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But the Christian message is absolute, accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior or no pearly gates for you. That leaves a whole lot of people on the outside looking in.
Ergo my disbelief by those who are so damned sure their one true religion is the right one and no other one can possibly be plausible.
***Gordon, I really didn't think you could be this stOOpid, but you exceeded my expectations. Wussy.
Manziel, see Josh Gordon. Dumbass.***
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To answer the larger questions,
Do I believe in God, absolutely.
Do I believe in the literal word of bible, probably not.
Do I believe is most, but not all, of the principles taught in the bible, yes.
The bible is simply the first written interpretation of the meaning of God, written in a time and by those who had little understanding of all that surrounded them, but who appreciated and were blessed with the greater understanding of the meaning of life.
This line of thinking has always confused me just slightly. How can one determine which parts of the Bible are literal/factual vs which aren't? As soon as you start dismissing any of it under assumptions of who wrote it and when, you start to question all of it. I can understand "believing in the principles" but again it seems like picking and choosing which parts work for an individual.
I don't recall any footnotes saying "this part probably didn't happen" in any Bible version. If you read and trust the Bible at all, then it only makes sense to me that you take it all as truth.
The discovery of an old skull doesn't change one's view on God. However, as with most science, it does make one question the validity of the factual aspects of the Bible (story of creation, Jesus' family tree lineage, timelines). Some folks can separate their beliefs in God from their readings of the Bible so this makes no difference to them. Some can't separate them and view findings like this as scientifically inaccurate because it makes the Bible, and therefore God's Word, infallible. They just dismiss it and therefore it makes no difference.
No matter which camp someone falls into...I can't see any changes in their views.
I do not see any inconsistency at all. I believe in God. The bible.... that is more difficult. The generally recognized as good principals of the bible... well they were, are, and will be timeless in my mind.
How can a man interpret the word of God, ... I can't and won't go there.
I am probably a Unitarian... it is the one organized faith that I understand easier than other.
As my dad once told me, There are over 3000 variations of religion in the world. The fact that that exists is amazing and cannot be denied. However, if there is one and only one appropriate path to understanding God, we are probably not in the correct path.
Welcome back, Joe, we missed you!
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But the Christian message is absolute, accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior or no pearly gates for you. That leaves a whole lot of people on the outside looking in.
Ergo my disbelief by those who are so damned sure their one true religion is the right one and no other one can possibly be plausible.
very few people believe that though.
#gmstrong
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But the Christian message is absolute, accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior or no pearly gates for you. That leaves a whole lot of people on the outside looking in.
Ergo my disbelief by those who are so damned sure their one true religion is the right one and no other one can possibly be plausible.
very few people believe that though.
A few million muslims would disagree.
And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul.
- John Muir
#GMSTRONG
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But the Christian message is absolute, accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior or no pearly gates for you. That leaves a whole lot of people on the outside looking in.
Ergo my disbelief by those who are so damned sure their one true religion is the right one and no other one can possibly be plausible.
very few people believe that though.
A few million muslims would disagree.
As well as some churches I've been to in Ohio. In fact, when my uncle died (due in no small part to his exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam) the Pastor (or whatever he called himself) took over uncle's service by announcing to the crowd that it was a good thing he had accepted Jesus Christ as his lord and savior before he died because otherwise he would have burned in Hell for his sins fighting for his country. 
It was about that time when my mother started to stand up and gather her breath that I ushered her out the door.
I won't go into exactly what I told that phony-balogny POS when I walked back into the church but made many of his holier-than-thou flock turn red.
Don't tell me there aren't a huge number of people out there who view the entire religious world as black-and-white, right-and-wrong with no room for anything-but. I've seen it. People die for it every day.
There is a God but my "belief" is that we as a species aren't smart enough to fully understand whatever God is. It sure doesn't come from a book of stories cobbled together in a half-hazzard way with those stories ultimately cannonized because a dude with money said "print it!"
Up until just a blink-of-an-eye ago we burned people at stakes because they didn't believe as the church wanted them to believe. Nobody can tell me we've made the leap from idiocy and murder to knowing the Universes Master Plan in a couple of hundred years.
I have a great appreciation for all the good that belonging to a church does for families, and for what those churches do for communities. I also have a profound appreciation for how pure and simple belief can give a person the strength to face insurmountable odds and great trials and tribulations. Still, there's a flip-side to that coin of pure belief, in that it allows for the darker side of humanity to fight, kill, maim, or otherwise falsely judge others.
I take it back. I will share one thing I told that "Pastor." I informed him that my uncle was a Medical Paratrooper who never hurt another human being but saved many from death, and that perhaps he should gather more information about a subject before passing judgment.
Oh the irony.
***Gordon, I really didn't think you could be this stOOpid, but you exceeded my expectations. Wussy.
Manziel, see Josh Gordon. Dumbass.***
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But the Christian message is absolute, accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior or no pearly gates for you. That leaves a whole lot of people on the outside looking in.
Actually, that's not 100% true ..... at least not as you present it.
The Jewish people are God's people in the Bible, yet Jews believe that the Messiah has not yet come to Earth. (In other words, they believe as the Muslims do that Jesus was a prophet of God, but not the Messiah) Do you think that God says to pious Jews, his people, that they cannot enter heaven because of their faith? I don't.
I have kicked this around in my head for the better part of 2 decades, and I believe that we have a chance to accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior and repent our sins, even at our time of Judgement. There will be those who will still refuse to do so, and yes, those souls will be condemned,.I don't believe that God would look down and see a baby die in his 1st hours of life and say "Well,that one's going to hell because he inherited sin, and never accepted Jesus as his Savior". I think that God's mercy goes far beyond anything we can imagine, yet we still must take that step of accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior, or else be judged on our actions in this life according to God's Law as set down in the Old Testament. I do think that everyone will get that opportunity to accept Jesus, but as I said, I think that many will refuse to do so, because of pride, vanity, or any other number of human failings. Those souls will be condemned for violating the Law just as they face a penalty for violating laws in this life.
Micah 6:8; He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
John 14:19 Jesus said: Because I live, you also will live.
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Ytown, I mean what I'm about to say in the most respectful way possible, so please don't take it as a personal afront...
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I think that God's mercy goes far beyond anything we can imagine, yet we still must take that step of accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior, or else be judged on our actions in this life according to God's Law as set down in the Old Testament.
How can you say you know every person is going to be damned if they don't repent before death based on a biblical story, yet in the same sentence admit you can't begin to understand what the will and thinking of God actually is?
Do you know how close that concept is to the thinking of entire races of people who have tried to commit genocide on other races?
At least those people who died just died, but what you're suggesting is bigger than that: Eternal Damnation.
I don't believe I could tell someone their soul was doomed without being able to explain why God deems it so.
The only true rule-book I listen to lay in the depths of my heart. I know right from wrong. I don't need someone interpreting a book thousands of years old telling me what they believe is going to happen when they don't have all the info.
The bible offers life-lessons, but to "take it on faith" that it's absolute fact flies in the face of everything we should teach kids about critical thinking.
Certainly no offense intended.
***Gordon, I really didn't think you could be this stOOpid, but you exceeded my expectations. Wussy.
Manziel, see Josh Gordon. Dumbass.***
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Ytown, I mean what I'm about to say in the most respectful way possible, so please don't take it as a personal afront...
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I think that God's mercy goes far beyond anything we can imagine, yet we still must take that step of accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior, or else be judged on our actions in this life according to God's Law as set down in the Old Testament.
How can you say you know every person is going to be damned if they don't repent before death based on a biblical story, yet in the same sentence admit you can't begin to understand what the will and thinking of God actually is?
Do you know how close that concept is to the thinking of entire races of people who have tried to commit genocide on other races?
At least those people who died just died, but what you're suggesting is bigger than that: Eternal Damnation.
I don't believe I could tell someone their soul was doomed without being able to explain why God deems it so.
The only true rule-book I listen to lay in the depths of my heart. I know right from wrong. I don't need someone interpreting a book thousands of years old telling me what they believe is going to happen when they don't have all the info.
The bible offers life-lessons, but to "take it on faith" that it's absolute fact flies in the face of everything we should teach kids about critical thinking.
Certainly no offense intended.
Because the Bible tells me that only 1 person (Jesus) has ever lived a perfect life, absolutely without sin, which is what it would take to escape judgement. Jesus was born on Earth, but is the Son of God, and as such escaped the original sin which condemns us all. However, despite living a sin free life, Jesus went to hell to accept the punishment for all who believe in Him. He triumphed over evil, and He triumphed over death. He took our punishment for us, so that we would never have to go to hell ourselves.
As far as why someone's soul would be damned, either a person lives a perfect life, according to the Law as laid down in the Old Testament, or a person accepts Jesus as Lord and Savior. It really is that simple. Those are the 2 ways to escape damnation. It is God's Law. God, as the creator of everything, has the absolute right to set down the Law as He sees fit. He gives us a way to be seen as absolutely sin free in His eyes. That is the ultimate expression of love. In the garden of Eden, God said, "Here are My rules." Man broke those rules, allowing sin loose upon the earth. God could have instantly condemned us all at that point, but because of His love, He did not. He gave us the Law, and man broke that as well. He then gave us the ultimate get out of jail free card ... yet there will be those who will refuse to accept Jesus us their Savior, and who will face judgement on their own lives and acts, rather than having God look at us and see Jesus' perfection. God gives us every out. The only thing that can betray man is his own free will, and his own pride.
Micah 6:8; He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
John 14:19 Jesus said: Because I live, you also will live.
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Just throwing this out there. Not even Christians can agree to what the bible says which is why you have a bunch of denominations.
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I don't actually view it as a "myth" at all. I view it as God doing his best to explain things to a largely ignorant people how things happened in a way that they could accept without losing their minds. When you ask yourself this question, "How do I explain the creation of the world to people without any technology savy and who are ultra superstitious to people who view you as God?" I think you might very well be forced into doing it the same way. As to your second point, its a fair question. There are only a few places recorded where God spoke directly to mankind. Moses was the one he spoke to most and in person so to speak. Yet God warned him that to look upon his face would kill him. Exodus 33:18–23 18 Then Moses said, “I pray You, show me Your glory!” 19 And He said, “I Myself will make all My goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of the Lord before you; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show compassion on whom I will show compassion.” 20 But He said, “You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live!” 21 Then the Lord said, “Behold, there is a place by Me, and you shall stand there on the rock; 22 and it will come about, while My glory is passing by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock and cover you with My hand until I have passed by. 23 “Then I will take My hand away and you shall see My back, but My face shall not be seen.” So there is record of God talking directly to someone. Now, as far as, who wrote Genesis. Honestly we don't know for sure. We do know that Moses put the book together from various collections of manuscripts/clay tablets from before his time. Since he also talked with God in person, according to the Bible, I feel safe in accepting that God meant it for us to have. For a better and more detailed explanation please go to: Genesis Author Explanation Hope that helps =)
You can't fix stupid but you can destroy ignorance. When you destroy ignorance you remove the justifications for evil. If you want to destroy evil then educate our people. Hate is a tool of the stupid to deal with what they can't understand.
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Just throwing this out there. Not even Christians can agree to what the bible says which is why you have a bunch of denominations.
True, but the basic message is still the same for all.
Micah 6:8; He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
John 14:19 Jesus said: Because I live, you also will live.
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First I said, Quote:
But the Christian message is absolute, accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior or no pearly gates for you. That leaves a whole lot of people on the outside looking in.
Then you said,
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Actually, that's not 100% true ..... at least not as you present it.
The Jewish people are God's people in the Bible, yet Jews believe that the Messiah has not yet come to Earth. (In other words, they believe as the Muslims do that Jesus was a prophet of God, but not the Messiah) Do you think that God says to pious Jews, his people, that they cannot enter heaven because of their faith? I don't.
Then you said,
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As far as why someone's soul would be damned, either a person lives a perfect life, according to the Law as laid down in the Old Testament,
Which isn't possible, for anyone.
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or a person accepts Jesus as Lord and Savior. It really is that simple.
So I'm not 100% right but you absolutely, 100% said exactly what I did. Which has always been the accepted meaning of John 3:16.
Early in my life I tried living my life the religious way, it just wasn't my way. I don't know if there is a God or Supreme Being or Ultimate Universal power, but I do question the concept. All I do know is right from wrong and I try live my life doing as much right as I possibly can. From there, I'm rolling the dice that good Karma trumps bad Karma.
#GMSTRONG
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Why is it so important to you that the Genesis creation myth correspond to how the earth was actually created? Because I have to say, as a Christian myself, your interpretation of the myth is wildly implausible in some places. Why can't you just accept Genesis as mythology?
I have thought about that. At some point the word would be brought to me. It seems the me the Christian faith does a gopod job of spreding the word. You hear about Christian missions, but you don't hear about other religions on mission work. I don't know....do other religions even try to do mission work? At any rate, I don't think it is the religion. I think God is God and can manifest in any form that makes sense to people. I don't think Muslims as an example are bad or evil, at least the non political wing of the religion.
I guess what I am saying is I am a Christian, but don't think that non belivers in Christ can't find God. The only people who can't find God are the ones who don't believe in God.
I think God presents more than one way to the Word.
That said....some can be corrupted in finding that massage because evil does exist and does try to muddle the issue.
"Christian missions" have a deep and long connection with imperial colonizing, something that many other religions partake in due to the geographical challenges of getting to the western hemisphere.
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The way you phrased it, I assumed that you meant that a person could die without accepting Jesus, and would be damned, which would open it up to babies born stillborn and such. I apologize if I read into it more than was there.
In the end, it is God's world, and we are all subject to His laws and rules. I do think that He gives us every opportunity to accept Jesus, even up to and including our day of judgement.
Micah 6:8; He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
John 14:19 Jesus said: Because I live, you also will live.
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A very excellent response! To me, John 14 verse 6 is very clear on the matter Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. Further, John Chapter 3 is Jesus trying to explain to a Jewish priest WHY you have to accept his forgiveness to go to heaven. Verses 3-16(Most Famous Bible Verse)through 3-21 lay it out pretty clear to me as well. For those who don't want to look it up: 16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God. Now that is strait from Jesus, either you believe him or you don't none of my business. To me churches or religions that don't accept what Jesus says are false. Heaven is for those who love God, love his Son, and accept God's holy spirit. If you don't then you don't get to spend eternity with him it's simple. Now keep in mind God WANTS everyone to love him and spend eternity in heaven with him. Still he gave us free will because he WANTS to be CHOSEN. Still just like any lover scorned there are consequences to choosing not to. It's not like he is asking much though. So then, someone always asks, what about babies and young children? They are innocent and get a free pass because God is merciful. Why Children Go to Heaven What about those who never hear of Jesus or read a bible due to whatever reasons? Well, he will make himself known to them in his own way. They will also be judged differently but it will be harder on them because they will be judged according to their choices to do evil or good. Being good is not easy even with the best of circumstances but we have knowledge of good and evil. Our hearts will weigh heavy when we do evil and be light when we do good. When we are brought up falsely to do evil it will war with us inside and torment us. People Who Never Heard the Gospel That is why Christians are under obligation to share the Gospel so that people can receive God's mercy as he intended us too. Again it's all up to us to accept his commandments. The world and us suffer if we don't. I am not judging anyone because that job belongs to God. I am no where near perfect or sinless enough to judge anyone. I am not saying you are a good or bad person. How could I possibly know? I am just sharing what I know and believe and hope it benefits you or at least gives you something interesting to read.
You can't fix stupid but you can destroy ignorance. When you destroy ignorance you remove the justifications for evil. If you want to destroy evil then educate our people. Hate is a tool of the stupid to deal with what they can't understand.
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I believe that very human pride and or hatred will be the cause of damnation for many people at the day of judgement.
Many people, given the option of accepting Christ as their Savior, will still decline, preferring to argue that their acts are sufficient to grant them eternal life. Their pride will not allow them to accept that everything they did on Earth, no matter how great, is not enough to balance their sin, and that pride will lead them to eternal damnation. Their arrogance leads them to believe that they are the one special case where God will grant them heaven based on their own greatness.
Others will hate Jesus and God so much, and/or His chosen people, that they will refuse to stand with the people they have hated for their entire lives. They will try to get out of judgement, because they feel that it shouldn't apply to them somehow.
I believe that God wants salvation for all of us. He makes it so easy. He doesn't say that you have to give away everything you own and go out to be beaten to death as the early Apostles often were. He doesn't say that we have to suffer for Him. He just asks that we repent our sins, and accept Jesus as our Savior. He expects us to tell others about His love and forgiveness, and that we follow the example He, Himself set. He gives us forgiveness and eternal life, and the only thing he asks for in return in Faith in Him and repentence. That's it. Acknowledge that He is God (which standing before God would be really hard to argue) repent your sins, and ask forgiveness. People ask how God could condemn his children, but what good is a law that goes unenforced? Many will still deny God, even to His face. The only reasons to do so are pride, arrogance, and/or hatred. God gave us the easiest possible path to salvation and forgiveness, yet many will find endless reasons not to accept His love and forgiveness. It is a shame that many will be damned by their own choices, but the Law is clearly spelled out, and in reality is burned into our conscience. We all know, deep inside, that it is wrong to kill, to steal, to lust after another man's wife, and so on. However, we find reasons to ignore the dictates of our own consciences, and make excuses why our particular violation is special, and not really doing something outside of what we know to be right. Again, we do that which we know s wrong, but through our arrogance make excuses why our case is special, and not wrong. I know that I have tried to rationalize things I knew were wrong. I am as guilty, or more so, than anyone else. I try to find the loopholes as to why what I did wasn't really that bad. However, in the end, if I accept that there is a God, then by definition, God is the All. He is in charge, and we have to obey His laws. If we don't, then we face His judgement. He has handed down His Commandments. We all know them. We all violate them. God gave us free will, and we choose to act and live in sin. There is only one defense for our sinful lives. The only question is, will we accept it, or will we pass, and try to act as our own lawyer at judgement?
There is an adage that a man who acts as his own attorney has a fool for a client. Nowhere is this more true than at Judgement. God gives us the ultimate defense attorney, yet there are those who will still reject him, even facing a death penalty. The only one to blame at that point is the one who rejects God's gifts of love, salvation, and forgiveness.
Micah 6:8; He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
John 14:19 Jesus said: Because I live, you also will live.
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God thank you for giving us all free will 
I AM ALWAYS RIGHT... except when I am wrong.
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Did you come up with that? Bravo!  Excellent points that very closely express the way I see things regarding Christianity.
And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul.
- John Muir
#GMSTRONG
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That is me pouring my heart and soul out through the keyboard. I want everyone to know God's love, and to have His forgiveness.
I don't pretend to have all of the answers. (OK, maybe I do pretend from time to time) That's not my role in the universe. I do hope that I can help someone find the answer to their struggles at some point. I hope that I can offer someone hope at some point. I hope that I am able to help bring even just one person to God over the course of my lifetime. If I do so, I will consider my life an unqualified success. I don't want to say that this life is unimportant, because it is ...... but it is nowhere near as important as all of eternity, and the life that awaits beyond this one.
Micah 6:8; He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
John 14:19 Jesus said: Because I live, you also will live.
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It's getting deep now. I say Love who you can love and do your best to respect the rest.
If everybody had like minds, we would never learn. GM Strong ![[Linked Image]](http://www.dawgtalkers.net/uploads/small-gator-chomp.gif)
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It's getting deep now. I say Love who you can love and do your best to respect the rest.
Be careful. Lots of judges around here…
#gmstrong #gmlapdance
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It's getting deep now. I say Love who you can love and do your best to respect the rest.
To each their own. I don't feel that speaking about something as important as faith in God can ever be "deep", if it is sincere.
Micah 6:8; He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
John 14:19 Jesus said: Because I live, you also will live.
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Just throwing this out there. Not even Christians can agree to what the bible says which is why you have a bunch of denominations.
True, but the basic message is still the same for all.
Wellllll
It's just that baptism is a controversial subject people don't agree on. At what age is it appropriate for one to be baptized? In who's name (referring to Matthew 28:19 or Acts 2:38)? Do you sprinkle water on the forehead or submerge them in a tank?
That's a subject that can could have my fellow Christians riled up.
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Speaking for myself, I think that sprinkling water on the forehead is more than sufficient. I do think that baptism is done in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit" in every Church I have ever attended.
I have never seen this as some massive problem for Churches. I truly cannot recall any great fight over this.
I want to clarify what I said earlier, because re-reading it, maybe it did come off as a bit pretentious, and that was far from the intent. Quite the opposite actually.
I was thinking about the end the other day. My mother was discussing what she has set up as her final resting place, and her wishes, etc .... and I started thinking about my own life. I prefer to be cremated. I don't even care if I have a headstone. I don't have children, so just let me fade into the past. In the end, what will I leave behind in this world? I will probably leave someone some "stuff". Hopefully I touched a few lives, especially of some of the young people I worked with over my lifetime. However, I am not going to be remembered by history for anything except being a pretty ordinary man. I will have lived my life as best I can, but probably will have left little permanent to mark my existence.
I don't especially care about that. However, if, by God's will, and with His help, I can have had some small part in helping save someone's soul, then that will far outweigh anything and everything else that I have accomplished in this world. When I go to Judgement, God won't care how I did selling cars, or managing businesses. . None of that will matter one bit. Nothing I have done here as far as material concerns will even be brought up. However, I would be incredibly proud if I could stand before my God at Judgement, and have Him tell me that I helped save one soul. That would be a worthy accomplishment.
Micah 6:8; He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
John 14:19 Jesus said: Because I live, you also will live.
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Just throwing this out there. Not even Christians can agree to what the bible says which is why you have a bunch of denominations.
Which is why Jesus made it about as clear as anybody could possibly make it...
In Luke 10:25-27
25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”
27 He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”
Done... people need to stop arguing about beard length and eating shellfish and working on Sunday and candle lengths on the alter and baptizing infants and do those two... I won't call them simple.... things.
If Biblical scholars and lay persons want to debate the age of the earth, whether the story of Noah was factual or allegorical, and whether not eating shellfish is an actual Biblical mandate or was just a practical thing to do at the time because they had very poor methods of cleaning, processing and storing that kind of food, or whether homosexuality is a sin worse than any other sin...... that's fine, have at it... for me, I try to focus on those two things.
yebat' Putin
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I agree DC but that line of "general" thinking sure is different than most "Bible Thumpers" (for lack of a better term) would say. The Bible is all we really have regarding this whole story. I still don't quite make sense in my head how we can pick out certain passages and disregard others. But we do. Was Jesus saying "Don't worry about the rest of it...just love God and thy neighbor"? Sure would make the Bible a lot shorter
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*In Baker we trust*
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But the Christian message is absolute, accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior or no pearly gates for you. That leaves a whole lot of people on the outside looking in.
Very true... if you are to go to a Christian Heaven.
I contend that religion is existential and you believe in your heart of hearts what you believe ( a truism for sure) that said a Christain knows what he must do to obtain a christian afterlife...as does a Muslim, A jew, A hindu... etc. I truly believe that a Viking following what he knows to be his truths is granted entance to Valhalla because of his beliefs.
In truth you have struck on the one thing that discredits religions more than anythng ( imo) the idea there is only one true road... certainly if GOD is all encompassing there is more than one path to him (or her)
In reality Jesus' message is simple... love YOUR God, Love your enemies, love your neighbors, love yourself... do these and all other thngs will take care of themselves.
#gmstrong
A smart person knows what to say.
A wise person knows whether or not to say it.
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Was Jesus saying "Don't worry about the rest of it...just love God and thy neighbor"?
I think DC has it correct as it's hard to find any part of the Bible that contradicts those 2 things.
#gmstrong
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I don't disagree.
However, getting back to the topic of how an old skull changes one's perception of God (or more specifically, the Bible), it is curious how we can take the "message" to be truth while ignoring "factual" events of the Bible.
In other words, we are picking and choosing what we wish to believe and which parts we choose to ignore.
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*In Baker we trust*
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Just throwing this out there. Not even Christians can agree to what the bible says which is why you have a bunch of denominations.
Which is why Jesus made it about as clear as anybody could possibly make it...
In Luke 10:25-27
25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”
27 He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”
Done... people need to stop arguing about beard length and eating shellfish and working on Sunday and candle lengths on the alter and baptizing infants and do those two... I won't call them simple.... things.
If Biblical scholars and lay persons want to debate the age of the earth, whether the story of Noah was factual or allegorical, and whether not eating shellfish is an actual Biblical mandate or was just a practical thing to do at the time because they had very poor methods of cleaning, processing and storing that kind of food, or whether homosexuality is a sin worse than any other sin...... that's fine, have at it... for me, I try to focus on those two things.
And if people would follow those 2 things, whether they beleive or not, the world itself would be a wonderful place. If the non-believers would just follow the second half, the world would be a wonderful, peaceful place.
We don't have to agree with each other, to respect each others opinion.
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I agree DC but that line of "general" thinking sure is different than most "Bible Thumpers" (for lack of a better term) would say.
Most of the more vocal ones anyway...
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The Bible is all we really have regarding this whole story. I still don't quite make sense in my head how we can pick out certain passages and disregard others. But we do. Was Jesus saying "Don't worry about the rest of it...just love God and thy neighbor"?
If you look at what the Bible says about what it means to love somebody.... if you follow that kind of love, you will be in compliance with 90% of the rest of the Bible and you will be left with very few technical details to debate.
If you love your neighbor you won't steal from them, you won't hurt them, you won't covet their spouse or their belongings, you will help them when they are down, you won't judge them based on their shortcomings, etc...
And, as the Bible says, "Who is my brother? or my neighbor?" Everybody.
yebat' Putin
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Just throwing this out there. Not even Christians can agree to what the bible says which is why you have a bunch of denominations.
Which is why Jesus made it about as clear as anybody could possibly make it...
In Luke 10:25-27
25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”
27 He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”
Done... people need to stop arguing about beard length and eating shellfish and working on Sunday and candle lengths on the alter and baptizing infants and do those two... I won't call them simple.... things.
If Biblical scholars and lay persons want to debate the age of the earth, whether the story of Noah was factual or allegorical, and whether not eating shellfish is an actual Biblical mandate or was just a practical thing to do at the time because they had very poor methods of cleaning, processing and storing that kind of food, or whether homosexuality is a sin worse than any other sin...... that's fine, have at it... for me, I try to focus on those two things.
And if people would follow those 2 things, whether they beleive or not, the world itself would be a wonderful place. If the non-believers would just follow the second half, the world would be a wonderful, peaceful place.
I don't think it's the non-believers who have that problem...
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I don't think it's the non-believers who have that problem...
I think you mis-read that one.
his point was that EVERYONE has that problem. the 2nd half was saying that even if people didn't want to believe in God but treated everyone with love (the 2nd half), then the world would be a wonderful place.
#gmstrong
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I don't think it's the non-believers who have that problem...
It's them as much as it is anybody else...
yebat' Putin
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I don't think it's the non-believers who have that problem...
I think you mis-read that one.
his point was that EVERYONE has that problem. the 2nd half was saying that even if people didn't want to believe in God but treated everyone with love (the 2nd half), then the world would be a wonderful place.
Yep. My mistake. I'm sorry that I misconstrued your message and posted in an unnecessarily hostile tone.
Last edited by CHSDawg; 10/28/13 01:14 PM.
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No problem. Say 10 Hail Mary's and I'll give you the address where you can send your $20 donation.
yebat' Putin
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Meditation IMO, is truly one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself.
Or twinkies, but yeah, meditation is good, too.
I prefer the orange cupcakes... and the fact that they are now back on the shelves PROVES there is a God and that he answers prayers.
Those orange cupcakes are awesome but unless God sidelines as a dentist, I'm not ready to use the word "PROVES" with this revelation.
WHAT ABOUT THE BANANA FLIP?!?!?
" Now here you are running these dirty old streets tattoo on your neck fake gold on your teeth, got the hood here snowed but you can't fool me, we both know who you are"
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Just let me be the first to say I love ya'll GO BROWNS
I AM ALWAYS RIGHT... except when I am wrong.
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No problem. Say 10 Hail Mary's and I'll give you the address where you can send your $20 donation.
I hope you can accept it next month. I'm low on money right now after helping a Nigerian Prince access his bank accounts. I'll have it next month when he repays me.
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No problem. Say 10 Hail Mary's and I'll give you the address where you can send your $20 donation.
I hope you can accept it next month. I'm low on money right now after helping a Nigerian Prince access his bank accounts. I'll have it next month when he repays me.
Cool. I'll just sit here and hold my breath.
yebat' Putin
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