What do you say about the writings of old that tell us things they couldn't have possibly known back then? Not trying to argue just debate the subject. Nobody knew that the earth floating in space or HANGETH UOPN NOTHING or that the earth was round " THE CIRCLE OF THE EARTH", or that 3 of the constellations were already named There is more but I can't remember it right now.
I just made capital letters so they could look it up easier. I did get rude on a post yesterday about catholics but can't find it, to apologize. I looked for it last night and roday. But it wasn't about the Catholic people it was more so about the agenda of the church itself. Still I shouldn't have said it so negatively.
Many of us grew up during a time when the Catholics believed the Protestants were going to hell, the Protests believed the Catholics were controlled by Satan, and the Baptists believed the Lutherans were going to hell. Southern Baptists probably believed the American Baptists were bound for hell, and there were probably cliques among each of the denominations who believed they alone had the truth that would set them free from hell. I'm sure there's still some of that around, but I don't hear it from the pulpits anymore, and I sense that most Christians don't believe it. Oh, to be sure, I don't know who's going to hell and who isn't. Thankfully, I don't have to make that decision. On a good day, I might let everyone in, but on a bad day, there might be a lot of empty space in heaven. We don't know, and we don't have to know because it's not up to us. I'm sure there will be people going to hell, but my opinions don't really matter.
Im my case it wasn't about religion at all ,not a bit. It was about politics and agendas, but I could've been more tactful in my reply's. Not that I care for most major religions but do believe. I think church and state should stay separate and churches with agendas outside of religion, should be treated like any other organization using religion to commit crimes against Americas sovereignty. Then I realize I'm just venting the loss of my nation and who cares what I think anyway.
I have never owned a Porsche. I do not even know what it feels like to drive a Porsche. I have done a small amount of research and even read a lot of the specifications of a Porsche. I have heard and read the ads, heard the salesmen and read the pamphlets but still, by reasoning I believe that they are somewhat misleading and bent only for sales so the bottom line is that from the outside looking in, a Porsche isn’t all that great and probably has a lot of faults. Now, if I really wanted to know about a Porsche, I would seek one out and be willing to drive it instead of making rationalizations for indeed, experience is the teacher. For all the teachings in the Bible, the one that sticks out the most and is written time after time is that we have to seek God in order to know anything about Him. From the outside looking in, anyone can reason how they wish but when one is actually willing to seek Him out with all of his or her heart, then the knowledge of truth and His love will be revealed. It’s funny how someone can make absurd opinions based on rudimentary knowledge than just getting in the Porsche and driving the thing to find out how wonderful it can be. Unfortunately, there are those who feel they can’t afford a Porsche whilst still others feel they don’t want to be seen with a Porsche. Pity…..
The fire & brimstone stuff has lost its marketing appeal. They're now doing "The love of Jesus" to get butts in pews. But there shall always be that Puritan vestige of "predestination" hanging over our heads, in the sense that very few are confident over their eternal fates. I've know only a handful who are truly assured that they are going to heaven. They are people I've liked...confident but not arrogant. "Come boldly before the throne." One of them (Heidi, a coworker) gave me my Quest Bible for my birthday.
Perhaps those who think about Porsches and talk about Porsches (in a myriad of ways) are really curious about Porsches but don't know how else to approach the subject of Porsches other than in awkward ways. Even to criticize Porsches means that they are thinking of Porsches.
You've got that right Mary, but I'll add that religious beliefs shape our culture, which steers our politics. Thus, religion affects and shapes much of life and society - for better or worse depending on your world view. It's a tough mix but a reality to be recognized and respected.
Hi Beth. In 2011, the Love of my life died of cancer and I got sucked into a black hole. I still had my Catholic faith, what was left of it, but the priest sex scandals disgusted me and some Catholic dogmas were too hard to accept on faith. Without my wife, the only devout Catholic in the family was gone. So, I stopped going to church and instead read all kind of spiritual books hoping to find my own personal truth. Then it happened. I found a spiritual writer who got it. Before he wrote his first best seller, he had some bad luck. He broke his neck in a car accident, lost his job, and was homeless. At the low point of his life, he wrote an angry letter to God asking why his life wasn’t working. After writing down his questions, his inner voice began to answer. He wrote down the answers in the style of automatic writing. In other words, he channeled the inner wisdom of his soul or some other source. And this is how “Conversations with God” by Neale Donald Walsch came into being in 1995. Since then, the book has sold 7 million copies in 37 countries. So there is something in his writing that makes sense to a lot of people. In fact, the reviews on Amazon are 80% five-star with the phrase “life-changing” appearing many times. Only about 5% of the reviews are one-star from people who disagree with what it says. In my opinion, “Conversations with God” is the greatest spiritual book written in the past 25 years. Like millions of other readers, the book was a life-changing event for me. It answered most of the tough questions that I had been asking the Higher Power. To me, Neale Walsch is the Shakespeare of Spirituality. He is unrivaled in his ability to find those words that capture what we feel about life but are unable to put into words. Beth, before I read “Conversations with God”, I had become agnostic like you because too many things no longer made any sense. This is why I thought you might like the book. Like you, Neale cried out to the God for help. I recommend trying “Conversations with God, Book 1” by Neale Donald Walsch. You may find that he is a kindred spirit who will help you on the path to your own personal truth.