Return to Me

[damngrumpy]

Here we go again God gives out free will and if you don't go by his
ideas he will punish everyone for the mistakes of some.
I can't be bothered worshiping a bully sorry count me out
Why are all acts of God in an insurance policy violent?

 

[Motar]

Righteousness is defined etymologically as wisdom, genuineness and excellence in way or manner. So righteousness is ideal conduct. How is ideal conduct determined? achieved?

Some consider the content of the mountain sermon of Christ (Matthew 5-7) to be standards of ideal conduct. Are there others?

 

[JLM]

How is ideal conduct determined? achieved?

Do no harm to anyone.

 

[bluebyrd35]

"Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness." (James 3:18 NIV) We've returned to the OP and the topic of righteousness. What is righteousness and how do we experience it?

The word righteous has acquired another meaning these days.

Acting in accord with divine or moral law : free from guilt or sin is the main Webster dictionary meaning.

Divine or moral law in biblical times was probably seen as an improvement during that time. However, some of these "laws" are considered immoral and definitely not divine today. Remember what Jesus said at the beginning of his ministry "I come not to change the law but to uphold it"

So these days killing non-believers, stoning witches, condoning polygamy, slavery etc. are definitely not moral or divine but were considered righteous then. So the meaning of the word righteous depends on whether one accepts the biblical meaning of the word; whether it conveys biblical law or present day's view of those laws.

 

[Motar]

The word righteous has acquired another meaning these days. Acting in accord with divine or moral law : free from guilt or sin is the main Webster dictionary meaning.

Divine or moral law in biblical times was probably seen as an improvement during that time. However, some of these "laws" are considered immoral and definitely not divine today. Remember what Jesus said at the beginning of his ministry "I come not to change the law but to uphold it"

So these days killing non-believers, stoning witches, condoning polygamy, slavery etc. are definitely not moral or divine but were considered righteous then. So the meaning of the word righteous depends on whether one accepts the biblical meaning of the word; whether it conveys biblical law or present day's view of those laws.

I don't think you I are that far apart in our definitions of "righteousness", BB. For me, "ideal conduct" is "acting in accord with divine or moral law", resulting in "freedom from guilt or sin". In my experience, none of this is possible apart from God in Christ:

"I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." (John 15:5 NIV)

 

[Tecumsehsbones]

I don't think you I are that far apart in our definitions of "righteousness", BB. For me, "ideal conduct" is "acting in accord with divine or moral law", resulting in "freedom from guilt or sin". In my experience, none of this is possible apart from God in Christ:

"I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." (John 15:5 NIV)

Sounds like a bad porno script.

 

[Motar]

Sounds like a bad porno script.

It is telling, TB that you can discern between good and bad pornography.

"The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace." (Romans 8:6 NIV)

There is a remedy for that : )

 

[Tecumsehsbones]

It is telling, TB that you can discern between good and bad pornography.

"The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace." (Romans 8:6 NIV)

There is a remedy for that : )

It is telling, Motar, that you can't tell the difference between good and bad.

 

[bluebyrd35]

I don't think you I are that far apart in our definitions of "righteousness", BB. For me, "ideal conduct" is "acting in accord with divine or moral law", resulting in "freedom from guilt or sin". In my experience, none of this is possible apart from God in Christ:

"I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." (John 15:5 NIV)

The problem I have here is the difference between us in the definition of divine and moral law. If yours is the biblical "Divine & Moral" law we are very far apart. The Bible in my opinion, depicts a very cruel and unmerciful God.. It does not come close to describing what I could conceive of a Divine Entity's commands.

 

[Motar]

The problem I have here is the difference between us in the definition of divine and moral law. If yours is the biblical "Divine & Moral" law we are very far apart. The Bible in my opinion, depicts a very cruel and unmerciful God.. It does not come close to describing what I could conceive of a Divine Entity's commands.

Please share your definition of divine and moral law, BB.

 

[spaminator]

Return to Me

sounds like a bad romcom.

 

[Tecumsehsbones]

Please share your definition of divine and moral law, BB.

Only murdering children god tells you to murder.

 

[bluebyrd35]

Please share your definition of divine and moral law, BB.

The moral and divine law as laid down in the Bible are the only ones we have to judge by. Dashing any living breathing child under the age of five to death seems to be okay if they are offspring of your (and God's) enemies. Killing off non-believers of that God was condoned and recommended. Women treated as chattel. The punishment for breaking any of the commandments, calls for eternal damnation. So a white lie to save someone hurt, calls for eternal damnation. Going to war and killing the enemy's women & children is morally wrong, particularly when women were considered property rather than human beings with souls back then.

 

[Cliffy]

 

[Motar]

Dashing any living breathing child under the age of five to death seems to be okay if they are offspring of your (and God's) enemies. Killing off non-believers of that God was condoned and recommended. Women treated as chattel. The punishment for breaking any of the commandments, calls for eternal damnation. So a white lie to save someone hurt, calls for eternal damnation. Going to war and killing the enemy's women & children is morally wrong, particularly when women were considered property rather than human beings with souls back then.

I have been a Christian for more than 25 years and I haven't witnessed or experienced any of this, BB.

 

[cj44]

Oh my word, I never imagined you specifically counted those words. Why would anyone care how many times a particular word was used in any bit of writing.

Meanings and verses containing information fine but what use is there in knowing how many times a word was used?? I did try to see if the site gave how many times the word "THE" was used. LOL. It doesn't go that far.

BB, I beg to differ. The site does in fact state the number of times a word appears. Indeed, keywords appearing often/more often might suggest the importance of context, comprehension & subject they represent.

The moral and divine law as laid down in the Bible are the only ones we have to judge by. Dashing any living breathing child under the age of five to death seems to be okay if they are offspring of your (and God's) enemies. Killing off non-believers of that God was condoned and recommended. Women treated as chattel. The punishment for breaking any of the commandments, calls for eternal damnation. So a white lie to save someone hurt, calls for eternal damnation. Going to war and killing the enemy's women & children is morally wrong, particularly when women were considered property rather than human beings with souls back then.

Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. As a Christian, I tranlate that means God, in fact, does not want "the dashing of children to death". Nor are women to be treated as "chattel". Then there is that admonishment to "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven".

Cliffy,
As I am sure you are aware, ABraham did NOT kill his son. "by faith Abraham offered up Isaac. Abraham believed God's promise even though the reality of sacrificing his son was upon him. God kept his promise, Abraham believed him & Isaac lived. The moral of the story….."God is kind, faithful & loving"

 

[bluebyrd35]

I have been a Christian for more than 25 years and I haven't witnessed or experienced any of this, BB.

And why should you have. The Bible goes back two thousand years and we humans have evolved somewhat over that time. (Although this business of beheading enemies of ISIS is a bit backward still, so not all humans have gotten far from the source. I am sure they will say Allah told them this was okay punishment).

BB, I beg to differ. The site does in fact state the number of times a word appears. Indeed, keywords appearing often/more often might suggest the importance of context, comprehension & subject they represent.


Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. As a Christian, I tranlate that means God, in fact, does not want "the dashing of children to death". Nor are women to be treated as "chattel". Then there is that admonishment to "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven".


Cliffy,
As I am sure you are aware, ABraham did NOT kill his son. "by faith Abraham offered up Isaac. Abraham believed God's promise even though the reality of sacrificing his son was upon him. God kept his promise, Abraham believed him & Isaac lived. The moral of the story….."God is kind, faithful & loving"

Loving thy neighbor as thyself, works for me, it is the stoning of witches, and the killing of non-believers that sort of turn me off. You can cherry-pick how many times love is used in the bible, it is "the believe in me" and live forever, inspite of how poorly one behaves, that is so ungodlike. If there is and I tend to feel there is, a universal spirit IT does not condone such things, inspite of what the bible says. The action to reaction law, seems to me a great way to even the score. So if there is such a thing as reincarnation and everyone must balance the score, I approve.

 

[AnnaG]

hhmm Your god does not want people to be dashing their kids on rocks and such, but it's ok if your god does that.
I really really dislike hypocrites of that extreme. If there are gods and goddesses, I think I will stick with the peaceful and pleasant ones and your god can kiss my derryerry (scuse the French).

 

[Motar]

The Bible goes back two thousand years and we humans have evolved somewhat over that time.

"But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power.

In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived." (2 Timothy 3:1-5; 12-13 NIV)

"From bad to worse" sounds like devolution, BB.

 

[bluebyrd35]

"But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power.

In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived." (2 Timothy 3:1-5; 12-13 NIV)

"From bad to worse" sounds like devolution, BB.

To Anna Are you kidding?? I do not have a personal god. And it is the Christian God that subscribed to eliminating babes of those they conquered to bashing out their brains. By the way it is one of the Christian God's strictures, that only He can pass judgement on another. So if you are Christian guess who just disobeyed His law.

Like many, my philosophy or what I tend to hope for is there is an all encompassing Spirit. So,....since evolution of all living beings is real, why wouldn't such a spirit be evolving right along with us??

Motar, It has always been thus. I am sure that even cave men probably felt exactly the same. However, this is a learning world and how else do we learn? Not by being told how to behave, but by experiencing the results of injustice, crime, wars. Luckily we also learn about love, treating people fairly, and justly and find in coming back to one twofold. This lifetime some learn about loss, and from that experience we learn sympathy we can share with others, Some learn about being mocked and bullied, and use their experiences to speak out for those on the receiving such treatment.

There are many ways of learning and experiencing and it can be done in multiple ways. In the end, hopefully we become a worthy part of the universal spirit. Even if all our beliefs or hopes are for naught, at least we will not be aware of it .