Posted on 09/24/2009 8:37:40 AM PDT by GodGunsGuts
We are losing our children! Research indicates that 70% of teens who are involved in a church youth group will stop attending church … [1]
Similar statements from Christian leaders aren’t new, but many still can’t seem to identify the root cause of the problem. However, most front-line evangelists in the Western world have reached a consensus. The following quote is from a person who shares his faith more times in a month than most Christians ever will in their lives...
(Excerpt) Read more at creation.com ...
“Well, then how do you determine the “truth” of the premises?”
Ah, you want to APPLY the logic, I see! That’s a question for the group—ping away!
Obviously. Larry Flynt stated he was a Christian.
For the sake of discussion, let’s say everything you’ve written about these people was true, Buck. Even still, a guy who believes in a God who treated fictional characters as real people and inspired His followers to do the same is going to lecture people on their “weak faith?” Really?
If you’re going to go out of your way to get yourself banned, at least don’t make yourself look ridiculous during your last few posts.
“Larry Flynt stated he was a Christian.”
Not all Christians are good. Some will have a stern talking to after they die.
Well, I do apply logic, but that was not my question. My question was "Well, then how do you determine the “truth” of the premises?" You will notice that the question was about how you determined the "truth" of the premises, not how "one" determined the "truth" of the premises.
“Even still, a guy who believes in a God who treated fictional characters as real people and inspired His followers to do the same is going to lecture people on their “weak faith?” “
OK, I’ll play—what guy? What fictional characters?
You also play the leftist line very well, as does the rest of the cult, by threatening banning. This is a discussion. If you don’t like it, don’t read it.
Not all who claim to be Christians are.
Why do you consider Larry Flynt a Christian because he says so, but not others like us, who say we are Christians?
With what criteria do you determine what defines a Christian?
You need to reread your New Testament.
From my worldview and “essentials v non-essentials” studies, this guy clearly meets the description of someone unsure of his salvation.
Anyone who is sure obviously must be a “cultist”.
Didn’t read the article, did you?
And not to be offensive, but I agree with every single word attributed to Richard Dawkins in that article.
Bookmark
You play the leftist line of victimization well. I have not threatened banning, I have said your behavior could lead to it.
OK, I’ll play—what guy? What fictional characters?
The guy: You.
The God: Jesus
The fictional characters: Adam and Eve.
If you say you are a Christian, but also say God created through evolution, that means that your God is descended from a fictional character (See Luke 3:38), referred to this fictional character as if he were a real person and based doctrine on his experiences (Matthew 19). His hand-picked followers also referred to this fictional couple as real and based doctrine on their experience. For one example, see Paul in Romans 5, 1 Cor 15 and 1 Timothy 2.
Yet, if someone believes that Jesus, being the Creator Himself, would be in a position to tell the truth about this and do so, you say that their faith in Him is weak.
Pretty darn strange.
“Not all who claim to be Christians are. “
It’s not your call, although your belief that it is entertains me.
Mr. S., Genesis was written in such a was as to convey a simplified, allegorical version of God’s creation to an audience of ignorant peasants devoid of scientific understanding.
In some circles, it serves the same purpose today.
The thread seems to have wandered quite a bit... As I see it, there are two big problems which most people have with religion, i.e. the question of evolution, and the problem of evil, and it is the problem of evil in the world which is the bigger problem for most. Christians need to develop a rational and believable approach to that one as much as they need to get rid of evoloserism.
How many words in the first three chapters in your favorite Bible version deal with how the world was created, and how many deal with why it was created?
What great Christian leader said that Adam and Eve were created, that belief in Moses' writings were essential to Christian faith, said that Noah's flood was a real event and that Sodom and Gomorrah were really destroyed?
Man's understanding of what the Bible means, especially in terms of trying to use it as a scientific text, has proven flawed time and time again.
Can you cite some times when people considered the Bible to be a scientific text and were "proven flawed?" I'm not getting your reference.
Also, could you explain how believing that a document (one that does not discuss a single scientific process) means what it plainly says is the same as usuing it as a scientific textbook?
Maybe, instead of looking at the two in conflict, look at all the discoveries we make and see how it illuminates what God wrote. God gave us a mind for a reason.
Indeed He did. How does the current state of evolutionary theory "illuminate" an account where there are plants before there's a Sun, birds before there are land animals and a woman is built from a rib bone and dirt, coming into existence at least days after the man?
That speaks more of your knowledge than of the people you mention. The Pentateuch was written by an "Egyptian" noble, raised by the daughter of Pharoah. The law was presented to a people, though slaves, who helped build the Egyptian empire. These same ignorant peasants conquered many lands although not possessing a land of their own from which to build and sustain an army.
Of course, that does not mean that parts of Genesis are not allegorical.
“That speaks more of your knowledge than of the people you mention.”
Ah, the “I’m rubber, you’re glue” retort—I didn’t expect that!
“Of course, that does not mean that parts of Genesis are not allegorical.”
Now you’re in trouble with the cult!
BW: It’s not your call, although your belief that it is entertains me.
It's not yours either.
It's ironic, though, and very telling, that you consider someone who recognizes the authority of Scripture and that Jesus is the only way to heaven as He claims, to be a cultist.
That puts the denominations you reference in one of two categories.
If they recognize the authority of Scripture and that Jesus is the only means to heaven, then they are cults, as you label us.
If they aren't cults in your definition, they they by default, do not recognize the authority of Scripture and Jesus as the only means to heaven.
If there are other ways to heaven, that would mean that Christ died in vain and there's no point in being a Christian.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.