I for one don't expect YOU to convert to any religion, But the words out there for you if you should decide too. best of luck in your life Dude, is :huh: this feather stroking??? But wait- I thought the idea was to evangelize the world? And what's with all of the feather stroking comments? withersea: The whole "we're right; you're wrong, unless of course you believe what we do" is dangerous and ugly. Christians should lead by example. My experience has been that they are some of the most judgemental, self righteous, inconsistent, and in many cases mean, immoral and ignorant among us. I have also known Christians who are the most selfless, kind, loving, generous and truly honest and giving people I have known. Believing in God is not so hard to do. Believing in Christians is not so easy. Oh, and by the way- the argumentative approach chases more people away than it brings into the fold. The argumentative approach, chases more people away than it brings into the fold. :lol: You should know! [/quote] Go ahead and show your Christian love, brother. Seek help. You have issues.
I love the secular mentality that Christ showed love, so all Christians should just love everyone and never disagree with anyone and just be pleasant. Nah... not the way it works. Call it like it is... If you have to flip over a few tables and run some people off, then do it. No need to agree with everyone if it means that you compromise foundational elements of what you believe in. Standing up for what you believe won't make you popular, but you knew that. If someone needs to hear that their lifestyle is immoral, then tell them their lifestyle is immoral and offensive to God.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(daronspicher @ Feb 16 2007, 08:12 AM) [snapback]391455[/snapback]</div> And what happened to "Just not, lest ye be judged"? I thought God was the only one who should be doing that? Am I wrong to think the whole point of God is to be loving towards others who DON’T agree with you? To show them how open and accepting their God is? To show everyone else how blessed they are to know such love and want to share that love with others?
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mirza @ Feb 15 2007, 07:45 PM) [snapback]391186[/snapback]</div> Mirza, If there were multiple Gods, and if one believes in the creation theory, I don't think we'd be here to speak of these Gods. The only way multiple Gods could coexist is with compassion, understanding and forgiveness and it's yet to be evident to me that these attributes exist in at least one God.
LOL, priusguy04 - what were you saying about hippocrites? Anyone care to answer how your so-called all-knowing god can't even count the number of legs on an insect?
SSimon, when Christians worship God they are actually inviting Him to be an active participant in their lives whether it is at church, home, on the road in a car, at the grocery store, wherever they may be. Now as far as attending church is concerned, if Jesus went to the synagogue every week, Christians should be doing the same; and it should be to learn more about Him, and definitely to have fellowship with "the brethen." This is the place where we are to be accountable to one another for our lives. We not only share our joys but also our sorrows. The Lord desires and delights in directing and guiding His love ones in their lives. Sure you know enough not to put your hand into a fire, but when it comes to making decisions you are not so sure about, it's wonderful to know that the Lord will work it out if you trust in Him. "Lean not unto your own understanding, but in all of your daily actives acknowedge the Lord's presence and He will direct your path." And those that pray must believe that He exists, because why would they pray if they were not expecting to have an answer to prayer? However, I cannot tell you what you should and shouldn't do; but you need to look at the evidence before making a decision. That is exactly what the woman at the well did when Jesus told her everything she did. This woman went and told the whole town about Jesus. They came and listened to what He had to say. Evidently, they were intrigued and interested enough in what He told them, that they invited Him to come stay with them in town for 2 days. In the end, the townspeople said that they believed He was the Messiah, the Son of God, not because of what the woman told them, but because they heard Him for themselves. So that's basically what most Christians want to do, is just point/bring you to the Lord and let you speak to Him yourself, and make your own decision. No one else can answer for you to the Lord your belief or lack of it in Him, except yourself. All we are saying is that if you miss Him, you are missing out on the biggest blessing you could ever have.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(loveit @ Feb 16 2007, 01:33 PM) [snapback]391603[/snapback]</div> So do you go to synagogue every week?
So do you actually talk to god? Like, hear his voice? I'm curious - why can't your all-knowing god even correctly count the number of legs on an insect?
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mirza @ Feb 16 2007, 01:57 PM) [snapback]391619[/snapback]</div> They already said that God talks to them. I mean, apparently, he's really specific. I think psychiatric professionals would call it schizophrenia, but they say it's God. Of course, when I said he talks to me, too, they called me a Satanist. Watch out. They may call you something worse. And if you expect an on-point answer, fuhgeddaboutit. One or both will just start throwing scripture your way that could be twisted to mean anything. Something about how God's thoughts are a mystery or something. But then they say they know God's thoughts. So I guess that in and of itself is a conundrum. I've wasted my time on these two. (Plus the two sycophants). It'll exhaust you. I had no idea that irrational, insane, and illogical thoughts could so complete beat me up.
This is for the following Person(s) : livelychick, Mirza, hybridTHEvibe, eclectcmoi, withersea, Alric, Its only fair, But I ask that you don't COPY SSimons answers... Use your own minds & original answers... We the religious shouldn't have to answer any more of your questions, untill you've answered ours. (sounds fair).. :mellow: <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(daronspicher @ Feb 16 2007, 11:12 AM) [snapback]391455[/snapback]</div> True statement, We all are human. Thanks Daron! B)
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mirza @ Feb 15 2007, 10:51 PM) [snapback]391214[/snapback]</div> Great question; and they could not answer it with out exposing the incorrect wording in the Bible. They will continue to mock me, and others, for daring to think outside The Bible. I have, in my career as a Preacher, been called many things. However, I have been, since I started down this road of discovery, called more names and such, by 'Christians' then by atheists. When you ask one of them to come up with evidence, outside evidence, they can not, or are not willing to. It's a shame, since I feel they do more to drag down the name of good 'Christians' then to promote. <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(withersea @ Feb 16 2007, 11:27 AM) [snapback]391388[/snapback]</div> Which is what I have been saying. <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(daronspicher @ Feb 16 2007, 01:12 PM) [snapback]391455[/snapback]</div> Well, if I was to think I was Christ, and therefore able to judge all the sins of the offender, since I, if I was Christ, would know them, then yeah, I would then get to say so and so is immoral and offensive to God. BUUT, since I am NOT Christ, that is something I can not do. To a person. What is offensive to God? Well, if you buy the whole Bible, a lot of us, we are offensive to God. Even Adam and Eve, His first two creations, are. And if the Perfect God created something so offensive, as it is told in the Bible, then what does that say about the Creator? Hmm. Kind of an ugly thought there. But it is true. <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(livelychick @ Feb 16 2007, 04:08 PM) [snapback]391626[/snapback]</div> Out of curiosity, am I one of the two, or a sycophant? I hope not. My time here is to try to bring to light, that there are Preachers, Men and Women of God, who don't just hate willy nilly, or at all. That we try to live our lives as Christ taught. Even if I thought Christ was not real, His teachings of Love and Peace, well, they are more then enough for me to try to emulate, at least to try. I may fail from time to time, but I do try to follow them.
Sorry priusguy… I won’t be answering your questions. I don’t have to answer to you in order to be able to express my opinion of people who use God’s name as a reason to be judgmental towards others. You see… I DO believe in God and only to HIM will I answer.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(eclectcmoi @ Feb 16 2007, 03:53 PM) [snapback]391657[/snapback]</div> My sentiments exactly. Besides I'm really growing tired of bantering with religious fanatics. The antagonistic tone in your #7 pretty much says it all. Find someone else to argue with. I'm done with the religious threads.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TJandGENESIS @ Feb 16 2007, 03:50 PM) [snapback]391655[/snapback]</div> As a devout atheist myself, TJ, I respect you for carrying on with this difficult discussion. We differ in our beliefs, but I have no doubt the two of us could have a meaningful and respectful conversation.
quote] Mizra's Answers: Its one thing if you ask an honest question, but you have no intentions or being converted right?.. admit it! unless your a coward!!! [/quote] I can't count how many times a Christian has befriended me only for the sake of conversion. I have absolutely no intention of such. So I'll tell you what.. you ask God and since you can't hear him speak, he will talk to someone who can and they can tell you.. hows that? Such a pity - I was beginning to have fun! Too bad you're giving up - guess you're getting discouraged about all the contradictions in the Bible I am having you explain . http://tinyurl.com/36rja7 Still avoiding all the contradictions I had pointed out (and I found a lot more too!) Hey dude, I'm trying to help you out - take a closer at what you're saying, ahem. I bow to no god. Will do - it's only fair! Depends... if you're wrong and the right religion is Islam....... well guess I'll be meeting you down there in person! If I'm wrong? Depends...... let's assume for the sake of arguments there are actually spirits... instead of heaven I may float around outer space... or any other infinite number of possibilities. Why narrow it to this concept of heaven/hell? There's no objective purpose to life... it's all subjective. If I devote my life to feeding the poor and I accomplish that - then that's exactly what I gained. If I live my entire life as a hedonist enjoying every moment - chances are that I would've made the wrong choices health-wise and end up hating the last 15 years of my dying life... hence I won't be choosing such a life. Astronomical chances are - that no matter how much you dream of heaven, it won't change anything once your body has transitioned into more basic organic components. "It is far better to grasp the universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring." -Carl Sagan I go where the evidence is... but no matter what anyone believes, reality is completely disconnected. It's been a wonderful day! Not sure who has hurt me? Only thing is - I hate how religion affects politics. It's the most likely scenario. Order is relative - right now we're all slinging at some 600,000 miles a second (I forget the exact figure). You can't even begin to assume what or how the universe was 'created' - assuming it was ever created to begin with. Let's assume for the sake of argument that there was one creator. Then... who created the creator? What if the creator is really a multidude of forces that don't fall into this preconceived notion of a "God" or "creator?" If you even took a look at the contradictions I posted - you'd see not even your god is giving you the "Truth." It's called the scientific method. With all due respect: that which is true or in accordance with fact or reality
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(priusguy04 @ Feb 16 2007, 02:33 PM) [snapback]391638[/snapback]</div> priusguy04, I recall you making fun of and laughing at people getting hurt and killed. I am sorry but you are not religious.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TJandGENESIS @ Feb 16 2007, 02:50 PM) [snapback]391655[/snapback]</div> Oh, heavens, TJ, I'm so sorry if you thought that for a second. Nope, I was referring to PriusGuy and daronspicher as the sycophants. Windstrings and loveit are the ones whose sanity I question. As I've mentioned in the past, I think your ideas are wonderful and inspiring. While I don't share your Christian faith, I do share the ideas that come out of it for you. I, too, have studied it, just from outside the faith rather than inside it. And thank you for restoring my faith in Christians. I think that's why I get so mad when folks like the aforementioned tear down that restoration. <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(maggieddd @ Feb 16 2007, 03:07 PM) [snapback]391665[/snapback]</div> Do not apologize. It's very apparent in some of his hate-filled postings. Then, when his wife is looking over his shoulder, he actually posts a thoughtful, insightful post. I wonder what that's all about?