Happy Birthday Purps!
Sad emo
JoinedPosts by Sad emo
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50
I made it!!!
by purplesofa into fifty!!.
never dreamed life would be as it is now, .
there are times i did not think i would make it.
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26
Why dont more Christians invoke a JW-style Satan argument when debating why God allows suffering?
by Half a Person ini have just been watched the first part of a sort-of theist vs atheist debate on youtube featuring christopher hitchens.. what struck me is that in all of these types of debates that ive seen, the christians, when faced with the question why does god allow suffering, never really provide any sort of satisfying answer.
its usually something along the lines of:.
our question shouldnt be what is *god* doing, but, rather, we should ask ourselves: what am *i* doing?
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Sad emo
There's a lot of ground to cover in addressing your question HaP! I'll try to tackle a few now and maybe write a bit more later.
“Our question shouldn’t be ‘What is *God* doing’, but, rather, we should ask ourselves: ‘What am *I* doing?’” (avoiding the question)
Why is that avoiding the question? Lets face it - whether you have a belief in God or not, there ARE situations which we CAN sort out ourselves. For example, many lack food, water, sanitation, housing and healthcare in this world because OTHERS won't share their excess.
“These sort of things are a test.” (as if suffering was some sort of self-improvement programme.)
They can be. Is it a form of self-improvement? That depends on whether you're focused on how much discomfort you're in or whether you're looking towards the end and what you can gain/learn/how you can help others going through the same thing - will you be a better person or a bitter person? Personally, I prefer the word refining to testing - I'm passing through, not enduring!
“When people do bad things, they must face the consequences of their actions.” (in other words – “It’s your fault!” This doesn’t really explain earthquakes, though.)
"It's your fault" - and your problem with being told this is...??? Life is not without consequences, deal with it!
On the subject of earthquakes and other natural disasters, perhaps your thinking is still clouded with the JW idea that God created everything PERFECT. Truth is, the Bible does not say that - it says that He created it VERY GOOD - it was made how He intended, 'perfectly flawed' if you like. If this planet didn't have its present makeup - superhot core, fault lines etc, it could not exist and support life as it does. Neither God or Satan causes natural disasters - they just happen.
“God *has* intervened before, but doesn’t do it too much, because he allows humans to have free will.” (But how does this explain e.g. terminal illnesses which aren’t caused by free will?)
Sorry, I don't understand your line of reasoning here! Did you mean we should expect God to heal terminal illness because it wasn't someones intention to be ill? Imvho, any of the replies I've given above can apply to why God doesn't physically heal people, ie give people the healthcare they need where possible, sometimes, illness IS due to bad lifestyle habits. The hardest one to talk about is the 'refining' - how do terminally ill people (and those around them) learn to live with their condition? I've lost many dear friends to cancer in the past couple of years, even though they were in great pain, I saw something in their lives that I don't always see in 'healthy' people - they had peace, joy, dignity, love, they had risen above the human cesspit. I don't know about you, but I would say they had been healed in a different way...
JW would answer by saying that the world is currently ruled by Satan (1 John 5:19), “because how could Satan offer Jesus ‘all the kingdoms of the world’ unless they were his to offer?’” (Matt 4:8, 9). Then they would probably pluck a few verses from all over the bible (Daniel 2:44, Revelation 21:3, 4) to show that God has big plans for the future, when He’s going to “sort everything out.”
Umm - that is how other Christians do view the world! But just a couple of points:
a - Satan does rule the world in a way - but he is a defeated ruler, and he knows his time is short.
b - He offered Jesus all the kingdoms of the world, not because they are his but because he's a liar!!!
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Oh, I see. So God knows about all the problems in the world, he’s upset by them, it’s not his fault, he has a plan and he’s going to do something about it soon™. That makes sense.”
Sure does! the bottom line is this - yes sometimes Satan does cause problems (a vast subject - but Ephesians 6:11-13 should give you a hint!), often he gets TOO MUCH credit for bad stuff that was nothing to do with him!
And that's why we rarely use Satan as an excuse for the world's problems!
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35
Earthquake and tsunami near Samoa
by Sad emo inthe tsunami has already hit american samoa after an 8.3 quake under the ocean.
new zealand is on alert .
i hope all are kept safe.. http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/aleqm5gcqyrcaxxr6t5ucx_wlbd_qbamqwd9b16es80.
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Sad emo
Sad emo, you should be fine there in Palestine.
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Sad emo
I was in Beijing four years before the Olympics and they were already tearing down much of the city and rebuilding it to "clean it up" (I never saw so many cranes in all my life). I wonder what will happen to Rio and its slums in the next few years.
Good point Leolaia. I hope they don't 'disappear' whole communities like they have been doing with the street kids for decades
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Sad emo
To the Father through the Son in the Spirit
Well, a lot of the time anyway, sometimes I pray for what I want rather than what's needed
But God is merciful
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62
What/Who are the Saints?
by PSacramento inaccording to the ot:.
saints :gadowsh meaning holy one and referes to those that have kept themselves free of difelment, idolatry, and other unlcean and profane things or the word gaddiysh which means those who are sacred to the most high, but can also man gods or deities.. in the nt:.
saint: hagios, meaning someone(something) revered, worthy of veneration, someone whos services god employs.. both meaning show that the individul is special and unique in god's eyes, yet there is no mention of any saint by name, the term always being use din the plural.. paul often addresses his letters to "the saints" of whatever church he was writing too and mentions "the saints" in general.. .
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Sad emo
The answer that I'm looking for is this, deeds or works no matter how wonderful they may appear to others, are irrelevant.
I agree!
Christ likeness is a condition of the heart, that ONLY comes by FAITH in Christ.
I agree with the first part. I disagree with the second!!
How could a Pharisee for example be like Christ? It wouldn't matter what good deeds they did (and Pharisees did many), they could not be Christ like, without faith in Him.
A Pharisee could have been like Christ (in behaviour, not perfection!) if he had observed the Law in a spirit of JUSTICE, MERCY and HUMILITY. Even Christ commended them for their righteousness - what annoyed him was their cold spirited observance - they DID law rather than LIVING it.
He has showed you, O man, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 7:812 When Jesus heard that, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13 But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” Matt 9
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62
What/Who are the Saints?
by PSacramento inaccording to the ot:.
saints :gadowsh meaning holy one and referes to those that have kept themselves free of difelment, idolatry, and other unlcean and profane things or the word gaddiysh which means those who are sacred to the most high, but can also man gods or deities.. in the nt:.
saint: hagios, meaning someone(something) revered, worthy of veneration, someone whos services god employs.. both meaning show that the individul is special and unique in god's eyes, yet there is no mention of any saint by name, the term always being use din the plural.. paul often addresses his letters to "the saints" of whatever church he was writing too and mentions "the saints" in general.. .
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Sad emo
DD, I think that once again, you are making an unnecessary play on words!
What is Christlike behaviour?
You don't need me to answer that. What was Christ like when he was on earth?! WWJD?
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62
What/Who are the Saints?
by PSacramento inaccording to the ot:.
saints :gadowsh meaning holy one and referes to those that have kept themselves free of difelment, idolatry, and other unlcean and profane things or the word gaddiysh which means those who are sacred to the most high, but can also man gods or deities.. in the nt:.
saint: hagios, meaning someone(something) revered, worthy of veneration, someone whos services god employs.. both meaning show that the individul is special and unique in god's eyes, yet there is no mention of any saint by name, the term always being use din the plural.. paul often addresses his letters to "the saints" of whatever church he was writing too and mentions "the saints" in general.. .
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Sad emo
I knew you'd pull that scripture out of the bag DD!
Do you really believe you can keep the law?
If you stand before God with anything other than the righteous deeds of Christ, you'll be naked, you will die in you sins.
Of course not, otherwise there would have been no need for Christ's sacrifice!
What I'm suggesting is that God might declare someone righteous if He wishes - even if it is without their knowledge. Like Abraham and Rahab, they are 'working out their salvation, for it is God who is working in them' (See Philippians 2:12-13) - I'm a great believer in deathbed conversions - well if the thief on the cross could....!
How do you see these verses in Romans 2:
All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. 13 For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. 14 (Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law, 15 since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.) 16 This will take place on the day when God will judge men's secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares
Or these:
"I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." It does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy.
Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
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62
What/Who are the Saints?
by PSacramento inaccording to the ot:.
saints :gadowsh meaning holy one and referes to those that have kept themselves free of difelment, idolatry, and other unlcean and profane things or the word gaddiysh which means those who are sacred to the most high, but can also man gods or deities.. in the nt:.
saint: hagios, meaning someone(something) revered, worthy of veneration, someone whos services god employs.. both meaning show that the individul is special and unique in god's eyes, yet there is no mention of any saint by name, the term always being use din the plural.. paul often addresses his letters to "the saints" of whatever church he was writing too and mentions "the saints" in general.. .
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Sad emo
DD if you believe that the first 5 books were all written in their entirety by Moses, there's no point in me discussing whether or not people such as Rahab were expecting a Messiah.
Re your reply to my question about what faith has to do with whether people can live a Christlike life without believing in his sacrifice - it doesn't answer the question at all.
Quite simply, there ARE people who DO try to live by the principles taught in the gospels, whether or not they have ever even heard the gospel. Here's a scary thought - some might even be ATHEISTS!!!!!!! the shock, the horror!!!
Unless you are one who believes that the verses I quoted from Matthew's Gospel about the final judgement apply only to the seperation of good/bad Christians as opposed to the universal judgement, I don't see how you can deny that there are non-Christians who feed the hungry, visit the sick etc.
Note from that passage also that Jesus doesn't mention belief in him or his sacrifice - only the evildoers and the righteous.
Hoping you don't turn down the party invitation
“Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.’ “But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him. So he answered and said to his father, ‘Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends. But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.’
“And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.’” -
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Earthquake and tsunami near Samoa
by Sad emo inthe tsunami has already hit american samoa after an 8.3 quake under the ocean.
new zealand is on alert .
i hope all are kept safe.. http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/aleqm5gcqyrcaxxr6t5ucx_wlbd_qbamqwd9b16es80.
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Sad emo
Thanks for posting the videos Leolaia.
It's scary how powerful tsunamis are. The video of the wave hitting the already flooded area was really disturbing to me. It just doesn't look to be much but suddenly... you can begin to understand why people don't see these things coming in time to escape