How To Get To Heaven When You Die. Read The First Post. Then Q&A Discussion. Ask Questions Here! (2 (5 Viewers)

[Zow]

The key is to be a truth seeker rather than trying to win an argument.

The key to being a truth seeker isn't constantly telling people you're right and they're wrong. Your entire attitude in these threads is completely off-putting, even to those who are already converted. I'd suggest you consider other ways to present Christianity because, IMO, you're hurting rather than helping the cause.

I'm here to teach the word of God. I am here to tell you things that you want to hear. The Bible is the word of God and if your beliefs line up with that then they are correct and if they don't they are false. Love speaks the truth and that is the truth.

Have you ever heard of the Dunning-Kruger effect? It's the psychological concept whereby an intelligent, learned individual on a probably subject matter underestimates and thereby downplays their knowledge on a particular issue. In other words, the learned individual recognizes just how complicated the issue is and therefore just how much the individual doesn't know about it despite being relatively brilliant on the issue. In contrast, a much lesser competent exudes much more confidence and assertion when discussing the same subject because, in short, the lesser competent individual simply doesn't know enough to realize how little he knows about the issue.

As people have implored you to understand and recognize, it is incredibly off-putting to the average reader or listener when you come into these threads with this hyper-confidence that you and only you have all of these answers and you make no effort to even try to recognize and appreciate what you don't know. The reasonably inference to be drawn by your behavior is to assume, with the Dunning-Kruger effect in mind, you therefore have very little actual knowledge on the topic you speak (or "preach" to use your word) about and immediately dismiss whatever message it is you are trying to send. I imagine the fact that the issue you raise - how to get to heaven, a topic that has been debated for centuries - only exacerbates this effect.

I'd humbly suggest that "love" speaks more to compassion and understanding of differing viewpoints than to your rigid, blackline assertions.

 

[Captain Cranks]

I'm here to teach the word of God. I am here to tell you things that you want to hear. The Bible is the word of God and if your beliefs line up with that then they are correct and if they don't they are false. Love speaks the truth and that is the truth.

That's your truth. No matter how many times it's repeated it will never become more than that.

 

[Bottomfeeder Sports]

My responses are not cut and paste. I have a calling on my life to share the gospel with the masses so that they will be without excuse when they stand before the Lord and are Judged on whether the accepted God's gift of Salvation or not. I hope you all do.

I sure hope that one seeing these threads, even participating in these threads doesn't check a box to condemn them to hell because they no longer have the excuse.

I don't want to see anybody go to hell that's why I'm here. But the people that read the gospel and reject it are not going to have any excuse before God

I don't doubt you, but you might want to think about what is wrong with your phrasing here-

"...my life to share the gospel with the masses so that they will be without excuse..."

And how it is indicative of your delivery.

 

[-fish-]

He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written:

“‘These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me."

 

[Paddington]

The key is to be a truth seeker rather than trying to win an argument.

The key to being a truth seeker isn't constantly telling people you're right and they're wrong. Your entire attitude in these threads is completely off-putting, even to those who are already converted. I'd suggest you consider other ways to present Christianity because, IMO, you're hurting rather than helping the cause.

I'm here to teach the word of God. I am here to tell you things that you want to hear. The Bible is the word of God and if your beliefs line up with that then they are correct and if they don't they are false. Love speaks the truth and that is the truth.

how do you know what i want to hear?

It doesn't matter what you want or don't want to hear, the point is to tell the truth and seek the truth.

 

[Paddington]

Also, do you think the point of becoming a Christian is to get into heaven, like you're getting a subscription to Amazon Prime? Is loving others and caring for the underprivileged just a means to an end for you? The entire point of this thread seems pretty misguided.

Well then you don't know the scriptures if you think that. I base my beliefs on the scriptures.

Your threads and scripture have very little in common, illustrated clearly and succinctly in the above post. Biblical teaching isn't about "how to get to heaven". It is, as -fish- points out, focused on loving others (not just wives) as Christ loved the church. It's about coming along side people and meeting where they are. Lifting them up and supporting them in their life's journey. It's about doing your best to live a life that is as Christ like as possible and showing people who God is through you.

So you are arguing for a good works get you to heaven viewpoint? That's false. That's not what the Bible says.

Titus 3:5-6 KJV
[5] not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; [6] which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;

 

[Paddington]

My responses are not cut and paste. I have a calling on my life to share the gospel with the masses so that they will be without excuse when they stand before the Lord and are Judged on whether the accepted God's gift of Salvation or not. I hope you all do.

I sure hope that one seeing these threads, even participating in these threads doesn't check a box to condemn them to hell because they no longer have the excuse.

I don't want to see anybody go to hell that's why I'm here. But the people that read the gospel and reject it are not going to have any excuse before God

I don't doubt you, but you might want to think about what is wrong with your phrasing here-

"...my life to share the gospel with the masses so that they will be without excuse..."

And how it is indicative of your delivery.

If I seem brash, perhaps it’s because many of those in this thread have been brash. I want to see people saved, but if they are going to get offended, I am going to tell them the truth anyway. That's what love does, it tells the truth. Love doesn't affirm lies that lead people to destruction and damnation.

 

[Paddington]

He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written:

“‘These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me."

Exactly. If you are going to serve the Lord, you can't worry about what men think over what God thinks. God and His will must come first. That is offensive to the world.

John 15:18-20 KJV
[18] If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. [19] If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. [20] Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep your's also.

 

[BlackCrowes]

The key is to be a truth seeker rather than trying to win an argument.

The key to being a truth seeker isn't constantly telling people you're right and they're wrong. Your entire attitude in these threads is completely off-putting, even to those who are already converted. I'd suggest you consider other ways to present Christianity because, IMO, you're hurting rather than helping the cause.

I'm here to teach the word of God. I am here to tell you things that you want to hear. The Bible is the word of God and if your beliefs line up with that then they are correct and if they don't they are false. Love speaks the truth and that is the truth.

how do you know what i want to hear?

It doesn't matter what you want or don't want to hear

Then maybe don’t say “I am her to tell you things that you want to hear”

 

[Sparky Polastri]

Also, do you think the point of becoming a Christian is to get into heaven, like you're getting a subscription to Amazon Prime? Is loving others and caring for the underprivileged just a means to an end for you? The entire point of this thread seems pretty misguided.

Well then you don't know the scriptures if you think that. I base my beliefs on the scriptures.

Your threads and scripture have very little in common, illustrated clearly and succinctly in the above post. Biblical teaching isn't about "how to get to heaven". It is, as -fish- points out, focused on loving others (not just wives) as Christ loved the church. It's about coming along side people and meeting where they are. Lifting them up and supporting them in their life's journey. It's about doing your best to live a life that is as Christ like as possible and showing people who God is through you.

So you are arguing for a good works get you to heaven viewpoint? That's false. That's not what the Bible says.

Titus 3:5-6 KJV
[5] not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; [6] which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;

no

Grace is how one gets to heaven. "How to get to heaven" isn't the focus of the faith. What I listed above is the focus of the faith.

 

[Sparky Polastri]

My responses are not cut and paste. I have a calling on my life to share the gospel with the masses so that they will be without excuse when they stand before the Lord and are Judged on whether the accepted God's gift of Salvation or not. I hope you all do.

I sure hope that one seeing these threads, even participating in these threads doesn't check a box to condemn them to hell because they no longer have the excuse.

I don't want to see anybody go to hell that's why I'm here. But the people that read the gospel and reject it are not going to have any excuse before God

I don't doubt you, but you might want to think about what is wrong with your phrasing here-

"...my life to share the gospel with the masses so that they will be without excuse..."

And how it is indicative of your delivery.

If I seem brash, perhaps it’s because many of those in this thread have been brash. I want to see people saved, but if they are going to get offended, I am going to tell them the truth anyway. That's what love does, it tells the truth. Love doesn't affirm lies that lead people to destruction and damnation.

You should probably do a word study of love in the Bible. You are GROSSLY off.

 

[The Longtime Lurker]

My responses are not cut and paste. I have a calling on my life to share the gospel with the masses so that they will be without excuse when they stand before the Lord and are Judged on whether the accepted God's gift of Salvation or not. I hope you all do.

I sure hope that one seeing these threads, even participating in these threads doesn't check a box to condemn them to hell because they no longer have the excuse.

I don't want to see anybody go to hell that's why I'm here. But the people that read the gospel and reject it are not going to have any excuse before God

I don't doubt you, but you might want to think about what is wrong with your phrasing here-

"...my life to share the gospel with the masses so that they will be without excuse..."

And how it is indicative of your delivery.

If I seem brash, perhaps it’s because many of those in this thread have been brash. I want to see people saved, but if they are going to get offended, I am going to tell them the truth anyway. That's what love does, it tells the truth. Love doesn't affirm lies that lead people to destruction and damnation.

You should probably do a word study of love in the Bible. You are GROSSLY off.

You mean Jesus didn't say "if they slap you in the cheek slap them back"?

 

[-fish-]

He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written:

“‘These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me."

Exactly. If you are going to serve the Lord, you can't worry about what men think over what God thinks. God and His will must come first. That is offensive to the world.

John 15:18-20 KJV
[18] If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. [19] If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. [20] Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep your's also.

you seem to have completely missed the point

 

[dkp993]

He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written:

“‘These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me."

Exactly. If you are going to serve the Lord, you can't worry about what men think over what God thinks. God and His will must come first. That is offensive to the world.

John 15:18-20 KJV
[18] If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. [19] If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. [20] Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep your's also.

you seem to have completely missed the point

Again

 

[Paddington]

The key is to be a truth seeker rather than trying to win an argument.

The key to being a truth seeker isn't constantly telling people you're right and they're wrong. Your entire attitude in these threads is completely off-putting, even to those who are already converted. I'd suggest you consider other ways to present Christianity because, IMO, you're hurting rather than helping the cause.

I'm here to teach the word of God. I am here to tell you things that you want to hear. The Bible is the word of God and if your beliefs line up with that then they are correct and if they don't they are false. Love speaks the truth and that is the truth.

how do you know what i want to hear?

It doesn't matter what you want or don't want to hear

Then maybe don’t say “I am her to tell you things that you want to hear”

I didn't say that. I said I am not here to tell you things that you want to hear.

 

[Paddington]

Also, do you think the point of becoming a Christian is to get into heaven, like you're getting a subscription to Amazon Prime? Is loving others and caring for the underprivileged just a means to an end for you? The entire point of this thread seems pretty misguided.

Well then you don't know the scriptures if you think that. I base my beliefs on the scriptures.

Your threads and scripture have very little in common, illustrated clearly and succinctly in the above post. Biblical teaching isn't about "how to get to heaven". It is, as -fish- points out, focused on loving others (not just wives) as Christ loved the church. It's about coming along side people and meeting where they are. Lifting them up and supporting them in their life's journey. It's about doing your best to live a life that is as Christ like as possible and showing people who God is through you.

So you are arguing for a good works get you to heaven viewpoint? That's false. That's not what the Bible says.

Titus 3:5-6 KJV
[5] not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; [6] which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;

no

Grace is how one gets to heaven. "How to get to heaven" isn't the focus of the faith. What I listed above is the focus of the faith.

The focus is on faith. Read the post

 

[Paddington]

My responses are not cut and paste. I have a calling on my life to share the gospel with the masses so that they will be without excuse when they stand before the Lord and are Judged on whether the accepted God's gift of Salvation or not. I hope you all do.

I sure hope that one seeing these threads, even participating in these threads doesn't check a box to condemn them to hell because they no longer have the excuse.

I don't want to see anybody go to hell that's why I'm here. But the people that read the gospel and reject it are not going to have any excuse before God

I don't doubt you, but you might want to think about what is wrong with your phrasing here-

"...my life to share the gospel with the masses so that they will be without excuse..."

And how it is indicative of your delivery.

If I seem brash, perhaps it’s because many of those in this thread have been brash. I want to see people saved, but if they are going to get offended, I am going to tell them the truth anyway. That's what love does, it tells the truth. Love doesn't affirm lies that lead people to destruction and damnation.

You should probably do a word study of love in the Bible. You are GROSSLY off.

When you can show me where Jesus lied to people in affirm their sin in the Name of Love I will believe you

 

[Paddington]

He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written:

“‘These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me."

Exactly. If you are going to serve the Lord, you can't worry about what men think over what God thinks. God and His will must come first. That is offensive to the world.

John 15:18-20 KJV
[18] If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. [19] If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. [20] Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep your's also.

you seem to have completely missed the point

Again

Nope that is the point

 

[Sparky Polastri]

Time to wrap this one up. We got to the end quickly this time. When one can't take the time to read the posts they are responding to and instead intentionally mischaracterize the posts in order to keep the thread going, it's time to lock her up!! EVERY.SINGLE.TIME!

When one has better conversations on this subject with self proclaimed atheists as they get the concepts better, we should be giving pause shouldn't we?

 

[Sparky Polastri]

My responses are not cut and paste. I have a calling on my life to share the gospel with the masses so that they will be without excuse when they stand before the Lord and are Judged on whether the accepted God's gift of Salvation or not. I hope you all do.

I sure hope that one seeing these threads, even participating in these threads doesn't check a box to condemn them to hell because they no longer have the excuse.

I don't want to see anybody go to hell that's why I'm here. But the people that read the gospel and reject it are not going to have any excuse before God

I don't doubt you, but you might want to think about what is wrong with your phrasing here-

"...my life to share the gospel with the masses so that they will be without excuse..."

And how it is indicative of your delivery.

If I seem brash, perhaps it’s because many of those in this thread have been brash. I want to see people saved, but if they are going to get offended, I am going to tell them the truth anyway. That's what love does, it tells the truth. Love doesn't affirm lies that lead people to destruction and damnation.

You should probably do a word study of love in the Bible. You are GROSSLY off.

When you can show me where Jesus lied to people in affirm their sin in the Name of Love I will believe you

And this is a perfect example. In the above the assertion is that "love" is telling the truth. No, love isn't. God is. Love doesn't "lead" anything. God does. Then right below it a completely false premise is created by the same poster. We all know/believe that Jesus was perfect (thus never lied), so a completely false "if, then, else" scenario created with only one "right" solution. Problem is, no one said that and no one would disagree with the "if, then, else" but it's completely fabricated and has nothing to do with the original point.

 

[massraider]

People feel/hear a "calling" regularly. People are inspired to do things. People devote their lives to things.


And sometimes, those people are really bad at those things.

*****

Edited

 

[Nugget]

I used to hear similar arguments when I was a student at KU from a cute little church in Topeka. They brought signs and picketed soldiers funerals.

 

[Sparky Polastri]

People feel/hear a "calling" regularly. People are inspired to do things. People devote their lives to things.


And sometimes, those people are really bad at those things.

I can't speak for anyone else, but in my belief system, the bold is evidence that while those people might have a "calling", it's not one from a perfect God. So when I see this situation, I automatically assume such.

 

[Joe Bryant]

This is a different angle maybe but one that I feel

People feel/hear a "calling" regularly. People are inspired to do things. People devote their lives to things.


And sometimes, those people are really bad at those things.

*****

Edited

Agreed. Some people are bad at things.

Also, I edited the end. I don't think this is what you're doing, but some will race to see what the person who did terrible things is aligned with and use social to smear their side associating the person with "their" group.

I see it from all sides.

Let's leave that out please.

 

[dkp993]

This is a different angle maybe but one that I feel

People feel/hear a "calling" regularly. People are inspired to do things. People devote their lives to things.


And sometimes, those people are really bad at those things.

*****

Edited

Agreed. Some people are bad at things.

Also, I edited the end. I don't think this is what you're doing, but some will race to see what the person who did terrible things is aligned with and use social to smear their side associating the person with "their" group.

I see it from all sides.

Let's leave that out please.

Joe- i’m not trying to box you in, it’s your site and your right to manage how you see fit. But it’s been asked in this thread multiple times, so I’m sure you’ve seen it. But why do you allow this thread to continue to re-populate time and time and time again? It seems counterintuitive to how you manage all the other moderation around here. Thanks.

 

[Joe Bryant]

This is a different angle maybe but one that I feel

People feel/hear a "calling" regularly. People are inspired to do things. People devote their lives to things.


And sometimes, those people are really bad at those things.

*****

Edited

Agreed. Some people are bad at things.

Also, I edited the end. I don't think this is what you're doing, but some will race to see what the person who did terrible things is aligned with and use social to smear their side associating the person with "their" group.

I see it from all sides.

Let's leave that out please.

Joe- i’m not trying to box you in, it’s your site and your right to manage how you see fit. But it’s been asked in this thread multiple times, so I’m sure you’ve seen it. But why do you allow this thread to continue to re-populate time and time and time again? It seems counterintuitive to how you manage all the other moderation around here. Thanks.

No worries, GB. That’s not boxing me in. I’ve struggled with the right thing to do on this and honestly don’t know.

I don’t want to squash legitimate discussion, which this can be. But obviously we’ve had stops and starts. I’ve been trying to work on a plan that would be more Big picture as I want to make sure I give all religions the same leeway.

But it takes some thought to get it right and every time it seems like I try to do something without putting enough thought into it, it turns out even worse. And I’m buried with some critical FBG projects. Hopefully we will try to have something this week maybe. Jo

 

[ex-ghost]

The problem is this is NOT legitimate discussion and there are numerous threads where the same thing is happening. Keep it to one thread, please.

 

[JohnnyU]

If you believe in the Bible and heaven now is the time consider we seem to be living in the times of Sodom and Gomorrah again.

 

[dkp993]

If you believe in the Bible and heaven now is the time consider we seem to be living in the times of Sodom and Gomorrah again.

Yeah, cuz those 13th and 14th centuries were so pious, righteous and pure. And the 5th through the 10th centuries, man, what a time to be alive.

 

[Bottomfeeder Sports]

If you believe in the Bible and heaven now is the time consider we seem to be living in the times of Sodom and Gomorrah again.

49;“‘Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. 50They were haughty and did detestable things before me. Therefore I did away with them as you have seen.​

​

God is not a fan of arrogantly being indifferent to your neighbor. Funny how most people that jump to Sodom and Gomorrah ignore that the bible spells out what was wrong there and focus on, well you know.

 

[BrutalPenguin]

I cant remember a decade where we weren't in "the end days"

 

[Psychopav]

I cant remember a decade where we weren't in "the end days"

Well, yeah, Jesus and Paul both say that we are. Basically anything with an "A.D." after the date are in the end days.

 

[Paddington]

This is a different angle maybe but one that I feel

People feel/hear a "calling" regularly. People are inspired to do things. People devote their lives to things.


And sometimes, those people are really bad at those things.

*****

Edited

Agreed. Some people are bad at things.

Also, I edited the end. I don't think this is what you're doing, but some will race to see what the person who did terrible things is aligned with and use social to smear their side associating the person with "their" group.

I see it from all sides.

Let's leave that out please.

Joe- i’m not trying to box you in, it’s your site and your right to manage how you see fit. But it’s been asked in this thread multiple times, so I’m sure you’ve seen it. But why do you allow this thread to continue to re-populate time and time and time again? It seems counterintuitive to how you manage all the other moderation around here. Thanks.

If you are on the side of good why are you trying so hard to shut this thread down? Why not just leave and move on to another one?

 

[Paddington]

This is a different angle maybe but one that I feel

People feel/hear a "calling" regularly. People are inspired to do things. People devote their lives to things.


And sometimes, those people are really bad at those things.

*****

Edited

Agreed. Some people are bad at things.

Also, I edited the end. I don't think this is what you're doing, but some will race to see what the person who did terrible things is aligned with and use social to smear their side associating the person with "their" group.

I see it from all sides.

Let's leave that out please.

Joe- i’m not trying to box you in, it’s your site and your right to manage how you see fit. But it’s been asked in this thread multiple times, so I’m sure you’ve seen it. But why do you allow this thread to continue to re-populate time and time and time again? It seems counterintuitive to how you manage all the other moderation around here. Thanks.

No worries, GB. That’s not boxing me in. I’ve struggled with the right thing to do on this and honestly don’t know.

I don’t want to squash legitimate discussion, which this can be. But obviously we’ve had stops and starts. I’ve been trying to work on a plan that would be more Big picture as I want to make sure I give all religions the same leeway.

But it takes some thought to get it right and every time it seems like I try to do something without putting enough thought into it, it turns out even worse. And I’m buried with some critical FBG projects. Hopefully we will try to have something this week maybe. Jo

Joe if the true gospel is going to be spoken then those who do not have this light are going to oppose it. That's what's going on here in reality. I am here and I am willing to discuss this but the problem is there are some here who's only goal is to shut this thread down. They could simply move on to a different thread but they don't want this topic to even be discussed. It's really sad if you ask me. PLEASE do not cater to these people. Their whole goal is for you to shut down the discussion here. That's what it's all about for them.

 

[Paddington]

The problem is this is NOT legitimate discussion and there are numerous threads where the same thing is happening. Keep it to one thread, please.

I agree please keep this open. And let those who hate this thread move on to another one. I am here and I am willing to discuss this topic. But there are some here who's only goal is to shut this thread down.

 

[Paddington]

If you believe in the Bible and heaven now is the time consider we seem to be living in Sodom and Gomorrah again.

We are certainly living in the last days

 

[Paddington]

I cant remember a decade where we weren't in "the end days"

The last days covers the time that Christ ascended into heaven until the rapture. But we are certainly close to the rapture.

 

[Paddington]

I cant remember a decade where we weren't in "the end days"

Well, yeah, Jesus and Paul both say that we are. Basically anything with an "A.D." after the date are in the end days.

From the resurrection of Christ in 33 ad until now and until the Rapture of the church is the last days. God is using this time to give the Gentiles an opportunity to gain salvation.

 

[ex-ghost]

The problem is this is NOT legitimate discussion and there are numerous threads where the same thing is happening. Keep it to one thread, please.

I agree please keep this open. And let those who hate this thread move on to another one. I am here and I am willing to discuss this topic. But there are some here who's only goal is to shut this thread down.

Great, then close the other ones. Lock 'em up.

 

[ex-ghost]

If you believe in the Bible and heaven now is the time consider we seem to be living in Sodom and Gomorrah again.

We are certainly living in the last days

Please define "last days". Give me a number.

 

[Sparky Polastri]

My responses are not cut and paste. I have a calling on my life to share the gospel with the masses so that they will be without excuse when they stand before the Lord and are Judged on whether the accepted God's gift of Salvation or not. I hope you all do.

I sure hope that one seeing these threads, even participating in these threads doesn't check a box to condemn them to hell because they no longer have the excuse.

I don't want to see anybody go to hell that's why I'm here. But the people that read the gospel and reject it are not going to have any excuse before God

I don't doubt you, but you might want to think about what is wrong with your phrasing here-

"...my life to share the gospel with the masses so that they will be without excuse..."

And how it is indicative of your delivery.

If I seem brash, perhaps it’s because many of those in this thread have been brash. I want to see people saved, but if they are going to get offended, I am going to tell them the truth anyway. That's what love does, it tells the truth. Love doesn't affirm lies that lead people to destruction and damnation.

You should probably do a word study of love in the Bible. You are GROSSLY off.

When you can show me where Jesus lied to people in affirm their sin in the Name of Love I will believe you

And this is a perfect example. In the above the assertion is that "love" is telling the truth. No, love isn't. God is. Love doesn't "lead" anything. God does. Then right below it a completely false premise is created by the same poster. We all know/believe that Jesus was perfect (thus never lied), so a completely false "if, then, else" scenario created with only one "right" solution. Problem is, no one said that and no one would disagree with the "if, then, else" but it's completely fabricated and has nothing to do with the original point.

Yeah, whatever...

Who said this?

John 8:32 KJV
[32] and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Oh, it was Jesus

Who said this?

John 14:6 KJV
[6] Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Jesus did

And this?

1 John 5:12-13 KJV
[12] He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. [13] These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

John 3:18 KJV
[18] He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Thanks for continuing to prove my point

I won't leave threads like this because it's important for those who might stumble into them seeking to see the difference between people who preach at them and those who want to come along side them and help however they can like Jesus would.

I'll continue to encourage you to do a word study on "love". It's clear you are missing a TON. I'm even happy to talk about it should you have questions.

 

[dkp993]

This is a different angle maybe but one that I feel

People feel/hear a "calling" regularly. People are inspired to do things. People devote their lives to things.


And sometimes, those people are really bad at those things.

*****

Edited

Agreed. Some people are bad at things.

Also, I edited the end. I don't think this is what you're doing, but some will race to see what the person who did terrible things is aligned with and use social to smear their side associating the person with "their" group.

I see it from all sides.

Let's leave that out please.

Joe- i’m not trying to box you in, it’s your site and your right to manage how you see fit. But it’s been asked in this thread multiple times, so I’m sure you’ve seen it. But why do you allow this thread to continue to re-populate time and time and time again? It seems counterintuitive to how you manage all the other moderation around here. Thanks.

No worries, GB. That’s not boxing me in. I’ve struggled with the right thing to do on this and honestly don’t know.

I don’t want to squash legitimate discussion, which this can be. But obviously we’ve had stops and starts. I’ve been trying to work on a plan that would be more Big picture as I want to make sure I give all religions the same leeway.

But it takes some thought to get it right and every time it seems like I try to do something without putting enough thought into it, it turns out even worse. And I’m buried with some critical FBG projects. Hopefully we will try to have something this week maybe. Jo

Joe if the true gospel is going to be spoken then those who do not have this light are going to oppose it. That's what's going on here in reality. I am here and I am willing to discuss this but the problem is there are some here who's only goal is to shut this thread down. They could simply move on to a different thread but they don't want this topic to even be discussed. It's really sad if you ask me. PLEASE do not cater to these people. Their whole goal is for you to shut down the discussion here. That's what it's all about for them.

Discussion
noun
the action or process of talking about something in order to reach a decision or to exchange ideas

There is no, and never is with you, “discussion” going on. The exchange never happens. There’s preaching going on. Where you tell us what you think you know and we either have to agree or are told we are wrong. Many here have tried, myself included many times, to help you change your tone and help create an actual conversation, you want none of that. You want disciples. The fact you are completely unwilling to see this only reinforces it.

 

[The Longtime Lurker]

Not a Christian, but am spiritual. Some of the posters here give great content on what being Christian means to them and why it's one of the world's most popular religions, unfortunately the overriding theme here isn't one of them. As a former practitioner, now outside observer to the Christian religion this thread seems to exclude those that want to have a real and honest discussion on the philosophical merits of Christianity or any of the other just as valid religions of the world (that is if it's meant to be the primary religious thread. If it's meant to troll or demean those with differing viewpoints by all means carry on).

Living and dying is truth, what happens after is opinion and should be kept in mind when having conversations with people that hold differing viewpoints.

 

[Sparky Polastri]

Not a Christian, but am spiritual. Some of the posters here give great content on what being Christian means to them and why it's one of the world's most popular religions, unfortunately the overriding theme here isn't one of them. As a former practitioner, now outside observer to the Christian religion this thread seems to exclude those that want to have a real and honest discussion on the philosophical merits of Christianity or any of the other just as valid religions of the world (that is if it's meant to be the primary religious thread. If it's meant to troll or demean those with differing viewpoints by all means carry on).

Living and dying is truth, what happens after is opinion and should be kept in mind when having conversations with people that hold differing viewpoints.

I throw my hat in the ring for this discussion. These kinds of things are discussed all the time around here even the threads the OP starts. It's just that the OP is usually not part of any of those discussions. So I say, fire away on questions, comments, thoughts and I'll do my best to ignore the nonsense that always gets us sidetracked from these kinds of discussions. Though, I make no promises!!

 

[RCon]

I cant remember a decade where we weren't in "the end days"

The last days covers the time that Christ ascended into heaven until the rapture. But we are certainly close to the rapture.

How close? This is part of the problem with belief in God, religion, and other cults in general; they start with non-falsifiable premises.

To the point, are we fifty days from the rapture? Fifty weeks? Fifty years? More?

 

[Joe Bryant]

I cant remember a decade where we weren't in "the end days"

The last days covers the time that Christ ascended into heaven until the rapture. But we are certainly close to the rapture.

How close? This is part of the problem with belief in God, religion, and other cults in general; they start with non-falsifiable premises.

To the point, are we fifty days from the rapture? Fifty weeks? Fifty years? More?

I hope the "or other" wasn't an intentional smear. "Cult" is a pretty specific and ugly description. And doesn't apply to most religions or faiths I know.

The bible speaks of being in the "End Times" which I've always understood to be more of a (obviously long) period of time.

There are tons of people way more knowledgeable than I am on the subject so I won't pretend to think I have much to offer there. For putting an actual date on the Rapture. I don't think anyone can do that.

 

[RCon]

I cant remember a decade where we weren't in "the end days"

The last days covers the time that Christ ascended into heaven until the rapture. But we are certainly close to the rapture.

How close? This is part of the problem with belief in God, religion, and other cults in general; they start with non-falsifiable premises.

To the point, are we fifty days from the rapture? Fifty weeks? Fifty years? More?

I hope the "or other" wasn't an intentional smear. "Cult" is a pretty specific and ugly description. And doesn't apply to most religions or faiths I know.

The bible speaks of being in the "End Times" which I've always understood to be more of a (obviously long) period of time.

There are tons of people way more knowledgeable than I am on the subject so I won't pretend to think I have much to offer there. For putting an actual date on the Rapture. I don't think anyone can do that.

This is the dictionary.com definition of cult: https://www.dictionary.com/browse/cult
Here's Merriam Webster: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cult

If we throw out the first definition of MW, given that it's basically "popular religions aren't cults, non-popular religions are cults", all forms of religion fit pretty well into most of the rest of those definitions.

If one is using a more pop culture definition, such as this from Wikipedia: "Cults are social groups which have unusual, and often extreme, religious, spiritual, or philosophical beliefs and rituals.", again I'd say that most forms of religion fit right in that definition.

Most religions try to convince people to believe things that cannot be proven (or, conveniently, disproven) based on pure faith. That's absolutely cult-like behavior. Most religions solicit monetary donations from their members. Also cult-like behavior.

 

[The Longtime Lurker]

Not a Christian, but am spiritual. Some of the posters here give great content on what being Christian means to them and why it's one of the world's most popular religions, unfortunately the overriding theme here isn't one of them. As a former practitioner, now outside observer to the Christian religion this thread seems to exclude those that want to have a real and honest discussion on the philosophical merits of Christianity or any of the other just as valid religions of the world (that is if it's meant to be the primary religious thread. If it's meant to troll or demean those with differing viewpoints by all means carry on).

Living and dying is truth, what happens after is opinion and should be kept in mind when having conversations with people that hold differing viewpoints.

I throw my hat in the ring for this discussion. These kinds of things are discussed all the time around here even the threads the OP starts. It's just that the OP is usually not part of any of those discussions. So I say, fire away on questions, comments, thoughts and I'll do my best to ignore the nonsense that always gets us sidetracked from these kinds of discussions. Though, I make no promises!!

You're one of the posters I meant in the first part of my comment and even though my post is critical of the overall tone of the thread there's a few that in their rebuttals give excellent food for thought.

I'm not Christian in practice as i stated, but can respect it as a philosophy just like i can respect any number of other religions the same way. I was raised Catholic, but began to question what i was taught as my horizons expanded and i was exposed to other ideas. Agnosticism just makes more sense to me. I can't and won't say any one religion is wrong or better than another because imo it's unknowable while we live and breathe.

There's no right or wrong answer as far as I'm concerned, but in a world with so many possibilities what's the biggest factor in deciding on Christianity? Have you looked at other religions and found them lacking somehow? It's a personal question, but Christianity is more about individualism than collectivism if I'm not mistaken. Ofcourse there's elements of collectivism, but ultimately on the Christian judgment day it's about the individuals life that gets them into heaven?

 

[BlackCrowes]

I cant remember a decade where we weren't in "the end days"

The last days covers the time that Christ ascended into heaven until the rapture. But we are certainly close to the rapture.

How close? This is part of the problem with belief in God, religion, and other cults in general; they start with non-falsifiable premises.

To the point, are we fifty days from the rapture? Fifty weeks? Fifty years? More?

I hope the "or other" wasn't an intentional smear. "Cult" is a pretty specific and ugly description. And doesn't apply to most religions or faiths I know.

The bible speaks of being in the "End Times" which I've always understood to be more of a (obviously long) period of time.

There are tons of people way more knowledgeable than I am on the subject so I won't pretend to think I have much to offer there. For putting an actual date on the Rapture. I don't think anyone can do that.

on an exact date for the hypothetical end of days? i don´t think its possible for one person to be more knowledgeable than another.

 

[Zow]

I cant remember a decade where we weren't in "the end days"

Well, yeah, Jesus and Paul both say that we are. Basically anything with an "A.D." after the date are in the end days.

From the resurrection of Christ in 33 ad until now and until the Rapture of the church is the last days. God is using this time to give the Gentiles an opportunity to gain salvation.

That he took away from them in the first place because they didn't believe in H/him?