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You don't get to assume the truth and then believe in it, that's wholly backwards. The truth must be demonstrated to be taken seriously, otherwise, it's merely an assertion made by someone who doesn't care about accuracy, only feeling like they're correct, which is lazy thinking
That's a bundle of assumptions you have there and haven't demonstrated or even offered up a manner in which they may be falsified, seeing as they're claims that should fit within reality instead of just some imagined world
I think there are sentiments in Buddhist texts about how choosing bad habits can create more long term issues and the general idea does make sense, sure. The disjunct in the two positions here is between the complaining as contrasted with gratitude to God and simply understanding that life goes on and the best thing to do is change how you respond rather than trying to change external factors all the timeI would say a "little" wrong thing can be connected with a "big" wrong thing. The little items can help to make someone weaker and weaker so he or she then is broken enough to do a big thing that is wrong.
Arguing has been known to lead to adultery and worse depression and family murder-suicides. And street gang people can start with a fuss, and then be popping each other.
And God's word says >
"Do all things without complaining and disputing," (Philippians 2:14)
So, I would say God knows how arguing and complaining can be harmful to us.
Also > complaining, then, can be a problem. There are people who complain against rain which is so needed for us to have life on this planet. And ones can have a dismal time, whenever it is raining, instead of enjoying God and all the loving we can be doing while it is raining. So, their complaining can be against love, even. And because they have committed themselves to considering rain to be lousy weather, they have doomed themselves to have lousy time, for the rest of their lives, whenever it is raining!! . . . unless they get wise to this. And this, then, I see, can keep a person deeply weak so he or she more easily can give in to various emotional problems.
And Romans 1:18-32 shows how people could become . . . starting with not being "thankful" > verse 21. I see how a person, then, can start with something which does not seem obvious, like not being "thankful"; but then he or she can break down into worse and worse things, in that weakness of simply not being "thankful".
I understand the need for stories and parables to expound on those ideas, but the problem remains that the bible, in trying to account for everything, becomes so verbose and unnecessarily dense that it's no wonder even "faithful" Christians likely haven't read the entire bible once in their lifetime because it's like busy work almost. At best, they're familiar with the Gospels and Epistles, but that's more easily done through bible study anyway unlike the OT where you have slavery and general tribalism with the ancient Israelites.The collection is lengthy because it has so many accounts/stories/parables, which are much more memorable than isolated rules or ideas. We naturally learn more fully from a story, therefore the text is mostly such.
An example:
11 Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.
13“Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 14After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
17“When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ 20So he got up and went to his father.
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
21“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
22“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.
25“Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 27‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’
28“The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’
31“ ‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ ”
Luke 15 NIV
If I only said: 'anyone can repent, and it doesn't matter then that they had a bad past, and we should totally celebrate their change', that is only helpful if you already know it in a full way.
Until one learns it more fully, an idea about it isn't enough.
We need that story to get it more completely, or a life experience that can takes years.
I disregard the bible because I don't find anything in it relevant from its perspective of making absolute claims: any incidental agreement is just that and to think otherwise is naive and arrogant on the part of believers, as if I'm just in denialComing from you, I can fully understand your thinking (Belief).
It's ok just keep on disregarding everything the Bible says as though they are just stories.
I was not putting anything in your mouth , don't be so touchy, my post was a generalization of what SOCIETY does not you specifically, I don't know you from Adam.
The stereotype I was describing is true, whether you like it or not, it is not an isolated case.
Perhaps it is not relevant as you do not seek a solution to this backwards world built upon the governance of man but instead perhaps wish to find ways to become one with it. A lot of Christians do the same, rejecting the Kingdom and it's values to remain glued to the concept of this reality.I disregard the bible because I don't find anything in it relevant from its perspective of making absolute claims: any incidental agreement is just that and to think otherwise is naive and arrogant on the part of believers, as if I'm just in denial
So you admit that your belief in the bible is purely based on your conviction and not actually any evidence then?
Of all the issues in modern society, what is the greatest?
I had this question as an assignment in my Christian Morality class, and I thought it would be good to share it here. I had a friend who put down that the greatest moral issue is that we keep talking about moral issues without actually doing anything about them. I liked that idea, and when I had another assignment I wrote in the class (about a controversial moral issue), I decided to write about the societal acceptance of laziness.
I think laziness could rightly be defined as at least 1 of the greatest moral issues in modern society. It is a fundamental problem, because the more laziness is accepted, the less will be done about any moral problem. I see it all the time when people waste hours on YouTube, Snapchat, or any of the vast entertainment platforms that are available today. What would happen to mental health problems, and moral issues throughout the world today, if people put aside this entertainment in favor of doing something that brings accomplishment to their life? Not the entertainment is bad in and of itself, but when entertainment becomes a way of life, we miss out on so much!
So what do you think?
A lesson we learned from God, who gave his Son to die a horrible death in order to save us.
If God can use anything as means, what justifies his usage? The ends? Or will you just say that if God chooses to do something his means must be OK? Might makes right.It's more like God can use anything as included in the means.
Well...AND the "feet that make haste to run to evil. That's right up there.Looking at the 7 worst of all sins, as given in Proverbs:
16 There are six things that the LORD hates,
seven that are an abomination to him:
17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
and hands that shed innocent blood,
18 a heart that devises wicked plans,
feet that make haste to run to evil,
19 a false witness who breathes out lies,
and one who sows discord among brothers.
Proverbs 6 ESV
The one most common today is a very close contest between the 2nd (and that version in the 6th), lying (and false accusations), and the last, stirring up conflict in the community, such as by slandering, or dividing people.
These are the most common today in America, and totally deadly.
Oh please, don't patronize me. The solution is not becoming one with it, but improving it without trying to be unrealistic in your expectations, like demanding perfectionPerhaps it is not relevant as you do not seek a solution to this backwards world built upon the governance of man but instead perhaps wish to find ways to become one with it. A lot of Christians do the same, rejecting the Kingdom and it's values to remain glued to the concept of this reality.
If you just believe something because of your conviction, that isn't sufficient justification unless you don't care about truth, but merely your own sentiments about what feels true. You can insist it's right, but without any substantive justification, you're effectively just asserting it with no basis beyond your personal perspectiveBelief in God, Jesus, and the Bible are all based in Faith, someone who is ignorant of the reality of the One True God, insists on evidence before belief.
You want proof of existence, just look around, everything there is was Created by God.
Go to the Sea shore and explain why the water stops at the shoreline.
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