe what we do so that we will be properly understood and others can decide for themselves if they agree or not. That it as fair and open as it gets I think. Besides how do you play the game if you have not learned it yet?

[ljstudios]

@vilicus07 " i think we all should give ..."... By saying that you're telling "all" how YOU believe they should act, adapt, and live in a world... So you're imposing your believes about how people 'should be'. So, that is not as fair and open as it gets. (what makes you right?)

[blangus]

Tim Keller and his congregtion are a significant tour de force for compassion and social justice in NYC, they are very committed to it individually and as a congregation. That has been a passion of Tim's for many years.

[megenoita]

Tim Keller is a pastor in NYC. He is known for being able to give the gospel in such a way that anyone can understand it, from the simple to the intellectual. He serves God with his whole life. What are you doing?

[larrywalkerntbi]

If you knew anything about Tim Keller you would know he is very passionate about Mercy Ministry. He wrote a book called "Mercy Ministries: The Call of the Jericho Road" which is solely about this subject. But-you can't have hands without a brain. We need to be motivated by the right things or we will quickly let the gospel be eclipsed by mercy ministry instead of the mercy ministry being motivated by it.

[mediteight]

"Is God a Taoist?" - google for Smullyan.

[jdbrown371]

God gave us free will but mankind has routinely denied others their God given right. Much evil and suffering is due to others exercising unjust power and suppressing the free will of others. I think we don't have enough free will and most of mankind is forced to live against their God given nature to make their own choices solely for the benefit of a few. The powers that be have a vested interest in keeping us all on a tight lease, we have to ask permission for just about everything.

[Revinius]

Sounds like you're trying to blame your woes on some conception of 'the man' or 'the powers that be'. Perhaps you should just accept that you're a finite being that makes mistakes and does evil and find out the only real way to get out of that proverbial hole.