Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
You're right, the banks don't coin. They were only the "recipients." But they're basically bedfellows with the federal reserve, so I don't really make a distinction there.
There is a rather large difference between coining your own money and borrowing it from the Fed.
No one is asking you to kill anyone, we are simply asking you TO NOT JUDGE those who risk their lives to protect ours.
It's not impossible Paul. Jesus did it, the early church did it, many Christians today are pacifists, and MLK also succeeded. He knew that there was more glory and power in love than in hate.
And MLK taught others a way of peaceful resistance to evil. But each person who participated in those protests had to make that decision for themselves. They couldn't be forced into it.
Quote:
I think the issue here is pride. I think man knows in his heart that Jesus' words are the truth, but because of pride, fear or some other element, he is not willing to walk fully in Jesus' footsteps.
Here is what I am not understanding about where you stand on this. If someone is threatening to harm another person and the only way to stop them is through force, do you think you have the right to make the decision for that person in harm's way to allow themselves to be harmed? Would you feel no responsibility to protect the person being harmed? If that person said to you, "No, that's against my beliefs and I would rather suffer the harm then be protected", that's their decision. But how can you make that decision for them? What if, like Paul, they believe that the best way to show Love is to stop evil. How is it your place to make that decision for them?
Again, if you as an individual feel compelled by your beliefs to let another person do harm to you in any given situation, then that is up to you. But don't you need to respect that other people may not see it in the same way in that particular situation?
I'll tell you this, if someone was threatening to harm a child in any way, I wouldn't stand by and allow that to happen. I would use whatever means necessary and to whatever extreme necessary to protect them. I think you would too.
I just don't think it's possible to over-simplify this whole subject by saying that there is a blanket way of handling every single situation with Love. Love does not always equal pacifism. And every person must follow their own conscience in any given situation ... you can't make that decision for them, nor assume that their guiding principles are inferior to your own because their decisions about how best to follow those principles may not look like yours.
There is a rather large difference between coining your own money and borrowing it from the Fed.
No one is asking you to kill anyone, we are simply asking you TO NOT JUDGE those who risk their lives to protect ours.
PS The Afghan military is on our side. Just FYI.
I doubt the "borrowing" will be paid back.
No one is risking to protect my life, Finn.
I am aware that Afghanistan is now under American control. My point is that every government is to be respected. Including Libya, North Korea, you name it...
-Or is it just your country that's God's servant??
And MLK taught others a way of peaceful resistance to evil. But each person who participated in those protests had to make that decision for themselves. They couldn't be forced into it.
Here is what I am not understanding about where you stand on this. If someone is threatening to harm another person and the only way to stop them is through force, do you think you have the right to make the decision for that person in harm's way to allow themselves to be harmed? Would you feel no responsibility to protect the person being harmed? If that person said to you, "No, that's against my beliefs and I would rather suffer the harm then be protected", that's their decision. But how can you make that decision for them? What if, like Paul, they believe that the best way to show Love is to stop evil. How is it your place to make that decision for them?
Again, if you as an individual feel compelled by your beliefs to let another person do harm to you in any given situation, then that is up to you. But don't you need to respect that other people may not see it in the same way in that particular situation?
I'll tell you this, if someone was threatening to harm a child in any way, I wouldn't stand by and allow that to happen. I would use whatever means necessary and to whatever extreme necessary to protect them. I think you would too.
I just don't think it's possible to over-simplify this whole subject by saying that there is a blanket way of handling every single situation with Love. Love does not always equal pacifism. And every person must follow their own conscience in any given situation ... you can't make that decision for them, nor assume that their guiding principles are inferior to your own because their decisions about how best to follow those principles may not look like yours.
I agree with you 100% that each person must decide for him/herself. In the case of others being attacked, there are many ways to intervene without having to kill the attacker. That's what I'm seeing so much of here, it's all or nothing, kill or be killed.
But real life is not black and white. There are many ways to deal with dangerous real-life situations. Killing needn't even be an option.
I agree with you 100% that each person must decide for him/herself. In the case of others being attacked, there are many ways to intervene without having to kill the attacker. That's what I'm seeing so much of here, it's all or nothing, kill or be killed.
But real life is not black and white. There are many ways to deal with dangerous real-life situations.
I don't disagree.
Quote:
Killing needn't even be an option.
For a Christian, it is never an option.
I don't agree. There may be times when it may be the only option when protecting someone. I would never want to be the person who had to make that decision, but if it came down to it, I hope I would have the courage to do so and not put my ideals above Loving the person in harm's way.
But you do see that you are the one making it black and white here, right? You are admitting that we can't just let evil run rampant. Killing is not the only means of force that may be used to stop evil (and I'm sure most would agree with you), but still, you agree that turning the other cheek is not always the best way to confront and overcome evil in every situation.
I don't agree. There may be times when it may be the only option when protecting someone. I would never want to be the person who had to make that decision, but if it came down to it, I hope I would have the courage to do so and not put my ideals above Loving the person in harm's way.
But you do see that you are the one making it black and white here, right? You are admitting that we can't just let evil run rampant. Killing is not the only means of force that may be used to stop evil (and I'm sure most would agree with you), but still, you agree that turning the other cheek is not always the best way to confront and overcome evil in every situation.
You don't have to kill anyone. There are always alternatives.
(Although with all the chatting here, I'm really coming to see how much violence is in the minds of Americans. It's frightening, and also quite odd.)
You don't have to kill anyone. There are always alternatives.
I don't understand, very honestly, how you can say that.
But I have to ask why you are focusing on killing and ignoring the broader point that turning the other cheek is not always the best way to Love.
Quote:
(Although with all the chatting here, I'm really coming to see how much violence is in the minds of Americans. It's frightening, and also quite odd.)
You are painting with a VERY broad brush, imho, because it allows you to condemn others for not agreeing with you. You are not willing to admit that others may not be harboring a lust for violence, but simply use different judgment than you about the best way to Love ALL people in various situations, not just the ones who are committing evil acts against others.
I don't understand, very honestly, how you can say that.
But I have to ask why you are focusing on killing and ignoring the broader point that turning the other cheek is not always the best way to Love.
You are painting with a VERY broad brush, imho, because it allows you to condemn others for not agreeing with you. You are not willing to admit that others may not be harboring a lust for violence, but simply use different judgment than you about the best way to Love ALL people in various situations, not just the ones who are committing evil acts against others.
Perhaps I misunderstood. I think that turning the other cheek means to not take wrongs into account, and to not retaliate. Love does not retaliate or keep record of wrongs.
However, there are ways to help people who commit violence, without doing violence to them.
Perhaps I misunderstood. I think that turning the other cheek means to not take wrongs into account, and to not retaliate. Love does not retaliate or keep record of wrongs.
However, there are ways to help people who commit violence, without doing violence to them.
Did I answer your question? (I hope..)
Blessings,
brian
Quite honestly, no. I don't know that it's intentional, but you seem to be waffling back and forth between various subjects, obscuring the points that are made by others, in order to protect your ideals from the complexity of our reality. I'll step back from the discussion and let the previous posts speak for themselves, if you choose to revisit them. If you address those various points, then we can continue the discussion, if you wish. But if not, that's fine too.
Yes they are, whether or not you give them credit for it.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
