What would YOU want to hear at church?

[adopted]

As was already posted - it's your INTERPRETATION - which is a big difference. Everyone can read the Bible and get different things from it, and that's obvious from the very fact there are so many various forms of Christianity. So in essence, it IS your opinion.

You're trying to paint this picture of me standing all by my little self when I state the most basic facts that Christ taught, and which the church of all ages confesses today and has always confessed. The day is coming when you will see the bride of Christ around him like an army, clothed in His glory, and the ground will shake with their singing, and they will be singing the same thing I've been saying here, that Christ is the Son of God, and the King of kings. But were I standing alone, then I would still stand for Christ, for I can do nothing else.

 

[talloola]

You're trying to paint this picture of me standing all by my little self when I state the most basic facts that Christ taught, and which the church of all ages confesses today and has always confessed. The day is coming when you will see the bride of Christ around him like an army, clothed in His glory, and the ground will shake with their singing, and they will be singing the same thing I've been saying here, that Christ is the Son of God, and the King of kings. But were I standing alone, then I would still stand for Christ, for I can do nothing else.

you can do what you want, think what you want, feel free, as I do, but it is 'still' your interpretation,
as it is anyone elses, and we must all allow that others will have their own thoughts about being
religious or not, that is respect, being disrespectful is assuming and insisting that your way is the
only way, without giving any thought to others.

 

[Spade]

I am sorry, Talloola, Adopted is most definitety wrong. He does his religion a disservice by insisting that
* Earth was "created" before the sun, moon, or stars
* Earth is less than 10 000 years old
* A world-wide flood could have covered all the mountain tops including Everest
* Earth stopped rotating for a day in historical times
* Devils impregnated women and that giants were their offspring
* Genocide is acceptable if "gawd" sanctioned
etc

 

[Ron in Regina]

....See, this isn't my teaching, my opinion, my religion, or my ideas. This is Christ's teaching. If you have a complaint, your complaint is with Him, the Son of God.

I don't have a complaint with you or your Christ. I was discussing
a concept (though vague, I know) that's just a different point of
view with someone who would think it through before offering
an opinion. Thanks though.

 

[JLM]

You're trying to paint this picture of me standing all by my little self when I state the most basic facts that Christ taught, and which the church of all ages confesses today and has always confessed. The day is coming when you will see the bride of Christ around him like an army, clothed in His glory, and the ground will shake with their singing, and they will be singing the same thing I've been saying here, that Christ is the Son of God, and the King of kings. But were I standing alone, then I would still stand for Christ, for I can do nothing else.

Yep and keep an eye peeled for Little Red Ridinghood and her grandmother and Goldilocks and the three Bears and the big bad wolf!

 

[Dexter Sinister]

If that "evidence" is only used to further (or redirect) the observers stance with respect to wherever their faith may lay, without the need to sell the concept to others...does it really matter if it can't be objectively demonstrated to others?

Yes, I think it does, because I think it matters what's true and what's not true. There are ten thousand competing religious claims, the professed Christians here can't even agree among themselves about what's true and what's not true about a trivially small subset of them, while studying the same sources, so obviously at least some of the claims must be untrue. There are, what, about 3500 different sects of Christianity alone? Only one of them can have all of it right, and with odds like that I incline to the view that none of them do. And it matters because what people believe to be true and not true guides their behaviour and their judgments and their attitudes to others; if they're wrong they're going to do things that are wrong.

I know what I'm stumbling on about is pretty convoluted, but does it make some sort of sense?

Yes it does.

 

[Serryah]

You're trying to paint this picture of me standing all by my little self when I state the most basic facts that Christ taught, and which the church of all ages confesses today and has always confessed. The day is coming when you will see the bride of Christ around him like an army, clothed in His glory, and the ground will shake with their singing, and they will be singing the same thing I've been saying here, that Christ is the Son of God, and the King of kings. But were I standing alone, then I would still stand for Christ, for I can do nothing else.

Nope. I'm saying that - if this is the imagery you want to use - while there might be a huge population of people standing with Christ, you're all either going to be singing different songs, or singing off key, or not singing at all. Some of you will be on the ground having fits, some might be screaming, some will be probably freaking out with schizophrenic fits at the "voices" they hear...

And really, why the hell sing the things the entire world already knows to the point of being ill? That Christians think Christ is "The $hit" and the rest of us are useless idiots for not standing with you.

That's what I'm saying.

 

[Cliffy]

Back in the seventies, there was this guy in Vancouver who have a mail order church he called Universal Christianity without Religion. He offered free pamphlets, one I was interested in was called "Reincarnation and the Bible". I asked for one. He sent me 25 copies. I thought, great, I can give them in exchange for Watchtowers and Awakes. Anyway, he sent me newsletters for several years, never once did I send him any cash. He ended up getting pissed at the fact that he couldn't get religious tax free status and move his operation to the Canary Islands because they have no income tax.

After a couple of more years I got his final newsletter where he said, "Well folks, if you haven't figured this out yet, you never will, so I am folding up my tent and going on a world cruise". Last I heard of him. Would be nice if a lot of churches would do the same, so what I would ask if I went to a church is, "When are you going to admit you are BSing everybody, grab the money and go on a world cruise?"

 

[adopted]

you can do what you want, think what you want, feel free, as I do, but it is 'still' your interpretation,
as it is anyone elses, and we must all allow that others will have their own thoughts about being
religious or not, that is respect, being disrespectful is assuming and insisting that your way is the
only way, without giving any thought to others.

I do "allow" it. I started this thread myself, under the assumption that there would be a wide variety of interpretations and religions. I also "respect" it; otherwise, I wouldn't be speaking to any of you.

But of course I insist that Christ is the only way, because that's precisely what I believe.

I think the fundamental thing irritating some of the people here is that my faith won't budge.

I am sorry, Talloola, Adopted is most definitety wrong. He does his religion a disservice by insisting that
* Earth was "created" before the sun, moon, or stars
* Earth is less than 10 000 years old
* A world-wide flood could have covered all the mountain tops including Everest
* Earth stopped rotating for a day in historical times
* Devils impregnated women and that giants were their offspring
* Genocide is acceptable if "gawd" sanctioned
etc

Wait... I do my "religion a disservice" by insisting the very points of my religion? What do you think my religion is anyway?

That Christians think Christ is "The $hit" and the rest of us are useless idiots for not standing with you.

I never said you or anyone else is a useless idiot. If I've come close to saying that about anybody, it has been about myself. Remember, I'm the guy saying I need a Savior.

 

[lone wolf]

The fundamental thing bothering people isn't your unshakable faith. It's your unshakable faith that what may be right for you should be right for everyone else.

 

[adopted]

The fundamental thing bothering people isn't your unshakable faith. It's your unshakable faith that what may be right for you should be right for everyone else.

I agree.

That's the big trouble with Christ. Once you catch a glimpse of what he's saying, you realize that the consequences of ignoring him are huge if he's right.

If I'm a Christian, you can expect me to believe that.

 

[lone wolf]

I agree.

That's the big trouble with Christ. Once you catch a glimpse of what he's saying, you realize that the consequences of ignoring him are huge if he's right.

If I'm a Christian, you can expect me to believe that.

Once I catch a glimpse of what He's saying and read it in the way I understand and accept it, then I catch a glimpse of what you or Alley claim it means, it makes me wonder who died and left you in charge of my right to think for myself.

I prefer to make MY mistakes ... not yours.

 

[adopted]

Once I catch a glimpse of what He's saying and read it in the way I understand and accept it, then I catch a glimpse of what you or Alley claim it means, it makes me wonder who died and left you in charge of my right to think for myself.

I prefer to make MY mistakes ... not yours.

I can't interfere with your right to think for yourself; in fact, that's your responsibility.

As for what Christ is saying, it's pretty clear.

 

[lone wolf]

I can't interfere with your right to think for yourself; in fact, that's your responsibility.

As for what Christ is saying, it's pretty clear.

Then why is it so open for interpretation - and both you and your 'brother' have been very liberal with your versions - even to multiple personalities.

You're right. You can't interfere with my right to think for myself - but then again, that isn't what I said. That, too, was your own manipulation of the actual words. Why would I trust your twist on older words?

 

[talloola]

I do "allow" it. I started this thread myself, under the assumption that there would be a wide variety of interpretations and religions. I also "respect" it; otherwise, I wouldn't be speaking to any of you.

But of course I insist that Christ is the only way, because that's precisely what I believe.

Why would you insist about anything you believe concerning your religion, insisting is very close
to preaching.
I don't like to be preached to, or have anyone insist that their way is the only way, that leaves
no room for others to be heard.

 

[Serryah]

I do "allow" it. I started this thread myself, under the assumption that there would be a wide variety of interpretations and religions. I also "respect" it; otherwise, I wouldn't be speaking to any of you.

But of course I insist that Christ is the only way, because that's precisely what I believe.

I think the fundamental thing irritating some of the people here is that my faith won't budge.

I honestly think you have a reading comprehension problem myself, and that's the irritating thing.

I never said you or anyone else is a useless idiot. If I've come close to saying that about anybody, it has been about myself. Remember, I'm the guy saying I need a Savior.

And yet, those of us who do not believe in your version of God are what again? Wait, doesn't matter, because the moment you say anything, it's got a negative connotation to it and - to me at least - gives me the impression you think we're useless idiots.

 

[adopted]

Then why is it so open for interpretation - and both you and your 'brother' have been very liberal with your versions - even to multiple personalities.

You're right. You can't interfere with my right to think for myself - but then again, that isn't what I said. That, too, was your own manipulation of the actual words. Why would I trust your twist on older words?

Nope, I'm not asking you to trust me. Read the Book.

 

[Dexter Sinister]

... you think we're useless idiots.

Maybe not useless idiots exactly, but condemned to fry for eternity in the fires of Hell for not buying the message. The only serious professed Christian here who hasn't said that, if my memory is correct, is gerryh. He at least, to his credit, has a much more compassionate view than the fundamentalists, a view much more in line with what I understand Christ to be reported as saying.

But I still think they're all wrong, none of it rings true to me.

 

[adopted]

Why would you insist about anything you believe concerning your religion, insisting is very close
to preaching.
I don't like to be preached to, or have anyone insist that their way is the only way, that leaves
no room for others to be heard.

What if I am preaching? Everybody's doing a bit of that here. You don't need to participate in my thread. You don't need to read what I write.

"Leaves no room for others to be heard?" Huh? We're having a conversation, right? You don't like that I won't let you crowd Christ out of my belief system?

I honestly think you have a reading comprehension problem myself, and that's the irritating thing.

If I have a reading comprehension problem, then I'd like you to be generous and sympathetic with me. "Irritation" usually comes from something hitting a nerve much deeper inside you.

And yet, those of us who do not believe in your version of God are what again? Wait, doesn't matter, because the moment you say anything, it's got a negative connotation to it and - to me at least - gives me the impression you think we're useless idiots.

It's not my version of God. It's the Biblical version, and you can ask any Bible-believing Christian (I.E., any serious Christian who isn't from a cult such as Mormonism), or you can read the Bible yourself to find out.

Maybe not useless idiots exactly, but condemned to fry for eternity in the fires of Hell for not buying the message. The only serious professed Christian here who hasn't said that, if my memory is correct, is gerryh. He at least, to his credit, has a much more compassionate view than the fundamentalists, a view much more in line with what I understand Christ to be reported as saying.

Imagine you actually believed exactly what the Bible says. What would you be doing? Patting people on the back and saying, "be comforted with whatever you happen to believe." You could pat somebody's back all the way to hell; that's the sort of thing that Satan does. It's politically correct, sure, but it's not compassion.

 

[adopted]

The most terrifying truth: that God is good: Paul Washer, The Gospel. The most terrifying truth of Scripture... - YouTube
(He's preaching Biblical truth, by the way.)