I don't care how useless you think it might be to discuss the subject of religious knowledge. It's much better than tiddlywinks
Rather than blindly derive absolute literal certainty about God, heaven, hell etc, from the words in a book, you mean? I lost that in grade school. Common God given goose sense. That's the level of discussion you offer on these forums? You do not listen what I think or believe anyway, In spite of it's been repeated scores of times -- so round and round the roundabout ... a man hears what he wants to hear. Goodnight. Got a life to live ...
I see more than you think. I understand I am not as intelligent as the rest of you here, but is intelligence always the measure of a man?
Ah, thought so. I liked that experience a lot, was very memorable and hopeful for me too just to read it.
2 And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, 3 And said, Verily I say unto you, except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. - Matthew 18 -
@Thomas post #475 I've already said that I don't see any point in scrapping over what might be just a diversion from the said wars that were going on.
Again deliberate attempt to misunderstand and to mislead. Christ was obviously talking about the innocence of children. Or was he saying adults should never grow up and instead retain the minds and intellect of young children? ? That's why it's so ridiculous when a person from another religion tries using NT quotes to back his attacks on Christians. It figures that would be your wise choice -- since you have no position, no ammunition, and no knowledge of the subject ... wiki here I come
Today? Theos esti agape (1 John 4:8) God is love. I can live with the English, but agape is to Love as Logos is to Word. Ask me tomorrow ... different answer.
I was just responding to your comment about how your faith and politics are superior to when you were a child. I'm not so sure that ANY of us can claim that.
John Lennon ALSO claimed "All You Need Is Love" You don't want to know about the nature of God .. you are happy with the mystery .. I get that. I, however, am NOT. I have a very scientific mind .. from a very young age I wanted to know "how everything works". I agree that we can't possibly know everything about God .. that would be a ridiculous claim. ..but burying one's head in the sand, and ignoring the lllogicality of some religious dogma is also ridiculous, imo.
Such as that a third of the world population are going to hell because they don't believe the same thing you do? Also their parents and children and ancestors and future generations?
I think I've already answered that. Nobody will go to hell, without good reason. Almighty God is closer to you than your jugular vein. He knows all. Odds and pieces, bits and pieces.
Such distance! But I don't believe this about you. Rather, "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever". (working from poor memory again). "God is love." "For I am the Lord, I change not."
You said you loved me and you'd always be mine (I'm in pieces, bits and pieces) We'd be together till the end of time (I'm in pieces, bits and pieces) Now you say it was just a game (I'm in pieces, bits and pieces) But all you're doin' is leavin' me pain Our souls are more than "bits and pieces" .. it's not a game.
It never has been a game for me, so this must be for someone else. One who gives sacrifice must be willing to go deeper than the wounds he causes. He's got to make everything right, no matter what it takes. It's all or nothing.
"one who gives sacrifice" That could apply to a great number of people of course .. only God knows what is our true intentions. People have their gurus and their saints. That song just came in to my mind. It followed on from Almighty God knowing what is in the deepest recesses of our minds. It wasn't directed at anybody in particular.
If God had to come "in the flesh" [ whatever that actually means ] in order to save mankind, then why didn't he do it centuries before? .. didn't he care about people enough before then? ..but wait .. @Thomas tells us that the Arians ALSO believed that Jesus was God incarnate. It really beats me why these early Christians, who more or less believed the same thing, hated each other so much. It just does not stack up !
What about these 21st Century Muslims? In the sense that to outsiders the interncine doctrinal dispute does not seem to justify the violence it creates?
I was just about to mention that Let us, for sake of argument, say that they DID both believe that Jesus was "God incarnate". It would then be a simple matter of tribal feuds over power and wealth. ..so why would the "good guys" wish to force people into believing a certain formula? Hmm. Roman history claims that there were all these different heretic groups that needed to be squashed. Pff !