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I am extremely saddened that even the more erudite and knowledgeable among you find the idea of an infinitely loving God unacceptable. It is understandable that you might not accept the complex scientific rationale I have discerned for how it could be possible. The required knowledge and understanding of extant science and philosophical reasoning are well beyond the ken of most people. But I thought its existence would bolster your faith in God's existence. It would seem the opposite has occurred and I feel somehow responsible.
Unfortunately, in my eyes, the complete and adamant embrace of a wrathful and vengeful God who could be so enraged by a single act of disobedience by His newly created children He would curse them and their descendants is incomprehensible to me. That He would demand so horrible and horrendous a scourging and crucifixion before He could ever forgive us for "whatever" just strains the bounds of my credulity to its absolute limits.
Because the description of the actions and attitude of Jesus on the Cross exactly matched the consciousness of God I encountered, I strove to reconcile this by reinterpreting the scriptures using God's Holy Spirit of agape love and forgiveness as revealed and demonstrated by Jesus on the Cross. It was an enormous effort that required some very complex understanding of what our existence as a Spirit entails.
The "carnal milk" interpretations, allusions, parables, and other hidden messaging needed to make the message of Christ palatable and acceptable to our primitive ancestors' belief in a wrathful God was a major hurdle because it permeates the writings. The cornerstone of the resurrection was the most difficult to unravel to discern what resurrection actually referred to and how and why it could conceivably save us from our "sins."
It became immediately obvious to me when I did discern it, that the spiritual interpretation was virtually impossible to convey to our ancestors who were absolutely terrified of Spirits. But I was convinced that clues and other inconsistencies in the writings would provide answers to someone looking sincerely looking for a spiritual understanding. I trusted the God I encountered that much.
The toughest nut to crack is the wrath-induced concept of an eternal Hell and damnation that is so downright evil it could have nothing to do with God. Current believers' apparent need for some eternal punitive human version of justice imposed by God on the most wayward or evil of us was particularly troubling to me. If I believed in Satan, I would be convinced it was His creation.
I am no fan of evil and unlike Jesus, I remain unable to love my enemies or anything evil or cruel. But I trust our Father to meet out a Divine Justice that will truly balance the scales for all involved, perpetrators, victims, and all who love them in a way worthy of His infinite love and mercy. I wish I knew what that was but I am certain it has nothing to do with an eternal Hell and damnation.
My biggest disappointment is that instead of reinforcing believers' faith in God, my efforts here seem to have driven most of the sincere believers in God, and the most sincere prayer warriors, away from the forum. My stupid focus on rebutting atheists, promoting my scientific hypotheses, and correcting what I see as a serious misunderstanding about God's true nature as revealed by Jesus that I seem to have achieved the opposite result.
For this, I am truly sorry that I have been such a poor advocate and evangel for our loving Father and brother Jesus. That is the opposite of my original intent. Jesus Christ IS our Lord and Savior and all who believe in Him for whatever reasons are correct to do so! Please accept my apologies for my failure to edify and promote the love of God and each other as Jesus would have us do!. Please return to the forum. Sincere believers will be immune to my criticisms in the future, but atheists are on their own.
I am extremely saddened that even the more erudite and knowledgeable among you find the idea of an infinitely loving God unacceptable. It is understandable that you might not accept the complex scientific rationale I have discerned for how it could be possible. The required knowledge and understanding of extant science and philosophical reasoning are well beyond the ken of most people. But I thought its existence would bolster your faith in God's existence. It would seem the opposite has occurred and I feel somehow responsible.
Unfortunately, in my eyes, the complete and adamant embrace of a wrathful and vengeful God who could be so enraged by a single act of disobedience by His newly created children He would curse them and their descendants is incomprehensible to me. That He would demand so horrible and horrendous a scourging and crucifixion before He could ever forgive us for "whatever" just strains the bounds of my credulity to its absolute limits.
Because the description of the actions and attitude of Jesus on the Cross exactly matched the consciousness of God I encountered, I strove to reconcile this by reinterpreting the scriptures using God's Holy Spirit of agape love and forgiveness as revealed and demonstrated by Jesus on the Cross. It was an enormous effort that required some very complex understanding of what our existence as a Spirit entails.
The "carnal milk" interpretations, allusions, parables, and other hidden messaging needed to make the message of Christ palatable and acceptable to our primitive ancestors' belief in a wrathful God was a major hurdle because it permeates the writings. The cornerstone of the resurrection was the most difficult to unravel to discern what resurrection actually referred to and how and why it could conceivably save us from our "sins."
It became immediately obvious to me when I did discern it, that the spiritual interpretation was virtually impossible to convey to our ancestors who were absolutely terrified of Spirits. But I was convinced that clues and other inconsistencies in the writings would provide answers to someone looking sincerely looking for a spiritual understanding. I trusted the God I encountered that much.
The toughest nut to crack is the wrath-induced concept of an eternal Hell and damnation that is so downright evil it could have nothing to do with God. Current believers' apparent need for some eternal punitive human version of justice imposed by God on the most wayward or evil of us was particularly troubling to me. If I believed in Satan, I would be convinced it was His creation.
I am no fan of evil and unlike Jesus, I remain unable to love my enemies or anything evil or cruel. But I trust our Father to meet out a Divine Justice that will truly balance the scales for all involved, perpetrators, victims, and all who love them in a way worthy of His infinite love and mercy. I wish I knew what that was but I am certain it has nothing to do with an eternal Hell and damnation.
My biggest disappointment is that instead of reinforcing believers' faith in God, my efforts here seem to have driven most of the sincere believers in God, and the most sincere prayer warriors, away from the forum. My stupid focus on rebutting atheists, promoting my scientific hypotheses, and correcting what I see as a serious misunderstanding about God's true nature as revealed by Jesus that I seem to have achieved the opposite result.
For this, I am truly sorry that I have been such a poor advocate and evangel for our loving Father and brother Jesus. That is the opposite of my original intent. Jesus Christ IS our Lord and Savior and all who believe in Him for whatever reasons are correct to do so! Please accept my apologies for my failure to edify and promote the love of God and each other as Jesus would have us do!. Please return to the forum. Sincere believers will be immune to my criticisms in the future, but atheists are on their own.
You've done well, friend Mystic, and among the more wise of the population here. Keep your head high. Others have more reason to explain themselves, and won't LOL
Jesus Christ is God the Father, Son, and His Holy Spirit ..... Jesus did say in Matthew 10;28 ... Fear him who can destroy both the soul and body in hell ....... So who is Jesus talking about ? Who is him ? .............. Well Him is not the living God, as Him is the devil
Classy move, Mystic. Rest assured there's no hard feelings from me. We all need to grow in humility, the foundation of all virtues. I'm speaking principally of myself.
You've done well, friend Mystic, and among the more wise of the population here. Keep your head high. Others have more reason to explain themselves, and won't LOL
Thank you, Thoreau, but the reduction of devout posters and prayer warriors was not something I wanted to happen.
I am extremely saddened that even the more erudite and knowledgeable among you find the idea of an infinitely loving God unacceptable. It is understandable that you might not accept the complex scientific rationale I have discerned for how it could be possible. The required knowledge and understanding of extant science and philosophical reasoning are well beyond the ken of most people. But I thought its existence would bolster your faith in God's existence. It would seem the opposite has occurred and I feel somehow responsible.
Unfortunately, in my eyes, the complete and adamant embrace of a wrathful and vengeful God who could be so enraged by a single act of disobedience by His newly created children He would curse them and their descendants is incomprehensible to me. That He would demand so horrible and horrendous a scourging and crucifixion before He could ever forgive us for "whatever" just strains the bounds of my credulity to its absolute limits.
Because the description of the actions and attitude of Jesus on the Cross exactly matched the consciousness of God I encountered, I strove to reconcile this by reinterpreting the scriptures using God's Holy Spirit of agape love and forgiveness as revealed and demonstrated by Jesus on the Cross. It was an enormous effort that required some very complex understanding of what our existence as a Spirit entails.
The "carnal milk" interpretations, allusions, parables, and other hidden messaging needed to make the message of Christ palatable and acceptable to our primitive ancestors' belief in a wrathful God was a major hurdle because it permeates the writings. The cornerstone of the resurrection was the most difficult to unravel to discern what resurrection actually referred to and how and why it could conceivably save us from our "sins."
It became immediately obvious to me when I did discern it, that the spiritual interpretation was virtually impossible to convey to our ancestors who were absolutely terrified of Spirits. But I was convinced that clues and other inconsistencies in the writings would provide answers to someone looking sincerely looking for a spiritual understanding. I trusted the God I encountered that much.
The toughest nut to crack is the wrath-induced concept of an eternal Hell and damnation that is so downright evil it could have nothing to do with God. Current believers' apparent need for some eternal punitive human version of justice imposed by God on the most wayward or evil of us was particularly troubling to me. If I believed in Satan, I would be convinced it was His creation.
I am no fan of evil and unlike Jesus, I remain unable to love my enemies or anything evil or cruel. But I trust our Father to meet out a Divine Justice that will truly balance the scales for all involved, perpetrators, victims, and all who love them in a way worthy of His infinite love and mercy. I wish I knew what that was but I am certain it has nothing to do with an eternal Hell and damnation.
My biggest disappointment is that instead of reinforcing believers' faith in God, my efforts here seem to have driven most of the sincere believers in God, and the most sincere prayer warriors, away from the forum. My stupid focus on rebutting atheists, promoting my scientific hypotheses, and correcting what I see as a serious misunderstanding about God's true nature as revealed by Jesus that I seem to have achieved the opposite result.
For this, I am truly sorry that I have been such a poor advocate and evangel for our loving Father and brother Jesus. That is the opposite of my original intent. Jesus Christ IS our Lord and Savior and all who believe in Him for whatever reasons are correct to do so! Please accept my apologies for my failure to edify and promote the love of God and each other as Jesus would have us do!. Please return to the forum. Sincere believers will be immune to my criticisms in the future, but atheists are on their own.
Most of us are already gone. You and others like you chased them out a long time ago. They're not coming back because they know it's not friendly to them here. But it's more than just you.
Most of us are already gone. You and others like you chased them out a long time ago. They're not coming back because they know it's not friendly to them here. But it's more than just you.
I don't believe he is talking about the "extreme" fundamentalists, such as that of yourself with this "us" and "them" mentality?
Most of us are already gone. You and others like you chased them out a long time ago. They're not coming back because they know it's not friendly to them here. But it's more than just you.
I don't believe he is talking about the "extreme" fundamentalists, such as that of yourself with this "us" and "them" mentality?
Yes. We all know that. This forum is controlled by people that are like minded to you and Mystic. And you wonder where all the "devout Christians" have gone when every one that posts gets attacked by you, him, and others? The atmosphere around here is so toxic that they have simply decided to go somewhere else.
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