Ok, for some more clarifying. I'm not saying I'm against what you're doing, in fact I'm very much for it. You are coming to individuals and getting a wide variety of ideas, which is great. That is very much different from an organization that holds to one set of beliefs and doctrines and is unwilling to look at anything outside those set beliefs. That is what I was commenting on. That is where people need to take the initiative and discover things for themselves and not just take some organization's ideas for their own. However, it is still our responsibility to search things for ourselves and reach our own conclusions.
Reading the Bible is great and quite necessary in learning of Him. However, that's only a part. There is so much more to said relationship than just reading what He has given us.
And no, I don't understand all of the Bible and what is contained therein. And I know I never will understand all of it. But that's what I find so intriguing about it. I learn something new every time I study and think on Him. He's God. If we understood all of who He is, He wouldn't be God.
John 6:60-66 gives one reason for things being difficult. I admit that at first blush, most of the Bible is difficult to understand, especially for those with little or no education. However, anyone with a true desire to know God will make the effort to learn all they can of Him, just as somebody with an interest in golf will learn and practice all they can in order to get better at it. And just as one will never be able to achieve all they can in golf, neither can one understand all that is in the Bible. However, that doesn't mean that person will stop; on the contrary, they will try harder and put more effort into said passion.
slappy