Religion ?

Dr. Al Mohler (Southern Baptist Seminary) made a similar point on Donahue when folks got mad at him for asserting the scriptural position regarding Jesus & heaven. Dr. Mohler corrected people for being under the mistaken impression (at least from a Christian perspective) that heaven is the default position. In actuality, hell is the default position. People forget this reality (yes, from a Christian perspective).

Dr. Mohler also corrected the often repeated and tired charge that Christians want people to go to hell or have a perverse pleasure about this. The truth is that any true Christian has the opposite persective. They are troubled and saddened by the fact that people are going to hell. Christians want people to come to a saving knowledge of our Lord & Savior and to live the abundant life (now and in the future).

All of us are going to live forever. It is a matter of where and that where determines the quality of that existence.

North

 

There are countless doctrines out there, most of them inconsistent with one another.

Why do you treat Christian doctrines as commands of God, but treat the doctrines of other religions as irrelevant, false or whatever?

It seems that there is an element of choice lurking in there somewhere, even if it's just the choice to always defer to somebody else's opinion. One can never escape individual responsibility.

I think that man judges God just as God judges man. Or perhaps more accurately, individuals judge the different depictions of God that are placed before them by other humans. We judge that some purported gods are not worthy of our worship, but others are.

The golden calf in Exodus 32 apparently was not a suitable object of worship according to Judeo-Christian tradition, and God is depicted as reacting violently to his people's poor judgement.

 

Hi Bill!

I treat Christian doctrines as of from God because I believe they are exactly that.... from God.

As to why, there are many reasons including the previously stated discussions on this and other threads. Not just that, though. I wasn't "born" into the "Christian Tradition" as some may think.

I was very anti-God throughout most of my youth. I also, was a firm believer in evolution as well, though I figured that there was"something: out there. So I was somewhat of an agnostic.

Also, bagging Christianity as a cultural phenomenon isn't really true to the faith. Salvation isn't about being in a Christian family, but through a life given to Christ. People all over the world are changing as they are exposed to Christianity. There are tens of thousands coming to Christ every day in China alone.

That said, I embarked on a search to try to find out what going on, so to speak. I've looked into the claims of religions and checked them out. I will say this as an aside. If you are going to study a particular religion/sect/cult/whatever, I always recomend doing a objective historical study on the founders; the good, the bad, and the ugly. Next I study their doctrine, if they pass the founder muster(which many don't). If the doctrine is true to life I consider the prophesies as well. The only religion that passed with flying colors to me was Christianity. Am I saying that I think other religions have nothing to offer? NO!!! Many promote good values and ethics. There is a lot of truth in many of them. I simply believe that Christ is the true way. I believe that God works in people's lives. I believe He must do something on his end to fully embrace it. My parents are Christian now, but weren't anything when I was growing up. They did, though, want me to have some religious education so they forced me to attend catachism(sp?). This really caused me to hate God. All the study in the world couldn't change me. I believe it was God who saved me, If he hadn't made himself real to me then I wouldn't be here today. My life became one of drugs, hate and complete rebellion to all authority. I was rotten to the core. I was a thief, and a liar. I was out of control. I would be dead by now if not for his intervention. People who see my life and who know what I was before are inclined to believe there is a God!

So you can believe whatever you want.... But I never cease to thank God for comming into my life and bringing me hope and life, and a purpose. He changed my life around, and I will remain forever thankful. He has been so faithful and kind to me. I'll be the first one to tell you that I don't deserve mercy. My life has meaning now and noone can take that away from me. I am extreemly passionate in my love for Jesus. I go to bed at night with a grateful and peaceful heart, knowing that even death has no hold over me anymore. I am free!!!


Kevin

 

Kevingaily,

A few points I'd like to make:

1) Do we know if Homer's Illiad exists exactly as it was written?
No, we don't. We read it because it is a great piece of literature, and gives us a sense of the ancient greek culture. We do not attempt to pattern our daily lives based on its words, nor do we read it as a journalistic account of the Trojan War. Does it contain some history? Yes. But I wouldn't rely on its details.

2) All of the Biblical manuscripts are the basically the same. They are? Have you compared Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John lately?
Have you noticed that Genisis gives two conflicting creation stories. Doesn't logic tell you that that would be a result of numerous oral and/or written stories being combined at later dates.

 

Others go on and the Scriptures tweak.
I sadly watch , vowed not to speak.


-------

This is NOT a theology post.

 

This site may give some of you folks an idea of what plumbdog's referring to (though I think most of you are probably already familiar with the standard biblical-contradiction arguments):
http://www.skepticsannotatedbible.com/contra.html

I think that contradictions present little challenge to a sufficiently well-grounded hermeneutic; what makes it most difficult for me, personally, to believe that the Bible is of divine origin is passages like these:
http://www.skepticsannotatedbible.com/cruelty.html


Cheers,

 

Hi Plumbdog10!

How are you? Thanks for your response.

What I mean by accuracy of Biblical manuscripts I'm not talking of the different points of view of the gospels which you pretty much need to put together to get the whole deal. As in any gathering people will see or focus on different aspects. Is everything written in the gospels the only things Jesus said? No! Of course not. If any five people would give quotes as to what I've said on my posts there will be different excerpts that stood out to the five, with some parallels. That is true, I believe, for the gospels.

What I was trying to say, and I guess failed to clarify, was that The manuscripts or fragments of them found and compared with the modern are still acurately on target with minor grammatical issues. As for the creation "accounts" I don't believe that they are two seperate things. The Scripture starts with the genesis account then goes back and details it and builds upon that detail as well as the general account. It's like watching the preview or an opening scene then telling the story from the start. We use that method of literature today in our books as well as quite a few movies. It's nothing major.

The same with Homer's Illiad. I'm not talking of it's historical account, but that the story being read is as it was when first written by Homer. An interesting note, though, I recently heard that they may have, indeed, found the site of Troy! I'm not sure of the details. Maybe someone on this forum may have something to add concerning that. I really like history. Do you study history? If so what time periods/civs do you like to read about the most?
I generally prefer ancient history as a whole. I like studying about civs like Egypt, the Hittites, Babalonian and neo-Babalonian empires, Assyrian empire, Medo-Persian, Greek(and it's four fragments), Rome, etc... Besides my love for Theology, History is up there as a contender. I guess there's a bit of the Indiana Jones spirit in me.

Take care!

Kevin

 

Bill G......

You deserted me when I needed you the most!

Take care and have a great day! (that is if you're predestined to )


Kevin

 

Hi me again!

Nice website!


Kevin

 

It's killing you, isn't?

 

---

yep. I stop. But the thread does not.

 

I, for one, would not complain if you were to exceed your Recommended Weekly Allowance (RWA), should you feel predestined to do so. But I can also understand the impulse to cut down on posting--I've been a little more prolific in this thread than I'd planned, too! (And you know about how long my retirement from political discussions lasted...)


Cheers,

 

Tom

It is surpising how much time a person can spend on such posting. I do need to for my own programs' sake to cut down. Time is so valuable especially when one's sun is starting to sink into the ocean.

 

"But Rabbit held up his hand. "No bouncing, Tigger," he said. "You promised never to bounce again." "That's right," said Tigger. "I did." Tigger began to walk away. Without his bounces he was a very sad Tigger indeed. Roo watched his unhappy friend. "I like the old bouncy Tigger better," he said. "So do I dear," said Kanga. "So do I," said Pooh and Piglet. Everyone looked at Rabbit. "Well," said Rabbit. "So do I...I guess."

All of a sudden Tigger came bouncing back. "Do you really mean it, Rabbit?" he cried. "May I have my bounces back?" "Yes," said Rabbit. "I really mean it." "Hooray!" said Tigger. And off he bounced-happy to be his bouncy old self again."

 

Bill,

With those lines about the "sun setting into the ocean" and the little verse thing I have a new vision of your career.

You should scrap theology and become a poet. First of all, you can write as much as you like, and everyone here will be titillated. Second, you won't post any more unbearable theological stuff. Third, Tom Head can coach you on what the word "apophatic" means, and you will certainly take off soaring.

Chris

 

---

OK,

Ahem, here I go:


No one would like my anacreontic,
Were I to post poetry here!
Nor to Theology could I be apopemptic,
As to me it is so dear!
So, despite Tom's view on the apophatic,
A reason to do either is unclear!


(This is NOT a Theology post)

 

Does meagain get anything if this thread reaches 100 posts?

Like tar and feathers?

 

A CAN OF WORMS VS. A CAN OF TAR ( FEATHERS COST EXTRA )

I thought I was doing DegreeInfo.com a favor by offering a religious website to siphon off the religious posters.

Instead, I've opened up a can of worms.

 

Lutheran soul food (glad I'm vegetarian).

 

Bill,

This is beautiful, ranking with the likes of Edgar Allen Poe.

You haven't been using Morphine, have you?