You should have stayed with it instead of letting the superstition obsessed bastards wear you down.
How can one be "worn down" by The Truth?
You know Robert -- it's often taken many a Believer several years to sort through obstructions, barriers, half-truths, and propaganda to finally reveal The Truth. Our biggest obstruction to truths are often our own obstinate ego.
It's similar to a young person sorting out whether it's the Dems or Republicans who actually represent freedom, America's best interests, or the US Constitution. Many people have discovered late in life that they'd been deceived by the Democrat Party and Leftist Media -- especially in recent years.
Back to our discussion -- it's been the Deniers and Detractors of historically proven corroborated scriptural facts and testimony who have been "worn down"...by a steady torrent of lies and ignorance; The victims, their faith and logic held captive and removed via "Stockholm Syndrome" re-programming.
This technique of gaslighting Bible truths, of actual history and of people with un-developed faith is very similar to that used by Democrats/Marxists on HS or college-age kids. The Leftist Media brainwashes them or the uninitiated in much the same manner.
We both know those agenda-driven institutions frame, manipulate, and falsify the data in order to take full advantage of their prey -- a Captive Audience. Many never recover.
Many of the weak-minded and indifferent to the truth are never able to shake their indoctrination, whether political or in the realm of faith. Only the strong, the informed, or those committed to The Truth break free. Better late than never.
Many of the weak-minded and indifferent to the truth are never able to shake their indoctrination, whether political or in the realm of faith.
Really? So explain how Jesus was born. Hint: according to Christian doctrine, he was not born of the flesh like all others. While you are at it ... he died in the flesh, crucified on a cross. Explain why God required this unnatural occurrence to convince you to abandon reason of and about the world around yourself.
Only the strong, the informed, or those committed to The Truth break free. Better late than never.
Hint: according to Christian doctrine, he was not born of the flesh like all others. While you are at it ... he died in the flesh, crucified on a cross.
Uh, yes, Jesus WAS born "of the flesh." He was a Man. God in the flesh. And THAT is exactly what the Bible teaches.
Only the strong, the informed, or those committed to The Truth break free. Better late than never.
So...you only believe only in the "reality" of something your physical senses can see, touch, hear, etc? NOTHING beyond?
Wouldn't that necessarily discount the existence of God or a Creator?
If there exists just a single instance of supernatural event, a miracle, or metaphysical entities (Ghosts, Demons, ESP, Divining, etc), it blows up the entire "Physical Realm Only" theory.
Where is there any supportive objective evidence of the questions I placed in my earlier post? It is all dogma, superstition, gossip and hearsay.
"For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty."
As long as the boy is ministering the word of Jesus, is he not a priest through Jesus' priesthood?
How could Jack Chick possibly disagree with me (until he found out I was a Catholic anyway)?
Peter said we are all part of a royal priesthood:
1 Peter 2 New King James Version (NKJV)
2 Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, 2 as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
4 Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture,
Behold, I lay in Zion A chief cornerstone, elect, precious, And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame. 7 Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient,
The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone, 8 and
A stone of stumbling And a rock of offense. They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed.
9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.
While you are at it ... he died in the flesh, crucified on a cross. Explain why God required this unnatural occurrence to convince you to abandon reason of and about the world around yourself.
Jesus came to die
#10) To destroy hostility between races
The suspicion, prejudice, and demeaning attitudes between Jews and non-Jews in Bible times were as serious as the racial, ethnic, and national hostilities today. Jesus died to create a whole new way for races to be reconciled: he has broken down the dividing wall of hostility making peace through the cross (Ephesians 2:14-16).
It is impossible to build lasting unity among races by saying that all religions can come together as equally valid. God sent his Son into the world as the only means of saving sinners and reconciling races. Only as the races find this reconciliation will they love and enjoy each other.
#9) To give marriage its deepest meaning
Gods design was never for marriages to be miserable, yet many are. Thats what sin does it makes us treat each other badly. Jesus died to change that. He knew that his suffering would make the deepest meaning of marriage plain. Thats why the Bible says, Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her (Ephesians 5:25).
Gods design for marriage is for a husband to love his wife the way Christ loves his people, and for the wife to respond the way Christs people should. This kind of love is possible because Christ died for both husband and wife.
#8) To absorb the wrath of God
Gods law demanded, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might (Deuteronomy 6:5). But we have all loved other things more. This is what sin isdishonoring God by preferring other things over him, and acting on those preferences.
The seriousness of an insult rises with the dignity of the one insulted. Since our sin is against the Ruler of the Universe, the wages of [our] sin is death (Romans 6:23). Not to punish it would be unjust. So God sent his own Son, Jesus, to divert sins punishment from us to himself. God loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiationthe wrath-absorbing substitutefor our sins (1 John 4:10).
Then God publicly endorsed Christs accomplishment by raising him from the dead, proving the success of his suffering and death.
#7) So that we would escape the curse of the law
There was no escape from the curse of Gods law. It was just; we were guilty. There was only one way to be free: someone must pay the penalty. Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us (Galatians 3:13).
The laws demands have been fulfilled by Christs perfect law-keeping, its penalty fully paid by his death. This is why the Bible teaches that getting right with God is not based on law-keeping: A person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ (Galatians 2:16). Our only hope is having the blood and righteousness of Christ credited to our account.
#6) To reconcile us to God
The reconciliation that needs to happen between man and God goes both ways. Gods first act in reconciling us to himself was to remove the obstacle that separated him from usthe guilt of our sin. He took the steps we could not take to remove his own judgment by sending Jesus to suffer in our place: While we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son (Romans 5:10). Reconciliation from our side is simply to receive what God has already done, the way we receive an infinitely valuable gift.
#5) To show Gods love for sinners
The measure of Gods love is shown by the degree of his sacrifice in saving us from the penalty of our sins: he gave his only Son (John 3:16). When we add the horrific crucifixion that Christ endured, it becomes clear that the sacrifice the Father and the Son made to save us was indescribably great!
The measure of his love increases still more when we consider the degree of our unworthiness. God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). Our debt is so great, only a divine sacrifice could pay it.
#4) To show Jesus own love for us
The death of Christ is also the supreme expression that he loved me and gave himself for me (Galatians 2:20). It is my sin that cuts me off from God. All I can do is plead for mercy.
I see Christ suffering and dying to give his life as a ransom for many (Matthew 20:28). And I ask, am I among the many? And I hear the answer, Whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). Jesus paid the highest price possible to give mepersonallythe greatest gift possible.
#3) To take away our condemnation
The great conclusion to the suffering and death of Christ is this: There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). To be in Christ means to be in relationship to him by faith. Christ becomes our punishment (which we dont have to bear) and our worth before God (which we cannot earn).
The death of Christ secures freedom from condemnation for those who believe that Christ has served their death sentence. It is as sure that they cannot be condemned as it is sure that Christ died!
#2) To bring us to God
Gospel means good news, and it all ends in one thing: God himself. The gospel is the good news that at the cost of his Sons life, God has done everything necessary to captivate us with what will make us eternally and ever-increasingly happynamely, himself. Christ suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God (1 Peter 3:18).
#1) To give eternal life to all who believe on Him
Jesus made it plain that rejecting the eternal life he offered would result in the misery of eternity in hell: Whoever does not believe is condemned already....the wrath of God remains on him (John 3:18, 36).
But for those who trust Christ, the best is yet to come. No eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined what God has prepared for those who love him (1 Corinthians 2:9). We will see the all-satisfying glory of God. This is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent (John 17:3).
For all these reasons and more, Christ suffered and died. Why would you not embrace him as your Savior from sin and judgment, and live with God eternally?
If you are moved to embrace Gods Son in this way, tell God in words like these:
Dear God, Im convinced that Jesus suffered and died for my sins. I gratefully trust in him now as my Lord and my precious Treasure and the only way Ill ever receive your forgiveness and your promise of eternal life. Amen.
Since my body and mind are tied to "only to this Physical World" I must say, "YES."
But where is there any supportive objective evidence of the questions I placed in my earlier post? It is all dogma, superstition, gossip and hearsay.
Can you scientifically explain consciousness and reason? It would be great if you could because scientists can't. There are correlations between brain activity but as such no one can explain via materialism how we think, our mind, and how we have consciousness.
'm pretty sure that I do. The reason was, that the early Christians borrowed from Greek and Roman mythology: the idea of SUPER_HEROES in the flesh.
It was the same ol' story line, meeting a different culture; that is all.
Don't remember many Roman and Greek superheroes enduring poverty, cruel deaths, being fed to wild animals and getting their heads chopped of and crucified. Not very happy endings.
Where is the objective evidence of and about those actual physical events other than gossip, hearsay and innuendo?
Again you nuke all history from antiquity with that line of inquiry.
I've walked through the archeology confirming the written word along with the manuscript evidence quite often with you and others (Vic has too) previously.
So pick a historical source other than the Bible and I will use your standard against it and we shall see how it holds. I dare you to try.
Well, where are the witnesses in Jewish, Syrian, Roman or Egyptian literature even in a footnote?
The Jews admitted Jesus existed. In their Talmud they call Him a sorcerer and false prophet.
If you are itching at Jesus never existed, then you are in tinfoil hat territory. There's only one NT scholar who claims Jesus never existed. And he was roundly refuted by agnostic NT scholar Bart Ehrman.
That's a doll. All of those dolls look psychotic. Or maybe the artist wasn't good at drawing toys. What boy (or girl) would have toys like that? Well, unless their parents hated them.
Well, the father of the household did appear in the final cartoon panel, even though he is never named. He was the son-in-law since the wife was calling Mean Grampa "Daddy".
We never did find out how Mean Grampa hurt his foot and ended up in a cast.
IF man was ever going to be permitted to enter the Holy Presence of the Almighty and His Eternal Kingdom, He was required to do so by the only means possible. It should be noted that The Almighty's intention was prophesied far before Jesus Christ, God-in-the-Flesh, was born and died on the cross, a sinless man.
Briefly, Man = Sinner. Allowing a soul with just ONE sin to enter The Almighty's presence would still be allowing Sin to enter His Kingdom. Since Sin is a Spiritual Infection, an un-sterile Spiritual Pathogen, it is VERBOTEN. (No man/women has ever lived sinlessly of their own volition. EVER. Yes, Adam and Eve set that representative standard.)
SOLUTION:
A Sinless proxy had to be sacrificed and die as a sacrificial lamb, payment/ransom for ALL MENS' Sin. It could only be God-in-the-Flesh. Jesus Christ. He was born to die in place of us. FOR ALL OF US.
THIS act of love is the Gift-of-Gifts. And called, "The Grace of God." It results in SALVATION of one's sinful nature, the FULL AND TOTAL cleansing of one's spiritual soul.
This Gift is given freely. Almighty God can then and ONLY then accept Man's soul to enter His presence and Kingdom. But with ONE MAJOR STIPULATION:
The Sinner MUST accept The Gift of Salvation. BY NAME. IN HIS NAME: "Jesus Christ." The request must be made with sincerity in one's heart. (God will know.)
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. ~ John 14:6
#73. To: redleghunter, buckeroo, rlk (#60)(Edited)
Can you scientifically explain consciousness and reason? It would be great if you could because scientists can't.
There are correlations between brain activity but as such no one can explain via materialism how we think, our mind, and how we have consciousness.
Alleged "brainiac" Atheists like Dawkins and the smug/dopey Neil de Grasse are are at a loss on this count.
Bad enough they are 100% unable to explain how some random inanimate force or power accidentally and randomly created animated living things; Even LESS so are these geniuses able to explain just how the human consciousness or even conscience operate -- as both exist externally of the material realm.
Correct -- "The Brain" is NOT one and the same with "The Mind" or Human Spirit.
If they and "Science" can't touch it, "it doesn't exist." Well, they can't "touch love" or "reason" either, but they are as "real" as the physical -- maybe more. One CAN "sense" or feel love, hate, joy, sorrow, etc. DO Dawkins or de Grasse deny these tangible human attributes?
Would they ever return for your following sermons? Or did you bribe your audience with bread scraps ;-)
If you forgot to add the < /sacasm> add it and I will respond, otherwise, go find the answer yourself, it will be found in the both the Old and New Testaments to any that search.
If you forgot to add the < /sacasm> add it and I will respond, otherwise, go find the answer yourself, it will be found in the both the Old and New Testaments to any that search.
"The Brain" is NOT one and the same with "The Mind" or Human Spirit.
Really? How and where did you find that factoid?
The "Brains" of your computer is what? The "Processor" or "Hard Drive"? OR, the guy tapping the keys?
Our "Brain" is just the mechanical component the Mind uses.
The Mind controls Decisions. Emotions. Thoughts.
But here's more food for thought; If someone is in a coma, how is the brain still controlling breathing, cell reproduction, and other automated processes?
Are multiple ethnic "witnesses" required in our ancient "history" books in order to validate their testimony?
That's a good idea otherwise the idea of some small cliche of friends describing events or writing their memories is not considered objective.
So you're saying that a bunch of people who hear the SAME words and see the SAME event and person should be dismissed as a matter of prejudicial bias and presumably, fudged testimony?
Sure. That may be the case in some counts of course. It depends on the motive. The quality of witness. Inconsistencies in corroboration. Quality and reputation of the witness.
But given the quality, consistency, and corroboration of eyewitnesses, doesn't your cynicism fly in the face of the quality of people they were there?
NONE of the places, people, events, or dates has ever been found to have been untrue.
What OTHER historical source of any person or place or event has THIS much corroboration?? That'd be the greatest parlor trick in history!
Did you realize that all the Apostles didn't see and hear exactly the same things and events? But they did all corroborate the Divinity of Jesus Christ.
Matthew, Mark and Luke happen to take the more common view of things -- with slight variations, as if say you, I, and Red hung out constantly for a few years. That's normal, wouldn't you say?
The Gospel of John is a bit different than the others. He's the Apostle who really stresses the reason that Jesus Christ came in the first place (Ex: 3:16).
John is also the Apostle who let's us know that Thomas doubted Jesus' return and Resurrection (See? Even though one of these Apostles witnessed just about ALL these miracles, ONE still couldn't believe Jesus could/would return.) So from the Gospel, we know they also testified about what others said or did.
There is one common thread from ALL FOUR Gospels by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John -- each gives detailed testimony to Jesus Christ's death, burial, and Resurrection. AS WELL as testifying to miracles. In short, all were witness to and testified to supernatural events.
That's why within Christian dogma the evidence is only found by revelation; it is not substantiated by objective affirmation.
You've swerved off the tangent. The "evidence" and confirmation of actual events, real history, and actual conversations is substantiated to the nines. By multiple corroborating personal testimony.
Common sense: IF any Apostles were lying about any of their testimony, wouldn't the Powers-That-Be at the time -- the Jewish Pharisees and Romans -- have easily exposed it and pronounced their findings loudly and widely? Think about it.
There were just way too many witnesses. Both during Jesus' life and during His Resurrection.
Q: WHY would the the Apostles -- including Paul -- memorize and go through the extreme trouble of having their experiences with Jesus Christ written down for the ages? "Follow the money"?? (OH WAIT -- They were POOR.) Personal glory? (OH WAIT -- they were persecuted and hounded by both the Romans and agents of the Jewish Pharisees. All suffered horrible deaths.)
Did you know according to Mark's testimony, members of Jesus own family thought he was crazy? They even gave us that kind of info.
Did you know the Apostle Paul didn't "hang out" with Jesus? Or with Matthew and others?
No, the Apostles and bunch of disciples and countless others were witness to and happened to document the most important event in human history. Some accounts are more or less the same; others singular or different. Again, normal stuff, again, even if you Red and I had hung out together for a few years.
If the Apostles were ever collectively called into court to give testimony, nothing would have changed. Why should it be expected to deny or discount this degree of detailed corroboration from 2000 years ago? The truth is the truth.