I am neither a preacher nor a priest, nor have I ever claimed I was. I am not even close. Where are you getting this from? My titles have nothing to do with religion.
So please do not take offense if I sound rebellious to the preacher/priest class.
The offenses of others offends us only if we allow them to offend us. You are entitled to your opinion and your faith, not matter what it is. It doesn't mean either is true, or that I have to agree with it.
As for the 'cult' type upbringing you mention, from what you are saying I don't see you having drifted away from cultism, in my opinion.
I came observe the majority of people I encountered found the Bible as their personal 'tool' for their own posterity NOT as the instruction BOOK given to any who would seek life eternal as the instruction manual
Most people use the Bible as a crutch or a weapon. Specifically, very few live according to the (four) Gospels, imitating Christ.
See to let you know how far out there I went I read Shirley's book 'Out on a Limb' across the state of Kansas and Colorado as supposed higher learning on the way for a ski trip. A 'cult' is any religion that places themselves or their church in place of the WORD.
I never heard of the book or the author. No, this is not the English meaning of the word "cult."
Regarding Jeremiah, and the fact that you have NO clue what the Heavenly Father said to him
That's right. I wasn't there, I didn't hear it and I can't vouch for it. It must be believed blindly. But in order to believe it blindly, you must already believe that everything you read in the Bible, no matter how inconsistent or weird or outright wrong, is true!
I have no desire to change or influence your beliefs. I was just asking to find out just how "cultist" your views were.
I did NOT write anything that is in the Bible. But when someone tells me a thing is of Christ I have discovered that I can through Scripture discern the credibility of said claim. Now it may make me a cultist in your opinion but I long ago decided I would no longer take man's word for what Christ did, said, or gave instruction and when He quoted one of those holy prophets that gives the holy prophet all the credibility needed to be learned in my opinion.
The Bible is about one flesh man his wife and his generations up to the conception of Christ. As well as the other peoples of this earth and entities not of flesh they came in contact with. The Bible carefully traces the bloodline right to the conception of Christ.
Paul says in ICorinthians 10:11 Now *ALL* these things happened unto them for ensamples: (examples) and they are written for our admonition, (warning) upon whom the ends of the world (age) are come. By the way Paul starts out with Moses when he says these things are written for our admonition and Moses was the first holy prophet.
Just like another holy prophet penned Solomon in the book of Ecclesiastes 1:9 The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.
Christ said I have foretold you all things Mark 13:23 But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things. Then Christ quotes Isaiah 13:10 and Isaiah 34:4.
Most people use the Bible as a crutch or a weapon. Specifically, very few live according to the (four) Gospels, imitating Christ.
In Matthew 2:17 one of the four Gospels it is Written Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy (Jeremiah) the prophet, saying, quoting Jeremiah 31:15 Matthew 2:18 - "In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not."
And in Matthew 27:9 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy (Jeremiah) the prophet, saying, "And they took the thirty pieces of silver, (the price of Him That was valued. Whom they of the children of Israel did value):
Now the curious thing about this reference to Jeremiah is that Jeremiah did not write this down but he spoke it Zechariah 11:12 did write the words and give not reference to Jeremiah having spoke the words.
Now how is it possible to live like and be like Christ if you don't even believe what He foretold, yep that would make me a cultist to discover what was foretold.