Why are you here?

[Zaac]

To engage in the pursuit of truth. To challenge my own ideas and those of others in furtherance of the goal. To be unafraid of where that leads me. And to continue to recognize that when I think I've figured it all out, I'm intellectually dead.

Strange coming from someone who doesn't accept God's truth.

 

[OphidiaPhile]

Strange coming from someone who doesn't accept God's truth.

Just because it is truth to you does not mean that it is for anyone else.

 

[tcampen]

Strange coming from someone who doesn't accept God's truth.

Again, I don't confuse YOUR concept of God's truth, with God's truth. While they could be consistent with one another, I have not been presented with good reasons to think so. Unlike you, I value good reasons before making determinations.

You should consider humbling yourself and realize you might not have it all figured out. Maybe, just maybe, God can be bigger than YOUR conception of God. I consider spiritual empathy to be a virtue, and I am trying very hard to undersand your thought process in all this. I don't pretend to know your eternal fate as far as God is concerned, but even I don't think you're going to hell for what you believe.

 

[Beanieboy]

There is a Buddhist saying, "If someone says they are searching for Truth, listen to him. If he says that he has found it, run far away."

I'm amazed how many different people have claimed that they alone know the mind of God, the Truth, while they disagree with one another, and are unwilling to even listen to challenges of this "truth," demanding instead that everyone simply agree, as if to bow down to them and worship them. Their words are God's words, their belief is God's belief, and yet, it often is not the way Jesus spoke, behaved, or acted towards others.

 

[WatersMoon110]

I could just say it, but I think that Hobbes said it better. Not the Philosopher, the stuffed tiger:

 

[Zaac]

.

Lately, probably over the last 6 months or so, I sometimes feel compelled to type, compelled to let the Spirit speak, and what comes out seems to not be from the Beanie part of my soul, but the God part, so that even I have to take time to reflect on what was said.

You're a Buddhist,right? I'd be careful with that "spirit".

And finally, being gay myself, being lied to by Christians who claimed that God hated gay people

Yall claim such erudition, but lack the good sense to seek God and His understanding.

that gays were being punished with AIDS (while lesbians were not), misquoting Scripture in Romans, in the case of S&G, Leviticus, or any of the 5 or so "clobber verses" that are misused, I stand up against it, because the Spirit compells me to, and because some lurker, some young confused gay kid needs to see both sides, needs to challenge what is being said, and really decide for himself. I speak out against lies, injustice, and challenge people to think about what they are saying, and how much of it is false, or truth.

What spirit are you talking about?

I also see Fundamental Christianity as sick. It's lost its focus.

You're a Buddhist. You kinda lack the indwelling of God to be able to know what the focus of the Christian should be.

So much is focused on condemning others, fearing "the enemy", which is gay people, liberals, and anyone outside of their clique.

It appears that you, much like the rest of the anti-fundie clique, are confused about what yall call "fundamental" Christianity believes. You take what you think we believe so that you can play the victim.

We're over it.

It lacks a call to love one's neighbor, but as Enyart writes, calls for Christians to be ruder, more mocking, meaner spirited, and avoid being "Nicer Than God", even misquoting Simon for judging himself as loving less than the prostitute as Jesus calling for Christians to "judge others" and "judge rightly." Simon judged himself.

Yall are the ones who appear to be filled with a lack of love. Anytime anyone disagrees with ya, ya start screaming about hate and bigotry.

I am compelled to challenge their direction, to call them to love, to call them to reach out to God and test what I am saying, to see if it is indeed true, and he will answer.

You're a Buddhist. There's just not much Christians should be accepting from you when it comes to reaching out to God.

The world doesn't need meaner people, but a call for peace, to live together, to love our neighbor, to care for everyone in the community. Instead, we fight against one another, like a body fighting against other cells and organs, making the body weak and sick. We have to shift our thinking.

The world needs a Savior. Peace will come when the Prince of Peace returns and brings it.

And I try to get people to stop thinking so negatively of the other, full of so much condemnation, and humble themselves before God, and therefore, before men, and in so, be lifted up.

Again, you're a Buddhist. Why would I or any other Christian receive anything about God from you?

Often, I think of how God became flesh, but was not born as a king to be adored, but born in a stable, born in straw. He became a servant for man, to show us what he asks.

Don't tell me that you're one of those "Christian Buddhists"?

I often am told by God that all he wants is for us to love one another. It is so simple that no one will believe that it is all God asks. They complicate everything with dogma and theology, but if one simplifies the message, becomes as a child, it is very clear, and so easy to comprehend.

It sure is simple. We are told in His word that love DEMANDS obedience otherwise the person is lying about knowing Him.

A half-truth is still a lie.

 

[Zaac]

Just because it is truth to you does not mean that it is for anyone else.

God's truth is absolute. It doesn't need one or everyone to cosign.

 

[tcampen]

A half-truth is still a lie.

And arrogance is never a virtue. As Beanieboy shared in another thread, "If someone says they are searching for Truth, listen to him. If he says that he has found it, run far away."

Wisdom is not exclusive to conservative evangelical christianity. We can all learn something from this quote.

 

[Zaac]

Again, I don't confuse YOUR concept of God's truth, with God's truth. While they could be consistent with one another, I have not been presented with good reasons to think so. Unlike you, I value good reasons before making determinations.

Well you hang in there. Maybe someone will show up who feels compelled of God to do what only the He can do.

You should consider humbling yourself and realize you might not have it all figured out.

Pish posh. This ain't got nothing to do with humbling myself. It has everything to do with not giving any credence to the foolishness of those who reject the word of God, yet presume to know truth.

Maybe, just maybe, God can be bigger than YOUR conception of God.

I'm sure He is. This ain't an issue of how big He is. This is an issue of Him being who He says He is in His word.

I consider spiritual empathy to be a virtue, and I am trying very hard to undersand your thought process in all this. I don't pretend to know your eternal fate as far as God is concerned, but even I don't think you're going to hell for what you believe.

Hell won't be seeing anything of me. I've been washed in the blood of Jesus Christ. I know for a fact where I will be.

My thought process is simple:ALWAYS be aligned with what the word of God says.

 

[PassionFruit]

There is a Buddhist saying, "If someone says they are searching for Truth, listen to him. If he says that he has found it, run far away."

I just found another reason to like Buddhism.


Why am I here as far as existing? To find out why I exist perhaps.

 

[gwenmead]

Do tell. I've always wanted to know what the rest of the world think is Christlike.

Well - I usually go to the gospels, read the bits about Jesus, note his actions, attitudes, behaviors, and so on, and see how well the actions/attitudes/etc. of a given Christian match up with Christ's.

But that's just me. I can't speak for anyone else.

 

[Zaac]

And arrogance is never a virtue.

I've read your responses. You confuse assurance with arrogance.

As Beanieboy shared in another thread, "If someone says they are searching for Truth, listen to him. If he says that he has found it, run far away."

And as the word of God says,
1But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. 2Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. 3In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping. 2 Peter 2:1-3

Wisdom is not exclusive to conservative evangelical christianity. We can all learn something from this quote.

What we can learn from that quote is that the person who made it obviously didn't know Jesus.

 

[tcampen]

Pish posh. This ain't got nothing to do with humbling myself. It has everything to do with not giving any credence to the foolishness of those who reject the word of God, yet presume to know truth.

You have provided ZERO reasons to support ANYHING you've asserted in the many threads I've seen you post in. Just repeaing your mantra of "accepting the word of God" is itself meaningless without good reasons to put the kind of credibiliy in it that you do. That you've been unable to provide any good reasons speaks volumes of the strength of your position.

I'm sure He is (bigger than my conception of him). This ain't an issue of how big He is. This is an issue of Him being who He says He is in His word.

You continue to be critical of me in accusing me of matching or exceeding the mind of God when I employ reason. But when I assert that perhaps God can be more than your understanding of God, you suddenly become omniscient in your own right. How very ironic.

Hell won't be seeing anything of me. I've been washed in the blood of Jesus Christ. I know for a fact where I will be.

And you accuse me of have the mind of God? More irony.

 

[Zaac]

Well - I usually go to the gospels, read the bits about Jesus, note his actions, attitudes, behaviors, and so on, and see how well the actions/attitudes/etc. of a given Christian match up with Christ's.

But that's just me. I can't speak for anyone else.

That's what most folks who reject Christ and the Bible say. The very text that they say is not absolute truth is the very text that they call upon to judge what they think a Christian should be and how a Christian should act.

Now there is an obvious problem with the above.

But there is a larger problem. It is IMPOSSIBLE for the nonChristian to have an understanding for what a Christian is to be and how a Christian should act. Why? Because in order to have a correct understanding of Scripture, you have to be indwelled by the Holy Spirit.

The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 2:14
The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.

 

[Zaac]

You have provided ZERO reasons to support ANYHING you've asserted in the many threads I've seen you post in. Just repeaing your mantra of "accepting the word of God" is itself meaningless without good reasons to put the kind of credibiliy in it that you do. That you've been unable to provide any good reasons speaks volumes of the strength of your position.

I'm not supposed to provide you with reasons other than those given in His word, and those are the ones yall reject.

You haven't provided any absolutetly truthful reasons not to accept the word of God over yall's opinions.

Yall are sitting back thinking that God's people are tasked to CONVINCE you of something. We are not. Some of you are looking for Truth. Some of you are looking for something to justify sin.

Those who are TRULY looking for Truth will find Jesus Christ and it will be because they have chased after Him and He has drawn them unto Himself, NOT because someone has convinced them.

You continue to be critical of me in accusing me of matching or exceeding the mind of God when I employ reason.

And rightfully so.

But when I assert that perhaps God can be more than your understanding of God, you suddenly become omniscient in your own right. How very ironic.

You must have a problem reading because I have very clearly said that I'm SURE He is bigger than my conception of Him. But He is always going to be who His word says He is. And the masses in THIS forum are at odds with Who He says He is in His word.

And you accuse me of have the mind of God? More irony.

Where are you getting this stuff? Why would I accuse a non-Christian or someone espousing doctrine contrary to God's word of having the mind of God?

 

[Sitswithamouse]

I just found another reason to like Buddhism.


Why am I here as far as existing? To find out why I exist perhaps.

I'm just starting to look into Buddhism, so much love and other things to contemplate.

Why am I here?.
I came here because I had moved away from LDS teaching and was invited by a friend. I wanted to learn and converse with other christians and I was shocked over time to see just how diverse the denominations and beliefs were. I was also shocked that other denoms were not considered christian and that Athiests and non christians, Humanist, liberals, UU, and so forth were considered unsaved and destined for a place that in my oppinion does not exist in the way CC and fundamentalist christians believe.

I come to E+M to get a wider perspective on issues and to learn from others in the hope that I can become more wiser to the hardline beliefs expounded by some christians and to realise that really, when it comes to our spirituality,, no one really knows, (well I don't) just what it is all about and we are just taking baby steps everyday in a world that is full of mystery and wonder, sadness and greif and the ultimate question where do we go when we shift this mortal coil.?

 

[Freodin]

But there is a larger problem. It is IMPOSSIBLE for the nonChristian to have an understanding for what a Christian is to be and how a Christian should act. Why? Because in order to have a correct understanding of Scripture, you have to be indwelled by the Holy Spirit.

Hm, I guess you are correct here... and in being correct show yourself wrong.

I hate to say it, but it seems the reason why you don´t understand how a Christian is to be is that you are not indwelled by the Holy Spirit.

 

[Zaac]

People will trying to put forth another way other than Christ until He returns and leavs them with no doubt.

The masses in these forums and throughout an ever-growing, new age secular humanist society want to put forth some pollyanna, pie in the sky, every way is an equally valid WAY to God belief. True Christians just aren't falling for it.

It really gives meaning to why God's word says:

13"Enter through the narrow gate.For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. Matthew 7:13-14

 

[WatersMoon110]

Do tell. I've always wanted to know what the rest of the world think is Christlike.

Well - I usually go to the gospels, read the bits about Jesus, note his actions, attitudes, behaviors, and so on, and see how well the actions/attitudes/etc. of a given Christian match up with Christ's.

But that's just me. I can't speak for anyone else.

That is what I do as well.

Which makes me wonder, what do Fundamentalists think is Christ-like?

 

[Zaac]

Hm, I guess you are correct here... and in being correct show yourself wrong.

I hate to say it, but it seems the reason why you don´t understand how a Christian is to be is that you are not indwelled by the Holy Spirit.

Nice try. And if it makes you feel good , you go right ahead and believe that.