dennis2146 Loc: Eastern Idaho

Well said,

Dennis

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

Yes they do...for the same reason folks are doing it here...they "LIKE" a certain feeling or like a certain belief and so they don't use good exegesis (as they might in many other places in the bible)

As for the idea that "because people interpret words differently then we can't really know what they mean" ...well...you must see the folly of that reasoning.

Example: "Because counterfeit dollars exist then it's impossible to recognize a real dollar" is the same reasoning.



Are you suggesting that when a Christian sees a false belief that isn't part of the Christian faith they can't come to the conclusion that it's not authentic and thus not saving?

Another example is in order:

"God is a black woman who's also a banana...that's my belief."

Are you seriously suggesting that you:

1.) Wouldn't call out this error when you come across it?
2.) Would assume because this person is very sincere in their God/black/banana belief that they must be going to heaven and we can't possibly recognize the difference between true saving knowledge and false damning knowledge?



I have studied all those and can't figure out why you'd point to them to justify misrepresenting God and His attributes.

Let me know if you see "good sense of humor" in this list.

God's attributes:
Incommunicable Attributes  
Independence (self-existence, self-sufficiency, aseity)  
Unchangeableness (immutability)  
Eternity  
Omnipresence  
Unity (simplicity)  
 

Communicable Attributes  
Attributes Describing God’s Being

     Spirituality
     Indivisibility  

Mental Attributes
     Knowledge (omniscience)
     Wisdom
     Truthfulness (faithfulness)
 
Moral Attributes
     Goodness
     Love
     Mercy (grace, patience)
     Holiness
     Peace (or order)
     Righteousness or Justice
     Jealousy
     Wrath  

Attributes of Purpose
     Will
     Freedom
     Omnipotence (sovereignty)
 
Summary Attributes
     Perfection
     Blessedness
     Beauty
     Glory  
 

bedouin Loc: Big Bend area, Texas

This discussion has been hijacked by a person who sees himself similarly wise and knowledgeable as his concept of a God. And despite equivocations, we are basically told that if we do not share his beliefs we are doomed for eternity to Hell. His mind is as closed as a locked gun case. I grew up in the Deep South and rejected these Bible beaters at an early age.

I do not profess to be a member of any organized religion, present or past. And I have spent a great deal of time studying comparative religion. And in each of the many, I have found things with which to agree and disagree. One thing that stood out to me was why the Buddha, long before Jesus or Muhammad, left out the concept of a Creator and his thinking. Whileí he did not deny the possibility of an ultimate source or spirit for creator, he concluded that whatever that might be is simply unknowable. His thinking was also devoid of any notion of sin, or reward or punishment. Yet he devised a code of morality that is virtually identical do all other religions.

Before the hijacker starts wailing, I am not an atheist. It is impossible for me to believe that the universe created itself and that human intelligence is a mere biological accident. But I do not believe that the Christian Bible, or the Talmud or the Quran was divinely inspired. Simply because they have all been written by men and both edited and re-edited hundreds of times. For me, there is both goodness and wisdom but also some evil in all the great religious books. Whatever Force created the universe gave us the power of thought, and a mind is like the parachute, it does us no good whatsoever unless it is open.
And if all this condemns me to an eternity a punishment, then I would question the goodness of the hijackers God.

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

No...only someone who can read the bible.



I only tell you what the bible says; if you don't repent and believe you will die in your sins and be punished justly in Hell.

Not "basically" I did say that because that's what God says.



Christianity is by definition very narrow and excludes all other false religions...even the religion of "I don't have a religion"

I won't apologize for that, that's what the truth is. You mean it as an insult but you are correct.



Except the religion of "I made up my own religion based on what appeals to me".




Too bad what you do or don't agree with isn't relevant to the truth.




Buddah has his own set of problems. But again...you can't know what is or isn't true, can you?




Hahaha..yes...because all men (even if they start a false religion) know what's morally right and wrong because God has written it on their hearts. I never claimed that Christianity has the ONLY moral code...only that God is the SOURCE of morality and without presupposing Him...you can't even HAVE a moral code.




Oh no...now you've done it...you've disagreed with others on this thread...how unloving and narrow minded you are! :)




And of course I invite you to explain how you could "know" that. You can't. The best you can do is..."I don't think so...." but to KNOW that you'd have to have all knowledge in the universe or know some being who does (God.)

Looks like nobody on this thread has ever attended a Philosophy 101 have they?



Another ignorant statement. No...it (the bible) hasn't. I'm VERY familiar with the history and transmission of the text of the bible...if you want to talk about it...please PM...



By what ultimate standard of morality do you measure those things in the great religious books? (Philosophy 101 again...whoops)




I bet you would. The bible describes you as a lover of yourself, a hater of God and unless He changes your affections, you will die that way.


I pray that he does. He is a merciful God who has the power to change your heart...please repent and believe before it's too late.

dennis2146 Loc: Eastern Idaho

It simply amazes me that a poster shared something here on UHH that he liked and thought we might as well. Somehow you have hijacked the thread to not only proselytize but threaten the rest of us with eternal damnation if we don’t see the worship of our Christian God exactly as you do. You tell us that isn’t so yet you literally have verbally attacked those who are not in your camp.

I have pointed out exactly what I have read in the Bible as to getting into heaven by going through Jesus, in his name. That is right from the Bible as I presented. But still that isn’t acceptable to you. You found fault with all of us because we didn’t meet your standards of Christianity. Personally I will go with God’s standards.

Dennis

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

Telling the truth is not attacking.

I made one comment post, anything additional is a result of someone telling me how wrong i am. (Or attacking me as you put it) If folks would use the same "tolerance" for opposing viewpoints as they claim, then nobody would have posted telling me how wrong I was and that would have been the end of it.

Apparently this "tolerance" people like doesn't apply to a Christian perspective.

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

BTW: did you happen to find "sense of humor" in that list of God's attributes that I posted right before this reply of yours?

I noticed that you left that part out of your comment.

I didn't find fault..I pointed out the truth.

As Paul said:

“So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him.For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.
Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others.”
(2 Corinthians 5:9–11 ESV)

If I've misrepresented God here...please point it out and I'll correct it. If I've told a lie about what the gospel message is...please point it out..I'll correct it. If I haven't, then I'm ok with that because I'm with Paul on this...knowing the fear of the Lord...I persuade others. I don't hesitate to open my mouth just because folks either have a difference of opinion and or don't like the message. The gospel is a rock of offense to those who are perishing...that's the way it's designed.

dennis2146 Loc: Eastern Idaho

You are free to worship your way. I believe I have pointed that out already. But to you your way is the only way. As I also pointed out many clergy disagree with you. No surprise here, I do too. Many churches sing songs of praise to God but with guitars rather than an organ and a choir. Do you honestly think God cares. When you tell us, insisting you are right and we are wrong, that our (my) way of worshiping God is wrong then it is you who are blasphemous. In fact it is people like you who are driving people from organized religion.

I have been to different churches and many thave relaxed their positions of strict obedience to God. Only in the final days will we Christians know if that mattered. But to my way of thinking God will accept praise and worship of any kind. Only you seem to have a problem with it.

I am done now. Ramble on at your pleasure.

Dennis

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

As i said already, what does style of music have to do with my question that you dodged for the second time?

As for your idea that God will accept anything as praise, read the bible account of what God did when He was worshipped wrongly by Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron...He killed them.

Dedo Loc: NY, Uruguay

I always get a good laugh when I hear christians refer to their god as merciful.
Try telling that to the tens of millions of children that are slaughtered each year
from disease, starvation or war. Yeah, that's mercy and love. Kind of makes
Hitler look like a babysitter.

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

You seem to think Gods actions are morally wrong, where do you derive the absolute moral standard you compare Him to to determine that?

Dedo Loc: NY, Uruguay

From normative ethics and moral subjectivism.

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

No...the source. How is "good" or "bad" derived?

Just what a person "feels" what a group "feels".

Where is the yardstick?

scatman Loc: Waterbury, CT

I'll give you one guess where we'd like it to be!

Dedo Loc: NY, Uruguay

Good and evil ARE derived from normative ethics and moral subjectivism.
If that is not a yardstick, what is?