That was not my point. I was just trying to figure out where you are coming from since at times it seems that you believe some of the things that are in the Bible and at others you don't. For instance, you believe in Jesus but not that he is divine. Just trying to understand, that's all.
Eclectic: selecting what appears to be best in various doctrines, methods, or styles, composed of elements drawn from various sources. A loose definition of Perennialism, a Perennialists holds to an established orthodox religion.
Eclecticism: a conceptual approach that does not hold rigidly to a single paradigm or set of assumptions, but instead draws upon multiple theories, styles, or ideas to gain complementary insights into a subject, or applies different theories in particular cases.
No, I don't believe they are the same either; however, I don't believe animals have a spirit. I don't have the same concept of "spirit" as you. I see the spirit of a person as that which can communicate with God or deity. I don't believe animals have that kind of spirit. I do believe they have a soul, which as you believe, I think has to do with emotions and will.
Soul: The moral and emotional nature of man which connects us with deity.
Emotion: the affective aspect of consciousness : feeling, a state of feeling, a conscious mental reaction subjectively experienced as strong feeling usually directed toward a specific object and typically accompanied by physiological and behavioral changes in the body.
Animals have morals? They know right from wrong?
Morals: The adherence to, ideals, customs, standards, mores, policies, beliefs, dogmas, social standards, and principles.
Will: (Free Will) The power of making free choices that are unconstrained by external circumstances or by an agency such as fate or divine will. Our ability to decide to accept the Divine or reject it. If I'm not mistaken, your Bible has many passages covering free will.
Spirit: An animating or vital principle held to give life to physical organisms.
If you are unfortunate enough to witness the passing of a human life, you can see the spirit leave the body by watching the eyes. Once the spirit leaves the body, life is no longer apparent and the soul returns to the Divine Maker.
I disagree; I don't think Truth can be all of these things at once. Truth can be factual as opposed to a falsehood, truth can be absolute, like the law of gravity, truth can be objective, like "there are 12 inches in a foot".. Relative "truth" is an oxymoron if you ask me.
I don't see truth as "commodity" whose meaning changes with the viewpoint or the desires/motives of the individual. It is not a "product" or "convenience" that morphs with the whim of the individual. When it is treated like this, when truth is considered to be relative by a society, the result is that there is no standard for morality or law.
We will just have to add you to the list of philosophers and continue with the debate.
The term has no single definition about which a majority of professional philosophers and scholars agree, and various theories and views of truth continue to be debated.
Whatever the individual believes then becomes his/her standard of truth. That is a slippery slope if you ask me.
Do Christians believe = Jesus is the only way to salvation (Christian truth?), the 10 Commandments (Christian truth?)etc. , are these not Christian TRUTH? If it is, then "whatever the individual believes becomes his/her truth!?"
Do you feel you are on a slippery slope?
Prophecies in the OT spoke of a Messiah to come who would save His people from their sins. His name was not mentioned specifically, but His character and His deity were clearly stated.
Prophesies of the coming Messiah are held by many religious beliefs.
The Jews are still waiting for theirs, and if I am not mistaken, the OT was the Divine word of God given to the Jews. Correct?
So why should we accept your version over any other?
According to the Bible, Jesus was a Jew and was teaching a new way (Neo-Christianity) therefore your belief morphed from Judaism, changing it and becoming Christianity, but all the while trying to hold onto the foundation that Judaism provided.
Not unlike the Neo-Pagan beliefs of today, they are trying to resurrect old beliefs and bring them anew.
I do not wish to slander or cast aspersions on your belief structure, but at the same time I will not allow any one to take my Free Will (Freedom of Choice) from me.
Those that wish to follow a specific religion have that right as long as it does not violate the law of the land. This protection has not always been in effect or enforced and many atrocities where committed in the name of the Lord? Simply due to the belief, "Mine is better than yours"?
"An it harm none, do as thy will"
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Kind of covers all the bases!