Religious Zealotry

[marke]

And yet it requires brain work to even understand that, and to make that determination. It does not honor God to make a false idol of man-made religious text. Nor does it honor God to use that false idol to presume upon oneself the right or ability to pass judgment on others. Nothing about the "inerrant Bible theory" honors God. All it does is falsely glorify an ancient tribe's religion and use it to attack and condemn others, in the present.

As well as some of the worst.

No, it's just an affront to your source of self-assumed righteousness.

You think you are wise but you are deluded.

Romans 1:22
Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

 

[marke]

I realize that it's impossible for you to contemplate that both the scriptures and the church are man made, and thereby subject to all the usual self-serving manipulation that infects everything we humans get involved with. But I am not so constrained. And both reason and history indicate this to be the case with religion just as assuredly as it is with politics, economics, sexuality, ethnicity, and any other area of human consideration.

Religions are how we humans try to grasp and relate to the mystery of 'God'. They are not God, themselves. They do not embody God. They are just mechanisms meant to help us find a way to engage with God for ourselves. Whenever religions, and especially religious institutions start trying to become the 'gatekeepers' between humans and God, they are way over-stepping their intended purpose. And if we allow this, or support it, abuse will occur. Because humans cannot resist abusing each other when given undeserved and unchecked authority over others.

You think your disrespect for God comes from genius but you are wrong. Your rejection of God comes from your love of sin and delusions of the devil.

 

[PureX]

You think your disrespect for God comes from genius but you are wrong. Your rejection of God comes from your love of sin and delusions of the devil.

It's sad to me that you think my rejection of your inerrant Bible theory is a rejection of God. It's sad because you can't tell the difference between what you believe about God, and God.

 

[ok doser]

It's sad to me that you think my rejection of your inerrant Bible theory is a rejection of God. It's sad because you can't tell the difference between what you believe, and God.

Are you really so lacking in self-awareness that you don't realize that you're talking about yourself? You bloviate on and on and on about how your conception of God is superior to everybody else's because yadayadayadayada

Absolutely amazing

 

[Right Divider]

Rom 10:17 (AKJV/PCE)
(10:17) So then faith [cometh] by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

 

[Idolater]

Unless the story has been 'embellished' to promote that idea. Which is very possible, given human nature. Especially when it comes to the idea of some humans gaining authority over others.

Again, human nature does not equate to a divine mandate. Authoritarian power structures among humans are natural expressions of our biological and cultural past. That does not make them a divine mandate, however. Just because you believe it, does not make it so.

I realize that it's impossible for you to contemplate that both the scriptures and the church are man made

Ugh. You're an absolute majoritarian, absolute libertarian, anarchist, nihilist.

What a mess.

, and thereby subject to all the usual self-serving manipulation that infects everything we humans get involved with. But I am not so constrained. And both reason and history indicate this to be the case with religion just as assuredly as it is with politics, economics, sexuality, ethnicity, and any other area of human consideration.

Religions are how we humans try to grasp and relate to the mystery of 'God'. They are not God, themselves. They do not embody God. They are just mechanisms meant to help us find a way to engage with God for ourselves. Whenever religions, and especially religious institutions start trying to become the 'gatekeepers' between humans and God, they are way over-stepping their intended purpose. And if we allow this, or support it, abuse will occur. Because humans cannot resist abusing each other when given undeserved and unchecked authority over others.

I was raised Catholic, and this is the reason I am no longer.

Did you ever really believe in the Real Presence in Communion? I don't think it's possible for someone convinced that Jesus is Really Present in the sacraments to convert out of Catholicism. Unless they convert to another ancient tradition with ancient bishoprics. Which you have not done.

I will not allow any man to stand between myself and God. Nor any religion's scripture, traditions, prejuduces, mandates, or whatever else they think they have by God's authority. A lot of humans really want that power. They want to play God and lord their own imagined righteousness over others. But I will not cede it to them, ever. Because God has not ceded His authority to any man, and set him above any other. Instead, God has given each of us His spirit, instead of His authority. And it is that I will honor and respect.

Just so long that you believe in Jesus, you're a Christian in my book.

I think you should go back to Mass and contemplate that Jesus is Really Present in the Eucharist. I believe that it is not impossible for you to contemplate this.

 

[Idolater]

Rom 10:17 (AKJV/PCE)
(10:17) So then faith [cometh] by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Catholicism believes that whenever the Word of God is read aloud it is the Lord Jesus actually speaking.

 

[Right Divider]

Catholicism believes that whenever the Word of God is read aloud it is the Lord Jesus actually speaking.

Catholicism is so cute.

 

[Idolater]

Catholicism is so cute.

And beautiful. You know how rare both cute and beautiful is, right?

 

[Right Divider]

And beautiful. You know how rare both cute and beautiful is, right?

And sprinkled with lies and falsehoods... you know that, right?

 

[PureX]

Ugh. You're an absolute majoritarian, absolute libertarian, anarchist, nihilist.

What a mess.

Actually, I'm not ANY of those things. I'm an artist!

Did you ever really believe in the Real Presence in Communion? I don't think it's possible for someone convinced that Jesus is Really Present in the sacraments to convert out of Catholicism. Unless they convert to another ancient tradition with ancient bishoprics. Which you have not done.

Rituals and traditions have their place. They are useful tools when used appropriately. But they can become divisive totems, too, if one is not careful.

Just so long that you believe in Jesus, you're a Christian in my book.

I think you should go back to Mass and contemplate that Jesus is Really Present in the Eucharist. I believe that it is not impossible for you to contemplate this.

I'm not looking for magical experiences. I don't need them. I can see for myself the truth of Christ's revelation and promise, all around me, in real life.

 

[ok doser]

I'm an artist!

Find a new medium

Moronic philosophizing isn't your forte

 

[Jenkins]

And yet it requires brain work to even understand that, and to make that determination. It does not honor God to make a false idol of man-made religious text. Nor does it honor God to use that false idol to presume upon oneself the right or ability to pass judgment on others. Nothing about the "inerrant Bible theory" honors God. All it does is falsely glorify an ancient tribe's religion and use it to attack and condemn others, in the present.

As well as some of the worst.

No, it's just an affront to your source of self-assumed righteousness.

Should God be minimized?

 

[Right Divider]

It does not honor God to make a false idol of man-made religious text.

It does not honor God to refuse to acknowledge HIS WORD.

 

[Arthur Brain]

That's the thing, you don't HAVE to pretend to know what He thinks. You can actually KNOW, because He has given us His word.



Doing your own thinking does not excuse you from trying to find out what God thinks.



Not just "seems to." He actually did give us a brain.



But you apparently don't try to use it to understand what God says.



Stupidity offends me, since it's evidence of a greater problem.

Stupid doesn't make you sin but sin makes you stupid.

You propose one of the most indefensible and atrocious notions that's ever been aired in the entire history of this forum. Namely, the execution of five year old children for somehow committing a "capital crime". There's no support for this whatsoever on any level including the Bible and yet you've persisted with it for years now and whilst it's good to see that nobody else has defended it on here it makes it no less repugnant. How is advocating something that is indefensible and repeatedly so not also stupid?

 

[PureX]

Should God be minimized?

God is the great mystery source, sustenance, and purpose of all that is. To pretend that we understand God because we collected some people's writings on the subject and idolize them is to absurdly minimize the reality of that mystery just so we can pretend we 'own' it.

 

[Idolater]

God is the great mystery source, sustenance, and purpose of all that is. To pretend that we understand God because we collected some people's writings on the subject and idolize them is to absurdly minimize the reality of that mystery just so we can pretend we 'own' it.

Come on. Jesus is God. We know He chose Twelve Apostles. God worked miracles in the Apostles, just as He Himself directly worked miracles when He walked this Earth. And their teachings are one of those miracles, their teachings is how we know about Him; as far as we know He only wrote one epistle, and it wasn't even doctrinal but more of a personal letter. Everything we know about Him, we know because of the miraculous teachings of His Apostles. His Apostles wrote, and spoke, and approved teachings about Jesus. The word office etymologically means duty, and the Apostles made an office with the duty of preserving and transmitting and teaching what the Apostles taught about Jesus.

 

[Right Divider]

God is the great mystery source, sustenance, and purpose of all that is. To pretend that we understand God because we collected some people's writings on the subject and idolize them is to absurdly minimize the reality of that mystery just so we can pretend we 'own' it.

God said that He gave us a book. Why do you despise that book?

Jesus is quoted quoting this book.

You are utterly confused about His book, His Word.

 

[PureX]

God said that He gave us a book. Why do you despise that book?

Jesus is quoted quoting this book.

You are utterly confused about His book, His Word.

Do you really think just repeating your inerrant Bible belief as if it were a fact will somehow make it become fact to anyone else?

Do you really think that by continuing to misrepresent what I say you will somehow change my mind?

Or is this all you can think to do to try and reassert your ideological dominance in the face of reasonable skepticism? If so, you might want to consider why your theology is so impotent in the real world. Love, forgiveness, kindness and generosity (the spirit of God manifesting within us) is very powerful and healing in the real world, and changes hearts and mind routinely. While your inerrant Bible theory only isolates you and drives you to condemn others. It has little positive effect in the real world, if it has any effect at all.

So why do you fight so hard to hold onto it?

 

[Right Divider]

Do you really think just repeating your inerrant Bible belief as if we're a fact will somehow make it become fact to anyone else?

The Bible claims to be "God breathed". You are on the outside looking in.

Do you really think that by continuing to misrepresent what I say you will somehow change my mind?

How have I "misrepresented what you say"?

Or is this all you can think to do to try and reassert your ideological dominance in the face of reasonable skepticism? If so, you might want to consider why your theology is so impotent in the real world. Love, forgiveness, kindness and generosity (the spirit of God manifesting within us) is very powerful and healing in the real world, and changes hearts and mind routinely. While your inerrant Bible theory only isolates you and drives you to condemn others. It has little positive effect in the real world, if it has any effect at all.

How do we "get the spirit of God within us"? By some magic? By looking at the stars?

NO, we get it this way:
Rom 10:17 (AKJV/PCE)
(10:17) So then faith [cometh] by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

So why do you fight so hard to hold onto it?

Because I'm a Christian that believes God.