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.
And therein lies the problem - fundamentalists insist they're 100% right, when that's impossible.
I love laugh when people accuse of being something when the accusation proves that they are the same. I read the bible literally. I follow scripture, use scripture to translate scripture, that is not fundamentalist but that is the right way. If not please enlighten how we read scripture?
Unfortunately he did not think of that when he was running around lying to his wife, having sex with someone else, bringing whatever back to his wife and then the drugs.
How do you know?
As a pastors kid did:
You ever find the bottom of a whiskey bottle?
You ever wake up with a needle stuck in your arm?
You ever wake up in a strange bed with a stranger wondering how you ended up here and what your spouse and kids would think?
You ever go on a larceny rampage only to get caught and try and figure out why you screwed up your life so bad?
You ever need drugs so bad you lied to people that your lights were going off so they would give you money?
I would venture to say no.
ALL of those scenarios I just pointed out happened to Christians I know and counseled personally. Some of them were crying out to God for help while the acts were taking place.
I was one of them. I remember being at the bottom of a 5th of whiskey with tears running down my face asking for deliverance. Eventually it came and it's been a long time since but thankfully I didn't run into someone like yourself during the process.
You need to learn some empathy and stop brow beating people with your holiness stick. You are a sinner. More than you think. In fact the bible says you are a worm. You are no good. NOTHING YOU DO IS GOOD. Nothing any of us do is good. Only GOD is good and that means you have NO RIGHT to start brow beating someone for the speck in their eye when you have a plank in yours.
Understand that and start showing some mercy. Act as your supposed Lord would and love someone and forgive them. Jesus did.
I love laugh when people accuse of being something when the accusation proves that they are the same. I read the bible literally. I follow scripture, use scripture to translate scripture, that is not fundamentalist but that is the right way. If not please enlighten how we read scripture?
I'm not saying I'm correct or have the anwers, I'm just laughing at people who think they do!
Let me share with you what I believe and see in scripture.
The Bible basically says we are made up of body (our flesh..duh), soul (Our mind - who we are), and spirit (What makes us alive.).
It also says we are born with a dead spirit. (Well sort of, just work with me here)
What we do to our body, affects our soul. If you start shootin Heroin, eventually it affects your soul. Same goes the other way. If you really start believing you are something, it will manifest itself physically.
But nothing...nothing can touch the spirit. (Name one thing that was dead mankind has "made alive". We can't!)
Only God can renew the spirit and make us alive again. Just like above, a renewed spirit will eventually affect your soul and change how you think. That in turns manifests itself physically and you change your habits and ways.
All religions deal with the body and soul. Meditation, chanting, physical punishment etc etc. But they can't do anything about the spirit.
Sounds to me like you were frustrated with religion. I understand.
Religion is man's way of reaching God through rituals, practices like waving incense around thinking it has some power etc etc. Being "good enough" etc.
Jesus, was God's way of reaching mankind. Nothing we do is good enough. We all are sinners. You and me alike. I don't think I'm better than you or any less of a "sinner". I'm probably worse.
Forgiveness is for all. You and me. Not more for you and less for me or only for me because I'm herto etc. God loves you just as much as he loves me. He'll forgive you just as much as he forgives me.
I'm sorry that religion treated you the way it did. Perhaps you should forget about the religion you knew and take a look into Jesus and see what he was all about.
If not that's fine with me too.
Quote:
Originally Posted by denverian
I am 100% sure that neither you nor I are 100% correct in our religious beliefs.
See, us liberals are ok with "gray area" and don't see the world in a strict, black and white, with us or against us way.
Oh I believe in gray areas for sure...but I just watched you talk in and use circular reasoning. That thing you folks usually accuse us of doing.
Last edited by Alpha8207; 12-19-2008 at 09:03 PM..
Well, I said renew the spirit, not the soul. There is a difference.
Let me share with you what I believe and see in scripture.
The Bible basically says we are made up of body (our flesh..duh), soul (Our mind - who we are), and spirit (What makes us alive.).
It also says we are born with a dead spirit. (Well sort of, just work with me here)
What we do to our body, affects our soul. If you start shootin Heroin, eventually it affects your soul. Same goes the other way. If you really start believing you are something, it will manifest itself physically.
But nothing...nothing can touch the spirit. (Name one thing that was dead mankind has "made alive". We can't!)
Only God can renew the spirit and make us alive again. Just like above, a renewed spirit will eventually affect your soul and change how you think. That in turns manifests itself physically and you change your habits and ways.
All religions deal with the body and soul. Meditation, chanting, physical punishment etc etc. But they can't do anything about the spirit.
Sounds to me like you were frustrated with religion. I understand.
Religion is man's way of reaching God through rituals, practices like waving incense around thinking it has some power etc etc. Being "good enough" etc.
Jesus, was God's way of reaching mankind. Nothing we do is good enough. We all are sinners. You and me alike. I don't think I'm better than you or any less of a "sinner". I'm probably worse.
Forgiveness is for all. You and me. Not more for you and less for me or only for me because I'm herto etc. God loves you just as much as he loves me. He'll forgive you just as much as he forgives me.
I'm sorry that religion treated you the way it did. Perhaps you should forget about the religion you knew and take a look into Jesus and see what he was all about.
If not that's fine with me too.
Oh I believe in gray areas for sure...but I just watched you talk in and use circular reasoning. That thing you folks usually accuse us of doing.
Hmmm... I don't see where I've spoken in circles. I really do believe that our minds are set up so differently that it's often difficult for us to communicate.
A great example showing that one cannot change their sexual orientation. The only thing that can be changed is behavior but really, what kind of life is that? You're really gay but you're married to some woman you're probably not even all that attracted to and living a lie.
I'd hate to be this guy.
Last edited by PurpleLove08; 12-19-2008 at 12:20 PM..
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.
