God

[julybaby04]

I am not asking for you to apologize for your faith.

I don't think you'll find one instance where I've belittled anybody's faith. I think that is a very important, and very personal, belief.

But if you'll step back, you'll see that you wield your faith in such a heavy-handed way so as to alienate many, including some who have an unshakeable faith in Christ.

No one knows what the right answer is. The most you can have is faith. And others can have a faith different from yours that is just as strong and just as sincere. Your inability to respect that makes it easy for others to not respect you, and to not respect the faith in which you believe.

I understand what you are saying...and I respect that as well.

I do have faith....and my life circumstances grew my faith immeasurably in the last 5 or so years.

I truly have no issue with you as you do speak about faith and religion in a calm way. I respect that your faith may be different from mine. I only respond in very strong faith when I am told that I believe in a myth or fairytale or such. If someone does not want to believe in God, so be it. I will continue in my faith as well.

 

[Oo_Bugsy]

I think I'll let the rest of you take it from here.

I have proven countless times that the bible is hogwash.

Science 1
Religion 0

 

[cjh]

I understand what you are saying...and I respect that as well.

I do have faith....and my life circumstances grew my faith immeasurably in the last 5 or so years.

I truly have no issue with you as you do speak about faith and religion in a calm way. I respect that your faith may be different from mine. I only respond in very strong faith when I am told that I believe in a myth or fairytale or such. If someone does not want to believe in God, so be it. I will continue in my faith as well.

Maybe the better way to witness is simply state, and if you choose to, explain the importance of your faith to you. You can do that without retreating or apologizing.

Insofar as those who are concerned who belittle your beliefs, there is no argument that you can make that will change their opinions. There is no "proof."

There is a woman who used to post here--the English Lady--who is utterly sincere in her faith. She was matter of fact about it, never backed down but never in anyone's face, either. She made it easy to want to know her faith.

 

[julybaby04]

Maybe the better way to witness is simply state, and if you choose to, explain the importance of your faith to you. You can do that without retreating or apologizing.

Insofar as those who are concerned who belittle your beliefs, there is no argument that you can make that will change their opinions. There is no "proof."

There is a woman who used to post here--the English Lady--who is utterly sincere in her faith. She was matter of fact about it, never backed down but never in anyone's face, either. She made it easy to want to know her faith.

....perhaps she did not have to watch her husband of 20 year and the father of her four children die in front of her for over two and half years. That kind of thing has a way to make the important things that much more important....faith being a major factor there.

 

[cjh]

....perhaps she did not have to watch her husband of 20 year and the father of her four children die in front of her for over two and half years. That kind of thing has a way to make the important things that much more important....faith being a major factor there.

I am sorry for your loss. And for your children's. That would make my heart very heavy.

Step back just a moment, though.

You just suggested your faith is somehow more meaningful or more important than hers.

I doubt you meant that. But it reads that way.

Maybe the trick is understanding why you are being perceived differently from what you feel and know. That sort of understanding is hard. I have a hard time with it. It's important, though, in relating to others.

 

[TonyClifton]

I doubt you meant that. But it reads that way.

Yes, of course it does.

http://up.xhamster.com/000/023/971/326_1000.jpg

My question is:

"How much are you going to pay me for an hour?"

 

[julybaby04]

I am sorry for your loss. And for your children's. That would make my heart very heavy.

Step back just a moment, though.

You just suggested your faith is somehow more meaningful or more important than hers.

I doubt you meant that. But it reads that way.

Maybe the trick is understanding why you are being perceived differently from what you feel and know. That sort of understanding is hard. I have a hard time with it. It's important, though, in relating to others.

Thank you.

My faith is not more meaningful than hers....just meant that is why I am more vocal. I have this sense of urgency, I suppose, and in that I want to share who God is. We lived our lives like we had all the time in the world....he did not.

If you knew me...and not by just typed words....you would know that to hurt someone else would crush me. I do not live that way and my heart hurts when I do. I am vocal yes, but never mean-spirited. Words typed on a page (sometimes, in a hurry) can be typed wrong and perceived wrong.

I know I come across the way most people on here do not like.

 

[cjh]

Thank you.

My faith is not more meaningful than hers....just meant that is why I am more vocal. I have this sense of urgency, I suppose, and in that I want to share who God is. We lived our lives like we had all the time in the world....he did not.

If you knew me...and not by just typed words....you would know that to hurt someone else would crush me. I do not live that way and my heart hurts when I do. I am vocal yes, but never mean-spirited. Words typed on a page (sometimes, in a hurry) can be typed wrong and perceived wrong.

I know I come across the way most people on here do not like.

There's bound to be a way to be true to your faith and voice and not be wrongly perceived.

It may just take a little sorting out.

 

[julybaby04]

There's bound to be a way to be true to your faith and voice and not be wrongly perceived.

It may just take a little sorting out.

I doubt the way I say things will have any impact on how I am perceived. I have a minority opinion on this site....therefore I am of no importance to most here .

 

[KyleW]

I doubt the way I say things will have any impact on how I am perceived. I have a minority opinion on this site....therefore I am of no importance to most here .

You doubt the way you say things, on an internet forum no less, will have any impact on how you are perceived?

Darling, that and your crazy eyes AV will have a direct impact on how you are perceived here.

 

[julybaby04]

You doubt the way you say things, on an internet forum no less, will have any impact on how you are perceived?

Darling, that and your crazy eyes AV will have a direct impact on how you are perceived here.

I have crazy eyes?

...and meant that because I am a conservative Christian...what l say matters not. The perception is already there

 

[SeaDaddy1]

Amazing how one 3 letter word creates such controversy over the centuries. God, I like. Some of his followers and haters, not so much.

 

[julybaby04]

Amazing how one 3 letter word creates such controversy over the centuries. God, I like. Some of his followers and haters, not so much.

He is controversial that is for sure.

 

[SeaDaddy1]

He is controversial that is for sure.

I haven't been following the thread. I do believe in God. Sometimes faith is my only certainty in life. I avoid the subject more often as I age because tempers flair unreasonably sometimes. If I get baited into expressing my beliefs on God, Christians and Atheists alike get offended. Christianity is rarely taken into consideration as a whole.

 

[julybaby04]

I haven't been following the thread. I do believe in God. Sometimes faith is my only certainty in life. I avoid the subject more often as I age because tempers flair unreasonably sometimes. If I get baited into expressing my beliefs on God, Christians and Atheists alike get offended. Christianity is rarely taken into consideration as a whole.

I do wonder what makes either side offended...especially Christians. Just curious.

 

[SeaDaddy1]

I do wonder what makes either side offended...especially Christians. Just curious.

Good question. I've never entirely understood that. I consider myself Christian, but I only use the word "Christian" itself for lack of a better word to describe my own religious beliefs, because my beliefs are not always the same as Christians. I try to envision Christianity and the Bible as a whole, NOT just the parts I agree with or like for myself. It's not like Burger King, where you can always have it your way. And most Christians don't like being told that.

With Christians, I think it varies. For the most part, they try to custom fit their religion to their POV or they only follow certain aspects of it. And most are definitely judgemental and bigoted. Far too many are wrongfully self-righteous because there is nothing superior about them or any human. I don't think God can be so easily defined and lumped into a single category as most Christians tend to think. God doesn't "tell" us to do anything. He gives us choices to make, then judges us based upon our decisions and how we carry them out. We should intuitively know what we do is right or wrong or if his will is to be done. We are rewarded or punished however he sees fit. And I do believe he does have a mission of sorts for each of us in this life. He is not perfect as people deceive themselves into believing. I do believe he is the giver and taker of lives. He is good and just. Most of whatever he does is not based upon logic, but his emotions. And that we should follow our hearts with his guidance.

I have met very few who actually look at and believe in all of what Christianity is. And those few seemed very much at peace and at ease with their beliefs. I often wish I had that kind of serenity and understanding of God, but I don't think I ever will. I do not know how to turn myself over to God completely.


As for some Atheists getting angry about discussions on God, I'm not sure why. Perhaps it is the idea of being told there is something or someone better and greater than them. Or maybe the idea of following a greater power with faith and not physically seen, is what really disturbs them. I actually tried the Atheist approach briefly, but it just didn't work for me. I felt too empty and emotionally bankrupt.

 

[eyer]

I think I'll let the rest of you take it from here.

I have proven countless times that the bible is hogwash.

Science 1
Religion 0

You most certainly deserve any rest you choose to take after the type of quality effort you've put forth in this thread to educate us on the facts...

...in fact, I'm so impressed with your efforts that I've taken the liberty of forwarding the bulk of your offerings in this thread to the Nobel folks as evidence that a great mind has finally arrived that can so easily prove reality.

I hope you don't mind...

 

[KyleW]

SARCASM IS NOT DEAD.

But god is.

 

[eyer]

julybaby:

Why do you think Paul averred the following?

A woman must quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness. But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet.

1 Timothy 2:11-12 (NASB)

 

[ishtat]

julybaby:

Why do you think Paul averred the following?

So why did Paul particularly pick out Priscilla and praise her leadership and teaching in her church? Probably because the writer of Timothy 2 11 12 was not Paul but a later writer seeking to capitalize on his name. In Paul's early writings, he consistently supported Women in leadership roles.

 

[Exquisition]

I consider myself Christian, but I only use the word "Christian" itself for lack of a better word to describe my own religious beliefs, because my beliefs are not always the same as Christians. I try to envision Christianity and the Bible as a whole, NOT just the parts I agree with or like for myself. It's not like Burger King, where you can always have it your way. And most Christians don't like being told that.

Now that's about the sanest thing I've read from a believer. Totally agree with that, if the Bible is the word of God, it doesn't merit long-winded interpretations from academics trying to make something illogical fit with our scientific understanding now.

In fact, a mere human even trying to put words in God's mouth by way of 'explaining' the inconsistencies is surely being blasphemous?

The word of God should just be as it is found in the Bible. Shouldn't need or merit explanantion from a carbon-based biped created by the Big One up there.

 

[Tryharder62]

Good question. I've never entirely understood that. I consider myself Christian, but I only use the word "Christian" itself for lack of a better word to describe my own religious beliefs, because my beliefs are not always the same as Christians. I try to envision Christianity and the Bible as a whole, NOT just the parts I agree with or like for myself. It's not like Burger King, where you can always have it your way. And most Christians don't like being told that.

With Christians, I think it varies. For the most part, they try to custom fit their religion to their POV or they only follow certain aspects of it. And most are definitely judgemental and bigoted. Far too many are wrongfully self-righteous because there is nothing superior about them or any human. I don't think God can be so easily defined and lumped into a single category as most Christians tend to think. God doesn't "tell" us to do anything. He gives us choices to make, then judges us based upon our decisions and how we carry them out. We should intuitively know what we do is right or wrong or if his will is to be done. We are rewarded or punished however he sees fit. And I do believe he does have a mission of sorts for each of us in this life. He is not perfect as people deceive themselves into believing. I do believe he is the giver and taker of lives. He is good and just. Most of whatever he does is not based upon logic, but his emotions. And that we should follow our hearts with his guidance.

I have met very few who actually look at and believe in all of what Christianity is. And those few seemed very much at peace and at ease with their beliefs. I often wish I had that kind of serenity and understanding of God, but I don't think I ever will. I do not know how to turn myself over to God completely.


As for some Atheists getting angry about discussions on God, I'm not sure why. Perhaps it is the idea of being told there is something or someone better and greater than them. Or maybe the idea of following a greater power with faith and not physically seen, is what really disturbs them. I actually tried the Atheist approach briefly, but it just didn't work for me. I felt too empty and emotionally bankrupt.

Well said!!!!

 

[Tryharder62]

Eyer

I was looking into Paul because your question is interesting. I found a cool website and thought this was interesting.

I know someone is going to say, “Well, if Paul is forbidding dominating others as opposed to holding mere authority and it’s wrong for all believers to dominate each other, why does Paul only address this to women?” Consider that HERE IN THIS LETTER, Paul is correcting the ones exhibiting specific behaviors. Consider that Paul only tells the men to lift up holy hands in prayer without anger or disputing. Now, just because he only directs the men here in this verse, does that mean women shouldn’t lift up holy hands? Does it mean women are free to be angry and constantly disputing in or out of church? Of course not. But the men in the body were the ones exhibiting this behavior, so Paul only addresses them, even though it’s inappropriate for all believers to behave that way. Likewise, he only addresses the women about dominating and seizing authority through false teachings, possibly sexual ones, because they were the ones doing it in this instance.

 

[Tryharder62]

Sorry, computer froze, double post!

 

[Rolando2]

ATHEIST vs AGNOSTIC