Seeking

[St_Worm2]

Why the "Finally (and again)"? I really dont understand your tone. Is this how you treat people trying to find their way?

Hello Claire, I'm sorry if you took what I wrote as being directed at you, as the opposite was intended (I was actually apologizing for feeling that I needed to repeat what I said in an effort to try to be thorough). Forums oft times make communicating difficult because only have written words (well, and emoticons ) to express ourselves to each other, and sometimes we end up taking things the wrong way because we can't see each other's facial expressions and/or hear the inflection in each other's voices.

So (again ) I apologize. I promise you that no offense toward you was intended because I realize that you (as you said) are simply trying to find your way.

--David

 

[FutureAndAHope]

1. If God created all and is omnipotent then he created evil. He created evil in the knowledge of all that would come. Why would a loving god do this?
2. God created man in his own image. He created the 'weaknesses' of the flesh. Why did he set mankind up to fail? Why does he punish mankind when he created us in the first place?

God knew man would fail, but He created free will, the ability to start a relationship with God, based upon His word. When we choose to allow God into our lives we will be saved.

3. The more I read the bible the less I understand the church. The bible is clear on basic things such as not calling anyone by God father and yet priests are referred to as father. Jesus spoke about the hypocrites who worship publically basically to be seen to be worshipping (virtue signalling) and yet people gather together in church. Why the contradictions between Jesus words and the practice of so many Christians?

There is much hypocrisy in some of the church, but not all of it. There are good churches out there.

4. Men wrote and edited the bible. Isn't the bible the word of God? How is then that mankind censored the word of God? What about all the material these men left out of the bible?

We have to trust that God was able to preserve His word.

 

[coronawatching]

Hi to anyone reading this

When I registered here I put myself as a 'seeker'. Religion has fascinated me all my life but I do not have any religious beliefs in that I have no label, Christian or otherwise at this time.

Recently and for the first time in my life I have come to believe in evil as an actual force/entity in and of itself. I have always know humans have a dark side but until now I didn't believe in evil as an actual force. Now I do.

No matter how much I read I always just end up with more questions than answers. With religion I keep coming back to the same core questions:

1. If God created all and is omnipotent then he created evil. He created evil in the knowledge of all that would come. Why would a loving god do this?
2. God created man in his own image. He created the 'weaknesses' of the flesh. Why did he set mankind up to fail? Why does he punish mankind when he created us in the first place?
3. The more I read the bible the less I understand the church. The bible is clear on basic things such as not calling anyone by God father and yet priests are referred to as father. Jesus spoke about the hypocrites who worship publically basically to be seen to be worshipping (virtue signalling) and yet people gather together in church. Why the contradictions between Jesus words and the practice of so many Christians?
4. Men wrote and edited the bible. Isn't the bible the word of God? How is then that mankind censored the word of God? What about all the material these men left out of the bible?

I've been reading the lost books of Eden and finding it very interesting and challenging. My questions are endless and the more I read the less sure I am of anything!

Thank you for reading

Best wishes

Claire

 

[coronawatching]

Hi to anyone reading this

When I registered here I put myself as a 'seeker'. Religion has fascinated me all my life but I do not have any religious beliefs in that I have no label, Christian or otherwise at this time.

Recently and for the first time in my life I have come to believe in evil as an actual force/entity in and of itself. I have always know humans have a dark side but until now I didn't believe in evil as an actual force. Now I do.

No matter how much I read I always just end up with more questions than answers. With religion I keep coming back to the same core questions:

1. If God created all and is omnipotent then he created evil. He created evil in the knowledge of all that would come. Why would a loving god do this?
2. God created man in his own image. He created the 'weaknesses' of the flesh. Why did he set mankind up to fail? Why does he punish mankind when he created us in the first place?
3. The more I read the bible the less I understand the church. The bible is clear on basic things such as not calling anyone by God father and yet priests are referred to as father. Jesus spoke about the hypocrites who worship publically basically to be seen to be worshipping (virtue signalling) and yet people gather together in church. Why the contradictions between Jesus words and the practice of so many Christians?
4. Men wrote and edited the bible. Isn't the bible the word of God? How is then that mankind censored the word of God? What about all the material these men left out of the bible?

I've been reading the lost books of Eden and finding it very interesting and challenging. My questions are endless and the more I read the less sure I am of anything!

Thank you for reading

Best wishes

Claire

Hi Claire. Having a relationship with Christ is different than having religion only. The first thing I had to admit was that I was a sinner and that God is holy. I needed to accept the sacrifice that God provided for mankind (Jesus' death, burial and resurrection) so that I could be made holy through Christ. All of this was God's plan for salvation. Christ is a PERSON that reveals Himself to his believers. Initially, I found Him with my heart and not just through my intellect.

 

[Tolworth John]

I've been studying and reading about these things for years but end up with more questions

An empty tomb. Belonging to a well known person, so the disciples didn't make a mistake and go to the wrong tomb.
The tomb was guarded so the disciples didn't steal the body.
Jesus hadn't fainted on the cross. If he had he would have died because he wasn't breathing.

So how did the tomb be empty?
What answers do you have.

 

[angelsaroundme]

The Amplified Bible translation writes it like this, "Do not call anyone on earth [who guides you spiritually] your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven." Someone translates the word as Rabbi which I think is closer to the original meaning. In context, Jews viewed their spiritual teacher as something like a parent. "For his father brought him into this world, but his teacher, who taught him wisdom, brings him into the life of the world to come." I believe Jesus is not saying to avoid having teachers or calling them teacher but to realize they are not God.

 

[Dorothy Mae]

Hi to anyone reading this

When I registered here I put myself as a 'seeker'. Religion has fascinated me all my life but I do not have any religious beliefs in that I have no label, Christian or otherwise at this time.

Recently and for the first time in my life I have come to believe in evil as an actual force/entity in and of itself. I have always know humans have a dark side but until now I didn't believe in evil as an actual force. Now I do.

No matter how much I read I always just end up with more questions than answers. With religion I keep coming back to the same core questions:

1. If God created all and is omnipotent then he created evil. He created evil in the knowledge of all that would come. Why would a loving god do this?

He is good and did not create good. He did not create evil as that is the absence of good. Genesis says he created the material world. Good and evil are not material. He did not create concepts or ideas or knowledge.

2. God created man in his own image. He created the 'weaknesses' of the flesh. Why did he set mankind up to fail? Why does he punish mankind when he created us in the first place?

He created him perfect. Perfect requires free choice to love or otherwise. Man chose to do otherwise. What God created is not what now is.

3. The more I read the bible the less I understand the church. The bible is clear on basic things such as not calling anyone by God father and yet priests are referred to as father. Jesus spoke about the hypocrites who worship publically basically to be seen to be worshipping (virtue signalling) and yet people gather together in church. Why the contradictions between Jesus words and the practice of so many Christians?

Many churches do not follow the teachings of Jesus much as you pont out. If you attend a modern church in many places you will see exactly what you point out. Catholics call the priest "father" in direct violation. The "worship" team in evangelical churches makes sure they stand so that the spotlight falls directly on their upturned faces so everyone can see them worshipping. You are correct in that this is in contradiction to Jesus' teaching. There are those who also, in direct contradiction, make long prayers publically to be seen by men. They write down their prayers and read them out so men are impressed. What can I say? People even in the church do things to be seen by man and admired if possible.

4. Men wrote and edited the bible. Isn't the bible the word of God? How is then that mankind censored the word of God? What about all the material these men left out of the bible?

Men were inspired to write down matters and people read them and saw that they were inspired of God and so kept and copied them. The Bible is not generally heavily edited although more of that occurs today than 100 years ago when men respected it more. God still speaks to people out of it.

 

[Dorothy Mae]

Thank you very much for the warm welcome, I really appreciate it. You have already given me much to ponder on so thank you

I think I may have it wrong. I thought, from what I have read in the bible, that God created The Light. Through the light He then created the heavenly hosts 'sons of God' who assisted him with creation.Lucifer was one of them. God then created the animals and Adam and Eve. God created Lucifer and the heavenly host before he created Adam and Eve, the 'sons of man'. I haven't been able to find any reference in the bible to the heavenly host, the 'sons of god' being given free will by God. Therefore, as an omnipotent entity, he created evil before he created mankind. Am I reading it wrong?

Where do you read that He created the angles through the light? Where do you read He created the moral concepts of good and also evil? Being impotent is not relevant, by the way.