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Heissonear

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Why do you believe that scripture is the word of a god, rather than the word of men? Are you sure it is not merely that you want to believe it is? Why?


Barry,

You like to push "the Bible is not from God but from men" from many angles.

As a Naturalist I did not know that if God existed that He would be the God of the Bible.

But when revealing Himself He made it crytal clear He is the God of the Bible. Through Baptism of the Holy Spirit The Bible "came alive". The Bible is His Word through His doing through men.

Your blindness has you reporting the Bible is merely of men. What a temporal truth you proclaim!
 
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BarryDesborough

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Barry,

You like to push "the Bible is not from God but from men" from many angles.

As a Naturalist I did not know that if God existed that He would be the God of the Bible.

But when revealing Himself He made it crytal clear He is the God of the Bible. Through Baptism of the Holy Spirit The Bible "came alive". The Bible is His Word through His doing through men.

Your blindness has you reporting the Bible is merely of men. What a temporal truth you proclaim!
How did He "reveal Himself"?
 
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Heissonear

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How did He "reveal Himself"?


To you it is imaginary to experience.

How foolish to walk this earth void of awareness of: a) Him; and b) the Spiritual Realm.

A dimension of life around us and with us every day and be blind to such existence.

You ask a question that points out your blindness to the Spiritual. You reason that such "revealing" happens in some persons head. When actually you get a glimpse into the Spiritual Realm.

He reveals Himself. You don't conjure Him up. It is something He does. He reveals Himself through the work of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit can open blind eyes. How wide they are opened is dependant on the magnitude or intensity of what He wants to reveal. You have heard this from others and probably read about it. It is not fun to watch from the sidelines, just second hand information - words. You can do better.
 
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Mr Strawberry

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To you it is imaginary to experience.

How foolish to walk this earth void of awareness of: a) Him; and b) the Spiritual Realm.

A dimension of life around us and with us every day and be blind to such existence.

You ask a question that points out your blindness to the Spiritual. You reason that such "revealing" happens in some persons head. When actually you get a glimpse into the Spiritual Realm.

He reveals Himself. You don't conjure Him up. It is something He does. He reveals Himself through the work of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit can open blind eyes. How wife they are opened is dependant on the magnitude or intensity of what He wants to reveal. You have heard this from others and probably read about it. It is not fun to watch from the sidelines, just second hand information - words. You can do better.

Why do you think your god decided you were worthy of a personal revelation?
 
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quatona

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We keep talking past each other apparently. All 'experiences' of awareness (sight, sound, smell, pain, feelings, etc) all take place *inside* of the human brain/form. That rarely if ever necessarily means that the source of the experience is *caused internally*.

Like the pain example, yes, the *experience of pain* takes place inside the cranial cavity, and nerve cells in the body, but the *cause* is external to the form. Likewise, just because people experience the presence of God within the confines of their cranial cavity and physical form, it doesn't mean that the *source* of the experience is necessarily located *internally*.

As with your experience of pain example, the experience of God takes place inside the form, but the source of the experience is reported to be external to the form. You're *assuming* something *different* than what the people themselves actually report.
We are talking past each other because you initially compared "the experience of God" to "the experience of pain".
However, no you are submitting that pain is the experience of something external.
Now, if the experience "pain" is the way to experience an external cause for the pain, what is - in analogy - the external cause for the experience "God"?
I am just hoping for a consistent use of your terminology so I can understand what you are trying to say. To this point it seems you are using "God" for the experience itself as well as its cause. In which case your analogy "pain" doesn´t apply.
 
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Coelo

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We are talking past each other because you initially compared "the experience of God" to "the experience of pain".

I am just hoping for a consistent use of your terminology so I can understand what you are trying to say.
There was a book: "When bad things happen to good people". The book does not answer the question why bad things happen. The Bible tells us that all things work out for the best for them that love God and are called according to His purpose. So the question really is does the end justify the means? We are told that even if we do suffer pain in life, God will use it for good and cause good to come out of it. It's not God's plan for people to have to suffer. They bring it on themselves because of their rebellion against God, His plan and His purpose. I know people blame God for that also. They need to grow up and take responsibility for themselves. David teaches us 3,000 years ago that God wants what is best for us and He teaches us how to live our life. For me if we walk with God life continues to get better. If we live in rebellion then life goes from bad to worse. This also works in marriage. If you do your part the relationship gets better. If you don't then it goes from bad to worse because people are not walking in love and living right. We all know you reap what you sow. Sow good seed and you will get a good return. Do evil and then evil is going to come back on you.
 
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Heissonear

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Why do you think your god decided you were worthy of a personal revelation?

Mr Strawberry - look in the Bible. Jeremiah 29:12,13 and Jeremiah 33:3 for starters. It is for whosoever will. Is it written plain and simple in the Bible, no?

Jeremiah 29:12,13
"Then you will call upon Me, and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you, and you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart".

Jeremiah 33:3
"Call to Me, and I will answer you, and I will show you great and mighty things, which you did not know".

You don't know some things, you are blind to the Spiritual. Now you suppose someone pointing these things out is "special" rather than normal. You are blind.
 
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quatona

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There was a book: "When bad things happen to good people". The book does not answer the question why bad things happen. The Bible tells us that all things work out for the best for them that love God and are called according to His purpose. So the question really is does the end justify the means? We are told that even if we do suffer pain in life, God will use it for good and cause good to come out of it. It's not God's plan for people to have to suffer. They bring it on themselves because of their rebellion against God, His plan and His purpose. I know people blame God for that also. They need to grow up and take responsibility for themselves. David teaches us 3,000 years ago that God wants what is best for us and He teaches us how to live our life. For me if we walk with God life continues to get better. If we live in rebellion then life goes from bad to worse. This also works in marriage. If you do your part the relationship gets better. If you don't then it goes from bad to worse because people are not walking in love and living right. We all know you reap what you sow. Sow good seed and you will get a good return. Do evil and then evil is going to come back on you.
Coelo,
thanks for your thoughts. I have no idea, though, how they have anything to do with the post to which you wrote it in response to. It´s almost like you have inadvertantly posted it in the wrong thread.
:confused:
 
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Coelo

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Coelo,
thanks for your thoughts. I have no idea, though, how they have anything to do with the post to which you wrote it in response to. It´s almost like you have inadvertantly posted it in the wrong thread.
:confused:
The conversation is about the "causes of pain". That is exactly what I am talking about. Perhaps I went into more detail then you wanted to go in regards to the real cause of the pain people experience in life.
 
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Justatruthseeker

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For the same reason people are "worthy" to go to the next level in man's schools.


Man, Id like to say I agree, one must certainly contemplate the Word to understand it. But kind of a bad example since half of high school graduates don't even know the basics of science. :doh:

But I certainly get your point. :):)

Probably why there are just as many bad graduates from Sunday School.
 
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AV1611VET

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But kind of a bad example since half of high school graduates don't even know the basics of science.
Not to mention they can't tell you what one tenth of 357 is without a calculator, or add one half to three fourths in their head.

That's what happens when you take the Bible out of school.
 
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BarryDesborough

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Not to mention they can't tell you what one tenth of 357 is without a calculator, or add one half to three fourths in their head.

That's what happens when you take the Bible out of school.
I am a retired mathematics teacher. I would be very interested in knowing how the Bible enhances mathematical education. Can you explain?
 
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quatona

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The conversation is about the "causes of pain". That is exactly what I am talking about. Perhaps I went into more detail then you wanted to go in regards to the real cause of the pain people experience in life.
Yes, thank you.
Are you aware that I asked that specific question in the attempt to clarify a certain misunderstanding between Michael and me, to which your idea what pain is caused by is completely irrelevant?
Nonetheless, thanks for giving your ideas. Unfortunately they are distracting from what the point of our conversation was when you stepped into it.
I am sure you had only best intentions and weren´t aware of that.
 
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BarryDesborough

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To you it is imaginary to experience.

How foolish to walk this earth void of awareness of: a) Him; and b) the Spiritual Realm.

A dimension of life around us and with us every day and be blind to such existence.

You ask a question that points out your blindness to the Spiritual. You reason that such "revealing" happens in some persons head. When actually you get a glimpse into the Spiritual Realm.

He reveals Himself. You don't conjure Him up. It is something He does. He reveals Himself through the work of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit can open blind eyes. How wide they are opened is dependant on the magnitude or intensity of what He wants to reveal. You have heard this from others and probably read about it. It is not fun to watch from the sidelines, just second hand information - words. You can do better.

How did He "reveal Himself"?
 
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AV1611VET

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I am a retired mathematics teacher. I would be very interested in knowing how the Bible enhances mathematical education. Can you explain?
By telling us to obey those who have the rule over us: like our mathematics teachers.
 
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Mr Strawberry

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Mr Strawberry - look in the Bible. Jeremiah 29:12,13 and Jeremiah 33:3 for starters. It is for whosoever will. Is it written plain and simple in the Bible, no?

Jeremiah 29:12,13
"Then you will call upon Me, and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you, and you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart".

Jeremiah 33:3
"Call to Me, and I will answer you, and I will show you great and mighty things, which you did not know".

You don't know some things, you are blind to the Spiritual. Now you suppose someone pointing these things out is "special" rather than normal. You are blind.

That doesn't really match up with what you say here:

He reveals Himself. You don't conjure Him up. It is something He does. He reveals Himself through the work of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit can open blind eyes. How wide they are opened is dependant on the magnitude or intensity of what He wants to reveal.

When you wrote that you were clearly carried away in ecstasies with your own marvellousness at your god choosing you to reveal himself to, so you may have forgotten exactly what you wrote. Read it again and then compare it with the quotes you have just given. Do you see a shift in emphasis from "you don't conjure him up", "he reveals himself" and "what he wants to reveal" to "call to me and I will answer"? Did you notice the shift in emphasis?

Now many people seek god, but very few have the personal visitation that you imagine you received. So there must be some difference between the many who don't have your experience and those, like you, who are, apparently, given a personal guided tour of the spiritual realm. What do you think that difference might be?
 
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Mr Strawberry

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For the same reason people are "worthy" to go to the next level in man's schools.

You have to be "worthy" do you? And yet so many who search with all their heart and soul find nothing. What do you think they are doing wrong that you are doing right? What is it, do you think, that makes you so "worthy"?
 
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BarryDesborough

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You have to be "worthy" do you? And yet so many who search with all their heart and soul find nothing. What do you think they are doing wrong that you are doing right? What is it, do you think, that makes you so "worthy"?
Being him, and not somebody else. (IOW, conceit.)
 
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