Posted on 02/08/2013 6:58:50 PM PST by daniel1212
The word Jesus stuck in my throat like an elephant tusk; no matter how hard I choked, I couldn't hack it out. Those who professed the name commanded my pity and wrath.
I began researching the Religious Right..
Ken Smith encouraged me to explore the kind of questions I admire:
Ken and his wife, Floy, and I became friends.
I started reading the Bible. I read the way a glutton devours.
I counted the costs. And I did not like the math on the other side..
Then, one ordinary day, I came to Jesus, openhanded..
(Excerpt) Read more at christianitytoday.com ...
Thanks. Seeing the name of the link i was unsure what it meant, but after reading i see that their argument is,
“Who is Rosaria Champagne Butterfield? She was, in a sense, never a lesbian. She was engaged in lesbian behavior, embraced a lesbian worldview, and was immersed in the lesbian community. However, this should never have defined her. She was always one made by God and for God, whose purpose for her was to be found in creation, providence, and redemption. Biology is destiny because God is the author of biology. The mind of God is revealed by the acts of God. His purpose is known in His design. She was and is a woman made for God, for marriage, for motherhood, for Christian discipleship, for Christian service, and for work in God’s world.”
However, i disagree, as her real identify was that of a sinner, and one who in practice was a lesbians, but who was bought with a price, and thru a step of warranted faith she has been given a new identity.
“Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) “ (Ephesians 2:3-5)
Thanks
I’m reading her book right now. Very moving.
I just got through with the book “Misquoting Jesus” which gives the “heroic” attempts to get the Bible correct.
Due to copies that were copies of copies of copies of copies and the original were long lost (deteriorated probably) and men trying to compile / correct the many versions of the bible. It took men with great moral fortitude and conscious to decipher what was more valid or accurate.
The most complete copies were 4 - 6 centuries after the death of Christ. These copies were often modified to satisfy certain groups. Some copies were translated to different languages which often tends to not always adequately transcribe meanings accurately.
Herod kept precise records according to all authorities and his records indicated that only criminals, captured soldiers and politicians were crucified. There was NO mention of any disciples of any religion or religious prophets.
Although Herod’s documents were thought to be complete there is no proof that is so, but the documents were extensive and did seem to cover all crucifixions that would have included the period in question.
Explain to me why NONE of the disciples wrote one (NOT 1) letter until Paul requested them to do so and that was more than 20 years after the fact - and each letter was as if they were prompted as to cover specific subjects (many parts) almost word for word the same.
Each of the disciples probably used scribes to write their script as there was NO indication whatsoever that any of them ever knew how to write. They apparently did not write to anyone else in their lives as there never was any mention from any of the churches. Only Paul communicated through letters to the early churches and copies were made and sent to smaller groups but (BUT) not one letter was ever known to be sent to any of those churches as NO copies of said letters were never found or duplicated.
We use reason and evidence to examine religion: www.faithfacts.org
Personal Note (Post Script - so to speak)..........
The world has obviously become a better place due to the existence of the story of Jesus and the formation of Christianity.
It is the documentation that is lacking but the faith is what ends up being the true power behind the establishment of Christianity.
Thanks for sharing this. What a great line.
Illinois keeps precise records according to all authorities and yet a MURDERER was just turned loose there that is wanted in Indiana.
You are guessing.
Each of the disciples probably wrote their own script as there was NO indication whatsoever that any of them were illiterate.
Other folks conjure up stuff from thin air...
I thought so.
And it just WOULD not go away!
The destructive power of modern higher Ed displayed again.
My sources have told me, *Needless to say, she’s no longer with the university*.
Agreed. Liberals have succeeded in convincing people that poverty permeates the Bible. They have people convinced that "the poor" is mentioned in just about every chapter of the Bible so must be the first thing in God's mind.
Well, I've decided to read the Bible now with that in mind. I'm doing in-depth study of the Gospel of John right now...am on about the 8th chapter and still no mention of "the poor" at all.
I suspect there's much less of it in the Gospels and other NT books than most believe.
Sure, God does care for those suffering in poverty especially when it's not their own doing. But it is not NEARLY the theme in the Bible that the liberals claim it is; the over-whelming theme in the Bible is righteousness and the Kingdom of God. I think once this misunderstanding gets pushed back we may very well see revival.
Agreed. Liberals have succeeded in convincing people that poverty permeates the Bible. They have people convinced that "the poor" is mentioned in just about every chapter of the Bible so must be the first thing in God's mind.
Well, I've decided to read the Bible now with that in mind. I'm doing in-depth study of the Gospel of John right now...am on about the 8th chapter and still no mention of "the poor" at all.
I suspect there's much less of it in the Gospels and other NT books than most believe.
Sure, God does care for those suffering in poverty especially when it's not their own doing. But it is not NEARLY the theme in the Bible that the liberals claim it is; the over-whelming theme in the Bible is righteousness and the Kingdom of God. I think once this misunderstanding gets pushed back we may very well see revival.
“Interesting that she is now a pastor’s wife in a Presbyterian denomination that practices the regulative principle of worship, i.e., exclusive psalmody without instruments.
More to the RPW than exclusive psalmody. (Which is arguable, but not here and now.)”
I definitely would like to read more about it and compare it to the normative principle of worship.
God bless this woman in her current life and may she stay faithful to Christ and His holy word.
Indeed. We’re not supposed to be partial towards either the poor or the rich:
Exodus 23:2-3
“You shall not fall in with the many to do evil, nor shall you bear witness in a lawsuit, siding with the many, so as to pervert justice, nor shall you be partial to a poor man in his lawsuit.”
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=exodus%2023:2-3&version=ESV
Leviticus 19:15
“Do not pervert justice by giving false awards, whether by taking a man’s poverty into account, or by flattering the great; give every man his just due.”
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Leviticus%2019:15&version=KNOX
While...
Homosexuals have tried to succeed in convincing people that Jesus never said anything about being queer in the Bible.
Correct. The kingdom of heaven is in itself the entirety of the gospel that Christ taught. In Matthew alone, it is mentioned over 50 times. The kingdom in a nutshell is the restoration of man as God intended in the Garden. It is the whole purpose of sending Christ - so that we could live right today.
I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
John 10:10
As far as the poverty message goes, it is clear that neither Jesus nor the apostles were poor.
Jesus owned a house in Capernaum (Mark 2:1, Mark 9:33). Peter, Andrew, James, & John ran their own businesses. Paul stayed in a house he rented with his own money while in Rome (Acts 28:30). When Jesus fed the 4,000, it wasn't from lack of money (Matthew 15:33). But the most persuasive argument against liberals is given in the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30).
“But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. Therefore take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.
‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
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