Deacs of your mastery of literary skills is impressive, but I need to skip the pomp and content.
Everything except what I colored is opinion, interpetation, and subject.
Jesus had two commandments.
First love God with all your heart, mind and body. Second, Love each other as you love yourself.
1. you can't going around "Perfecting the craft of", I love my brother like myself.
2. Neither one states "Practice being a Good Person". Christianity has nothing with being a GOOD PERSON for the sake of being Good. Christ said "Noone is good but the father".
Mark 10:18 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? [there is] none good but one, [that is], God.
So your understanding of what the motives of a Christian is about is hugely misunderstood. It is not in keeping with the first goal "Love God or two, Love each other". That is PIETY and Self exaltation.(much like your writing skills)
Being a "good person" is something being save by works not by grace. Christain or man is NEVER Good "enough" for God. For no man can put his hand to the plow.
Luke 9:62 And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.
If Christianity was about being Good unto myself it would be a waste of time. I could never impress my self with my own righteousness.
Loving God for his Goodness, despite my fallibility is more to the point. I am always amazed at how God could love me, someone who even when trying to do right still fouls things up. (Praise God)
I think I said enough to show you that eventhough you are eloquent writer, your understanding of the topic isn't accurate and lacks girth.
Oh one more thing, God is God all by himself, Faith in God is not God. Faith is not God. God is God. God is not dependent on my faith. No more than if I stop believing in you would would not exist. Well, maybe if I hit the ignore button then you wouldn't exist.. LoL.
My being a rapist, pimp, colonist enslaver does not make God who He is.
If is unfortunate people judge God by what some European capitalist did. And you are in error to think it is their religion.
Jesus said "Many will call my name but I do not know them"
Matthew 7:22-23
Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Lastly, God has ALWAYS in the old and new testament been forgiving.
OLD Testament: 2 Chronicles 7:14
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven,
and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
For you to posture on prostrate on someone's religion, and preclude they that they don't research, when you obvious have never opened a bible is BEYOND MY SENSE OF RATIONAL THINKING.
Did you write your ideas down a few years ago and just copy and paste an auto response?
First, if you are arguing the validity of the bible, you may not bring scriptures inside the bible, but facts surrounding the validity of events.
second, this is evident in leading Jesuit and Theologian universities and colleges, not the nickle and dime internet. The library alone is self evident in Norte Dame as well as Fordham University.
Thirdly to cut argument short on Commandments to follow and what was given in the bible, you go to Matthew 5:18 which tells you automatically that the former rules given by his Father are not to be disobeyed, forgotten, tampered, or evaded. hence the wording not a letter, not a dot would disappear from God's law with his teachings. Hence, don't forget the Commandments of 10.
Lastly, don't take any of these personally as an attack on your person, I don't know your history and everyone made their choices in their pursuit to this very moment, your actions, present and former is your history, more on that part later.
To let you know, I have studied for a combination of 15 years, under the guide of Roman Catholic, Southern Baptist, Seventh Day Adventist, and non-denomination in order to seek before choosing to study in Fordham... and you know what I found out from the 30 odd preachers, ministers, bishops, professors, and deans? that the King James Version among all other versions is the most contradictory in terms and incomplete in both. With the old testament taking only the few books from the Torah and NT reduced to the flimsy reading today in order to support Jesus of Nazareth teachings and the whoring by the disciple which never met him but formed the church, Paul.
I know the words are alarming, although I was disgusted to find the book which was 'written with the spirit so may not be tarnished' or 'eloquently perfect through the words of GOD given to man', but it plainly isn't so. The book in itself as I say gives perfect example of good behavior for humanity albeit it doesn't follow its example in many parts [OT, not NT in that defense]
The only thing that is pointed out is the obvious arguments. The first and foremost, which is not to be taken lightly but asked for others to do if they must pursue since the mandate is 'seek and ye shall find'. look at historians at the time of the walk of the 3 year teachings of Jesus. I don't attribute Christe since it is a title and not part of his name.
The following would be common sense in the modern world as well and would of course end the argument of this.
Which Historian spoke of
-Jesus of Nazareth performing any of the superhuman acts portrayed in any of the Gospels, you may also include the apocrypha if you require of those acts as well.
I say this plainly for 1 reason and that reason alone. If anyone truly seen
-walking on water
-raising from dead
-calming the storms
-healing the obviously incurable
the historian of the empire which ruled as well as province writings would reflect so since they reported on all major events of their time. Not in any 3 of the historians these acts were written or even mentioned, nor his name written in the annals of history other than his death, which was maintained only as record of punishment.
secondly, Pilate was punished and sent to prison to die, but his crimes were losing control of his province to riots and was punished accordingly by Rome. This goes to more than sight simply, this only states the obvious. If superman truly existed, that word would spread like wildfire to the historians since it happened in their backyard. 3 minor revolts at that time made it, the death of the sinner beside him made it, but the superman never made it?
Again, you skip factual content to lean on the words of a book which has been written in hindsight and chosen by a group of men not fit to choose its interpretation. The books themselves other than Paul, who never met him were not written by any of his disciples, only those who followed in the teachings of the disciples via oral history.
This in itself tells me you would take the time to find scriptures in the book to give to others in your defense which is not required, but again won't take the time to research your own religion to see where it originated from than what is written in same book which has been placed under scrutiny in the first place.
I don't mince words, or waste the time to copy and paste rhetoric which is easily thought of or at hand. Again as an escape to this, this is also not a judgement in your faith in the book which you follow because in earnestness I don't care, as it is said, you bear your own burdens on the moment of death in 'to each his own...'.
The only thing I supplied is the facts which disprove the foundation without further seeking the New, since those within your circle are 'Christians' is that correct? not a denomination but those who only follow the teachings of Christe? For you being on this board kind of negates a lot of his teachings in either book... with all of the flesh here and all. with the 2,000+ post all being in defense of upliftment of his words and all. But, battles of the flesh are a bitch and kicks a lot off the road, including those who teach it, especially those who teach it.
You may believe anything that you want to for your mind will continue to argue without seeking any truth yet rely on faith. I get that, I've been there and suffered from it as well. Suffer is a bad word to use, we will say you are convicted by your faith in his teachings.
Plus, God is not forgiveness, God's actions are punishment. Jesus is the Loophole which you seek, for there is little to no leadway through God. Hence, the OT and need of the NT. As it is said, sin is death in those days, for if it wasn't death, Eden would still exist on earth, the sons of Adam would be forgiven and the some odd 1,000+ pages wouldn't need to be written. Sin is never forgiven, and since it is death... you are not forgiven for them. If hell existed, you will be sent there due to it to be with the original sinner, Cain.
Incomplete but will do, I lost interest in this
