Talk:Christianity

From Wikipedia, a free encyclopedia written in simple English for easy reading.

Please note that the simple language version of Christianity really does not capture the complexity of what Christians believe.

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[edit] Impregnate

Is that simple English? I don't think so. I'll try to think of a better word.

Impregnate isn't simple English?

Worth noting: it is a Catholic-only belief that Mary had anything to do with Jesus' conception, other than to bear him. Using "Simple" language, the Father conceived Jesus in Mary, who bore and gave birth to him.

I'd say the simple version is actually very, very close to being entirely accurate. There's no need for complexity; the message itself is simple.

I think we should all settle down. I mean seriously its not that big of a deal

[edit] More significant structure

Can I suggst we structure this page in a similar way to the Christianity page on the English wikipedia. That page has already had more thorough contributions and edits. We don't need to reinvent it all. At the moment this page suggests Christianity can be reduced to beleifs and a history of divisions. There is more to Christianity. Just nigel 06:35, 12 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Introduction?

Blockinbox said "our simple article was built up carefully and over a long time by many editors, and should not be chucked overnight in favor of a carbon-copy of the English article, which is notably deficient, but unlikely to improve because of the tiny clique that dominates that article." Whatever you think of the contributors on the English Wikipedia article on Christianity need not limit the extent of inormation we provide here. I can asure I am not just posting a carbon copy. I am however slowly working through this page to add my contribution and improve it. In my changes to the introduction yesterday, I used both the English site and the existing introduction here as resources. I was disappointed you removed those changes. They contained more information than was previously here. It also contained more references, when previously there were none. In the absense of any evidence what I wrote was incorrect, I have reinstated it.

If you wish to dispute any of the information I have added, please let us know. If you object to any of the references I have added, please let us know. If you think I have removed something important that the introduction used to contain or should contain in the future, please let us know. If you think the introduction is now too long to serve as an adequate introduction, please let us know. (Just nigel 04:41, 25 October 2006 (UTC))

[edit] Common Christian Beliefs?

Reasons why the belief's section needed rewriting: The beleifs as they were paid too little reguard for the Jewish history of Christianity and the Old Testament or Hebrew Scriptures, which make up the majority of the Christian scriptures. My suggested remedy was to add Abraham, Moses, Ruth, David and Isaiah as significant examples from this history. Beliefs about the Holy Spirit were absent excpet for naming the Spirit in the abstract when describing the Trinity. Some comments like "Catholics beleive this but it is not biblical..." were unatributed and too argumentative. I simplified language. Concepts like "sin" and "salvation" are important to Christian beliefs but needed more simple english descriptions at first use. Just nigel 05:47, 12 October 2006 (UTC)

"Jesus never did sin" ...???

Your changes went way beyond what you gave described above by cutting out some key elements that are far more important than Ruth or Isaiah. A mention of Ruth and Isaiah should be sufficient without cutting out the main things Christ talked about being necessary requirements. Blockinblox 12:45, 19 October 2006 (UTC)

We might need to say something about how common, and added references to verify that these are Christian beleifes (common or otherwise). Some things like Jesus' life and death may be very common beleifs among Christians. Others like the escatology described here would be far more contested among people who identify themselves as Christian. (Again a lack of references hinders this section - where is the eveidence that Gehenna is the same thing as Hell?)

We might also need to say something about what constitutes belief and the role of 'belief' within Christianity. One of my concerns about this article is it suggests Christianity is defined by what one believes. What of the role of following Jesus' way in life ("taking up the cross and following him" as described in the Gospels) or the cultural associations many people have with Christianity, which are not or only loosly based on belifs (as in the description of a country as a Christian country)? (Just nigel 05:25, 25 October 2006 (UTC))

[edit] Types of Christianity?

I like how this section uses an historic approach to describe differences within the people who identify themselves as Christian. I think it is a very helpful way to describe how the groups have emerged and relate in varying degrees with each other.

I think it is simplistic too say such differences are just about doctirne. I have already added the phrase "and practice" but there are other factors too such as political and cultural differnces. An editing of this section could allow for their influences too.

Later in this section it describes cultic practices, as in the ways people within the religion express their worship. Could we eventually divide this into two major sections, one describing the denominations/movements/traditions/sect of Christianity and another specifically about churches at worship/ritual/sacrament?

And before I go, there is still a lack of NPOV. I might have stripped references to "Catholics aren't Biblical" earlier in this page but what does it mean when it says "Some Protestant churches have ceremonies more or less similar to the Mass, but they believe the bread and wine are just symbols that remind us of what Jesus did." (Just nigel 05:36, 25 October 2006 (UTC))

[edit] Cathar External Reference

Is it really useful to have a reference to the Cathars as the first external link? They are an (albeit important) footnote in western European Christian history. I think it confuses the article to have a fringe (and as far as I know no longer practiced) theological system linked here. If we started listing all the historically significant fringe groups in the Chrisitan faith, just the links to those groups' histories would be longer than the present article in its entirety. — This unsigned comment was added by 67.9.152.44 (talk • contribs) .

I think having a link to alternate veiws is a good thing to preserve NPOV somewhat, but I do have to agree its placement at the top isnt exactly essential (I moved it to the bottom). I think listing all fringe groups would be more in keeping for a list or seperate article with a small section here with a link and recap of the main article. As an external link, one serves as an example, all is overkill. -- Creol 07:01, 9 December 2006 (UTC)