Posted on 11/04/2002 11:56:31 AM PST by trackman
... which, in turn, leads to an assessment of just how "christian" you really are. I made an attempt to be honest and forthright, to flesh out my ideas, so to speak. yet I get dismissiveness in return. jesus would be proud.
and nor do I wish them to. but I'm a scientist by trade, and view the Bible as legend - embellished truth. I have no doubt that Jesus Christ existed - it's the "son of god" part that I struggle with. your analogy, while alien to me, is compelling, and says a lot about how you view your relationship with God. my entire family (me excepted) is Christian/Catholic, and for lack of a better phrase, "you people" intrigue me.
some people see improbable events as miracles. I see all the instances where probability won and shake my head at selective perception. my perception of the world is limited, yet I haven't seen anything to turn it on its head. perhaps you have.
while this IS true, I was speaking figuratively. ;)
I'm sure there are hundreds of thousands of people praying for democrat victories. so who gets the answer they want?"
In other words...pretty empty and barren.
This kind of argument erks me...this is the kind of argument that made me question the Christian church, not Christianity mind you, but the Christian church. No matter how you stack it, comments like "In other words...pretty empty and barren." to describe another persons life outside of "Christianity" really does not witness to well to people. I've been apart of or visited just about every church, Protestant/Catholic, pentecostal/fundemental, calvinist/armenian...every one having thier own brand of theology, slightly different from another. In my search for truth, the attitude of X denomination has all the answers or Y denomination has all the answers alienated myself from alot of really good people, had my faith focused on "I'm right" instead of "I'm going to DO right", and turned my life into a living hypocritical sham. Thinking X or Y were the only ones that were "right" just turned me off to the church alltogether.
So I have a a simple faith now, in God, in Christ, in the Bible, and in prayer...that will not be apart of a "church", that will not come off as self righteous or that I know everything (cause I don't), and that will focus on my actions toward anothers as well as the the actions of my heart without discrimminating the "un-believer". I think God is much more concerned with our actions than preaching the hellfire to our neighbor.
My $0.02 /rant off
Yes that is the way to pray. Ask God to intervene for the sake of the country and what is best for it, not that He reward one candidate and deny another, which is what praying for Coleman over Mondale, is doing. You are asking God to reward Coleman and punish Mondale. This surely is not God's way. But, if you pray that the country elect the best man for the job, for the sake of the country, He may just touch some hearts at the polling booths.
And worth every penny of it, my friend! Lots of good men and women gave their lives so that all of us can rant and rage without danger. And within that rant there are some profound truisms that all Christians need to take to heart.
One of the best lines I have seen is that, "Christians aren't perfect...just forgiven!" Actually, I believe lots of us are forgiven, even if we aren't "Church-goin' Christians." Now watch the flames roll in!
No of course not, but you came across as ridicueling us, because of our belief. Actually, I viewed this thread as one calling for prayers from those who believe, not an open discussion of religion.
If several people were gathered in prayer, would you butt in and question their motives?
That is all we need to pray for-then accept what happens, with praise and thanksgiving.
Amen.
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