Order and Design

[Nathan Poe]

You can go back and edit them if you want. They are not cast in cement or anything like that.

Best to leave them as they are, and let them serve as a (slightly embarassing) reminder to keep temper in check.

No good ever came out of rewriting history for one's own benefit.

 

[JohnR7]

My best friend is a die-hard christian, rides his motorcycle around with all of his christain gear, goes to church, takes part in events, tries to live his life according to the bible... He and his family are on the verge of bankruptcy, and not even having enough money for food. He is unhappier now than I have ever seen him, and he keeps telling me that this is God's will, and God is testing him...

He is not living a life of victory as a overcomer in Christ. God provides for all I need. The Bible says to seek ye first the Kingdom of God and all these things shall be added onto you.

There is really no reason to be unhappy as a christian. No matter what is going on in our life. We are to be filled with the Holy Spirit of God and the fruit of Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfullness, Gentleness & Self Control is to be growing in us.

We do not always get delivered FROM our problems. For many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers us out of all of them. He is there to comfort us in our time of trouble. He gives us the strength that we need, so we can live the life of victory as an overcomer.

People who are depressed, oppressed, repressed or just unhappy, need more of the power of God in their life. The Joy of the Lord is our strength. We have gladness and Joy unspeakable. We can always rejoice in the Lord at all times. We make melody to the Lord in our heart.

 

[JohnR7]

Best to leave them as they are, and let them serve as a (slightly embarassing) reminder to keep temper in check.

No good ever came out of rewriting history for one's own benefit.

Why rewrite history, when God can cause good to come out of anything and everything. I was thinking about you a day or two ago, and sure enough, here you are

 

[bagfullofsnakes]

Most christians conclude that "aliens" are fallen angels, otherwise known as demonic spirits that deceive people.

Most Christians?

What Christians and Non-Christians Believe

One of the more intriguing findings is that not all people who call themselves Christians believe all the conventional Christian beliefs. For example, one percent of Christians do not believe in God, 8% do not believe in the survival of the soul after death, 7% do not believe in miracles, 5% do not believe in heaven, 7% do not believe in the Virgin birth and 18% do not believe in hell.

Even more surprising is that some people who say they are not Christian believe in the resurrection of Christ (26%) and the Virgin birth, Jesus born of Mary (27%).

Looks to me like there is quite a bit of variation about who, exactly, is a Christian.

Especially interesting are the folks that believe in the resurrection of Jesus, but do NOT consider themselves Christians!

 

[JohnR7]

One of the more intriguing findings is that not all people who call themselves Christians believe all the conventional Christian beliefs. For example, one percent of Christians do not believe in God, 8% do not believe in the survival of the soul after death, 7% do not believe in miracles, 5% do not believe in heaven, 7% do not believe in the Virgin birth and 18% do not believe in hell.

I had a friend at church who told me that he did not believe in miracles for today. That miracles ended with the early church. He got sick and died. So maybe that is why there are so few people who don't believe in miracles. People who believe in miracles seem to live longer.

 

[Arikay]

So, could you give us any actual evidence for your claims, or is that just your opinion John?

 

[Siliconaut]

I had a friend at church who told me that he did not believe in miracles for today. That miracles ended with the early church. He got sick and died. So maybe that is why there are so few people who don't believe in miracles. People who believe in miracles seem to live longer.

Ah, we're on the levels of chain letters now. Good to know! "If you don't believe and send this on to sixhundredsixtysix friends (who will not be your friends anymore if you do), something mildly unpleasant will happen, like your head accidentally falling off."

 

[Nathan Poe]

I had a friend at church who told me that he did not believe in miracles for today. That miracles ended with the early church. He got sick and died. So maybe that is why there are so few people who don't believe in miracles. People who believe in miracles seem to live longer.

I had a friend who told me that he did not believe in Iggy the Magic Elf. He was hit by a crosstown bus. So maybe that is why there are so few people who don't believe in Iggy. People who believe in Iggy stay away from public transportation.

 

[JohnR7]

I had a friend who told me that he did not believe in Iggy the Magic Elf. He was hit by a crosstown bus. So maybe that is why there are so few people who don't believe in Iggy. People who believe in Iggy stay away from public transportation.

I don't quite understand what your saying? Are you mocking that God heals and performs miracles today? Why would you mock God? What did He ever do to you? I know I love God, because He has been so good to me. Far better then I would or could ever deserve or expect.

 

[JohnR7]

So, could you give us any actual evidence for your claims, or is that just your opinion John?

Evidence for what claim?

 

[Siliconaut]

@John:

I don't quite understand what your saying? Are you mocking that God heals and performs miracles today? Why would you mock God? What did He ever do to you? I know I love God, because He has been so good to me. Far better then I would or could ever deserve or expect.

Iggy the Magic Elve - in terms of evidence - has as much going for himself as your deity. In other words: Prove that your god is doing "miracles" and "healings", and Iggy the Magic Elve looks worse. Failing that, we'll have to consider that both are figments of imagination.

Are you MOCKING Iggy the Magic Elve?!

 

[JohnR7]

Iggy the Magic Elve - in terms of evidence -

Giving a witness and a testimony has nothing to do with science. It has to do with telling people what God has done for you in your life. To give them comfort, to give them hope.

I do not want to shake up your confidence in science, but they do not have all the solutions. Science does not have all the answers. Sometimes science is not even able to help people. If science is so wonderful, then why can't they solve the problem that we are having with terrorism? There sure has been enough money go into it.

If people get help from Iggy and the Mgic Elv, then by all means, let them be helped. If science can help people, then let them get the help that science has to offer. In the same way if the church can do something to help, then let them get whatever help they can get from the church.

Why stand in the way of people getting and receiving help from others?

 

[goat37]

Why can't science solve the problems we are having with terrorism?

It could... we could blow the world to kingdom come (pun intended) with all of the nuclear devices and dirty bombs that we have. We could kill every living thing on the planet, problem solved right?

But terrorism isn't a scientific problem, it's a religious one. It is because of peoples beliefs that all these people are dying, have died, and will continue to die. I don't care if it's muslim, christian, or any other religion, they all have been the cause of unwarranted death and suffering.

This is exactly the reason why I hate religion. You people seem to have something inside of you that says 'we must kill those that don't believe, or go against what we believe'. As much as all religions say they are peaceful, they're not. I've never seen one that was truly live and let live. (christianity started off on a bad foot when they crucified christ, don't you think?)
But from ancient civilizations killing to protect the sun god, and the earth god, and the rain god... to the crusades, to the suicide bombings today, it's all thanks to religion!

So, all together now... let's give a big thumbs up to religion!

 

[JohnR7]

It could... we could blow the world to kingdom come (pun intended) with all of the nuclear devices and dirty bombs that we have. We could kill every living thing on the planet, problem solved right?

Some day you will get your chance to try and destroy everything. Of course our work will be done and we will be rapture out of here. In the mean time, there is nothing you can do to stop God from accomplishing His purpose and objective. To get the truth out to the whole world and to tell them about the love, mercy, grace and forgiveness of God.

 

[goat37]

You missed my point completely.

Religion has killed FAR more people than science. It is not the agenda of science to kill and persecute, but they sure seem to be the motives of religion.

Religion uses science for it's own selfish, righteous purposes. If the world ends due to some nuclear winter, it will be religion's fault not science.

Don't cherry pick my words and twist them around to say something that I did not mean.

And you talk about the truth of God getting out? I have neard nothing ever come from the church except lies and self-indulgent bullsh*t. Churches are businesses, and greedy ones at that. If God wants to get his truth out to everybody, let him come before me and prove to me he is worthy of my worship. Until then, I will go along the same path that gives facts based on evidence and research and trial and error.

And by the way, you and your people always say that God tests people. Why don't you return the favor and test God? If you did you would realize you would be calling on a deaf ear, either because he would not care, or more probably because he DOESN'T EXIST.

 

[JohnR7]

If God wants to get his truth out to everybody, let him come before me and prove to me he is worthy of my worship.

What do you personally know about God? Or do you just go by what other people tell you?

 

[goat37]

I hate to answer a question with another question but:

What do you personally know about God other than what people have told you?

You can say you talk to him and have a beer or whatnot, but you didn't. You deluded your mind into thinking you did. You wanted to have a conversation with him, so you convinced yourself you had a mythical conversation where they spoke directly to your soul, and told you things you already knew to be true.

I'll tell you what, next time you pray, ask to be blessed with the knowledge of astrodynamics, and I want you to explain to me in detail how it is we got a space shuttle to the moon. Then I'll think about believing you.
If God is as powerful as you say he is, he can tell you things other than rhetorical and cryptic messages.

And I don't personally know God, because he does not exist. That would be like asking me how well I know that pink unicorn sitting across the room from me. (What unicorn?)

I can only go on what people like you spout off, and you know what, you all say something different. Some people say that jesus told them to kill people, other say jesus told them a specific lottery number, other people say that jesus came in the form of their dog... they are all NUTS.

When there is ONE church, with ONE belief in this world, and I know who I should listen to. (christian, catholic, jewish, hindu, muslim, wiccan, and even sub-churches like presbyterian, southern baptist, pentecostal etc..) Once you people figure out what the hell it is you actually believe, then start telling others. Because you have not one shred of proof that you are right about anything. You have no evidence, and can barely defend your own opinions other than saying 'goddidit'.

Why are you so afraid to question your beliefs? Are you afraid you are wrong and can't admit it? If you don't question things every now and then, you can never learn anything new. And you end up being just like you are now, so stuck to your beliefs that you don't even make sense when you try to debate.

 

[JohnR7]

When there is ONE church, with ONE belief in this world, and I know who I should listen to. (christian, catholic, jewish, hindu, muslim, wiccan, and even sub-churches like presbyterian, southern baptist, pentecostal etc..) Once you people figure out what the hell it is you actually believe, then start telling others. Because you have not one shred of proof that you are right about anything. You have no evidence, and can barely defend your own opinions other than saying 'goddidit'.

You will see that unity in the church or bride before Jesus returns. We will all have the mind of Christ and be united together in purpose and in intent. Those of us who belong to the true Church of Christ.

The Bible says there are five wise and five foolish virgins. So that would lead me to believe that half of the people who call themselves christians are really Bible believing Christians. The foolish virgins do not have oil for their lamp, meaning, they do not have the Holy Spirit of God.

 

[JohnR7]

Why are you so afraid to question your beliefs? Are you afraid you are wrong and can't admit it? .

We do not have fear, we have faith. We do not live by our feeling, we live by faith in the Living God. We are being perfected in God's Love and Perfect Love casts out all fear.

1 John 4:18
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.

 

[Nathan Poe]

You missed my point completely.

Religion has killed FAR more people than science. It is not the agenda of science to kill and persecute, but they sure seem to be the motives of religion.

Religion uses science for it's own selfish, righteous purposes. If the world ends due to some nuclear winter, it will be religion's fault not science.

Science has given people the means to destroy each other, from the first caveman to pick up a rock, to the scientists that invented the H-Bomb.

But religion, more than anything else in human history, has given people the desire to destroy each other. Crusades, Inquisitions, Witch-hunts; People have never had a problem inventing a God who hated the same things they hated, and gave them the green light to commit the atrocities they would've committed anyway.

Science gives you a gun; religion makes you want to shoot somebody.