You say you totally understand that I don’t believe the Bible to be God’s word and then you proceed to tell me that that is how I *should* look at it(g). Jeez, I’m at a loss for words. Either you understand that I don’t believe it or you don’t. It doesn’t mean a hill of beans whether *you* think it is the most sacred thing in the world or not. I don’t. And you can talk until you are blue in the face and that won’t change. Is it possible for you to refer to what you believe and not try to force your beliefs on me? Is that possible for you?
I suspect that you do not treat other religions *sacred* books as being God’s word, do you? I suspect that you do not treat other people’s *sacred* books as being sacred, do you?
God is not part hate, but He is a God of justice. He doesn't allow unrepentant sin to go unpunished. God gives us a mandate to be holy, as He is holy. Is it being holy to be a homosexual? No, because God considers it an abomination.
Here we cannot even seem to communicate. To call something an abomination, to abhor it, to detest it - *IS* to hate it. I will not accept just calling hate love and saying it is ok. We all know intrinsically the difference between Love and hate because it was Love that created us. You are fooling no one but yourself when you try to justify hatred by calling it Love. ( or justice) If perfect Love casts out fear ( and it does) then there is no hatred in Love. Period. And to condemn, to abhor, to judge as bad and wrong etc are to hate. Those are just facts. I think it must be hard to understand how bizarre it is to believe in loving and hating together
God’s Love is so vast, pure and magnificent that we would perish in Its Presence at this time. That is why we need time to change, time to learn, time to practice forgiveness and learn of love and being loved so that we can reach a state of mind that can be in the Presence of God. God calls to us and those who are ready begin to better themselves in order to be able to return and be with God again. The things that need to be stopped are stopped by choice, the things that need to be improved, are improved by choice, the things that need to be perfected, are perfected by choice. It is all a joyous journey once the lack of value of condemnation and attack are seen. The idea of punishment becomes meaningless to those on this journey.
I've always liked interview with God. It's nice.
And in the interview God does not talk of hatred, punishment, or abomination – He talks of forgiveness and forgiving.
Sunsong, I don't mean to offend you but I have noticed in my experience in trying to communicate the message of Scripture to homosexuals you all use the excuse of "hatred" when you don't like what it says. I know all the buzz words, homophobic, bigot, hatred, closed minded...it's a tactic used to make someone invisualize homosexuals as "victims." You're not victims. You freely choose to turn your back on God's word and continue in a sin that is abominable to Him. (*you* is the collective you for homosexual community)When you do that, please don't act shocked that Christians don't approve of your behavior.
No offense taken. I try to consider the source of insults before taking them very seriously. And here, from my perspective, are a bunch of people who don’t even live by their own rules calling me names based on a belief system that I don’t embrace. I imagine that you can understand – it wouldn’t have much impact on me.
All sinners are called to repentance. The focus on this tiny part of the population is that they flaunt that sin in everyone's face. They don't get away with sinning anymore than anyone else just because they are gay. You don't have divine rights over any other human being.
Lots of people flaunt what you would call sins. And lots of homosexuals don’t flaunt what you would call sins. You are trying to paint all homosexuals with a broad brush and that is dishonest. How many homosexuals are there in the United States? Six million? Only a minority of those are activists and yet you are trying to punish them all. That is turning them into victims. Homosexuals just want the same liberties as everyone else has.
Okay, you say you love God. Prove to Him how much you love Him and stop being a homosexual, an act which He abhores.
What an arrogant statement. How many times do I need to tell you that I do not believe that God abhors anything. That is your belief, not mine. God is Love, not hate. And secondly here, I am not engaging in any homosexual acts. Where do you get off making assumptions like that! You have some real problems I think.
Oh brother, Sunsong. Here comes the typical "open your mind." My wife is yelling at me to come eat lunch so I better do as she says.. I know who is boss around here (lol!)but real quick... my kids use to say to me when they were teenagers, "Oh Dad, open your mind.." I told them we can open our minds so much sometimes that our brains fall out! There are times we should safe guard our minds against wrong thinking.
Good grief. Again we are not even communicating here. An open mind is not in any danger. An open mind is a healthy mind. It is a closed mind that is in danger of sickness. A closed mind and a hard heart – seem to me to be closely linked.
You got it, I absolutely do not. Muhammed didn't rise from the dead, Buddha can't save you, neither can other false gods of this world from false religions. There can only be one truth, Jesus Christ is it. The Holy Bible is the only book that reveals His coming, death and resurrection.
You are fooling no one but yourself when you try to justify hatred by calling it Love. ( or justice) If perfect Love casts out fear ( and it does) then there is no hatred in Love. Period. And to condemn, to abhor, to judge as bad and wrong etc are to hate. Those are just facts. I think it must be hard to understand how bizarre it is to believe in loving and hating together.
Sadly, I feel it is you that is fooling yourself because you have created a god in your own image because you don't like what God's word has revealed to you. Period!
And in the interview God does not talk of hatred, punishment, or abomination – He talks of forgiveness and forgiving.
God will forgive you IF you repent. There is no forgiveness without repentance. Need I remind you too that the Interview with God, while it may make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside, is not the Bible.
No offense taken. I try to consider the source of insults before taking them very seriously. And here, from my perspective, are a bunch of people who don’t even live by their own rules calling me names based on a belief system that I don’t embrace. I imagine that you can understand – it wouldn’t have much impact on me.
I haven't called you any names, have I? Secondly, why are you here arguing with a bunch of people then about their belief system which you don't embrace if it doesn't have any impact on you? If you don't want to embrace our belief system, go on your way and live according to how you want to live.
What an arrogant statement. How many times do I need to tell you that I do not believe that God abhors anything. That is your belief, not mine. God is Love, not hate. And secondly here, I am not engaging in any homosexual acts. Where do you get off making assumptions like that! You have some real problems I think.
Because YOU so much as told us you are. Remember the post #153 and you used a link from Gay and Lesbian Adventists? Then Petronski told you to tend to your own church in post #186. Why didn't you correct him about that? Why haven't you corrected others that have assumed you are gay? I don't have any problems. You've defended homosexuality and said it wasn't an abomination since you first entered the discussion. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what your sexual orientation is.
Good grief. Again we are not even communicating here. An open mind is not in any danger. An open mind is a healthy mind. It is a closed mind that is in danger of sickness. A closed mind and a hard heart – seem to me to be closely linked.
You say we aren't communicating because I won't come into agreement that homosexuality isn't an abomination, that I won't agree to say the Bible is full of holes and mistranslated, that God is only a flower smelling, peace- nik, hippy dude and for that I am accused of being closed minded? Hmmm... did you ever think you need to OPEN your mind and your Heart to God's revealed word instead of closing it off because you don't like the contents? Having an "open mind" doesn't preclude you from sickness. There are times that people open their minds to the wrong things, like drugs. Like homosexuality.