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Originally posted by lonewolf19792000
reply to post by TheBeatMasta
All we have to do is accept, and say yes God, take me, out loud.
I agree with everything except this right here. He reads your heart and your mind. He will not turn away a repentant heart regardless of mouthing the words, otherwise there would be many a deaf/mute heading to hell with babies and mentally handicapped as well, which does not happen. The saying of the words has been tradition but is no requirement for salvation. The bare minimum for salvation is believing in Yeshua, excepting in cases of babies and toddlers who are under the age of accountability (which is they do not know right from wrong) and the mentally handicapped who are incapable of understanding sin and both right and wrong.
t is not unlikely that you might lead some people astray. This would have the affect of not only your own ignorance coming down on your head, but those you have turned away from God, as well.
Originally posted by EvilSadamClone
Stop being so damned judgmental, and let God be the judge. Stop correcting me and let me be.
Originally posted by Flavian
reply to post by TheBeatMasta
I am sorry OP, but good thread or bad, you cannot start a thread by labelling some as "fools" and then saying they can't participate.
Aside from being extremely rude from the get go, you are basically labelling yourself as a petulant child......not a good start to any thread.
It is good you have questions and that you seek answers, that is to your credit. My advice would be in future do not then go and spoil that by doing the internet version of fingers in the ears and shouting "lalalala".
Good luck in your quest.
Originally posted by TheBeatMasta
reply to post by lonewolf19792000
You are right. What matters is what is in the heart, but if you are able, God wants you to confess with your mouth. The reason being, from what I understand, is so that others around you might listen, and from that, their road to salvation might be started. It's like a form of giving testimony, and witnessing.
Matthew 5:22 "But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, 'Raca!' shall be in danger of the council. but whoever says, 'You fool! shall be in danger of hell fire."
I am a child of God, rather an atheist or agnostic, is not. Therefore, they are not my brethren in Christ, until they recognize that Christ died for their sins, along with mine, and washed all sins away, becoming Gods' Grace.
Then the LORD said to Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?" "I don't know," he replied. "Am I my brother's keeper?"
Originally posted by windword
Where do you draw the line on who are and are not God's children? Muslims worship Allah, are they not your brothers? How about Buddhist, Wiccans, Hindi? All unworthy of your fellowship?
Are you so bigoted that only people who see things like you do are worthy of consideration. Good to know just how un-inclusive you really are.
a person who is obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices; especially : one who regards or treats the members of a group (as a racial or ethnic group) with hatred and intolerance (Source)
No wonder so many Christians felt justified in the brutal murder of entire populations of percieved "heathens" that couldn't "believe" the hypocritical stories of love, sacrifice and salvation, they pretended to represent.
Originally posted by adjensen
Originally posted by windword
Where do you draw the line on who are and are not God's children? Muslims worship Allah, are they not your brothers? How about Buddhist, Wiccans, Hindi? All unworthy of your fellowship?
You don't seem to grasp some basic Christian concepts. All people are God's children, and no matter who or what someone worships, they remain our brothers, and worthy of fellowship. I count Christians, Hindus and atheists among my friends (I live in the Great White North, so Muslims are a little hard to come by, sorry :-)
That doesn't mean that all of them are saved by the Christian faith, of course.
Are you so bigoted that only people who see things like you do are worthy of consideration. Good to know just how un-inclusive you really are.
I think that you need a refresher in what the definition of "bigot" means.
a person who is obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices; especially : one who regards or treats the members of a group (as a racial or ethnic group) with hatred and intolerance (Source)
-- that would seem to apply to you, and your "definition" of Christians, but not me and my view of the theological perspectives of other people.
No wonder so many Christians felt justified in the brutal murder of entire populations of percieved "heathens" that couldn't "believe" the hypocritical stories of love, sacrifice and salvation, they pretended to represent.
In the first few decades since 1492, it was thought that Indians did not have souls because they were "animals" in human form. Therefore, it was believed they could be hunted down like animals, which they were. It was only in 1530 CE that the Pope declared that the Indians were human. Having established their humanity, it was decided that they must be inducted into Christianity. As the Indians were unwilling, this was accomplished by force. Though the change in their status from animal to human might appear to be an improvement, in reality, little changed in their plight.
Unfortunately for the Indians, with the arrival of Christians would come the intolerance for their indigenous ways of life:
The Indian chief Hatuey fled with his people but was captured and burned alive.
As"they were tying him to the stake a Franciscan friar urged him to take Jesus to his heart so that his soul might go to heaven, rather than descend into hell. Hatuey replied that if heaven was where the Christians went, he would rather go to hell."
What happened to his people was described by an eyewitness:
"The Spaniards found pleasure in inventing all kinds of odd cruelties ... They built a long gibbet, long enough for the toes to touch the ground to prevent strangling, and hanged thirteen [natives] at a time in honor of Christ Our Saviour and the twelve Apostles... then, straw was wrapped around their torn bodies and they were burned alive.freetruth.50webs.org...
Originally posted by windword
Originally posted by adjensen
Originally posted by windword
Where do you draw the line on who are and are not God's children? Muslims worship Allah, are they not your brothers? How about Buddhist, Wiccans, Hindi? All unworthy of your fellowship?
You don't seem to grasp some basic Christian concepts. All people are God's children, and no matter who or what someone worships, they remain our brothers, and worthy of fellowship. I count Christians, Hindus and atheists among my friends (I live in the Great White North, so Muslims are a little hard to come by, sorry :-)
You're not the one who made the statement though are you? You aren't the one who created a thread, forbidding "fools" to respond. So why are you using yourself and your opinion as an example?
Thanks for that definition. It has proven my point about the bigoted response of the OP. Since when does calling out someone for bigotry make them a bigot?
And whom are these "entire populations" that Christians have brutally murdered? Did you know that the number of people killed in the Inquisitions was likely less than 5,000? Hey, even one person killed in the name of Christianity is too many, but I've seen people claim that millions were slaughtered in the Inquisitions. Are you one of these claimants?
In the first few decades since 1492, it was thought that Indians did not have souls because they were "animals" in human form. Therefore, it was believed they could be hunted down like animals, which they were. It was only in 1530 CE that the Pope declared that the Indians were human. Having established their humanity, it was decided that they must be inducted into Christianity. As the Indians were unwilling, this was accomplished by force. Though the change in their status from animal to human might appear to be an improvement, in reality, little changed in their plight.
I am a child of God, rather an atheist or agnostic, is not. Therefore, they are not my brethren in Christ, until they recognize that Christ died for their sins, along with mine, and washed all sins away, becoming Gods' Grace.
3:5 So too the tongue is a small part of the body, 8 yet it has great pretensions. 9 Think 10 how small a flame sets a huge forest ablaze. 3:6 And the tongue is a fire! The tongue represents 11 the world of wrongdoing among the parts of our bodies. It 12 pollutes the entire body and sets fire to the course of human existence – and is set on fire by hell.
Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[a] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.
Originally posted by windword
I am a child of God, rather an atheist or agnostic, is not. Therefore, they are not my brethren in Christ, until they recognize that Christ died for their sins, along with mine, and washed all sins away, becoming Gods' Grace.
I stand by my critique of this very ugly Christian sentiment.