jillian said:
Bull. You know anyone who's been prohibited from entering a Church and praying? From practicing their religion in their own home or with other members of their congregation or even setting up parochial schools to educate their children?
Not mixing government and religion is NOT persecution.
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Eightball:
A question for ya.... where in Newton's theory of gravity does he mention Christian Dogma?
And, if you know your medieval history, you know that the Dark Ages were a time when people were prohibited from exploring science upon pain of punishment by Church authorities. It wasn't until the Renaissance, with its freer, more secular society when science flourished and democratic principles began to take root.
Jillian:
Respectfully, were those church leaders of the Dark Ages, biblical Christians?
Answer: No.
So to use the Dark Ages as an example of Christians committing to anti-ethical, or anti-scientific dogma is to say that Hitler was a Christian, because he said he was.
Hitler's Third Reich(thousand year reign), was his feeble attempt to add a biblical validation to his position, and deeds as Germany's head henchman/dictator.
Little is mentioned, but biblical Christians were marched off to the concentration camps and exterminated in huge numbers. They/biblical German Christians, were responsible for transporting many Jews out of Germany, and risking their lives in doing so.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer being one of the most notable biblical Christians to stand against Hitler.
http://www.dbonhoeffer.org/node/3
The N.T. defines what a Christian is via the life and teachings of Christ and his disciples.
The Church of the Dark Ages.......sold salvation to the highest bidder, as though they held the actual keys to heaven.
That Church of the Dark ages was no different from the prideful religious class of Pharisees and scribes that Jesus dealt with in Israel.
If Jesus had been incarnated in the Dark Ages, the religious leaders of that time would have most likely put Him to death as a heretic.
"They rejected the Cornerstone".
...
Jefferson didn't make a new bible. The Jeffersonian bible was basically the old standard King James of his time that he conveniently sizzored out all passages that he/Jefferson didn't agree with or with his, A G E N D A. Yes, it was published after Jefferson butchered-out any verses that he didn't agree with. ........Talk about man wanting to ascend to the heavens and be like or equal to God.........or possibly.......attempt feebly to bring God down to himself. Jefferson's bible was just that.
The bible has always made unsaved man uncomfortable. That's because it goes totally against the grain of natural, carnal man's desire to be in control of his life, and all things affecting it. It offers a freedom of life that appears to the unregenerate soul to be bondage.
It truly is a spiritual struggle. Man fears that giving up involves losing something precious. Yet, once he/man metaphorically crosses the Jordan, the land of Canaan isn't a threat, but a new life of abundance, and freedom.
Metaphorically, man wanders and wanders in the wilderness, fearing monsters of fiction in the Land of Canaan.
Newton's faith in Christ didn't limit his ability/talents/intelligence to become the formost scientist. He wasn't ham-stringed with the church's dogma of the day, as he was a biblicist.
The bible is still being flayed, and beaten by unbelieving man. The bible holds up a standard that is impossible for man to attain. It holds up the life of Christ as Pre-eminent, and Holy. Men's knee's crumpled at the sight of Christ at His Transfiguration. Doubting Thomas felt His scars and exclaimed, "My Lord and my God!". Thomas would later be martyed for defending this Christian faith along with the others except for John who was exiled to the island of Patmos. Hundreds witnessed Christ's ascension into the clouds. Days later, thousands more on Pentacost received what Christ promised to come in His absence, the Holy Ghost/Spirit. Peter and the disciples boldly spoke to the many Jewish sojourners who were celebrating Pentacost in Jerusalem. Frightened before, but now filled with boldness, after receiving the Comforter(Holy Spirit), thousands became converts(born again as Jesus had told Nicodemus the Pharisee).
Christ said that it would be easier for a rich man to squeeze through the eye of a needle than to enter heaven. Why? Man's riches weren't just material, but all the things that unregenerate man holds as a treasure over acknowledging that God is pre-eminent, and deserving of praise, and thanks giving. Those treasures were, packaged under the heading of pride in; I.Q, one's abilities, looks, athletic prowess, monetary riches, possessions, power over other people, control over one's own destiny,........etc....
Those who are envious of other's wealth, have an unhealthy wealth of their own. It's covetness, and self-pride in believing that they are noble, and pure of heart. All of mankind is filled with some kind of wealth, that impedes seeing God for who He really is, and truly acknowledging that personally. Christ was the bridge....between that great gulf of Holiness(God) and Man's wretched pride in self(sin). He/Christ was a literal scape-goat for man.
Never-the-less, Frank Sinatra's mantra of, "I Did It My Way", will still ring loud in the human race. That's also biblical.......many will take the wide easy road of self absorption, and a few will take the narrow difficult road of new life through losing one's life.
