Zone1 Have we lost The Bible Story?

[SweetSue92]

There have always been many Christian theologies. Who is to say which is the correct one?

The one in the Bible.

What WN says is not Biblical, he just made it up. Most call it a heresy.

 

[SweetSue92]

Ask alang1216 if anything I say affects him in any way. He has his mind made up and only God can change it. No one can come to Christ unless the Father draws him or her. People don't "talk" others into coming to Christ, although for their sake God may call them. I'm not as "importuning" as the widow on someone else's behalf.

You are responsible for knowing and abiding in the Truth. And treating it faithfully.

What you believe is heresy.

 

[ding]

they never tire .... of their crimes against society they themselves are responsible for. meriweather.

Thanks for the opportunity for me to make an affirmative case for Christianity.

 

[alang1216]

Christians who kill other Christians aren't Christians.

In reality, those Christians claimed that the people they killed weren't really Christians. Catholics killed Protestants, Protestants killed Catholics, Catholics killed Eastern Orthodox, etc. How many killings were condoned by a Pope?

 

[alang1216]

My obligation is to Truth. If what I believe is untrue, I will discard it for the truth. Objectivity is central to my peace. The reason you see it that way is because I argue things that are true. It has nothing to do with me being superior and everything to do with truth being superior. I think what you are missing is that you come to religious forums to argue your superiority. You really have no other reason to be here.

My obligation is to Truth. If what I believe is untrue, I will discard it for the truth. Objectivity is central to my peace. The reason you see it that way is because I argue things that are true. It has nothing to do with me being superior and everything to do with truth being superior. I think what you are missing is that I come to religious forums to share what knowledge I have to to understand what people believe and why. I really have no other reason to be here.

 

[alang1216]

I started by studying the beginning of existence and the evolution of existence and asked a very simple question; was it intentional or happenstance. What did you start with? Because I think you are accusing me of what you did.

I think you are being disingenuous. I believe you started from your Catholic faith and looked to justify it as logical. You succeeded in making a logical case for a creator since little is understood about the creation of the universe. What reveals your true goal is that you extrapolated a creator to the God of the Bible.

I also started from a position of faith but my pursuit of logic led me to be an atheist.

 

[Meriweather]

Thanks for the opportunity for me to make an affirmative case for Christianity.

I rarely read and never respond to BreezeWood because I am clueless in following what is being said. I take it this time the post was meant as a shot at the Catholic Church via the priesthood.

That's kind of like accusing my entire family of being a horrible, awful, no good, very bad parents based on the one time I forgot I was to pick up my daughter at school rather than her riding the bus home. It was raining.

Catholics are well aware that in our human brokenness we all are going to stumble, we are going to sin. Ninety-seven percent of priests never abused anyone. Forget about the ninety-seven percent, right? Broad-brush the entire Church based on the three percent.

I feel so sorry for all those who suffered child abuse--but not at the hands of a Catholic priest. Abused by a priest--and the victim and lawyers got over 880 million dollars in the LA area alone. Abused by a family member, a minister of another denomination, even by a teacher or coach, neighbor--even a stranger--and you get zilch.

Don't get me wrong. The abuse by a few priests called attention to the fact the entirety of society had a problem that was being swept under the rug. If it takes hundreds of millions of dollars from Catholics for something to be done in all of society, money well spent, right? Still, what about all the non-Catholics who were/have been abused? Why is society giving abused non-Catholics nothing?

 

[Meriweather]

In reality, those Christians claimed that the people they killed weren't really Christians. Catholics killed Protestants, Protestants killed Catholics, Catholics killed Eastern Orthodox, etc. How many killings were condoned by a Pope?

Speaking of "reality", how many Catholics, Protestants, Eastern Orthodox, etc. ever killed anyone? Would you say this percentage is greater than the percentage who did kill? If those who never killed anyone greatly outnumber those who did, why aren't you crediting Catholics, Protestants, Eastern Orthodox, etc. for this?

 

[alang1216]

Speaking of "reality", how many Catholics, Protestants, Eastern Orthodox, etc. ever killed anyone? Would you say this percentage is greater than the percentage who did kill? If those who never killed anyone greatly outnumber those who did, why aren't you crediting Catholics, Protestants, Eastern Orthodox, etc. for this?

Can you show that the percent of Christians who never killed anyone is any different than the percent of Jews or Muslims or Hindus that never killed anyone?

According to most estimates, around 8 million people are believed to have died during the Thirty Years' War, which includes casualties from both combat and the resulting famine and disease, making it one of the most devastating wars in European history.

 

[Meriweather]

Can you show that the percent of Christians who never killed anyone is any different than the percent of Jews or Muslims or Hindus that never killed anyone?

Why would I expect it would be any different?

 

[alang1216]

Why would I expect it would be any different?

Your expectations are more rational than many others who compare Christianity today with Islam today and claim Christianity is the religion of peace.

 

[Woodznutz]

In reality, those Christians claimed that the people they killed weren't really Christians. Catholics killed Protestants, Protestants killed Catholics, Catholics killed Eastern Orthodox, etc. How many killings were condoned by a Pope?

Meanwhile the true church was hiding safely in the 'wilderness'.

 

[Woodznutz]

You are responsible for knowing and abiding in the Truth. And treating it faithfully.

What you believe is heresy.

You have yet to explain exactly what that 'heresy' is. All you have presented is your disagreement.

 

[alang1216]

Meanwhile the true church was hiding in the wilderness.

What makes one church the 'true' church? To me is seems as Christianity is like a tree. Early on, the many roots of the church were fused into the trunk of the Roman Catholic Church but, from there, it grew many limbs. To say just one of those limbs is the 'tree' is counter-intuitive to me.

 

[Woodznutz]

What makes one church the 'true' church? To me is seems as Christianity is like a tree. Early on, the many roots of the church were fused into the trunk of the Roman Catholic Church but, from there, it grew many limbs. To say just one of those limbs is the 'tree' is counter-intuitive to me.

It is if you use that analogy. The true church is a scattered body of spirit led believers. It is not an identifiable denomination, and certainly not the church of Rome, although many Catholics may indeed be true Christians.

To get a sense of the actual number of true Christians consider that there are 2.6 billion who claim to be Christians. If that were true, the world would be a much better place than it is now. The fact is that there aren't enough true Christians to make much of an improvement in mankind. So, the true church remains a "little flock" even today.

 

[Donald H]

Do you know where the majority of earth's heat is stored? Do you believe it is the atmosphere or the ocean?

I think that the god wanted his flock to believe it was stored in the heavens but more recently science has discovered that it's stored in the earth's core.

What do you believe is the world's largest collector of solar energy? The Ocean? Or the atmosphere? Do you understand that the surface of the earth is not heated evenly? Do you know what must happen because the surface of the earth is not heated evenly? Do you understand that the polar regions are the most critical location on the planet for climate? Do you understand why? Do you know that each pole has a different threshold for extensive continental glaciation? Do you know why? Do you understand why for the past 3 million years the planet has cycled between long periods of frigid temperatures with brief periods of warm temperatures?


Do you think these are fair questions? Do you think these are important questions?

They are fair and important questions but not in this topic! With you asking these questions, it's pretty clear that you have lost the bible stories! Please try to stay on topic.

 

[Donald H]

That's not what you are doing. You - and the others like you - don't realize there will always be an opposite reaction. The more you - and the others - oppose faith in God, the stronger it will grow.

I will suggest that's not true of religions. Christians who are believers are and have declined greatly in numbers. I think it could be true that some Christians could become stronger in their beliefs now, since their church has permitted them to believe in more rational answers to Genesis particularly.

However, the more formally educated are still going to be faced with the church's contradiction.

The god created everything?

 

[alang1216]

It is if you use that analogy. The true church is a scattered body of spirit led believers. It is not an identifiable denomination, and certainly not the church of Rome, although many Catholics may indeed be true Christians.

To get a sense of the actual number of true Christians consider that there are 2.6 billion who claim to be Christians. If that were true, the world would be a much better place than it is now. The fact is that there aren't enough true Christians to make much of an improvement in mankind. So, the true church remains a "little flock" even today.

What makes someone a 'true' Christian?

 

[Donald H]

What makes someone a 'true' Christian?

The ability to accept and believe that which is not true, without questioning.

That's not suggesting lack of intelligence, it's just suggesting the ability.

 

[Woodznutz]

What makes someone a 'true' Christian?

Led by the Holy Spirit.