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01/03/2008 03:34:27 PM · #1001 |
Originally posted by Flash:
Originally posted by Louis:
Originally posted by Flash:
Ask God. It's his plan. |
He doesn't appear to be taking any calls lately (or he turned his answering machine off). |
This is the second post of yours today that brought a smile to my face.
Are you sure it is not you who turned off the communication. I really menat that in a kind way |
Yes, how true. And it's because God still speaks to us today that there is no confusion, dissent, or argument over what religion he prefers, what the Bible means, and which infidels and/or heretics we should be killing, ostracizing, or forcibly being made to submit to his divine love and forgiveness. |
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01/03/2008 03:36:03 PM · #1002 |
Originally posted by shutterpuppy:
1) Do you claim to know, without doubt, that there is an afterlife?
2) Do you claim to know, without doubt, that a supreme being exists?
3) Do you claim to know, without doubt, that this supreme is the God of the Christian Bible?
4) Do you claim that this Bible is literal (that is inerrant) truth?
5) If you do not believe the Bible to be inerrant, do you claim to know what parts of the Bible are in error or open to interpretation? |
Originally posted by Flash:
part I - No. |
Originally posted by Flash:
Originally posted by shutterpuppy:
14) Do you believe that all souls never exposed to Christianity (which would be the vast majority of people to have walked the earth since the time of recorded history) are condemned to be barred from entering heaven?
15) If yes to #14, why were those souls placed into such a position as to make it almost impossible for them to learn the truth and do the things that their Creator requires of them to complete his plan and earn his rewards? |
Yes.
Ask God. It's his plan. |
You don't know, without doubt, that there's an afterlife, a Supreme Being, a God of the Christian Bible, or even which parts of the bible are accurate, yet you frequently disavow responsibility for your opinions with cavalier that's-just-the-way it-is statements of "fact" like this. HOW DO YOU KNOW? I smell B.S. |
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01/03/2008 03:42:55 PM · #1003 |
Originally posted by Flash:
I'm not sure which God you are referring to, but the one I've come to know has absolutely no reservations about slapping me upside the head to get my attention. |
Once again, you claim intimate knowledge of how the only true God works/thinks/reacts. How lucky we are to have His divine interpreter right here in our humble forum! :-/ |
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01/03/2008 03:44:25 PM · #1004 |
Originally posted by scalvert:
Originally posted by shutterpuppy:
1) Do you claim to know, without doubt, that there is an afterlife?
2) Do you claim to know, without doubt, that a supreme being exists?
3) Do you claim to know, without doubt, that this supreme is the God of the Christian Bible?
4) Do you claim that this Bible is literal (that is inerrant) truth?
5) If you do not believe the Bible to be inerrant, do you claim to know what parts of the Bible are in error or open to interpretation? |
Originally posted by Flash:
part I - No. |
Originally posted by Flash:
Originally posted by shutterpuppy:
14) Do you believe that all souls never exposed to Christianity (which would be the vast majority of people to have walked the earth since the time of recorded history) are condemned to be barred from entering heaven?
15) If yes to #14, why were those souls placed into such a position as to make it almost impossible for them to learn the truth and do the things that their Creator requires of them to complete his plan and earn his rewards? |
Yes.
Ask God. It's his plan. |
You don't know, without doubt, that there's an afterlife, a Supreme Being, a God of the Christian Bible, or even which parts of the bible are accurate, yet you frequently disavow responsibility for your opinions with cavalier that's-just-the-way it-is statements of "fact" like this. HOW DO YOU KNOW? I smell B.S. |
I have not seen the afterlife no more that you have. I have not directly encountered God, although some claim to have. I have repeatedly stated that scripture is both literal and figurative and that the "understanding" comes from discerning the teachings. The problem as I see it, is that my forthwright honesty in admitting things I do not know, places you into a quandry. If you smell BS, then I would suggest a filter. Charcoal sometimes helps with the stench. |
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01/03/2008 03:45:41 PM · #1005 |
Originally posted by scalvert:
Originally posted by Flash:
I'm not sure which God you are referring to, but the one I've come to know has absolutely no reservations about slapping me upside the head to get my attention. |
Once again, you claim intimate knowledge of how the only true God works/thinks/reacts. How lucky we are to have His divine interpreter right here in our humble forum! :-/ |
I accept pay pal. |
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01/03/2008 03:46:51 PM · #1006 |
Originally posted by Flash:
Originally posted by scalvert:
Originally posted by Flash:
I'm not sure which God you are referring to, but the one I've come to know has absolutely no reservations about slapping me upside the head to get my attention. |
Once again, you claim intimate knowledge of how the only true God works/thinks/reacts. How lucky we are to have His divine interpreter right here in our humble forum! :-/ |
I accept pay pal. |
That is the funniest post in this thread.
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01/03/2008 03:55:38 PM · #1007 |
Originally posted by Flash:
I have not seen the afterlife no more that you have. |
Your statement assumes out of hand that there IS an afterlife.
Originally posted by Flash:
The problem as I see it, is that my forthwright honesty in admitting things I do not know, places you into a quandry, |
The problem is that you continually claim those things you do not know to be true are true. |
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01/03/2008 04:00:27 PM · #1008 |
Originally posted by Flash:
I have not seen the afterlife no more that you have. I have not directly encountered God, although some claim to have. I have repeatedly stated that scripture is both literal and figurative and that the "understanding" comes from discerning the teachings. The problem as I see it, is that my forthwright honesty in admitting things I do not know, places you into a quandry. If you smell BS, then I would suggest a filter. Charcoal sometimes helps with the stench. |
... edited for snarkiness
But the problem is that you really don't admit with "forthwright honesty" that you don't know. You make claims to truth and then retreat when challenged, called on your truth claims or pressed to support them with more than "I'm right, because I'm right" rhetoric to a position of what I would call "pious doubt" - that is, "neither of us 'know,' so both of our arguments are equally valid, but I have God on my side, so I'm of course right and you'll find out when your dead."
What I find interesting is that you obviously do believe you have some special access to the truth here, but you don't seem to want to make that claim in a public forum.
Message edited by author 2008-01-03 16:41:59. |
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01/03/2008 10:19:53 PM · #1009 |
| I still gotta say that no god in his or her or its right mind is gonna condemn several billion devout Buddhists to hell for all eternity. But I have absolutely no facts, figures, evidence or even word of mouth to prove or disprove that theory. |
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01/03/2008 10:32:21 PM · #1010 |
Originally posted by scalvert:
Originally posted by Flash:
The problem as I see it, is that my forthwright honesty in admitting things I do not know, places you into a quandry, |
The problem is that you continually claim those things you do not know to be true are true. |
No, the real problem is an absence of proof that God exists.
However, the absence of proof is not proof of absence.
Of course, if there was proof, then faith would be unnecessary since facts eliminate the need for faith.
Message edited by author 2008-01-03 22:33:13.
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01/03/2008 11:18:09 PM · #1011 |
Originally posted by Melethia:
I still gotta say that no god in his or her or its right mind is gonna condemn several billion devout Buddhists to hell for all eternity. But I have absolutely no facts, figures, evidence or even word of mouth to prove or disprove that theory. |
...and to this list we can add all of the people that came prior to the advent of Christ, those who never had the great pleasure of having been shown the light by missionaries, as well as all the countless numbers of individuals that led lives that were beyond reproach, regardless of their religious beliefs.
I cannot believe that any Supreme Being would be so exclusionary as to not recognize that people of all faiths can and do lead exemplary lives.
Ray |
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01/04/2008 12:01:46 AM · #1012 |
Originally posted by RayEthier:
Originally posted by Melethia:
I still gotta say that no god in his or her or its right mind is gonna condemn several billion devout Buddhists to hell for all eternity. But I have absolutely no facts, figures, evidence or even word of mouth to prove or disprove that theory. |
...and to this list we can add all of the people that came prior to the advent of Christ, those who never had the great pleasure of having been shown the light by missionaries, as well as all the countless numbers of individuals that led lives that were beyond reproach, regardless of their religious beliefs.
I cannot believe that any Supreme Being would be so exclusionary as to not recognize that people of all faiths can and do lead exemplary lives.
Ray |
Exactly. |
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01/04/2008 12:09:49 AM · #1013 |
Originally posted by shutterpuppy:
Originally posted by Flash:
Originally posted by Louis:
Originally posted by Flash:
Ask God. It's his plan. |
He doesn't appear to be taking any calls lately (or he turned his answering machine off). |
This is the second post of yours today that brought a smile to my face.
Are you sure it is not you who turned off the communication. I really menat that in a kind way |
Yes, how true. And it's because God still speaks to us today that there is no confusion, dissent, or argument over what religion he prefers, what the Bible means, and which infidels and/or heretics we should be killing, ostracizing, or forcibly being made to submit to his divine love and forgiveness. |
God speaks but we (I include myself) aren't listening. As a whole we constantly have to always have TV or music or something going, we struggle to just sit in silence and listen to Him.
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01/04/2008 12:11:38 AM · #1014 |
Originally posted by scalvert:
Originally posted by Flash:
I'm not sure which God you are referring to, but the one I've come to know has absolutely no reservations about slapping me upside the head to get my attention. |
Once again, you claim intimate knowledge of how the only true God works/thinks/reacts. How lucky we are to have His divine interpreter right here in our humble forum! :-/ |
The point of Christianity is to have a relationship with God and to become intimate with Him, giving us an intimate knowledge of Him and how he works. It doesn't take a divine interpreter, it takes some listening and some action.
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01/04/2008 12:13:11 AM · #1015 |
Originally posted by shutterpuppy:
What I find interesting is that you obviously do believe you have some special access to the truth here, but you don't seem to want to make that claim in a public forum. |
I will make a claim in a public forum, I believe that God is the one true God, and through this intimate relation with Him, I have access to the Truth which he has offered me.
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01/04/2008 12:13:53 AM · #1016 |
Originally posted by ryand:
God speaks but we (I include myself) aren't listening. |
Wooo... somebody else who knows exactly what our invisible, intangible deity is doing! |
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01/04/2008 12:15:51 AM · #1017 |
| Pretty soon I'm gonna declare you all a bunch of pit bulls and call in the authorities. :-) |
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01/04/2008 12:19:53 AM · #1018 |
Originally posted by ryand:
The point of Christianity is to have a relationship with God and to become intimate with Him, giving us an intimate knowledge of Him and how he works. It doesn't take a divine interpreter, it takes some listening and some action. |
Hmm... and here I thought that listening to little voices in your head was more of a medical condition than an actual form of communication. Would you have known about this divine telepathy if you hadn't been born into a Christian society? Methinks in another time or place, you'd be listening to a different channel with equal conviction. |
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01/04/2008 12:34:12 AM · #1019 |
Originally posted by scalvert:
Originally posted by ryand:
The point of Christianity is to have a relationship with God and to become intimate with Him, giving us an intimate knowledge of Him and how he works. It doesn't take a divine interpreter, it takes some listening and some action. |
Hmm... and here I thought that listening to little voices in your head was more of a medical condition than an actual form of communication. Would you have known about this divine telepathy if you hadn't been born into a Christian society? Methinks in another time or place, you'd be listening to a different channel with equal conviction. |
Call me crazy, but I believe in God and I believe He speaks to us, not just because someone told me so, but because I hear Him speak.
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01/04/2008 12:46:14 AM · #1020 |
Originally posted by ryand:
Call me crazy, but I believe in God and I believe He speaks to us, not just because someone told me so, but because I hear Him speak. |
Why do you believe it's God speaking to you? |
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01/04/2008 01:15:57 AM · #1021 |
| As a nontheist/pantheist/atheist (pick one from Column A, two from Column B), I don't have a problem with theists conversing with their gods. If they believe that to be true, it's not hurting me at all, and is probably good for them. I do draw the line when their god tells them to kill in his or her name, though. I don't mind if they wish to bear witness - again, not hurting me at all. So what's the big deal? |
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01/04/2008 02:08:49 AM · #1022 |
| I'm just wondering. I understand that there's always warnings about Satan speaking in the form of God, so asking how one tells the difference? |
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01/04/2008 02:15:30 AM · #1023 |
Originally posted by Flash:
You are not correct for this particular movement between mars/venus in whch they appeared together for many months, and "walked" accross the night sky in unison (as observed from earth). |
Since Venus is closer to the Sun than the Earth (at least since the Church accepted the Copernican system a couple hundred years ago), the only way for it to have "walked across the night sky" (with or without accompaniment) would be if viewed through a transparent Earth, which probably would have caused more of a sensation than any mere planetary conjunction.
Oh wait, now I read it was Saturn and Jupiter, not Venus and Mars after all, so never mind ...
Message edited by author 2008-01-04 02:17:07. |
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01/04/2008 10:50:00 AM · #1024 |
Originally posted by Melethia:
As a nontheist/pantheist/atheist (pick one from Column A, two from Column B), I don't have a problem with theists conversing with their gods. If they believe that to be true, it's not hurting me at all, and is probably good for them. |
I wish I could agree with that. (Or maybe I don't wish.) But I think hearing divine voices, or pretending to, or most accurately believing you hear divine voices when you're hearing no such thing, is dangerous for all of us. It invites dismissing reason and embracing the supernatural. Like-minded individuals elevate the "listener" and use society's terror of offending the religious sensibilities of the masses into forcing acceptance of this condition. It's bad, bad, bad. |
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01/04/2008 11:00:29 AM · #1025 |
Originally posted by Louis:
Originally posted by Melethia:
As a nontheist/pantheist/atheist (pick one from Column A, two from Column B), I don't have a problem with theists conversing with their gods. If they believe that to be true, it's not hurting me at all, and is probably good for them. |
I wish I could agree with that. (Or maybe I don't wish.) But I think hearing divine voices, or pretending to, or most accurately believing you hear divine voices when you're hearing no such thing, is dangerous for all of us. It invites dismissing reason and embracing the supernatural. Like-minded individuals elevate the "listener" and use society's terror of offending the religious sensibilities of the masses into forcing acceptance of this condition. It's bad, bad, bad. |
To be honest, I would consider hearing voices in your head is indicative of a mental disorder. |
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