I'm tired of trying.

[The Edge]

For a time I thought about leaving like Justin, but then decided to stay. There's far to many people here like me for me to abandon them. Be patient, be loving, and say what's on your mind.

Can someone tell me what a "theonomist" is? I looked it up in the dictionary and found no entry.

 

[JCAtheist]

It is a shame.. for one people brand as un-saved and a sinner etc., he certainly came across a lot better than many so called Christians I see.

What I sometimes think is that people don't seem to understand that to judge a persons life righteously, and call them unsaved, means that you must think you intimately know what that person may do in the future. Unless they are dying right at that moment, no one but God has any idea if that person will suddenly see the light, or be led by Him etc.. How then, if they do, can they be called un-saved?

Maybe when people say it to others, they only mean 'at that time'.. for surely they can't believe they know the future as God might, that this person never becomes saved. <shrug>.. guess I can't say for sure, just seems that people are ready to do the actual work and throw people in the fire before they know a whole persons life - from beginning to end. God does, which is why He is a righteous judge.. we don't, and we aren't.


Anyway, I have appreciated Justins posts.. both there and on other sites where he posts. I agree that he has a good insight on people, and has a good manner.. his intelligence and humour only add to his decent character. Obviously I would prefer he get closer to Christ.. but to be honest, I can see why he is also having a hard time doing so. After all, so called rep's of Christ are already throwing him in the fire.. why rush towards THAT "gospel"..


Good Luck to you Justin.. May the Lord guide you when you need it most.


IN Love and Peace

JCAtheist

 

[asilentskeptic]

Billybob

What does reputation have to do with it? - I may be biased, but since I am in the red, -87 right now, but really when Jesus said "Woe to you when all men speak well of you, or rejoice for the "same slander" said against you was also spoken against the Prophets.

So anyways, what other people say, is it really a good idea to weigh that in to what a person is actually saying? -

With Christ's Love

Servent101

Hmm, I don't rep just because I agree with what someone says... I rep if they say it clearly and logically. If they can present their case, showing understanding for what others say, and without personally attacking another person, I give them respect (and maybe points if it's REALLY good). They could be 100% wrong in my book, but if they are honest and open, they get more points then if they are confrontive and barbed in their response. If I agree with a poster but they are attacking someone at the same time as speaking a truth... then I DON'T rep them. I may even neg rep them. :doh:

So, for me, it's not exactly what you believe that gets you a good reputation (to a point)... it's how you present yourself. *courtesy and respect bring more to a discussion than insults and a barbed response*

 

[Mateo]

I participate in three Christian forums. At one forum, it's the Calvinists. At one forum, it's former Pagans. At one forum, it's Enyartian Theonomists. Yet it seems everywhere I go, people are willing to disregard anything that does not fit their preconceived beliefs ... even if they have to deny the world around them, or even the evidence of their own scriptures.

The Calvinists say that God is in control of everything, and that He ordained everything ... but yet it's still my fault that I am a "sinner." The former Pagans say that I do not know--and cannot know--the true nature of the Gods, and even though my experiences have little or nothing in common with theirs, it's "obvious" that it's the exact same entity "fooling me" that once "fooled them." The Enyartian Theonomists say that "God's law" ought to be followed as secular law, yet that this will not result in religious persecuation.

When I try to point out logical, or even Biblical, problems with the points of view presented, the common answer I get is "Oh, you're not saved, so you don't understand."

Because I'm "not saved," the evidence I present to refute Calvinism "doesn't matter." Because I'm "not saved," the evidence I present to refute Christian Gnosticism "doesn't matter." Because I'm "not saved," the evidence I present that refutes the applicability of Biblical law for today "doesn't matter."

And in all probability, the only response I'm going to get to this post is that I "don't understand," because I'm "not saved." Or I'll be accused of whining.

Don't mind me, folks. I'm only a non-Christian, so my opinion "doesn't matter."

There is no greater advocate for what we believe than the lives we lead.

 

[Mr. 5020]

For a time I thought about leaving like Justin, but then decided to stay. There's far to many people here like me for me to abandon them. Be patient, be loving, and say what's on your mind.

Can someone tell me what a "theonomist" is? I looked it up in the dictionary and found no entry.

http://www.theologyonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20078

 

[servent101]

asilentskeptic

Hmm, I don't rep just because I agree with what someone says... I rep if they say it clearly and logically. If they can present their case, showing understanding for what others say, and without personally attacking another person, I give them respect (and maybe points if it's REALLY good). They could be 100% wrong in my book, but if they are honest and open, they get more points then if they are confrontive and barbed in their response. If I agree with a poster but they are attacking someone at the same time as speaking a truth... then I DON'T rep them. I may even neg rep them.

So, for me, it's not exactly what you believe that gets you a good reputation (to a point)... it's how you present yourself. *courtesy and respect bring more to a discussion than insults and a barbed response*

Very very true, and very just, though from personal experience I have had two - 30 days, where in just one day, I recieved over 30 bad rep points, and as I said, this happened twice.

In the end, though, what really counts is the number of positves that we give out - where our reputation is really the amount of positives that we give to other people, the negatives do have their place, but in life, real life, we will succeed if we notice what is good, moreso than what is bad. I am sure some posters here are all positive rep givers, while others are all negative rep givers... it would be interesting to see what kind of reps people hand out, as well as recieve around here.

I would like to see who gives positive and who gives negative reps, the totals beside each person's name - we might find this is more representative of what kind of poster that person is.
With Christ's Love

Servent101

 

[Truppenzwei]

If you really want to see a religous debate degenerate into personal mudslinging and cattines you should get onto some IT boards and get involved in the OS jihads - they happen pretty regularly - once or twice a day generally.

Or a tolkien board - guaranteed flamestarter there is to say that the balrog had wings, or didn't either way you will start a war.

Or a sports board etc....

Forums/newsgroups etc are generally well known for very poor debating skills as well as very good, just a case of learning to deal with the dross while ferreting out the jewels.

I always find that if someone degenerates to personal attacks/commentaries etc it's best to just withdraw from that particular debate. ( oh and have a cuppa)

 

[servent101]

The edge

For a time I thought about leaving like Justin, but then decided to stay. There's far to many people here like me for me to abandon them. Be patient, be loving, and say what's on your mind.

When I started to look up posters I liked on the members board, and to follow some of them around, comenting on what they post about - TOL was a lot more interesting

With Christ's Love

Servent101