But each persons interpretation of the bible is different, PA. So therefore the one path becomes many.

You're not getting it. -_-

I'm not getting what exactly?

Then it becomes a debate over semantics. When I read the Bible, I do not take each word of each verse, analyse and reanalyze and say "what exactly does this mean", for this path leads to fundamentalism.

Rather, I choose to follow the main themes of the bible. We are all one under Christ, in my opinion. If you follow Christ, you are Christian, if not, then not.

Does that make sense?

Regards, PA

no it doesn't really make sense. what you just said is that you don't really look into what the bible is trying to say you just sort of skim over the main points and follow that....well then how can you be as fanatical as you are about it

Yes it makes sense

My point was that there are as many different beleifs as there are people on the planet.

The difference between beleifs and religions, imo: beleif is spiritual; religion is ritual.

Did you go to uni and do a course in the art of twisting one's words? I don't ignore the small pieces, I just do not let it affect my life. Take the book of Revelation for example. It is a highly symbollic book filled with imagery that I cannot hope to understand in its entirety. yet there are many that have and do try to interpret it exactly. And every interpretation is different. So who is right? I don't know. Therefore, I leave it to the intellectual realm, think about it, debate it even, but in the end do not let that affect the way I live my life as a Christian.

Is that clearer?



And I have never denied that. Having faith in the Bible is one thing. Going to church on Sunday's something else entirely, and doing the one does not mean having the other, right

Regards, PA

Bacca
My question would be are they judging others or defending their own?
I would tend to think the latter.

You say you don't believe in turning the other cheek, and I would have to disagree with you.
Do not those who bring out the worst in you, ultimately provide you with the biggest blessings?
If we are going to redeem our betrayals, we must ultimately practice forgiveness. We must eventually recognize the betrayer as the instrument of the sacred, the person who was capable of wounding us in just the right way necessary for our further initiation.
Dunno...whadya think?

Forgiveness is not something that I just give away easily. Like respect that must be earned. So those who have done something wrong aren't just forgiven and all forgotten by me and I wouldn't expect anyone to do so for me. I honestly believe that most people are like that and just less likely to admit it. The act of forgiveness is to hard while just pretending to do so and moving on is more likely what happens in most cases, as can usually be seen at later times if and when an argument ensues and the old topic is brought back up...anyway....as for defending their own religion I don't see it that way. As I see it if you truly and whole heartedly believe in something you have no need to defend it so harshly because it wouldn't matter what anyone else said if your heart believes then what some random person says shouldn't get you so upset..........but that's just my opinion

I think that it's a little like story of the three blind men that find an elephant. One reaches out and touches its trunk and says that it must be like a snake, the other one touches the animals leg and says that it must be like a tree, and the third one finds its tail and says "You two are lying, I'm in touch with the animal and it's like a rope".

Each of them then go back to thier own villages and tell of the remarkable creature that they found in the woods. After a time goes by, the stories get slightly modified from the original. Eventually, someone who can see finds a large animal with big ears and a long nose. He has no idea what it is but, is certain that it is not an elephant. Later, he stumbles into another village where one of the other blind men used to live. When they tell him what they think an elephant looks like he says that they are wrong and they get offended.

War breaks out and everybody dies. The Earth is very sad because there is no one left to make plastic. Then she sees how fat the ants are getting and has a good laugh. And all the animals are happy again, The End!

Yeah, I made up that last part myself.

zero if you were secure in your belief (what ever it is you believe in ) it would not matter to you what belief or non-belief others have.

Edit: removed redundant comment

PA and this is exactly what we have been saying all along religon is righteous,( the right one) and limited yet you get offended, interesting. ts all perspective you can only see within the confines of your religion and according to you there is no other way , now get a bunch of people who think the same way and you have a religion, its not anything divine or sacred its a demonstration of one perspective thinking, I know you boys like to call this god but its only your understanding or adopted world view as told to you by someone , passed down knowledge , according to your philosophy white is only white and can't be anything else because the bible tells you so. Namaste Sheri

^^Ouch^^ Be nice Sheri

Zannie its not meant as an insult, Its what it is , Namaste sheri

Apparently I did not put enough of a sarcastic spin on that post!

Sorry

Nothing to be sorry for I'm a frank to the point type of person who wouldn't ever be saying anything to insult, although there are those that would say otherwise of course, Namaste sheri

For the record I loved your post Sheri and i agree with you so for once I don't really have anything to add......wow, that never happens

I was not being sarcastic towards you Sheri
I had someone else in mind

I would never be offended by you Zannie , your a sweet dragon namaste Sheri

I haven't replied yet. But here goes:

Religions are for those whop choose them.

The reason there are so many is to confuse us or distract us from the true God.

The Devil decieves us. This is why so many look the same. It is not hard to look at it this way.

This is what I believe though.

Thats what you think!

And who made the Devil.....with the knowledge of what he (the devil) was going to do?

So in the end who is really the one that is deceiving us?

God created him. But he also said about - Job that he could test him. He could do anything to him but kill him. And Job still had faith and did not leave God.

Free will.- no matter how you look at it. That is how it is.

Wait a moment....who brought evil to Job?

I recall it was Job that lost all his family, got leprasey, lost his riches, everything. God allowed it.

I am pretty sure it was Job.

God allowed it.

Free will?

2 Tim.1:9
Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

You know Zandore anyone can be saved. It is just a matter of if you want to.

I am not saying you should. But it always can be a consideration.

Jesus is our savior. You can freely accept it or freely reject it. The individuals choice is no one but their own.

Job did it????
I don't think you meant that.

Job 42:11
Then came there unto him all his brethren, and all his sisters, and all they that had been of his acquaintance before, and did eat bread with him in his house: and they bemoaned him, and comforted him over all the evil that the LORD had brought upon him : every man also gave him a piece of money, and every one an earring of gold.

No I meant the guy was Job.

I said God allowed it. In my last part of the 1st sentence.

You made me feel like I was talking about the wrong Bible Character.

see I said God allowed it.

^ see

Yes Sheri, I believe the Bible to be truth. Maybe it is limiting in that sense. It does not limit me though. I am free to question, seek answers, live life. I know you do not take the Bible as truth, yet why do you find it so difficult to understand how someone could choose it as such?

Regards, PA