I am, Yao Ming Kicks Ass, suave and sophisticated. Well read, at any rate, and a babe magnet. How you could DARE compare me to this... this THING is beyond the pale. Such comments invite the WRATH OF THE BLADE RUNNER! Do not press your luck, my friend. Go practice your moves, because YOU MAY NEED THEM!! ^^^ Disgusting, lower order robotic joke. Don't let the children see this INSULT TO REPLICANTS EVERYWHERE! Keep D&D Cylon Free!
Nice! Rachael suits me fine, however. Has that "glow," and a little more meat on her high-tech interior. D&D. Cylons are the Work of the Devil!
Thanks, but I’m just speaking to things that I’ve learned and come to understand on my walk with God, so any wisdom in there comes from God and I’m just relaying what I've learned, and any parts I've missed the mark on are all mine.
For the purpose of this discussion let’s differentiate between spirituality and religion. If these become problematic or not precise enough then we can change them, but let’s start here for now. For me the term religion suggests a large, impersonal, institution, while spirituality is very much about a personal experience. I don’t think people need religion in the sense that I don’t think they need to impersonally join a big club of some sort just to belong. I do think there is a spiritual reality to our lives, something that is part of who we are, and that is what I was referring to that people discover and come to have an understanding of. I do also think that humans are social and in fact Christians should come together to be mutually supportive and interact with the world out that spirit of love, but this is an inside out process rather than an outside in process, if that makes sense. The single most important thing in a Christian’s life is their relationship with God, not their relationship with a Church. With respect to the question of redemption, I think it works on both levels, but certainly for me the first issue was the here and now. Perhaps there is a context where it could be the other way around but I can’t think of one. No human is perfect and no one’s life is perfect and if you’re not bringing God into your life to deal with the problems of the here and now then is he really in your life at all? How can you say that God is just for when you die so I can get into heaven? However, once you know God is central/foundational to your daily life then you also begin to see past this life, and then a lot of what the Bible says on this begins to make sense. In fact most of the Bible doesn’t make a whole lot of sense before you become a Christian, and a significant chunk remains foggy even as a Christian, but as you grow as a Christian it seems to progressively reveal itself to you. To put it crudely, it’s sort of like an awakening followed by a process of spiritual growth. I think there are a lot of similarities between Buddhism and Christianity, with the main difference being that Christianity believes that there is an other that created us and the world around us and all that is around us, or created this one energy that encompasses us all if you want to look at it that way. We could do a whole other thread on the question you raise here. Most Christians don’t believe in predestination so most believe that he gave us the free will to choose to accept him or not. There are a few very challenging passages that need to be read very carefully when looking at this question so it is one is interesting to look into, but most Christians believe that we do have free will in this matter, although perhaps the timing and conditions are not of our choice. If you talk to people who became Christians later in life they will often tell you that it wasn’t something that even crossed their mind until a certain set of circumstances presented themselves, but I believe that at that point we all were faced with a choice and we did in theory have the ability to say no, but that process is a very powerful one and a very personal one so I would recommend that if you have further questions about it that you talk to a number of people who’ve gone thought it. Back to the main question, though, I think that God still loves everyone but he has allowed us to make our own choices in this regard. I’m thinking that you may have some particular action in mind that might help focus this question a bit. There are all kinds of good an bad examples over the centuries from the inspirational work of Mother Theresa to forced conversions at the threat of execution before Spanish Inquisition. In a general sense Christians are to be the salt and light of the world (Matt 5), which I believe means that we are not to cut ourselves off from the world but we are to live in it and yet live out of the sprit of love that lives within us. We are to be examples in a sense but not examples of perfection, because we can never be that. We are to live by the Spirit of God, (the fruits of which are love, joy, peace patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control), and others will see that and begin to question what’s behind it. I get the feeling that I’ve missed a previous conversation on this topic, but my response to your first question here is this. I think you should pursue truth. Your description sort of suggests an outside in perspective again, like shopping for a club perhaps, but I think that’s the opposite of how you should go about it. The Bible itself say in Matt 7, “7Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” If Christianity is the truth then no Christian should have a problem with the pursuit of truth. This opens the door to a whole raft of other questions, of course, so ask away if you wish.
the term "fear" in this case, refers not to running and hiding, scaredy cat type fear...but rather to a reverential respect for the Creator. To fear God - is to show your Love and reverence for Him.
At first I thought "what a nutjob" but then I checked my dictionary and lo and behold, you are not one. Apologies. fear /fɪər/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[feer] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation –noun 1. a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc., whether the threat is real or imagined; the feeling or condition of being afraid. 2. a specific instance of or propensity for such a feeling: an abnormal fear of heights. 3. concern or anxiety; solicitude: a fear for someone's safety. 4. reverential awe, esp. toward God. 5. that which causes a feeling of being afraid; that of which a person is afraid: Cancer is a common fear. –verb (used with object) 6. to regard with fear; be afraid of. 7. to have reverential awe of. 8. Archaic. to experience fear in (oneself). –verb (used without object) 9. to have fear; be afraid. Still, I think this thread title is sillier than the fart one. However, more hot Cylons please. Yum yum yum.
I'm Muslim and hence I do not fear Jesus. I revere Jesus like I revere Moses and Abraham and Noah. But I do not fear him. I only fear God Almighty. On an aside, I've never understood the concept behind Jews for Jesus. I know someone suggested RMTex look into it. If you are a Jew that accepts Jesus, doesn't that pretty much make you a Christian?
Jesus says to the rich man give up all that is yours and follow Me. That is a hard thing to do, and many people call themselves christians but they cannot and will not even give up there cell phones for a day to worship. \I find it hard to believe that people who are as highly educated as some of you in this forum, can't read the bible for yourselves. You say that christians are hypocritical, so you won't be apart of that. Well you are closing your minds because of someone elses weakness or failure. There is only one absolute truth and Jesus said I am the Truth and the Light, the only way to the Father is through Me. He also said that only a few would inherit eternal life.
Except that Jewishness is often seen as a cultural or ethnic state of being rather than strictly a religion, isn't it? If it's used in that way then it makes sense.
that's the way I understand it. i know a guy who grew up in Jewish culture...observes Jewish diet and lifestyle, but believes Jesus was the Messiah.
Then he's not jewish in name or state. Maybe he just likes to eat kosher. I'm jewish but I love bacon. That dosen't make me a gentile. Believing that Jesus is the Messiah pretty much excludes you from being jewish...especially since that is one of our most basic tennants, IMO.
I thought Jesus was Jewish (tribe of Judah)??? Many Jews believed Jesus was the Messiah, Saul of Tarsus was of the tribe of Benjamin certainly having that direct of bloodline would make him Jewish. Saul believed Jesus was the Messiah and taught such in the synagogues. Is Jesus considered a false Messiah? Honest question. If so what are the reasons? Thanks
ok. i think we're arguing semantics. he was born Jewish and i'm pretty sure he'd argue with you. but honestly, i don't believe it's worth arguing about. By the way...i'm always looking for an excuse to post my favorite video...this thread is as good as any: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8304756378019746541&q=jesus+video+vintage21
I thought you meant that he just grew up in a jewish neighboorhood or something like that. My bad. I misread it.
