The Neverending Story (The Christian Chronicles)

AP ^ | 3/24/01

[malakhi]

The Neverending Story
An ongoing debate on Scripture, Tradition, History and Interpretation.

Statesmen may plan and speculate for liberty, but it is religion and morality alone which can establish the principles upon which freedom can securely stand. The only foundation of a free constitution is pure virtue. - John Adams

Previous Thread

[ksen]

How can a Just God not punish sin no matter what the source?

[Dr. Eckleburg]

You guys are a riot. Dave pinged me. Just like you've pinged me. Unsolicited.

[CindyDawg]

My grandson. He has a very strong Free will. He picked his own screen name. No surprise. Ever since he moved to N Tx he's been a "cowboy" You should see him with a rope. He got it from some movie "Toy Story"?

[SoothingDave]

Doesn't the real question have to do with how much control God chooses to exert over His creation(s) ? Does He call the shots on every single decision ... or is it enough that His will is, ultimately, accomplished ?

You should know my position, that we should be His Instruments. And that we should live our lives as if we had the capacity to choose what God wants for us, even if it all turns out cosmically and in some incomprensible way to be all scripted and staged.

I grant nearly the totality of the Calvinist position as true on a cosmic level. But it does us no good from a practical level. We must live as if what we do matters.

SD

[Dr. Eckleburg]

No, actually I meant the question just as I wrote it, first asking about hell, then heaven. I was inquiring about her point of view, not offering mine.

Either way, I didn't get an answer. No surprise.

[IMRight]

You guys are a riot. Dave pinged me. Just like you've pinged me. Unsolicited.

Perhaps we should work on the definition of english words before we move on to the Greek then?

"Ignore" pretty much implies that you do't talk to people whne they talk to you. If you aren't talking to people who also aren't talking to you that wouldn't really be "ignoring" now would it? Are there 100,000 other folks on FR that you are "ignoring"?

And wasn't your "I'm ignoring you" post in response to SEVERAL pings by Dave to try to get you to respond to a simple (but embarassing) question? How does "I'm ignoring you" explain why you hadn't responded to pings if "Dave pinged me" explains why you respond without violating the "ignoring"?

You know... TULIP ain't the only thing you giys don't make much sense on.

[SoothingDave]

Seriously, I think it's an excellent question. Do we deserve to go to Heaven? Any of us?

On our own? No. We can't pass the entrance exam.

One of the main points of dispute among us is if Heaven is then filled by having God enable us to pass the test, or if He simply lowers the standards.

I'm in the former camp.

SD

[SoothingDave]

We're better off if he just ignores all of us.

SD

[IMRight]

Either way, I didn't get an answer. No surprise.

Perhaps she's ignoring you? Ping her and check.

Oh wait... but that won't work will it?

[Quester]

I grant nearly the totality of the Calvinist position as true on a cosmic level. But it does us no good from a practical level. We must live as if what we do matters.

I agree.

We live our lives within the context.

[SoothingDave]

For what it's worth, I'm sorry I called you a schmuck for thinking you were disrespecting Cindy. I was wrong about that.

SD

[Dr. Eckleburg]

No, I was responding to Dave calling me a "Schmuck."

I didn't realize we could get away with language like that on Free Republic. Perhaps he and you don't know the meaning of the word or its derivation.

Either way, when the conversation reaches this level, it's best to bow out.

I'll be sure to speak well of you both, should the occasion arise.

[Dr. Eckleburg]

Apology accepted.

[Invincibly Ignorant]

Ping to #2,333.

[snerkel]

Snerkel offers you excellent advice, Mack. Don't let them fool you again into thinking they care. All I see is a bunch of people coming to gloat over someone leaving his faith. Not sure why, but it seems to be the case. It's really kind of puzzling.

Care about what? My comment was to show I will not be used by hypocritical people who are only nice when they need something.

Since your comment was directed to myself and Mack, I would like for you to point out exact where I have come here to gloat over someone leaving his faith. Please be specific, you wouldn't want to come across as bearing false witness.

[CindyDawg]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/1112004/posts?q=1&&page=88#88 Please see #88

[IMRight]

Ahhh. Perhaps we're a bit "thin skinned" then? I would have considered "pathetic" to be more insulting/innapropriate, but it's possible that I don't understand the meaning of "schmuck".

I thought it was "an unpleasantly excentric person" but perhaps it's rooted in some vulgarity. I don't happen to think that either is appropriate... but I'm the guy who can't even bring himself to type "he11" or "d@mn".

It does seem a bit like you aren't comfortable answering the inconvenient questions... but hey! That's your right. A little unfair to tag others as being unwilling to answer yours but who am I to judge?

And pinging the moderator on "schmuck" just makes your whole group look bad. It never ceases to amaze me (on both sides) how high and might everyone is on the other side hitting the abuse button. We self-regulate here - and you'll notice that Dave apologized BEFORE you went crying to mama?

[SoothingDave]

I would have considered "pathetic" to be more insulting/innapropriate, but it's possible that I don't understand the meaning of "schmuck". I thought it was "an unpleasantly excentric person" but perhaps it's rooted in some vulgarity.

It does have a specific meaning in Yiddish, but it serves as a less offensive term in general English. I am am English speaker.

Still, it was used in haste and under a misunderstanding fo the situation.

SD

[SoothingDave]

I am am English speaker.

I am an English speaker.

SD

[IMRight]

And was the "fo" slang? Or an abbreviation?