Greetings, dear NVL! As always, peace to you and let's continue, shall we?
Sigh...and you complained about not understanding the article earlier when they used a colloquialism? Interesting.
Oh, Lordy, Boy, I didn't complain. I misunderstood because I THOUGHT one was SUPPOSED to take science literally. I was TRYING to "believe" what the article seemed to indicate. You corrected me, though... and so I just did what they did (once I knew what it was they did)...
The problem comes in because you cannot consistently define what you yourself are saying, regardless of what language you are speaking or not.
Well, usually I can. It's only when I start taking science literally... and then get told, "Oh, nope, science, although matter of fact, provable, and all that stuff... doesn't really say what it's saying. It sometimes says something else." Which is PERFECTLY fine with ME. I mean, I get it that while science may be "perfect"... those who put their faith in it may not be. As someone imperfect who has their faith in something/something that IS perfect, I totally get that. So, I allow for HUMAN "wiggle room," no problem.
Korean, Chinese, English, French, Greek, Russian...all can be intertranslated as long as all parties agree on what things mean in their native language. You change often.
My "native" language here has always been the same, dear NVL, while perhaps my tone has not. The problem is the "language" YOU think I'm speaking: the same as the "theologians." Be that as it may, you keep making this vague references but offering no backup for them.
You forgot to mention the part where you said he misunderstood his aunt (who are you to judge that?)
I didn't judge. I simply read the account... of what his aunt said... and apparently wanted him to DO. Which the accounts appears to be saying was get up off the bench. But just in case YOU "saw" something I didn't, let's look again:
Then just before the revival ended, they held a special meeting for children, "to bring the young lambs to the fold." My aunt spoke of it for days ahead. That night I was escorted to the front row and placed on the mourners' bench with all the other young sinners, who had not yet beenbrought to Jesus.
My aunt told me that when you were savedyou saw a light, and something happened to you inside! And Jesus came into your life! And God was with you from then on! She said you could see and hear and feel Jesus in your soul. I believed her. I had heard a great many old people say the same thing and it seemed to me they ought to know. So I sat therecalmly in the hot, crowded church, waiting for Jesusto come to me.
The preacher preached a wonderful rhythmical sermon, all moans and shouts and lonely cries and dire pictures of hell, and then he sang a song about the ninety and nine safe in the fold, but one little lamb was left out in the cold. Then he said: "Won't you come? Won't you come to Jesus? Young lambs,won't you come?" And he held out his arms to all us young sinners there on the mourners' bench. And the little girls cried. And some of them jumped up and went to Jesus right away. But most of us just sat there.
A great many old people came and knelt around us and prayed, old women with jet-black faces and braided hair, old men with work-gnarled hands. And the church sang a song about the lower lights are burning, some poor sinners to be saved. And the whole building rocked with prayer and song.
Still I kept waiting to see Jesus.
Finally all the young peoplehad gone to the altarand were saved, but one boy and me. He was a rounder's son named Westley. Westley and I were surrounded by sisters and deacons praying. It was very hot in the church, and getting late now. Finally Westley said to me in a whisper: "God damn! I'm tired o' sitting here.Let's get upand be saved." So he got upand was saved.
Then I was left all alone on the mourners' bench. My aunt came and knelt at my knees and cried, while prayers and song swirled all around me in the little church. The whole congregation prayed for me alone, in a mighty wail of moans and voices. AndI kept waiting serenely for Jesus, waiting, waiting -but he didn't come.I wanted to see him, but nothing happened to me.Nothing!I wanted something to happen to me, but nothing happened.
I heard the songs and the minister saying: "Why don't you come?My dear child,why don't you cometo Jesus? Jesus is waiting for you. He wants you. Why don't you come? Sister Reed, what is this child's name?"
"Langston," my aunt sobbed .
"Langston, why don't you come? Why don't you come and be saved? Oh, Lamb of God! Why don't you come?"
Now, that was the account, yes? And NOWHERE did I see where his Aunt told him that "Jesus" would come to him... BEFORE he was saved... or that he would see a light BEFORE he was saved... or that he would BE saved by "Jesus" coming to HIM. My understanding is that they were being brought... TO... "Jesus." And I saw... where the expectation was, from the GET GO... that HE... would go... to "Jesus"... and NOT the other way around. I saw that even he considered those who did go to have been "saved." Even that last child with him on the bench. But he never budged. Even when his aunt, SOBBING... said, "Langston, why don't YOU come?"
That is what I saw in the account, dear NVL... and commented on.
and that he wasn't paying attention to the songs (again, who are you to judge?), so yeah, you kinda did.
See my comment above. He wasn't paying attention... to anything... or anyone... other than he self-imposed expectation...
My faith, belief and understanding never changes. We can agree to disagree on that :)
Okay. Although I will say it does change... in that it gets stronger and clearer so, yes, I guess it does "change." But it doesn't alter. How about that?
Brave doesn't mean "not afraid". It means doing what you have to do ESPECIALLY when you are afraid.
That's one man's definition. But I know me... and I know I'm not brave. I would be lying to you if I said I was. As I said, I am foolish. That is the truth. However, my faith... which allows me to HEAR my Lord... who is always with me... always... allows me to show courage.
I don't need an out. I do think we need to agree on what something means when one of us thinks the other isn't understanding.
I agree! Can we start by you not attributing to me "theology" and things of that nature that are entirely inaccurate? I promise, it will help you IMMENSELY in understanding. Start with leaving off EVERYTHING you ever learned/knew/were told/taught... about "christians." That's not to say that some isn't true (very little, though)... but so much of it ISN'T... that you need to tear all the way down to the foundation's cornerstone (Christ)... and build from there.
I might use a *little* sarcasm in jest every now and then, but I'll be sure to use winking smiley or something. I don't think I can ENTIRELY leave off. But it won't be mean :)
Okay, that'll help, because I do have a bit of a time deciphering when people are intending to be "funny"... vs. "mean." That;s because I have learned that a lot of folks try to covering their meaness with jokes... and some who claim to "only joking" really aren't. Smiles, etc., will help, thank you - !
I would love to continue this. I REALLY do want to understand what you mean about christ and the photons.
Then, by all means, let's DO! Unfortunately, I recently learned that I may "hijack" threads (and may have done so here, I'm afraid - ARGGHHH!!! ), so if we continue here it should be with dear cameo-d's blessing. Otherwise, "my" thread... or "yours"?
Peace to you, dear NVL, truly...
YOUR servant and a slave of Christ,
SA