Testing the Faith: 666 wrong number of prophetic beast?

Wold Net Daily ^ | 05/08/05 | satff

[aimhigh]

No conspiracy there, just an effort to make a foreign religion palatable to their people.

Corruption by any other name is still corruption. To give the Gnostics a creditable cause for their doctrine and efforts is hogwash.

[followerofchrist]

Whatever. I am not real well versed on Gnostic doctrine. I just know that when people are introduced to Christianity, they naturally integrate it into their own beleif system and culture, which generally includes ancestral religions. We Europeans did. Christmas and Easter are perfect examples of this. We even converted some Pagan Gods and Goddesses to Catholic saints. I don't think Christ minds, as long as he is the center of our universe.

Speaking of our Lord, sometimes I feel He is not with me. Then I pray real hard and He answers, so specifically. My atheist friends do not understand. For example, I have an older vehicle. It has been really hot here lately. I got a second job waitressing to make ends meet and this one job takes me 15 minutes up a large incline. The day before yesterday, I got a second waitressing job right up the road in my rural town. As I was driving uo a large hill in my old vehicle I said "Jesus, thank you for giving me this second job because if my car breaks down, I will not have a problem getting to work." On my way home, my vehicle started spitting antifreeze on my windsheild. The last time that happened my mechanic put some powerful stop leak in it and said "get another car." So I am faced with a situation where I can't work the first waitressing job if my car dies. I truly believe Jesus arranged for this second job because he knows what is coming! And this afternoon I got a lead on a really cheap car.

Damn the atheists. Only if they knew the advantages to being a Christian!...

[followerofchrist]

"Corruption by any other name is still corruption. To give the Gnostics a creditable cause for their doctrine and efforts is hogwash."

There's not always a conspiracy, or corruption. If we were to examine the history of European Christianity the same could be said. It certainly does not resemble a Hebrew religion. As you know, and as is recorded in the bible, there was much dissent, and infighting regarding how the new religion would take shape. I see the Gnostics the same way I see any non-Christian tribe striving to make Christianity "theirs." I take no issue with cultural differences. Now, I admit I am not an expert on the Gnostics, but I have read some of their gospels. Some could say Catholics "corrupted" the religion too, but they merely made it their own. The difference here is that Catholicism was instrumental in the spread of Christianity and the Gnostics were not. From what I have read, I see alot of value in the Gnostic gospels, though I don't take them as my own. I consider their gospels to be a record of their observations of Christ, nothing more and nothing less. As you know, human beings put the bible together. The oldest complete bible in existence contains the Epistle of Barnabus. Why was it taken out? Did God do this, or did man? Who wrote the New Testament? I think what is important, rather than quibbling about whose gospel is THE gospel, is to let the holy spirit guide you. I recognize, quite clearly, who Christ is and what He represents in my life. That is what is important. He has made me a better person and has placed in me a desire to be honest and generous and good. Jesus is my conscience. I know that in my heart.