Hello. (page 5)

mommy

Logical,
Alot of people on this forum have posted "other" sites. That does not mean they believe everything on that site does it? And Ianao posted this one not to gain converts, but to share what he has found with us.
Kinda like all your sites last night So dear Logical play nice ok?
BTW Larc,
I feel that Gloria has brought up some good points. Ianao may be in a touchy mood because of the knickers he is wearing Just a thought!
wendy

mommy

Sorry if I sound like a Mommy breaking up fights. Both mine stayed home today and that is all I have done Don't mean to offend anyone I love you all!

ianao

OH NO!

Now everyone knows about my nickers...

WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

JAVA

Gloria,

Java, thank you for your patience with me. My point is that one should be thoroughly convinced that what he has is the truthbeforehe accepts that religion. This is what I did. Having the truth is different from believing that you have it. What is untrue is already corrupted but the truth must not be allowed to become corrupted. That would be like eating from the table of Jehovah and from the table of demons.

Don't worry about me being patient--the only thing I lose patience with is a cup with no coffee! Actually, I want to thank you for hanging in there. You've had a lot to chew on, and you've managed to keep your cool; good for you.

You said, "Having the truth is different from believing that you have it." That's a good observation. I might sincerely believe that 2+2=3, but that doesn't mean it's the truth. We can prove that 2+2=4, thus that's truth. Hard science is wonderful because it's provable, and helps guide further research.

Religious study is not hard science. That doesn't mean there is no truth, but means we can't prove it. Religious Studies, and Sociology (the science I studied) are commonly called soft sciences because theories are presented for others to examine, and in time these theories grow into other theories. Religion, per se, is a belief in something we can't prove. A religious concept that was accepted 100 years ago could easily be replaced today. That doesn't happen with the basic hard science of Math. Thus, 2+2=4 is "the Truth" (Using other math base systems can even alter the 2+2 truth.)

A religious truth might be my truth or your truth, but it cannot be the Truth because it's not a provable fact. Most religious ideas are passed down to us from others; we build on them, play with them, form groups who share the same concepts, but in the end these ideas cannot be proven. For example, if religion is hard science, and the Witnesses have "the Truth," who had "the Truth" 300 years ago, 500 years ago, etc.? We can't answer that; why, because religion is not "the Truth." It's only a quest to answer questions we can't prove.

Religion is the stuff that fills the "I wonder stage." Usually when things move from the "I wonder stage" and into the "factual stage," we stop treating them as spiritual. We don't typically think the gods are angry when a area has a flood because we have a better understanding of what causes flooding. Religion is alive and well because we'll always have a lot to wonder about--thank God. However, just because a group of folks got together a little over a 100 years ago to study the Bible and print a magazine doesn't mean their religious walk is "the Truth." Everyone in a religious group thinking they have "the Truth" doesn't make it so. They might have a truth or their truth, but that's as far as it goes. No religion can realistically claim they have "the Truth" because religions and religious ideas are dynamic and changing. "The Truth" does not change.

--JAVA, a cup without coffee is like a room without windows

Edited by - JAVA on 9 February 2001 11:54:12

LDH

In the words of Coolidge from 'The White Shadow,'
"Who you callin' a knicker?"

ianao

Java:

You have put my own thought into words. I agree with you 100%.

-ianao

Simon

spot on larc

neyank

Hi Gloria,
You said one should be convinced it is the truth before they join that religion.
What should that person do,if after they join ,the"truth" is no longer true. And it gets replaced with a newer "truth"?
They might have been convinced that they had the truth before, but what about now?
That is why we must examine everything that is taught as "truth".
Especially from any group that claims to get their truth from God.
God does want us to examine teachings. Remember the Boreans?
They were comended for checking the scriptures to see if what they were being taught was the truth.
We owe it to God to make sure that what we believe to be truth is really His truth.
We can't say to God, It's not my fault. They told me it was the truth. All I did was follow them.

neyank

thinkers wife

Gloria,
A belated welcome. Really hope you stick around. I am thinkers wife, obviously.
Really do look at things with an open mind. This can be difficult. I do feel it is important to examine what we believe. Regardless of whether or not we think it is the truth. "Keep proving to yourself".
TW

ianao

Gloria.

In my arrogance I forgot to welcome you to the board. I meant no personal malice towards you in my previous post. Just wanted to let you know.

-ianao
(Arrogant Windbag Class)

Hello.

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