I went to church again...

A funeral is the only event for a church.

 

I ran into the the Assistant Pastor's ex-wife @ in a room full of Slot Machines about an hour ago. Does that count as going to church?

 

“God is immaterial; as He is invisible. He can, therefore, have no form. But from what we are able to perceive in His works we conclude that He is eternal, almighty, omniscient, and omnipresent. The Mighty One, He alone is free from all desire or passion. There is no greater than He . . . His mind is self-existent. He, the Almighty, is present in every part of space. His omniscience is self-inspired, and His conception includes every other. Of His all-embracing attributes the greatest is omniscience. For there is no threefold kind of being--it is independent of everything--O God! Thou art the true, eternal, blessed, unchangeable light of all time and space. Thy wisdom apprehends thousands and still thousands of laws, and yet Thou ever actest of Thy free will, and to Thy honor. Thou wast before all that we worship. To Thee is due praise and adoration. Thou alone art the true . . . Thou, the best of all laws, the image of all wisdom, present throughout the whole world. Thou sustaineth all things.”

Kalischer, a. C., Beethoven’s Letters. New York: J.M.Dent and Co., 1926, 393-394.

No you should read all my posts Cass. I was speaking about the of dawn of history primarily. I have mentioned the good with the bad in other threads. However my threads are long enough without adding on things that need not be there to make my point, and certainly I would not add stuff to detract from my point knowing that it would be covered as the usual suspects criticized the usual things of the old church.

(see above), but I am no fan of Beethoven. Classical music is cool but I prefer the modern stuff such as Chopin. I really do not see the reason you even posted that! I did not say that there were no great atheists, just that religion gave civilization a bump start and after it began it enriched the world in a way that atheism could not hope to equal.

No, and I did not say that. Galileo's story is twisted, sometimes a little sometimes a lot. Personally I admire him. I admire the church/government of that era much much less. They were even hostile to Christians. I would been burned at the stake for sure back then.

Oh a low blow eh? That can be expected from a losing fairly activist atheist. Do you see your paradigm crumbling right in front of your eyes Cass? No I didn't think so, the reason you don't is called denial. Anyway, can you produce one thread or reply where I said Jesus condemned homosexuals? No. In fact, I make the case otherwise, however I did not think you would stoop so low as to attempt to use deceit to fabricate a slanderous case against me. I defend homosexuals to a great degree as related to scripture. I spoke the truth about homosexuals and you tried to soil even that. When you stop using slander and lies about my positions, then maybe with truth as a foundation we then begin to have a productive discussion about your hate for Christianity.

I doubt it. Some are so obvious that history itself would have to be rewritten. I was taking a jab at the radical atheists in the statements I made and maybe my jab accidentally caught a moderate atheist in the nose. If that's the case I apologize to my moderate atheist brothers and sisters. I have nothing against those that choose not to believe in a God etc. I am saddened because as I said I have moderate atheist friends and I dont want to watch them die when they die.*

I do not believe in a burning hell for gods supreme creation, even if they reject God til the end. The bible tells us they are destined to Sheol which I interpret as a place ranging from the death of the soul or an eternity without God.

That said it is my business when radical malicious and sometimes militant atheists attempt to change tradition VIA destroying Christan or other symbols, or attempt to change a school curriculum. They have the right to attempt the change but its MY RIGHT to go to war with them when they attempt to harm my family the way I worship and 250 year old traditions, to name a few targets of militant atheism.

Again you seem to have an Alzheimer’s level of forgetfulness when it comes to remembering our past debate and discussions. I have defeated you numerous times when you bring up the awful religious wars. Some were bad, most accounts were perverted and corrupted by authors attempting to spin the details for whatever audience their king or leader demanded. Anyway even if every religious war were as horrible as the questionable accounts alluded, still they would PALE in comparison to ONE modern war fought for SECULAR concerns ie the SECULAR concern that JESUS CHRIST TAUGHT WAS MOST EVIL OF ALL GREED, AKA THE LOVE OF MONEY. I have wrote many rebuttals that clearly shown that wars fought for secular concerns, IE the absence of religious restraint or teachings were the true slaughter houses of man, not so called religious wars.

So Cass you see now that we did go there and did touch on what I left out you get a even better spanking than if you didn't attempt to harm us. Next time when I suggest its best 'not to go there' its for the reasons I suggested.

Rev A

 

I agree with some, even most of your post neutral, however I do not think that Jesus is a total pacifist. Remember Jesus is God, and God does allow war for righteous reasons. Now JC did exhibit pacifism for the overwhelming time spent on earth ministering and he taught it as well. That said, he will not be a pacifist when he returns, he will be a warrior. So we must admit that Jesus is not a total pacifist but is righteous in everything he does, because he was and is God.

Rev A

 

why raise irrelevant points RA?

and in addition ... it is actually a good idea to place what Marx said in context:

religion helps you cope. it is like a drug.

I don't need it.

WRT the rest of your post - it is true that religion allowed some people to be set apart and explore ideas, and that has contributed to the advancement of civilisation.

but those same ideas have also been used in a negative way.

any belief system runs that risk, religious or otherwise. And all religions will respond to the times they find themselves in, regardless of their theological base.

WRT galileo, michelangelo, beethoven ... if you make a snide comment about the personal life of any thinker or historical figure, as if this is relevant, you might also say the same for all.

 

Everything I said was relevant, be specific.

No wrong if I understand you correctly. Marx was saying that religion keeps the people from the truth and gives them comfort. To Marx, religion was not the problem, To Marx, religion was not the problem but rather it was a symptom (pain) from a predatory tyrannical economic system. I have often said that government is evil by default, so I am Marx seem to agree if by degrees and not fully. Opiates kill the pain of an ill person, and Marx is saying that religion too is good to kill the pain of an exploitative government and world and religion comforts the suffering with illusion, ie promises of a better place to come. The only difference between Marxs version of religion and mine lies where Marx the atheist thinks that the promises of religion are illusion, I feel that the promises of eternal life and heaven are guaranteed.

Yea THANK YOU!

Yes I have never said that the church back in the day was worse than what they were trying to save the sinners from. The reason is that church and state were combined for one thing, but again I will not go into the other reasons, because I am agreeing with you. Even today some churches are awful, the Westborough church (cult) comes to mind. They are a very small congregation with a big mouth. On down the scale personally I feel nearly ALL the churches are not teaching the bible the way it was intended. I am not talking Westborough church evil just that some of their doctrine has no scriptural support etc. That is why I began my own ministry church and mission.

Of course the church changes! Gods truth does not. In a thread I am discussing with IC about empirical truth vs religious truth I said the church changes and so does the religion to meet the archeological evidence and other emerging evidences. Science truth changes almost daily though compared to religious truth that may take centuries to change, so its a much more stable and believable authority of truth! Don't get me wrong, the bible rarely changes only those that read it changes ha ha~

Why? I was making a point. Where did I make a snide comment? Now I do make irritating and snide rebuttals when someone belittles my beliefs or objects of those beliefs. I claim the mantle of Christianity, but I haven't said I am a nice christian, no the world has billions of them, we need spiritual warriors that know how to straddle the line without being too mean nor too nice. I feel we need more Christians that follow the example of Archangel Michael. He is recognized as the leader of the Archangels and known as the Angel of protection and the defender of the light and goodness. Paul the disciple is cool but as I said there are billions of Pauls we need some Michaels I may be making a huge mistake by saying and striving to do that, however if that is the case God will judge me accordingly. Yes I know all that is silly superstition to you and the usual suspects here at PF. If that is indeed the case why confront us?

Rev Michael...er I mean A

 

W/o getting too deep into this subject, let me just say that I did recv an infilling of the Holy Spirit over 30 yrs ago which changed my life. And this was an experience, similar to when the Catholic Bishop laid hands on me as a 10 YO boy during Confirmation---which is an elevation of the spirit of a person. One may call it 'the ecstasy of the human soul.'

And is compared in scriptures as:

Eph 5:18:

"And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;"

For after my experience as an adult, I immediately had an unquenchable thirst for the word of God, as God became so real to me, and I wanted all that He had for me! And so, I began my reading & searching the scriptures and found many/most early-church NT believers who manifested the same as I did. It also instilled "Boldness" due to the reality that was revealed to me.

All of the results of such an experience are like a 'booster shot' to the believer and equip him to be an effective witness of the Gospel, or Good News of Jesus Christ.

So there is scriptural back ground & spiritual reason for such an experience, not just for self-edification as an 'opiate' would so provide....

 

Steen? Who is steen...

 

Nobody, really--just a purported Quaker and pretty much a nut job (contrary to the suggestion that Quakers were always mellow and not rabid). Nevermind. It was me reminiscing past debate dialogues.

 

Only if you accept the totally non-Christian Old Testament and the drivel accepted to please Constantine. War is totally incompatible with loving your neighbour. As you know.

 

Ha! Funny!!!

 

And ALONG CAME JESUS!!!

 

Read the latest update at this location:
http://www.politicalforum.com/5007928-post1.html

Extremely dynamic and praiseworthy.

 

THANK YOU!!!! I was looking for this... Repped....

 

Hey Brother.... when I see the Lord at work, I will give praise to Him all day long.

 

Just 35 more posts and we can close this thread as you have 'evolved' to another thread of similar but more 'advanced' topic!

 

Evolution at its finest. And who said Christians don't believe in 'evolution'?

 

32 posts, & counting!