A Hello to General Theology--and a Question?

Is the question ‘Is seeing the tension in the fault lines in the earth’s plates equivalent to relieving the pressure of the next earthquake”?

mnorian said:

A--Hello General Theology members. As you can tell; mnorian here. I just wanted to say hi and to ask you guy's advice. So let's get right to it.

First a little history. I have been a Supervisor; three times in my life:

1--Once; in a kingdom far away (at least from the USA) I was a Supervisor of men; on top of a mountain; and our job was to cast electrons into the atmosphere; and to catch other electrons; from men just like us; but far, far away from us; with giant metal catchers gloves; illuminated by big giant light bulbs of 750 watts.

We were told by men we looked up to; at least in a intellectual way; that the electrons would go into space and bounce off the air. Most of us believed this; some of us thought it was all black magic; I was on the fence; so to speak--a moderator of the two views.

Sometimes the men we looked up to; would ring a big bell; and we would all take a break from casting and catching electrons; to casting many round objects over our local fence; into the dark jungle of the kingdom.

Sometimes the local kingdom members would cast round objects over the fence towards us; which our job was 'not' to catch them. This break was a great game; but it didn't make much sense to most of us; but the men we looked up to said we were winning;and we could go home anytime; but this time came and went.

Finally the men we looked up to said we could go home; back to the World; as we had won. Most of us thought we had won; but others said we didn't; I was on the fence; being moderate; and thought the men we looked up to; just got bored.

But it was nice to go home; back to the kingdom that was now; far, far away. This all happened in a century far, far away.

(to be cont.)

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Nice parable, but what does this have to do with the price of tea in China?
TD

tdidymas said:

what does this have to do with the price of tea in China?

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Chinese tea was REEEELLLYYYY expensive on top of that mountain ....

Yes, you have raised a question about what is the question.

One thing I notice is how when humans do something, they then can have different ideas about what they really did or did not do. And they can disagree, even though all of them are experts . . . considered to be experts.

And this happens with things of this world. So, to be sure this can happen in studying the Bible > ones can be experts but not agree.

So, what do we do?

"Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you." (James 4:7)

People might have been unsure, in your story, about if anything had been done. And we read in these forums how ones say they are not sure if God is doing anything. But Isaiah 55:11 says,

"'So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;
. It shall not return to Me void,
. But it shall accomplish what I please,
. And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.'"
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (Isaiah 55:11)

So, while ones are not sure if God is doing anything, this scripture guarantees how God is having His word accomplish and prosper in doing all which God Himself means by His word.

And, yes, ones may be tossing balls at each other . . . the balls of people's own understanding of God's word; and this may make it seem to some like no one is getting anywhere in coming to agreement about what God's word says; but > > >

God's word is already accomplishing and prospering in all He means, now, even while ball tossers can make it seem otherwise.

So, we can submit to God, now, and discover what He means by submitting to how He does in us and in our lives what He means by His word. Or, we can play the game which is kind of like badminton-style ball tossing and dodgeball at the same time. It's kind of hard to be hitting and tossing the ball back when also we are trying to dodge the balls.

The electrons in water were in inadequate supply in India in Spring, 2018. And electrons moved unusually slowly in China during the same timeframe. With the increase of demand for the electrons in tea around the world (due to the electrons that travel the Internet's network wiring), the price of tea in China is going to be higher than usual.

mnorian said:

Finally the men we looked up to said we could go home; back to the World; as we had won. Most of us thought we had won; but others said we didn't; I was on the fence; being moderate; and thought the men we looked up to; just got bored.

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Well, I'll put my hand up and admit I've been involved in the occasional fierce debate. Generally speaking, I'm only motivated to do that when something kicks in my protective instincts.

What I mean by that is, people hold all sorts of strange and (imho) wrong ideas. I don't particularly mind that. Knock yourselves out.

But when I see that people's ideas have real-world consequences which are harmful to others, then I'm motivated to argue; because theology shapes behaviour and I'd like to see a church which does less damage rather than more, to people who find themselves on the vulnerable end of Christian community.

So, I wonder whether there is a way for us to share what we believe, without the - ah - polemical edge which often can seem as if it is or would be harmful to our brothers and sisters?

As for welcoming newbies better, one thing I notice is that it generally takes a long time for people to work out what forums there are here, and where various discussions belong. I wonder if we could work up a diagram that charts the areas and forums, and which shows people at a glance where to go for different things?

mnorian said:

A--Hello General Theology members. As you can tell; mnorian here. I just wanted to say hi and to ask you guy's advice. So let's get right to it.

First a little history. I have been a Supervisor; three times in my life:

1--Once; in a kingdom far away (at least from the USA) I was a Supervisor of men; on top of a mountain; and our job was to cast electrons into the atmosphere; and to catch other electrons; from men just like us; but far, far away from us; with giant metal catchers gloves; illuminated by big giant light bulbs of 750 watts.

We were told by men we looked up to; at least in a intellectual way; that the electrons would go into space and bounce off the air. Most of us believed this; some of us thought it was all black magic; I was on the fence; so to speak--a moderator of the two views.

Sometimes the men we looked up to; would ring a big bell; and we would all take a break from casting and catching electrons; to casting many round objects over our local fence; into the dark jungle of the kingdom.

Sometimes the local kingdom members would cast round objects over the fence towards us; which our job was 'not' to catch them. This break was a great game; but it didn't make much sense to most of us; but the men we looked up to said we were winning;and we could go home anytime; but this time came and went.

Finally the men we looked up to said we could go home; back to the World; as we had won. Most of us thought we had won; but others said we didn't; I was on the fence; being moderate; and thought the men we looked up to; just got bored.

But it was nice to go home; back to the kingdom that was now; far, far away. This all happened in a century far, far away.

(to be cont.)

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https://www.google.com/amp/s/paleof...ht-high-tech-border-surveillan-1694647526/amp

Quote
That remotely-fought war in Vietnam had its base in Thailand, where state-of-the-art computers would interpret data sent from thousands of sensors dropped across Vietnam and Laos. When the sensors picked up rumblings in the battlefield, computer operators would have to decide whether they were hearing were North Vietnamese supply trucks or simply a random Vietnamese civilian going about their day. If it was the former, air strikes would be called in. If the latter, the military held off.

BTW, the text asks for polemic, not irenic discussion.

Jeremiah 23:29 is my Word not like a fire, like a hammer that breaks even rocks?

mnorian said:

Which text?

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Jeremiah 23:25“I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy falsely in My name, saying, ‘I had a dream, I had a dream!’ 26“How long? Is there anything in the hearts of the prophets who prophesy falsehood, even these prophets of the deception of their own heart, 27who intend to make My people forget My name by their dreams which they relate to one another, just as their fathers forgot My name because of Baal?28“The prophet who has a dream may relate hisdream, but let him who has My word speak My word in truth. What does straw have in commonwith grain?” declares the LORD. 29“Is not My word like fire?” declares the LORD, “and like a hammer which shatters a rock?

1 Corinthians 3:10According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it.11For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.12Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw,13each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work.