It is not fair or just that God has to chastise the whole world

[MysticPhD]

Originally Posted by sitonmywhat

Thank you. You've got balls, to share that dream.
Satan as an actual individual "person" or "angel" is real to the extent that we make him so. The evil we are tempted by comes from within. Matthew 15:17-20.

All the mythical literature about Satan may be interesting, but it is myth, not history. ORK!!!!!!

[sitonmywhat]

Originally Posted by HarleyAmbrose

It took no balls at all its the truth I feel no shame my faith does not make me feel that way.

Dreams are loaded with stuff of all sorts. That's why it's brave, to my mind, to share a dream. Is someone here trying to make you feel ashamed?

It does indeed often feel to me that I'm the "odd man out" here in this "Christianity" thread. The difference between myself and the rest of you is that I have the benefit of having been through seminary: both as a Catholic, then as a Presbyterian. But my explanations are always rejected.

When I first was introduced to the more challenging aspects of what I was learning, I had to open my mind and be willing to be instructed. I had to be willing to let go of some closely-held assumptions. Learning brings us to a new place.

Satan is the mythical personification of Evil. Jesus was tempted by "Satan." Translation: Jesus was tempted to sin, but he resisted it.

[HarleyAmbrose]

Your in a Christian forum and you want to call everything a myth - you won't convince anyone.Wasting your time.

[sitonmywhat]

Originally Posted by HarleyAmbrose

Your in a Christian forum and you want to call everything a myth - you won't convince anyone.Wasting your time.

Well, ya;

Gen. ch 1-11 is pre-historical myth. There's a good example.
"Myth" does not mean it should be disregarded as a useless story. That stuff is in scripture, and don't we believe the scriptures were inspired by the Holy Spirit? Myth is a literary genre. Just like the gospel. The writers were creating a new genre. There are Epistles. Apocalyptic literature: Daniel, Revelation.

The bible is not a history book. Properly understood, it is a collection of many different genres, with many and varied (and often contradictory) theological viewpoints. To take it too literally is to cut it off at the knees. To take it too literally is to refuse to plumb it, to investigate how profound it is--- way beyond what a merely literal reading can offer.

But people have to be willing to learn. And people often don't learn, are not open to learning anything new, unless they have something at stake, and are being required to learn. Call it "Original Sin." Call it "the human condition."

A pastor colleague told me about a guy in his church. He was just put on the church's Board. He was good enough to stop in, offering to do what needed to be done.

My friend told him in broad terms about what was expected. The church member said: "Well, you know, anything you need done......

So the pastor went through it all, again.
And the member's response was the same.

The pastor tried a third time. But there was not anything different in that fellow's reply.

What that pastor WANTED to say, but did NOT, was: "LEARN, Tom! GROW, Tom!"
......Ya.