Well, Cliff, let's get a few things straight here. Just calm down, don't thro8 a hissy fit. I respect the fact the everyone needs to have a huge defecation on the pity pot every once in a while, and that is your turn. However, that is better done in some other kind of group. Do you really think I or someone else in my position is going to take your kind of email seriously?
I am Aman, not Cliff. I expect those who claim to understand Christianity to at least be familiar with God's Truth in the Bible. Your view is the typical modernist thinking which REJECTS the Bible's teaching in favor of the mortal man's view. We were warned about this position here:
Mar 7:7
***Come to think of it, you probably do. So let me clue you in. All you sent me was personal attacks, hate mail. That is totally inappropriate in any theological discussion group. The rule of discussion is that if you object to what someone is saying, you present as solid of a rational counterarguments as you can, not waste time condemning others as lost souls, etc., as you did here. You sound like some sort of Inquisitor pronouncing sentence or something. "Nothing to offer but unbelief in God's word"? Evidence please.
Sure. A good example is your insistence that Genesis one and Genesis two contradict each other. This is totally false and reveals a view which is totally UnScriptural. Of course it doesn't seem to bother you that you constantly reject God's Truth in favor of men's opinions.
****As a progressive thinker, I am well used to receiving such hate mail. It's only to be expected. I recognize it as largely harmless, meaningless, worthless. I really don't care what you think of me personally or even spiritually. I am not here to live up to your standards. I recognize you feel offended because I imply you are ignorant. But the truth is you lack any real formal education in any of these matters. You need to become more aware of the relationship you are in with guys like me. You re coming out of the laity. Nothing wrong with that. I am coming out of academia. Nothing wrong with that. The problem is when we meet. There can be a major conflict.
Amen, especially due to the Fact that you CANNOT support your views Scripturally. Must we run to YOU and your wonderfully educated colleagues every time we have a question about the Bible? Your ego separates you from Scripturally supported verses which describe the "laity" as you see us. Paul tells us of how religionists treated him:
1Co 4:9 For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men. 1Co 4:10 We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised.
***There is a huge town-gown gulf that needs to be recognized. Many laity, and this is honestly true of you and many others here, have a very naïve conception of what really goes in the real world of academia, of scholarly study in theology, biblical studies, etc. I find laity hope or expect that the academic world is an extension, a further reinforcement of the cherished beliefs and values they learned in their local church or Sunday-school class. Forget it. The world of academic scholarship is a completely different world, completely different value system, completely different set of priorities. In encountering the academic world, it is only to be expected some laity will be disappointed, because they are apt to find one of their cherished beliefs has long ago been carefully weighed out and consequently and thrown out the window. For example, you and many others here hold with the inerrancy theory of Scripture, that it has to be errorless, etc. However, in the academic world, where we are free to question everything, this appears but another human-made, fallible theory of how God might be related to Scripture. Like any human theory, it deserves to be checked out. When it was, it was out not to work.
The problem is with the modernist view, which you preach constantly as if you were going to convert us poor, ignorant, Bible believing "laity". Do you have any idea HOW a sinner is saved? If so, please tell us. Avoiding the question might make some think that you don't know.
***Many laity make a mistake in coming to the Bible, assuming that it is all true, that whatever the Bible says, happened just that way. However, that is a bad bias to bring into serious research, as I prohibits you from being open-minded enough to learn anything. Now, you made sarcastic remarks about us academics thinking we are a lot smarter than you. Well, truth is, we are, as we have the opportunity to sit down and study matters in detail, whereas you, having other priorities, do not. You asked about what "groups" sponsor or support my thinking. Are you kidding Open your eyes and look at the Christian religion in full scope. It was not and is not a monolithic structure, as you may imagine, with only one way to go about things. I is a rich plurality or tapestry of diverse viewpoints which, unfortunately can conflict with one another. That may confuse or disturb some, but I like it, I love it, I want some more of it.
Of course you do. Compromisers love to get together and tell each other what wonderful teachers they are, since they sit in a much higher position than those old stupid "laity" who don't know anything because they are NOT in our highly educated group. Such thinking is refuted in Matthew 23 by Jesus.
*** It means we have a choice, we have freedom in the church. If some church hits you over the head with the old it's-own-way-or-the-highway-to-hell, you don't have to take that, you can simply choose another church. Though you may think your views represent the whole of Christendom, the truth is you are on the extreme right of the church. Nothing wrong with that. However, there is also a left wing or more liberal side to faith.
I'm neither since I support my views with the
AGREEMENT of Scripture, Science, and History. You don't because your view is unscriptural.
***Thank god, Not all Christians can or should be on the right. I couldn't. I had long exposures to your attitudes, teaching, doctrine, and I found they didn't even begin to meet my spiritual, emotional, and intellectual needs. So I moved to he left, to the liberal camp. Now, again, I strongly encourage you to avoid personal attacks or berating one's spirituality and take the time to think of, as best you can, a solid rational counterattack to my points if you truly find them objectionable. That way, we can have a real theological discussion.
Theologically, How can a sinner be saved? Do you know? Perhaps you could check with other modernists and see
IF any of them knows? Amen?