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.
I appreciate the link and statistics some people have provided. For a person so reliant on hard facts, this grand assertion of yours seems pretty thin. In fact, there was a long list of documented reasons pastors are dropping out of the profession of leading a church, but I didn't see any that indicated they no longer have faith in God.
Do you have proof (as you so often request) that the reason pastors are dropping out because they have discovered atheist internet forums?
lol...why would we expect them to actually back up their wild assertions?
According to the Bible there is 1 path that leads to God the Father and that is by way of His Son.
That being said, Then all other paths lead elsewhere.
That being said, unless you walk the path being claimed to be the "truth", you will NOT know EITHER way if it is true to itself or not true to itself and any comments you offer toward that would be meaningless.
That being said. If you're going to tell me you did walk that "path" being claimed to be the "truth" and believe it to be a lie still, then you better have a full explanation as to why you failed at it and not why it failed you. There is a difference and many of you claiming to have walked this path like to use the one 'I tried but it failed me experience, then when questioned by those who do follow it.. it always ends with you didn't do this or that right and no one gets anywhere, so save those I did but it failed me speeches. The reason you failed was because you were the reason.
So if a child sets himself on fire playing with matches while the father is right next to him you're going to argue the reason the child set himself on fire is his fault, not the fathers????????
So if a child sets himself on fire playing with matches while the father is right next to him you're going to argue the reason the child set himself on fire is his fault, not the fathers????????
Riiiiiiiiiiight!
For me, I'm not seeing the correlation at all. Are you saying the previous poster should act like your father? Are you saying if a Christian sees you turning from God, we should intervene? Is that not exactly what is happening on this forum?
To your example, if as a parent you see your child playing with matches, of course you will stop him and help teach him. But if I'm walking down the street and see a fellow adult playing with matches, should I directly intervene and stop that person? Or should I assume they are now old enough and educated enough to make their own decisions?
For me, I'm not seeing the correlation at all. Are you saying the previous poster should act like your father? Are you saying if a Christian sees you turning from God, we should intervene? Is that not exactly what is happening on this forum?
To your example, if as a parent you see your child playing with matches, of course you will stop him and help teach him. But if I'm walking down the street and see a fellow adult playing with matches, should I directly intervene and stop that person? Or should I assume they are now old enough and educated enough to make their own decisions?
Please explain what I am missing in your analogy.
Easily explained, even if I am not the poster you responded to...
The "child" is us, the "father" is God. In other words, if a human father saw his son playing with matches, did nothing, and then the kid sets himself on fire, would you blame the father or child? I would bet the father, seeing as how the kid obviously didn't know what he was doing, right?
To take it a step further, if the "father" were God, and he saw his child, "humankind" playing with matches, and did nothing to stop them, who would you blame when human kind burns? I bet you wouldn't blame God, right? Even though he could easily stop it if he wanted. Even though, as the "father" he would clearly know much more than us, and have the ability to stop what we were doing, and did nothing. So why do you hold your God to a lesser standard than us mere mortals?
Easily explained, even if I am not the poster you responded to...
The "child" is us, the "father" is God. In other words, if a human father saw his son playing with matches, did nothing, and then the kid sets himself on fire, would you blame the father or child? I would bet the father, seeing as how the kid obviously didn't know what he was doing, right?
To take it a step further, if the "father" were God, and he saw his child, "humankind" playing with matches, and did nothing to stop them, who would you blame when human kind burns? I bet you wouldn't blame God, right? Even though he could easily stop it if he wanted. Even though, as the "father" he would clearly know much more than us, and have the ability to stop what we were doing, and did nothing. So why do you hold your God to a lesser standard than us mere mortals?
So there are teachings a-plenty. There are resources everywhere. But God has given man free will. You can choose your own path. God will not force you to believe - is that what you are saying you want? You want to deny, deny, deny God your whole life, battle against Him and Christians, and then you are asking why he doesn't step in and stop you? Am I clear now on what you are really saying? Please correct me if I do not understand you, because I worry "easily explained" could still be misunderstood.
I think the answer is, He sends plenty of help and rescue and teaching and correction to everyone, throughout your entire life. And He is always ready to accept you and forgive you. Even if you spend your whole life denying and battling against Him, but on your final day, you really truly come to believe in God in your heart, that is good enough. But, if you a freely choosing to ignore the teachings and help, then yes, God will let you freely choose your path.
If you give your own child a lesson on the dangers of playing with matches, over and over again, in many different ways, and at age 30 your child is still playing with matches, do you continue to try to teach and correct him? Many parents may give up. But God will keep trying to help you in many ways your entire life, He will not give up on you.
Being a minister is a calling. The good ones put years into their education, so that besides being devout, they also have knowledge to back it up. A good minister must be a talented speaker and writer, a psychologist and have a love for people. A sense of humor doesn't hurt either.
Now, once he or she has all these qualities, how many "slots" are there where they can work and be paid enough to support their family and send their kids to college? Not enough, probably.
You cannot blame a guy who maybe has a Masters in psychology, and a Doctorate in Divinty, and whose job only pays squat, for doing something else.
Completely wrong. Jesus is God. He said so himself, and he proved it. God is 3 persons, but one God. There are not 3 Gods--it's one God, 3 persons.
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.
