Silly, Aimless Religious Discussion

No..... not meant at all! Those without Christ go to hell. BTW: Why are you so interested in Godly things, languages, theology, or anything else if your preconceptions will not allow you to do anything else but wrangle about things you doubt anyway. What is your ultimate point, good sir??? Christ in your heart is what the doctor has ordered!! Read the book of St. John 10 times and then call me.

 

@jwc

Not quite but nearly, JWC. Ugaritic, at least, entered my mind -- but I purposely didn't include it, as more than 3 might be overkill.
But yes - thanks. I did forget Akkadian - entirely. :smile:

@Elmer Gantry

"Those without Christ go to Hell" - that's more doubletalk as I see it. Meanspeech at best - possibly worse - to those of other faiths, or none at all.

My sole reason for participating in this thread was to see if ABC was a school that I thought had any business awarding Master's degrees and Doctorates. That's a serious business, not to be taken lightly. Now I've had a chance to read posts from one of the school's foremost proponents, I have formed my opinion...

Johann

 

The bible says, "Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine" (2 Tim. 4:2).

It's true that 1 Corinthians 13:8 says that tongues shall cease, but the context is in the future, such as at the Second Coming of Christ. When the Lord returns, there will be no need for tongues, miracles or healings, but until he returns, those things are needed. In the present age, those miracles are primarily administered through the Body of Christ e.g. through our hands, our tongues and and our actions. Jesus works through his people and his power is manifested in and through us. What kind of a testimony for the world do we have for him if we live a defeated life?

When the Lord knocked Saul down to the ground, the Lord said, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? (Acts 9:4b). Saul had never met Christ, yet when Saul persecuted the Christians, he was persecuting Christ because WE ARE THE BODY OF CHRIST here in this earth.

Tongues and miracles will cease at the Second Coming of Christ because there will be no more need for them.

But the question was asked of you.

Ah you are Baptist, so you are intimately familiar with Baptist teachings. I am not.

Are you a seer e.g. did the Lord give you a Word of Knowledge about this or are you simply speculating?

Jesus said, "I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly" (John 10:10b) and "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand" (John 10:27-28). Bless God, I have heard his voice. Have you?

 

What Bible are you using, good sir? "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father but by me." That's pretty plain. Kindly enlighten if you don't agree. Perhaps, however, you are on of those Christians who simply don't read the Bible; let alone know it states. Claiming any other way to heaven is hokey. Don't blame me. Take that up with the One who commanded the words be written!

 

The devil reads the scriptures and trembles, good friend. I have not only heard His voice, I am His child. In terms of tongues, there is great speculation by greater minds than ours that they have ceased. In terms of entrance to heaven, Jesus Christ and his blood sacrifice is the only means by which man is saved. My apologies to the other gods out there. The Great 'I AM' made those provisions.( You have to read the whole thing.) Once you are saved, it will all make sense. You are very much like the fellow who wants to argue with the mechanic simply because he has read the manual. Problem is, YOU ARE NOT A MECHANIC! If the Holy Spirit is not guiding your understanding, the Bible is just a piece of literature. Be honest, now, how many of those ten times have you read St. John????? Be honest!!!!!

 

I first read and committed the KJV bible to memory, but I'm currently reading the RSVCE at the request of my spouse.

As Father Malichi Martin once said, "If a person has never heard of Christ and if he goes to heaven, it is still through Christ that he goes to heaven."

Earlier you wrote, "I am afraid, good friend, that all you really wish to do is wrangle."

Can you please re-state that another way?

Can you please share a source or a reference to one of those greater minds?

Hummmm....

Interesting.

 

Father Martin asked a rather sophomoric question. Following that logic, I'll ask, " Can an astronaut reach the moon without a spacecraft?" Sounds as though Father Martin needed Salvation 101 classes. In terms of the greater minds, I'll have to confer with the ABC staff. Have you been washed in the blood, my friend? You have not answered that question yet. Are you saved? Plainly state an answer. P.S. St. John 3:16 will be a great help.

 

This is what I mean by mindless sophistry! In while you can quote scripture, you also are letting an overactive imagination take over. Most of which is either taken out of context, or a gross interpretation. Hell was never created for mankind. Those who reject God's plan of redemption are sent there; pure and simple. Don't try to figure the whole thing out. Just trust His plan for mankind. Sounds as though you could use a bit of Salvation 101 yourself old chap!! P. S. Do you like Shakespeare?

 

Farewell, good Johann!! Too bad we couldn't have had coffee sometime.

 

Do you have any idea what a firestorm you have created?

 

Billy Joel would be very upset! That's 'turning', not 'tuning'. I knew what you meant anyway. Have a fine day, old chap!! P.S. What about Shakespeare?

 

Too bad, indeed. Especially so, since there are a lot of foreign students here at the College. Perhaps I could have brought some of different faiths along - maybe Shlomo, Ahmed, Raj and Gurdeep. ...and you could have explained how, according to you, they're all going to Hell, without Christ.
Indeed - that would have been something to see! :firedevil:

Johann

 

You're back, dear Johann! You totally misunderstand me. There is no hate speech, no ill intentions at all. I would love to sit down with believers of Shlomo, Ahmed, Raj and Gurdeep, and explain how Christ died for them so they do not go to hell. Salvation transcends race, ethnicity and religion. Christ died for the WHOLE world; not just Christians. Yes, I concede, Christianity is very exclusive. Christ himself said that He was the only Way. Dear Johann, I merely state what Christ stated. Take no offense with me. They are not my words. I also concur that this thread has gone far and beyond inquiry into a school. May Christ enter your heart, Johann. I will pray for you no matter where in the world you are. Perhaps we can still have coffee someday.

 

Oh, sure....you'll just be happy if you can make Shlomo (Jewish) Ahmed (Muslim) Raj (Hindu) and Gurdeep (Sikh) into believers in Christ.

So the God of the Christians trumps the G*d of the Jews, the God of the Muslims and any other monotheistic religion. The God of any other faith is somehow lesser -- so much so, they pointedly don't even rate a Capital letter? Gee - I thought they might be one and the same Supreme Deity! :sad:

"But I'm just a soul whose intentions are good
Oh Lord, please don't let me be misunderstood."

- The Animals

No point.

Johann

 

That's not hateful? Reminds me of the time that awful man Jimmy Swaggart told his TV viewers that many little children in some underprivileged country risked going straight to Hell if folks didn't give all sorts of money to Jimmy's current crusade.

Now I'm done. Really done.

Johann

 

Dear Craniac,
You stumbled upon another of the criticisms against Christianity that as is old as the garden.