Misconceptions of Christianity 2

Off Topic Politics & World Issues
621

[quote]BackInAction wrote:

[quote]pat wrote:

[quote]BackInAction wrote:

[quote]pat wrote:

[quote]sen say wrote:

[quote]pat wrote:

Your comparing the stuff of fantasy to that which created the universe? One is not like the other…[/quote]

I don’t believe God created the universe…there’s no proof He exists…it’s an extreme example, sure…but…I think it’s a valid question…insane…but valid…

What would you do if The Church came out with a ‘found’ book of the Bible that talked about Santa Clause and The Easter Bunny wouldn’t you have to accept it as God’s Holy Word?[/quote]

Don’t muck up the conversation with bullshit. What created the universe(s) then? Where did existence come from?[/quote]

He doesn’t know that answer and you don’t know it was your Biblical God.

Even if you apply the kalam cosmological argument, unless you CANNOT replace God with Mystical Creation Fairies, you’re no further to the truth.
[/quote]

The Kalam cosmological is the worst form ever, yet it’s the one people always refer to for some reason. The cosmological form is applicable though. No you cannot replace an uncaused-cause, prime mover with “Mystical Creation Fairies”. That would be logically incorrect.

[/quote]

I’m not saying replace the prime mover. I’m saying it’s impossible to prove that it was indeed the holy Biblical God instead of the Mystical Creation Fairies in these types of arguments.
[/quote]

True it’s impossible to prove the God we know is the prime mover, however, the inference is strong. Said prime mover necessarily contains properties only a “god” could have, particularly, creative properties and a will. Something with God like properties is likely to be God. God is the creator, prime mover is creator, therefore, God is the prime mover…Provable, no. I would argue that a god created by as a result of the prime mover wouldn’t really be all that. I pay homage to the Creator, which God claims to be. If he is lying or I am wrong, oh well. I lose little more than time. In the end it won’t matter a lick.

622

[quote]dmaddox wrote:
I have a question for the agnostics or theists.

Why do some of you refer to God as the sky wizard, the man upstairs, or any other creative name you can come up with? I like the name Sky Wizard though. IMO he is not in outerspace or in the Sky, he is in my heart. He can also be in yours all you have to do is ask him.

[/quote]

Don’t forget “flying spaghetti monster” too…They do it to mock us. To many theists are tripped up by it…I think they all read the same book because they always bring up the exact same points. There must be an atheist bible or something out there.

623

[quote]BackInAction wrote:

[quote]BackInAction wrote:

[quote]pat wrote:

[quote]BackInAction wrote:

[quote]sen say wrote:

[quote]pat wrote:

Your comparing the stuff of fantasy to that which created the universe? One is not like the other…[/quote]

I don’t believe God created the universe…there’s no proof He exists…it’s an extreme example, sure…but…I think it’s a valid question…insane…but valid…

What would you do if The Church came out with a ‘found’ book of the Bible that talked about Santa Clause and The Easter Bunny wouldn’t you have to accept it as God’s Holy Word?[/quote]

Well the Bible already talks about Lion headed creatures in heaven and people living in a whale. I don’t think it would be that big of a leap to have a guy in a white beard delivering goods to others…[/quote]

And what does it say about such creatures? How many people live in a whale(s). Do you have any idea what you are talking about? [/quote]

Yes, I think I do. You see, I’m actually studying the Bible now unlike you :slight_smile:

  1. Creatures in Heaven
    And before the throne [there was] a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, [were] four beasts full of eyes before and behind. And the first beast [was] like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast [was] like a flying eagle. And the four beasts had each of them six wings about [him]; and [they were] full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. (Rev. 4:6-8)
    (The Four Living Creatures - Revelation 4:6-8)

  2. Jonah in the Whale
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonah[/quote]

Pat, why don’t you want to say “ah, you were right”. I apologized for the rib comment, but you did not apologize when you mistakenly said I didn’t know what I was talking about.
[/quote]

You said people, not Jonah. What was the moral of the Jonah story? If it’s that people live in whales you are wrong.

What is the book of Revalation? Is it a book of actual facts?
You haven’t proven your biblical scholarly-ness. Anybody can wiki or google.

624

[quote]BackInAction wrote:

[quote]pat wrote:

[quote]BackInAction wrote:

[quote]sen say wrote:

[quote]pat wrote:

Your comparing the stuff of fantasy to that which created the universe? One is not like the other…[/quote]

I don’t believe God created the universe…there’s no proof He exists…it’s an extreme example, sure…but…I think it’s a valid question…insane…but valid…

What would you do if The Church came out with a ‘found’ book of the Bible that talked about Santa Clause and The Easter Bunny wouldn’t you have to accept it as God’s Holy Word?[/quote]

Well the Bible already talks about Lion headed creatures in heaven and people living in a whale. I don’t think it would be that big of a leap to have a guy in a white beard delivering goods to others…[/quote]

And what does it say about such creatures? How many people live in a whale(s). Do you have any idea what you are talking about? [/quote]

Yes, I think I do. You see, I’m actually studying the Bible now unlike you :slight_smile:

  1. Creatures in Heaven
    And before the throne [there was] a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, [were] four beasts full of eyes before and behind. And the first beast [was] like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast [was] like a flying eagle. And the four beasts had each of them six wings about [him]; and [they were] full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. (Rev. 4:6-8)
    (The Four Living Creatures - Revelation 4:6-8)

  2. Jonah in the Whale
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonah[/quote]

You do know that first century apocalyptic literature is not meant to be taken literally correct? Instead it is full of imagery that has its basis in the old testament and is intended to convey a greater meaning than a basic literal interpretation.

I appreciate that you are reading the Bible. I would encourage you to learn how to study it. That will at the very least give you some understanding to what is being said.

for instance. When Christ said “and the gates of hell will not prevail” he was in a city where the pagans had a site which was known as the gates of hell.

625

[quote]BackInAction wrote:

I’m not saying replace the prime mover. I’m saying it’s impossible to prove that it was indeed the holy Biblical God instead of the Mystical Creation Fairies in these types of arguments.
[/quote]

This is where Faith comes into play. I agree with you there is no way to prove that I can prove to you that the God of the Bible is the prime mover. I can say that He has already proved it to me. When you place your faith in something the question is will it let you down. Everytime you sit in a chair you put your faith that it will not break and you fall on your butt. I have broken many chairs in my life and fallen on my butt. The chair let me down. I am 6’ 5" and 340 lbs could be the reason, but most chairs do not break. I need to get my weight down I know. Since I have put my faith in Christ he has never let me down. In the midst of the storm you might think he is not there, but when you look back at the storm you will see He was the only one standing with you. Even when your family and friends leave you and throw you to the wolves, God will still be standing with you.

I have been reflecting on many decisions and heartache in my life the past couple of weeks. When doing that, all I can see is God helping me through them. Just so you all know, there has been divorce, unemployment, abortion, stealing, laziness and many other hardtimes and heartaches that have been in my life. All I can see when I look back on them is that God was with me. Did God make me do those things? Did God put me to the test? Both answers are no. I chose to do them all. I could have not done them, but I did it anyway. God allowed me the freewill to do them, but He was there to help me pick up the pieces. That is where God is. God is not in the sin. God is the one that puts it all back together after we sin. God is Faithful and Just, and he will be with you whether you want him to be or not. That is how much he loves everyone of us.

I hope all of you all will at least spend time with God, and allow him to show you who he really is. Open your heart. I am glad I did. I would have killed myself a long time ago if I did not have him in my heart. He lifts me up, and makes me whole again. He is Love.

Sorry for the long post.

626

[quote]pat wrote:
What is the book of Revalation? Is it a book of actual facts?
[/quote]

Where do you see this?

627

Pat, before I go on assuming you are just a typical post modern pagan nominal catholic who thinks some vague form of Christianity is a generally good idea as long as it doesn’t require anything meaningful of you or anybody else, lemme ask you if you believe Adam was a literal first man.

There must be a reason I have lotsa work the last several days. I need a couple hours for responses in this thread.

628

[quote]haney1 wrote:

[quote]BackInAction wrote:

[quote]pat wrote:

[quote]BackInAction wrote:

[quote]sen say wrote:

[quote]pat wrote:

Your comparing the stuff of fantasy to that which created the universe? One is not like the other…[/quote]

I don’t believe God created the universe…there’s no proof He exists…it’s an extreme example, sure…but…I think it’s a valid question…insane…but valid…

What would you do if The Church came out with a ‘found’ book of the Bible that talked about Santa Clause and The Easter Bunny wouldn’t you have to accept it as God’s Holy Word?[/quote]

Well the Bible already talks about Lion headed creatures in heaven and people living in a whale. I don’t think it would be that big of a leap to have a guy in a white beard delivering goods to others…[/quote]

And what does it say about such creatures? How many people live in a whale(s). Do you have any idea what you are talking about? [/quote]

Yes, I think I do. You see, I’m actually studying the Bible now unlike you :slight_smile:

  1. Creatures in Heaven
    And before the throne [there was] a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, [were] four beasts full of eyes before and behind. And the first beast [was] like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast [was] like a flying eagle. And the four beasts had each of them six wings about [him]; and [they were] full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. (Rev. 4:6-8)
    (The Four Living Creatures - Revelation 4:6-8)

  2. Jonah in the Whale
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonah[/quote]

You do know that first century apocalyptic literature is not meant to be taken literally correct? Instead it is full of imagery that has its basis in the old testament and is intended to convey a greater meaning than a basic literal interpretation.

I appreciate that you are reading the Bible. I would encourage you to learn how to study it. That will at the very least give you some understanding to what is being said.

for instance. When Christ said “and the gates of hell will not prevail” he was in a city where the pagans had a site which was known as the gates of hell. [/quote]

Got it, but how do you know which parts to take literally?

629

[quote]dmaddox wrote:

[quote]BackInAction wrote:

I’m not saying replace the prime mover. I’m saying it’s impossible to prove that it was indeed the holy Biblical God instead of the Mystical Creation Fairies in these types of arguments.
[/quote]

This is where Faith comes into play. I agree with you there is no way to prove that I can prove to you that the God of the Bible is the prime mover. I can say that He has already proved it to me. When you place your faith in something the question is will it let you down. Everytime you sit in a chair you put your faith that it will not break and you fall on your butt. I have broken many chairs in my life and fallen on my butt. The chair let me down. I am 6’ 5" and 340 lbs could be the reason, but most chairs do not break. I need to get my weight down I know. Since I have put my faith in Christ he has never let me down. In the midst of the storm you might think he is not there, but when you look back at the storm you will see He was the only one standing with you. Even when your family and friends leave you and throw you to the wolves, God will still be standing with you.

I have been reflecting on many decisions and heartache in my life the past couple of weeks. When doing that, all I can see is God helping me through them. Just so you all know, there has been divorce, unemployment, abortion, stealing, laziness and many other hardtimes and heartaches that have been in my life. All I can see when I look back on them is that God was with me. Did God make me do those things? Did God put me to the test? Both answers are no. I chose to do them all. I could have not done them, but I did it anyway. God allowed me the freewill to do them, but He was there to help me pick up the pieces. That is where God is. God is not in the sin. God is the one that puts it all back together after we sin. God is Faithful and Just, and he will be with you whether you want him to be or not. That is how much he loves everyone of us.

I hope all of you all will at least spend time with God, and allow him to show you who he really is. Open your heart. I am glad I did. I would have killed myself a long time ago if I did not have him in my heart. He lifts me up, and makes me whole again. He is Love.

Sorry for the long post. [/quote]

Best of luck to you getting through these hard times, dmmadox!

630

[quote]Tiribulus wrote:
Pat, before I go on assuming you are just a typical post modern pagan nominal catholic who thinks some vague form of Christianity is a generally good idea as long as it doesn’t require anything meaningful of you or anybody else, lemme ask you if you believe Adam was a literal first man.

There must be a reason I have lotsa work the last several days. I need a couple hours for responses in this thread.[/quote]

Be careful with assumptions.
I don’t know who the literal first man was or whether his name was Adam or not. The Catholic Church does it not a biblical literal entity. We are Eucharist centered, not scripture centered.

No, under no circumstances do I consider the creation stories in Genesis to be literal accounts of what happened.

631

[quote]BackInAction wrote:

[quote]haney1 wrote:

[quote]BackInAction wrote:

[quote]pat wrote:

[quote]BackInAction wrote:

[quote]sen say wrote:

[quote]pat wrote:

Your comparing the stuff of fantasy to that which created the universe? One is not like the other…[/quote]

I don’t believe God created the universe…there’s no proof He exists…it’s an extreme example, sure…but…I think it’s a valid question…insane…but valid…

What would you do if The Church came out with a ‘found’ book of the Bible that talked about Santa Clause and The Easter Bunny wouldn’t you have to accept it as God’s Holy Word?[/quote]

Well the Bible already talks about Lion headed creatures in heaven and people living in a whale. I don’t think it would be that big of a leap to have a guy in a white beard delivering goods to others…[/quote]

And what does it say about such creatures? How many people live in a whale(s). Do you have any idea what you are talking about? [/quote]

Yes, I think I do. You see, I’m actually studying the Bible now unlike you :slight_smile:

  1. Creatures in Heaven
    And before the throne [there was] a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, [were] four beasts full of eyes before and behind. And the first beast [was] like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast [was] like a flying eagle. And the four beasts had each of them six wings about [him]; and [they were] full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. (Rev. 4:6-8)
    (The Four Living Creatures - Revelation 4:6-8)

  2. Jonah in the Whale
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonah[/quote]

You do know that first century apocalyptic literature is not meant to be taken literally correct? Instead it is full of imagery that has its basis in the old testament and is intended to convey a greater meaning than a basic literal interpretation.

I appreciate that you are reading the Bible. I would encourage you to learn how to study it. That will at the very least give you some understanding to what is being said.

for instance. When Christ said “and the gates of hell will not prevail” he was in a city where the pagans had a site which was known as the gates of hell. [/quote]

Got it, but how do you know which parts to take literally?[/quote]

In a proper bible, each book has a prologue that describes what the book is about, who the author is, what the purpose of the book is, and who the audience is. There are facts in the bible, but it is not a collection of facts. The books are historical, but they are not history books. It is a multi faceted library of books each with its own purpose and intent. Know this and you’ll know what to take literally what is parabolic.

632

[quote]BackInAction wrote:

[quote]dmaddox wrote:

[quote]BackInAction wrote:

I’m not saying replace the prime mover. I’m saying it’s impossible to prove that it was indeed the holy Biblical God instead of the Mystical Creation Fairies in these types of arguments.
[/quote]

This is where Faith comes into play. I agree with you there is no way to prove that I can prove to you that the God of the Bible is the prime mover. I can say that He has already proved it to me. When you place your faith in something the question is will it let you down. Everytime you sit in a chair you put your faith that it will not break and you fall on your butt. I have broken many chairs in my life and fallen on my butt. The chair let me down. I am 6’ 5" and 340 lbs could be the reason, but most chairs do not break. I need to get my weight down I know. Since I have put my faith in Christ he has never let me down. In the midst of the storm you might think he is not there, but when you look back at the storm you will see He was the only one standing with you. Even when your family and friends leave you and throw you to the wolves, God will still be standing with you.

I have been reflecting on many decisions and heartache in my life the past couple of weeks. When doing that, all I can see is God helping me through them. Just so you all know, there has been divorce, unemployment, abortion, stealing, laziness and many other hardtimes and heartaches that have been in my life. All I can see when I look back on them is that God was with me. Did God make me do those things? Did God put me to the test? Both answers are no. I chose to do them all. I could have not done them, but I did it anyway. God allowed me the freewill to do them, but He was there to help me pick up the pieces. That is where God is. God is not in the sin. God is the one that puts it all back together after we sin. God is Faithful and Just, and he will be with you whether you want him to be or not. That is how much he loves everyone of us.

I hope all of you all will at least spend time with God, and allow him to show you who he really is. Open your heart. I am glad I did. I would have killed myself a long time ago if I did not have him in my heart. He lifts me up, and makes me whole again. He is Love.

Sorry for the long post. [/quote]

Best of luck to you getting through these hard times, dmmadox!
[/quote]

Thank you.

Actually at the current times, things are looking really good. God has blessed me beyond belief over the past 6 years. I have a beautiful wife that I have been married to for the past 11 years as of tomorrow, 3 beautiful children that I adore, friends (including you all), a job for the past 5 years that is looking brighter for a promotion, and enough money to indulge myself and family periodically. I think I have been looking back on my life, because God wanted to show me that even through all that crap God never left my side. If he can love me he can love anyone.

633

[quote]BackInAction wrote:

[quote]pat wrote:
What is the book of Revalation? Is it a book of actual facts?
[/quote]

Where do you see this?[/quote]

Did you not quote from Revelation?

634

[quote]pat wrote:

[quote]Tiribulus wrote:
Pat, before I go on assuming you are just a typical post modern pagan nominal catholic who thinks some vague form of Christianity is a generally good idea as long as it doesn’t require anything meaningful of you or anybody else, lemme ask you if you believe Adam was a literal first man.

There must be a reason I have lotsa work the last several days. I need a couple hours for responses in this thread.[/quote]

Be careful with assumptions.
I don’t know who the literal first man was or whether his name was Adam or not. The Catholic Church does it not a biblical literal entity. We are Eucharist centered, not scripture centered.

No, under no circumstances do I consider the creation stories in Genesis to be literal accounts of what happened. [/quote]Surmising may have been a better word than assuming, but OK. I wouldn’t know you if you walked up and kissed me in the face on the street so it’s nothing personal in that sense, but what I see from you is a powerless castrated styrofoam gospel that carries no danger of transforming anybody into new creatures in Christ. It’s not just this either.

635

[quote]Tiribulus wrote:

[quote]pat wrote:

[quote]Tiribulus wrote:
Pat, before I go on assuming you are just a typical post modern pagan nominal catholic who thinks some vague form of Christianity is a generally good idea as long as it doesn’t require anything meaningful of you or anybody else, lemme ask you if you believe Adam was a literal first man.

There must be a reason I have lotsa work the last several days. I need a couple hours for responses in this thread.[/quote]

Be careful with assumptions.
I don’t know who the literal first man was or whether his name was Adam or not. The Catholic Church does it not a biblical literal entity. We are Eucharist centered, not scripture centered.

No, under no circumstances do I consider the creation stories in Genesis to be literal accounts of what happened. [/quote]Surmising may have been a better word than assuming, but OK. I wouldn’t know you if you walked up and kissed me in the face on the street so it’s nothing personal in that sense, but what I see from you is a powerless castrated styrofoam gospel that carries no danger of transforming anybody into new creatures in Christ. It’s not just this either.
[/quote]

I am not proclaiming a gospel. I seek truth. I am not trying to transform anybody either. So I am not really understanding what you are getting at. Where do you see this: “powerless castrated styrofoam gospel that carries no danger of transforming anybody into new creatures in Christ. It’s not just this either.”?
Is it because I am not a biblical literalist? Or is it that I am not beating scripture down the throat of those who do not believe in God?

Enlighten me on what you surmise about me so I can address it.

636

[quote]pat wrote:

[quote]BackInAction wrote:

[quote]pat wrote:
What is the book of Revalation? Is it a book of actual facts?
[/quote]

Where do you see this?[/quote]

Did you not quote from Revelation?[/quote]

Where did you see the book of “Revalation”? Or was this just spelling mistake on your end?

637

[quote]pat wrote:

[quote]Tiribulus wrote:

[quote]pat wrote:

[quote]Tiribulus wrote:
Pat, before I go on assuming you are just a typical post modern pagan nominal catholic who thinks some vague form of Christianity is a generally good idea as long as it doesn’t require anything meaningful of you or anybody else, lemme ask you if you believe Adam was a literal first man.

There must be a reason I have lotsa work the last several days. I need a couple hours for responses in this thread.[/quote]

Be careful with assumptions.
I don’t know who the literal first man was or whether his name was Adam or not. The Catholic Church does it not a biblical literal entity. We are Eucharist centered, not scripture centered.

No, under no circumstances do I consider the creation stories in Genesis to be literal accounts of what happened. [/quote]Surmising may have been a better word than assuming, but OK. I wouldn’t know you if you walked up and kissed me in the face on the street so it’s nothing personal in that sense, but what I see from you is a powerless castrated styrofoam gospel that carries no danger of transforming anybody into new creatures in Christ. It’s not just this either.
[/quote]

I am not proclaiming a gospel. I seek truth. I am not trying to transform anybody either. So I am not really understanding what you are getting at. Where do you see this: “powerless castrated styrofoam gospel that carries no danger of transforming anybody into new creatures in Christ. It’s not just this either.”?
Is it because I am not a biblical literalist? Or is it that I am not beating scripture down the throat of those who do not believe in God?

Enlighten me on what you surmise about me so I can address it. [/quote]It was very unwise of me to start this now. I’ve been putting it off for weeks. I’m juggling half a dozen things. I do sincerely apologize. I may not be able to respond right away. Let’s start with something general. You are claiming Christ as your own no? If not then we can quit right here and I don’t care what else you say about the bible or salvation or morality or anything else in terms of being representative of Christ or not.

If so then what to you is the difference, if any, between Christians and non Christians? I’ll dig em up if you deny this, but what I see you supporting is a sort of unitarian/universalist view of a God who really doesn’t demand His people be much different than anybody else beyond giving some concession to Jesus being the Son of God and not killing anybody.

This is important to me because the gospel is God’s answer to eternal death “to them that believe” and Christians are commanded to “contend earnestly for the faith once for all delivered to the saints”. We are commanded to call out and condemn any fatal misrepresentation of sound Christian doctrine or life. I will be held responsible if I’m grasping what you claim is representative of Christ is accurate and I say nothing. Of course if you already don’t REALLY take the bible seriously, which is where everything I’ve just said is from, then all of this is meaningless to you anyway.

638

[quote]kaaleppi wrote:
Tiribulus’ post raised some questions I’d like to ask, I present one of them.
Why does God want to be worshiped? Isn’t that a bit odd and childlike? >>>[/quote]First, what is worship? I am not going to get in to the various words in the old and new testaments translated “worship” or other related terms. For our purposes it is sufficient that the overall definition of “worship” is roughly that firmly held attitude of self abasing reverential adoration that results in willing obedience to the commands and practices prescribed by the God being worshiped.

Let’s be clear from the outset that God does not NEED to be worshiped. (indeed he needs nothing) Acts 17:25-25 24-“The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; 25-nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things;”

Jesus Himself confirms in John 4:23-24 that God does in fact though value worship: “But the hour is coming, and now is, when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is a spirit and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.”

What does God want from us in worship? Ultimately? Intimacy is the answer. Again, in the 5th of Ephesians 22-33 ( Ephesians 5:1 NASB: Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; ) Paul describes the beautiful union of a godly man and wife in marriage and after summing it up with a quote from 2nd of Genesis about the 2 becoming one flesh he makes the astonishing statement that he has been speaking of Christ and His church.

In 1 Corinthians 6:13-20 ( http://nasb.scripturetext.com/1_corinthians/6.htm ) Paul is discussing the woes of sexual immorality and all the ways it defiles a person and in the midst of this he declares that “he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him”. The short answer is that God desires worship from His bride because He loves her. Worship involves varied individual acts and practices. Prayer, fellowship with other Christians, financial giving, singing and just plain “being still and knowing that He is God”.(Psalm 46:10) among others.

When contrasted with God’s awesome and terrible yet entirely just judgment of sin which His church bride has been saved from so He could marry her? This is all the more unthinkably sweet.

[quote]kaaleppi wrote:<<< Anyway, has this seemingly childish demand from God ever bothered you and if it has, have you found any answers?[/quote]Once you are in fact “one spirit with Him” and have matured through, well, worship, this question becomes nearly blasphemous to even contemplate though from your perspective I do understand asking it. I learned the hard way the folly of being arrogant enough to become bothered by what I didn’t understand about God and His providence in my life. Childish? Not a chance my friend and He doesn’t have to demand worship from His bride. It is her greatest joy honor and satisfaction.

Fanny Crosby, the great American hymn writer of the 19th century who was blind from early childhood was once asked if she was ever embittered about not ever having eyesight. She replied some thing like “You don’t understand. The first thing I will ever see is His face”. That is worship.

639

[quote]sen say wrote:
<<< Sorry for entering the discussion with the Santa Claus Easter Bunny joke…I am sincerely interested in your reply. >>>[/quote]Fair enough, but for the record I have never demanded a single apology from anybody. What difference does it make?

[quote]sen say wrote:
I believe there is a passage in Timothy where Jesus says you still have to obey The Law. I’ll look it up when I get home.[/quote] I promise you there is no such passage. The epistles to Timothy were written by the apostle Paul and Jesus doesn’t speak nor is He quoted directly in either one and Paul is eons beyond crystal clear in saying “that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified.” (Galatians 2:16) I could post a full page of quotations from him and the writer of Hebrews, and Peter actually leaving no doubt that the old covenant law while still in effect for the lawless (1 Timothy 1:9) is comprehensively fulfilled in Christ for the saints.

Nevertheless, lemme know what you are referring to if you wish.

640

[quote]BackInAction wrote:

[quote]haney1 wrote:

[quote]BackInAction wrote:

[quote]pat wrote:

[quote]BackInAction wrote:

[quote]sen say wrote:

[quote]pat wrote:

Your comparing the stuff of fantasy to that which created the universe? One is not like the other…[/quote]

I don’t believe God created the universe…there’s no proof He exists…it’s an extreme example, sure…but…I think it’s a valid question…insane…but valid…

What would you do if The Church came out with a ‘found’ book of the Bible that talked about Santa Clause and The Easter Bunny wouldn’t you have to accept it as God’s Holy Word?[/quote]

Well the Bible already talks about Lion headed creatures in heaven and people living in a whale. I don’t think it would be that big of a leap to have a guy in a white beard delivering goods to others…[/quote]

And what does it say about such creatures? How many people live in a whale(s). Do you have any idea what you are talking about? [/quote]

Yes, I think I do. You see, I’m actually studying the Bible now unlike you :slight_smile:

  1. Creatures in Heaven
    And before the throne [there was] a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, [were] four beasts full of eyes before and behind. And the first beast [was] like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast [was] like a flying eagle. And the four beasts had each of them six wings about [him]; and [they were] full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. (Rev. 4:6-8)
    (The Four Living Creatures - Revelation 4:6-8)

  2. Jonah in the Whale
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonah[/quote]

You do know that first century apocalyptic literature is not meant to be taken literally correct? Instead it is full of imagery that has its basis in the old testament and is intended to convey a greater meaning than a basic literal interpretation.

I appreciate that you are reading the Bible. I would encourage you to learn how to study it. That will at the very least give you some understanding to what is being said.

for instance. When Christ said “and the gates of hell will not prevail” he was in a city where the pagans had a site which was known as the gates of hell. [/quote]

Got it, but how do you know which parts to take literally?[/quote]

That is where Bible study methods help. It teaches you how to read and older document in the proper context.

If you want I can email you some materials that I have.