'From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.-Matthew 24: 32-35
I saw many interesting things when I worked in the lock up ward at the psych hospital.
[quote]Mr. Chen wrote:
I saw many interesting things when I worked in the lock up ward at the psych hospital.[/quote]
'For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He is mad’-Matthew 11: 18
[quote]fibroblaster wrote:
[quote]Mr. Chen wrote:
I saw many interesting things when I worked in the lock up ward at the psych hospital.[/quote]
'For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He is mad’-Matthew 11: 18[/quote]
I don’t think John was mad. I don’t think you can be compared to him.
‘Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; YET WHOEVER IS LEAST IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS GREATER THAN HE’-Matthew 11:11
Do you even know what the Kingdom of God is? Do you think it means heaven?
It is said:
‘The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. 32 It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.’
Christianity when it began: 12 members
Christianity today: 2 billion
John was the greatest of all men, EXCEPT THOSE IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD. John the Baptist only had one sacrament.
The Church today has seven. John did not have the authority to forgive sin (confession) or laying of hands (Holy orders) or anoint the sick (Last rights). Nor did he have marriage (Matrimony). Nor could he give them the gifts of the spirit: (Confirmation) as it is written:
‘I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the HOLY SPIRIT AND FIRE’-Matthew 3: 11
Don’t you understand any person (even an atheist) HAS THE AUTHORITY TO BAPTIZE? Why do you suppose Jesus said “The Least in the kingdom of God is greater than he?”
The Lay Church members are given authority much greater than John did, but we certainly don’t act like we do.
FYI your reference to 1 Cor 11 in the OP regarding “angels” is very up for dispute. That word is not necessarily translated as “angels”, Paul can also be said to be referring to “messengers”, ie: those sent to observe and report the Church’s worship service (especially Jews, who looked at Christians as being completely out of their minds, and perhaps dangerous to the status quo, especially regarding female roles in the culture. But it could also refer to the Greeks/Romans, or others)
It makes much more sense to read it as Paul giving instructions based on observers from the outside.
[quote]Aragorn wrote:
FYI your reference to 1 Cor 11 in the OP regarding “angels” is very up for dispute. That word is not necessarily translated as “angels”, Paul can also be said to be referring to “messengers”, ie: those sent to observe and report the Church’s worship service (especially Jews, who looked at Christians as being completely out of their minds, and perhaps dangerous to the status quo, especially regarding female roles in the culture. But it could also refer to the Greeks/Romans, or others)
It makes much more sense to read it as Paul giving instructions based on observers from the outside.[/quote]
No it doesn’t. Paul was a Jew. Jewish Apocrypha was filled with stories about angels mating with humans. Even many of the early church fathers held this belief. These stories were widespread and it is VERY likely as a Jew Paul held this belief.
‘And angels WHO DID NOT KEEP THEIR DOMAIN, but abandoned their proper abode, He has kept in eternal bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day,’-Jude 1:6
It is no surprise that the Book of Jude 1: 14 quotes Enoch 1: 9
Jude 1: 14: ‘Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones, 15to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.’
Enoch 1:9 (Ethiopian, likely a copy from an older source) ‘And behold! He cometh with ten thousands of His holy ones To execute judgement upon all, And to destroy all the ungodly: And to convict all flesh Of all the works of their ungodliness which they have ungodly committed, And of all the hard things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.’
Athenagoras, Clement of Alexandria, Irenaeus and Tertullian, all held the Book of Enoch, which interprets the “Sons of God” in Genesis to mean angels, to be true.
Regardless of whether the stories are true, the POINT IS THAT THEY WERE WIDESPREAD AND VERY LIKELY THEN WAS PAUL FAMILIAR WITH THEM.
You’re right, I should stop.
But there’s still half a bag of food left. And it’s the fish flavor.
[quote]Mr. Chen wrote:
You’re right, I should stop.
But there’s still half a bag of food left. And it’s the fish flavor.[/quote]LOL!!!
[quote]lanchefan1 wrote:
Please stop feeding him![/quote]
If someone makes a meme that says something on it, that means its true.
Let’s get back to the subject of this thread.
Mr. Fibro, do you believe there is a demon of pedophilia? I think there must be.
Before modern medicine, and before knowledge of microbes, neurology and psychological disorders, the only explanation ancient man had for extraordinary negative conduct was demonic possession.
Now we know demons and demonic possession do not exist.
It appears that you have failed to enter the 21st century.
By all means, come in.
Welcome.
[quote]ephrem wrote:
Before modern medicine, and before knowledge of microbes, neurology and psychological disorders, the only explanation ancient man had for extraordinary negative conduct was demonic possession.
Now we know demons and demonic possession do not exist.
It appears that you have failed to enter the 21st century.
By all means, come in.
Welcome.[/quote]I have seen a thing or two that was not explicable by “microbes (like your Scandinavian countries =] ) neurology or psychological disorders”.
[quote]ephrem wrote:
Before modern medicine, and before knowledge of microbes, neurology and psychological disorders, the only explanation ancient man had for extraordinary negative conduct was demonic possession.
Now we know demons and demonic possession do not exist.
It appears that you have failed to enter the 21st century.
By all means, come in.
Welcome.[/quote]
Well, that an humors. But, we won’t mention that.
And, how do “we” know demons and demonic possession do not exist?