When it comes to a reasonable debate like this (my favorite place to be) any question is fine. I have an unusually strong belief in the attributes of God as outlined in the Bible, and these beliefs are unusual, even among many Christians. For example, I believe that God is Omnipotent. All-powerful. So, for example, to use that great line from George Carlin, “Can God make a rock so big, that He Himself cannot lift it?”, I believe it’s both. I think that He can make a rock so big that it is un-liftable - and then He becomes able to lift it. Because He is Omnipotent. And this Omnipotence is demonstrated at the level of Infinity. In other words, He is already beyond every boundary. If He Himself makes a boundary, then He will exist beyond that boundary. That is, until that boundary extends further. But then He, Himself, will extend further than that. There is no boundary that He does not have complete dominance over. He is also Omniscient. All-knowing. In other words, if God knows everything… …He can’t learn anything. Being all-knowing may indeed be a useful quality in Creating Universes, but the reason why it is particularly meaningful to ME, is that when Jesus died on the Cross, He paid for my sins. None of my sins ever surprised God, because He already knew what they were. Now, my sins have certainly surprised ME. I have said, “Did I do THAT???”. (So when I was a homeless drunk in Las Vegas, Jesus already knew that this would be my condition. He knew it 2000 years ago, and died on the Cross for me, anyway.) Other than Scripture itself, if a person thinks about it logically, the only way that any kind of Being could possibly Create the Universe, is if the Being functioned on a level of Infinity. Because even the Speed of Light is 186, 282 miles per second. And the math equation that has made sense to physicists for 100 years is E = MC2 . Energy equals Mass times the Speed Of Light, squared. (In other words, as if Light wasn’t fast enough already, to Create energy, you square it!). God is Infinite. Even a Mathematician named David Hilbert acknowledged that mathematically, there are an Infinite number of Dimensions, now known as a Hilbert Space: http://en.wikipedi a.org/wiki/Hilbert _space The thing that most people don’t realize, is that we humans have a nasty habit of trying to create a god that makes sense to our mind. And we arrogantly reject a god that is too big for our mind. We are stubbornly trying to remain trapped within the confines of our own brain. Because for many of us, to step out of that, would mean we’d have to step out of our “comfort zone”. This then, by default, would obligate us to a Creator in some way. So as a response to that, mankind tries to create sort of a “designer god”. (A god that WE can control) Anyone who does this, is usually incapable of understanding how embarrassed they should be, at the mere attempt. We short change God, and in the process, end up highlighting our own shortsightedness, and lack of creativity. What an insult to God: to have people who are without creativity, deny the credit to Him who Created everything. The result is… …man tries to create a god, incapable of creating the Universe. And then we have the arrogance and stupidity to step back and tell ourselves that this “makes sense”. (21 hrs ago | post #57)
This last part of your post. This is really what you're getting at, isn't it? It is my belief that you're not all that torn up about how women are treated in the Bible (because they are actually treated extremely well, and if a man uses the Bible as his guide, he will likewise treat women well). I believe you are just using this as some kind of leverage for your bias against the Bible. Please correct me if I'm wrong. (Yesterday | post #45)
If you do an Internet search of the subject of Physics, you will find that all of physics deals with five words: Time, Force, Energy, Space, and Matter. They will combine Space and Time to make Space-Time, and the subject of matter is occasionally listed as "Dark Matter". "In the beginning (Time) God (Force) created (Energy) the Heavens (Space) and the Earth (Matter)" - Genesis 1:1 The first verse of the Bible. (Yesterday | post #42)
10 questions for intelligent christians
Stedfast - By the way, even though my mindset can sound quite un-moveable, I'm really still open to talking about this. I would rather not continue doing something that is wrong, just because of how I might feel. Maybe I've read the Gospels too often, and I figure if Jesus can drive the moneychangers out of the Temple (with a whip, overturning tables!), and call Pharisees "whitewashed tombs", then I figure when the situation calls for it, people need to be told about themselves. But I am not the Messiah fulfilling Old Testament Scripture. I'm a Plumber. And since you are family, you have more influence on me than any non-Christian. So you are given a complete Green Light to talk to me about this, and share your thoughts with me. (Saturday | post #508)
10 questions for intelligent christians
(post #2 of 2) Your instincts are right, that I should be cautious about what I’m getting into here. You’ve actually quoted scripture in your post: “If any man thinks he stands, let him take heed, lest he fall” - 1 Corinthians 10:12, RUN_FORREST_RUN translation. Whether you knew you quoted scripture or not, your instincts are certainly correct. But if this guy wants to keep throwing sand in the face of people that I love, under the guise of “I don’t agree with Christianity”, then that’s what he’s going to do. But he needs to do it to Christians who are up on their feet. I don’t think that is a lot to ask. If he demonstrates to me that he won’t pick on someone (whether Christian or non-Christian!) when they are talking seriously about a personal issue, or some real-life troubles that they are going through, then I’ll stop doing this. Frankly I don’t even like it. I think he used to be quite religious somehow, and now something happened that made him angry with God, and he just wants to take it out on us. He needs to get rid of this tirade he’s on, and deal with THAT problem. There are plenty of excellent, and wise people on Topix who would be more than happy to talk with him about that, and some of us have an email listed on our profile page. I have one myself, and it’s been used before. (All I ask, is that anyone who DOES use it, is courteous and civil. And I NEVER reveal any contents of personal messages to me. They aren’t anyone else’s business!) I don’t enjoy this. And I’m glad you talked to me about this. And everyone else is doing exactly the right thing by responding to him kindly. But he isn’t going to treat my brothers and sisters in Christ, like punching bags… …for free! (Saturday | post #507)
10 questions for intelligent christians
Wow! Anyone who quotes Tevye, is someone to listen to. You're right, that this is one of those unfortunate things. And there have been people who have taken his garbage, and simply put it in the trash can where it belongs. They have responded to him with kind words, and good thoughts. Which is the correct thing to do. But I think even for Topix, there has to be rules. There have to be things you just don't do. For example, here is Topix, when it's done right: http://www.youtube .com/watch?v=njz3P HfiWJ0 I was going to contrast this by showing a video of someone getting beat up, but I don't think I have to do that. My points made. (In fact, if I did do that, people would post to me about how “awful” that was, and how “terrible” I would be for doing that) Well, FREAKS isn’t doing much better himself. He's doing more than just voicing an opinion of Christianity, or religion, and trying to support his views. He's being mean to Christians, for no other reason than he has some kind of problem. And the Christians he's being mean to? The ones who are most vulnerable. Have you noticed? He's responded to me in a very terse way, but not like he did with follower of Christ. I haven't tracked all his posts, but I bet there is a noticeable pattern. I think he picks on the weakest person, using the most venom he can. (post #1 of 2) (Saturday | post #506)
10 questions for intelligent christians
(post #2 of 2) But what FREAKS did with follower of Christ, was on a different, and very low level. Here is a reprint of FREAKS’ post to follower of Christ, cut-and-pasted with a mouse click, exactly as he posted it: “STOP making excuses for your Stupid behaviors..and DON'T COME BACK..Bullshitter. .you won't be MISSED..LOL..TOO DAMN FUNNY. YEAH, I'll PRAY..that you go to HELL..where you BELONG. Make it quick, bullshitter..HA HA HA hehehehe GO TO HELL..giving YOU the SAME CRAP..you dished out..you need to SEEK A SHRINK.. BYE~BYE..DON'T COME BACK..YOU WON'T BE MISSED.. NEXT.."HOPE " needs to EXIST..HOPE, hope you go to HELL..real soon..LOL “ What that felt like to me, was like I was seeing follower of Christ standing there with her arms open to all of us, publicly, and then FREAKS has the gall to go up and throw sand in her face, and start kicking her. Whether people realize it or not, and whether they agree, that was my dear sister in the Lord. It really made me mad. I’m not aware of posts where even ALI did that. I haven’t read every post on every thread, but I think ALI just made fun of a few people, and said he was “taking over the Christian Forum“, and loaded up the main Thread menu with multiple posts to be irritating. Now maybe, with FREAKS, he is suffering from some debilitating disease and is taking it out on the world. (I saw some glimpse of that in a response to him, but I really don’t know the details) Or maybe he has a mental illness (and I am not making light of that), and can’t understand the magnitude of his words. What I’ve seen is some cruel, obnoxious, bitter person who couldn’t care less what he says, or to whom. He not only didn’t apologize, but in a later post, completely stood by his words printed above, and almost sounded proud of what he did. So until I see different, I consider it open season. My mind is not closed, and I’ll listen to reasonable discussion about this, from Christian and non-Christian alike, but at the moment, since he decided to vent his vitriol on a member of my family… …he can go ahead and just be made fun of. (Friday | post #485)
10 questions for intelligent christians
Actually, FREEKS is a profile that I made to mock him. I’m not sure if you knew that or not, but perhaps it really shouldn’t matter. Our reactions to things tend to be more finely tuned when we are separate, and objective. (So I consider your reaction to be genuinely Christian, and correct!) I have to admit, I’ve done some other mocking of people on here in the past, like ALI, and med, for example. But these people have no problem dishing it out, so I figure I’m not hurting their feelings by giving it back to them. FREAKS from Japan, however, acts as though he couldn’t care less how people feel, and crossed the line when he went on a Thread started by follower of Christ. What she did was some good, honest, soul searching, and she made a decision based upon what she felt was best for her. She also highlighted what she was doing, and basically framed it in the form of an apology on one or two levels. (Not to be speaking for her, but that’s the way it read to me) When people followed up with their posts, they wished her well, in one way or another. I sort of require that of people. Even if it’s someone whom one VEHEMENTLY disagrees with philosophically, when there are more serious events in the persons life, (and follower of Christ indicated that this was the case), I expect peoples reactions to be appropriate to that. For example, there was a time ago, when a very well known Topix personality, sadly, passed away. With my posts to people, I treated them quite well, and labored to try (as best I could) to have this persons memory honored in a very respectful way. (I take great pride in being a part of trying to contribute to that) I expect that of anybody on here, even the most outspoken non-Christian. But does it take death for that to be the case? What if it isn’t that, but if the person is physically quite ill? What if it isn’t that, but a person is simply going through some difficult times in their life, and then puts up a post describing it? I am very happy to say that I admire the way people on Topix, on opposite sides of the debate, who seemed as though they were sworn enemies, have actually reached out to each other with a hand of compassion, when such circumstances have arisen. It darn well gives you hope, and I admit that I have felt one or two “warm fuzzies” myself, when I’ve seen that. (post #1 of 2) (Friday | post #484)
I will not be posting for a time
I'm Canadian. (How's it goin', Eh?) This is the only way I think Bowling should be played: http://www.youtube .com/watch?v=GKY_m mYfUEU (Friday | post #81)
Very well, thank you. Sometimes I wish I had more time (lightning fast pun) to read all the Threads here on Topix. And some of them have posts which tally up so quickly, it's a job just to keep up on a single Thread. (Friday Oct 10 | post #16)
If you want to know what time it is on God's clock, look at Israel. (Are they possessing the land? Are they dispersed? Are they re-gathered into the land? Is the Temple being re-built? etc. etc.) (Friday Oct 10 | post #8)
I will not be posting for a time
I just saw my mistake. Sorry about that post that I wrote to you about cheering you up. That was supposed to be FREEKS. I'm not very good at this "switching identities" thing. Anyway, just pretend that was FREEKS. I'll get better at this in future posts. After I work the bugs out of this system, I'll be fine-tuning it even more. I'm married 15+ years myself. In these latter years, when I have an anniversary, I think, "where have the years gone?" Wishing you a Happy Anniversary, no matter what the other circumstances are. (Thursday Oct 9 | post #73)
10 questions for intelligent christians
And you don't consider me a fundie? That's actually a very good compliment! Thank you! (Thursday Oct 9 | post #433)
The world is coming to a end in 2012
This was an intersting page... http://www.msghelp .net/showthread.ph p?tid=74463 (Thursday Oct 9 | post #4)
