I am the type who believes that God can be proven by simply 'taking a look around.' However, I know that this only proves a god and not one particular god. Still though, I find Christ's teachings along with the basic messages of the Bible agreeable which is why I haven't given up on Christianity.
garyneal,
Your comment struck me. A few months back when I was leaving the WTS I accepted an invitation to go to a "non-denominational" Bible study group on John's Gospel. They said they were non-denom, but I kept hearing and reading their material push teachings that were none of their business to lay out as "law". I said to the study conductor that I had left one group that did that and didn't want any more.
I told her that it seemed more relevant for the focus to be on what Jesus mean by John 13:34,35--about love than about whether he was big-G-god or little-g-god.
So she told me that I should be interested in the teaching gospel of Matthew--HE taught practical Christianity but I needed to get used to the idea that John's gospel was meant to be doctrinal.
I asked if the word "doctrine" meant "teach", if all the gospels were to teach.
Yes, she said. But it was important to distinguish between what a Christian is supposed to DO as opposed to what a Christian should BELIEVE. Because proper doctrine means proper worship--practical teaching was another matter.
I read her 1 John 4:20: If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.
That scripture says so simply that "doctrine" of God takes you nowhere. Love is the miracle.
I, too, am open to finding out who God is through Jesus.
I really love what you said.
