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.
If one searches hard enough in the Bible, something can probably be found to justify hatred against any group of people. They used to say epileptics were possessed because of what it says in Mark. Some probably still believe it. The problem is we give all the attention to the most hateful nutcases who are in the minority. If I have to look at Kim Davis' ugly face one more time...
You make some good points, and I appreciate the excerpt from Augustine - that was insightful and I do agree with his thoughts.
However, sometimes I also wonder if we try too hard to rationalize what's written in the Bible by conforming it to what makes sense in our world. While some may think it's ridiculous to believe a serpent spoke to Adam and Eve, isn't there also a possibility that it did happen because with God, all things are possible? As an all-powerful being, God can do whatever he pleases without consent from us or within bounds of our limited understanding of the universe and His plan. Is it so foolish to think that these things could be true, even if they are incredible? Isn't it also blasphemous for us to assert they're impossible because: Science?
I'm not saying we should use the Bible as an authority to explain how dinosaurs are possible (I'm thinking of that famous debate between Ken Ham and Bill Nye) or other nonsensical Intelligent Design dogma, but I think to some degree, we have to concede that anything and everything contained within its pages could, theoretically, be true.
But as even Jesus showed us, not everything in scripture should be taken literally - and, not every interpretation of scripture is correct.
But if God made everything and called it "good," why would He then go out of His way to defy His own edict by doing things extraordinary. From my point of view, loving one's neighbor IS extraordinary--and not practiced all that well. Loving one's enemies is even MORE extraordinary and hardly ever practiced.
Evangelicals are so busy searching for a miracle or reaffirming that every "miraculous" event recorded in the Bible is real, they miss the plethora of "ordinary" miracles going on around them when someone reaches out to give a neighbor a kidney, or, like the black church in Florida, forgives the murderer of some of their fellow church members. How can these be considered anything other than miraculous?
Yet we miss the great beauty of the "ordinary." The great joy of what God has given all of us, the environment around us, and instead exploit it for our personal benefit, or dismiss ordinary "miracles" as the exception to the rules. That's why I see organized religion as primarily involved in self-aggrandizement and perpetuation of their own rules rather than telling the Good News that God came to rescue sinners---and all of us are those sinners.
So for people of faith how we understand Scripture is how we approach the world and others around us. If Jesus is a Savior, then He isn't here talking about the ship has a hole in it and going down (sinfulness) but that He is a life raft for those looking for help. For me inerrancy has always been about promoting "anti-sinfulness" as opposed to promoting "Jesus reaches out to you where you are rather than where you ought to be." If Jesus is the life raft, then He's here for people already in the water. Screaming "sinner" to those still on the boat is a waste of breath when so many are struggling in the water all around us to find one helping hand.
Trying to prove "inerrancy" is about as useful as trying to prove "God." Neither is going to happen--but it is still possible to rescue those looking to be helped by doing for them what Christ did for us--love and accept us thereby giving us the desire to do the same for others.
But if God made everything and called it "good," why would He then go out of His way to defy His own edict by doing things extraordinary. From my point of view, loving one's neighbor IS extraordinary--and not practiced all that well. Loving one's enemies is even MORE extraordinary and hardly ever practiced.
Evangelicals are so busy searching for a miracle or reaffirming that every "miraculous" event recorded in the Bible is real, they miss the plethora of "ordinary" miracles going on around them when someone reaches out to give a neighbor a kidney, or, like the black church in Florida, forgives the murderer of some of their fellow church members. How can these be considered anything other than miraculous?
Yet we miss the great beauty of the "ordinary." The great joy of what God has given all of us, the environment around us, and instead exploit it for our personal benefit, or dismiss ordinary "miracles" as the exception to the rules. That's why I see organized religion as primarily involved in self-aggrandizement and perpetuation of their own rules rather than telling the Good News that God came to rescue sinners---and all of us are those sinners.
So for people of faith how we understand Scripture is how we approach the world and others around us. If Jesus is a Savior, then He isn't here talking about the ship has a hole in it and going down (sinfulness) but that He is a life raft for those looking for help. For me inerrancy has always been about promoting "anti-sinfulness" as opposed to promoting "Jesus reaches out to you where you are rather than where you ought to be." If Jesus is the life raft, then He's here for people already in the water. Screaming "sinner" to those still on the boat is a waste of breath when so many are struggling in the water all around us to find one helping hand.
Trying to prove "inerrancy" is about as useful as trying to prove "God." Neither is going to happen--but it is still possible to rescue those looking to be helped by doing for them what Christ did for us--love and accept us thereby giving us the desire to do the same for others.
Loving our enemy indeed is more extraordinary. The truth of the matter is most of us don't want to or don't know how too.. I think part of the answer in having the ability to do so is seeing God in those we call our enemy and realizing what we see and do not like in our enemy is what we really don't like in ourselves.
Not sure where some live, but here in the Detroit area, MEGA churches are all the rage. I have NEVER heard a mega church teach / encourage service to the least of us.
I don't believe that. Have you attended any of these churches to see what they are or are not doing? It may not be obvious to an outsider.
I don't believe that. Have you attended any of these churches to see what they are or are not doing? It may not be obvious to an outsider.
I may not attend them ,\more than once, but when the mega pastor stands up to face 2000-4000 drones and goes on about that prosperity crap (new name for teh CLAIM IT & NAME IT cult) and 90% of teh money collected stays in house to pay the salaries for 6-8 staff (all staring at $50K and a few nearing $100K) the least of us barely get lip service.
So call me a liar? Jesus knows and so too does the heart of those hiding in megalopolis temples of feel better than the homeless people you drive passed on the way to work in your $50K car, wearing your $5K watch and $500 shoes because as a believer GOD HAS CALLED YOU TO BE BLESSED AND WALK THE EARTH AS A WITNESS TO HIS GREATNESS... so say we all!!!
AMEN and HALLELUJAH, send the money to the offshore bank of jesus.
I may not attend them ,\more than once, but when the mega pastor stands up to face 2000-4000 drones and goes on about that prosperity crap (new name for teh CLAIM IT & NAME IT cult) and 90% of teh money collected stays in house to pay the salaries for 6-8 staff (all staring at $50K and a few nearing $100K) the least of us barely get lip service.
So call me a liar? Jesus knows and so too does the heart of those hiding in megalopolis temples of feel better than the homeless people you drive passed on the way to work in your $50K car, wearing your $5K watch and $500 shoes because as a believer GOD HAS CALLED YOU TO BE BLESSED AND WALK THE EARTH AS A WITNESS TO HIS GREATNESS... so say we all!!!
AMEN and HALLELUJAH, send the money to the offshore bank of jesus.
Research and personal conversation with those who hibernate in the mega-domes of spiritual death.
Does this surprise anyone? It is EVERY mega-dome? Probably not..is it more than a few? Probably.
Do the math--a 4,000 member unit with an average of $200 tithing each month = $800K a month..ask where the money goes...
There is one mega-dome here that is opening its 4th dome franchise and has over $2 million in land assets in two of the most affluent counties in SE Michigan.
Research and personal conversation with those who hibernate in the mega-domes of spiritual death.
Does this surprise anyone? It is EVERY mega-dome? Probably not..is it more than a few? Probably.
Members have told you this? Are they fine with these statistics?
What other kind of research did you do?
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.
