Posted on 09/15/2007 11:47:41 AM PDT by restornu
Click Video- Learn how DNA was able to sort out and match the DDS fragments
And the pillars of Enoch are written of by several ancient authors. Here's one from Josephus that tells of them being hidden before the flood:
The children of Seth "also were the inventors of that peculiar sort of wisdom which is concerned with the heavenly bodies, and their order. And that their inventions might not be lost before they were sufficiently known, upon Adam's prediction that the world was to be destroyed at one time by the force of fire, and at another time by the violence and quantity of water, they made two pillars, the one of brick, the other of stone: they inscribed their discoveries on them both, that in case the pillar of brick should be destroyed by the flood, the pillar of stone might remain, and exhibit those discoveries to mankind; and also inform them that there was another pillar of brick erected by them. Now this remains in the land of Siriad to this day."
- Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews Bk I, Ch II, Sn 3
Excellent post, btw. :-D
And you keep saying you are finished with me, and won't post to me anymore, etc, etc. But then you return and keep calling in the troops. Not that I mind you keep returning, but the hot and cold stuff is getting me dizzy.
I don't seek to tear down those weak in the faith, I seek to expose the philosophies of men and creeds brought about by a pagan emperor 400 years after Christ. I seek to strengthen my faith and that of others. I seek to testify of the divinity of the living Christ, who died for all mankind, and lives today with the same glorified and perfected body he rose with. This is my goal, and I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation.
All the best.
Ask, ye shall receive, seek and ye shall find, knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
The power of prayer is very real my FRiend!!
All the best.
Hey!!!
You're not trying to imply anything about our TEMPLE ceremonies; are you???
--MormonDude(Sworn to secrecy: or ELSE!)
No; but I know something about Mary Baker Eddy.
Your feelings on the Holy Ghost & his workings are dead on for the better part. Much of what you say re: deceiving spirits is also very pinpoint & correct. Our differences are not as far apart as you may think. Aside for our differences & views on John 10 vs. John 17 & predetermination, I think we have a lot in common in your post.
My question to you was in re: to the Godhead & how you viewed the scriptures I mentioned in relation to the Scriptures you cited & your beliefs. That view of the Godhead is essential & important. I understand your beliefs & respect them. However, they just don’t match up for me. Especially given the description of “one” in John 17. Augment that w/ the difficulty of explaining why the Lord was often talking in terms of distinct separation & that the trinity really has it’s genesis at about 325 AD w/ men that claimed no direct revelation re: the matter & believed that the Lord no longer talked directly to his living oracles the prophets, & it can be a confusing matter to many.
Ultimately though, as you very well put it, it comes down to putting your faith in Christ & asking Him about the truth. Through the power of the Holy Ghost, those answers will come to the sincere in heart. Thanks for your thoughts.
There you go again - saying it's an error.
Show me the manuscript and I'll believe that your assumption may have some validity.
Until then you are wasting your time.
Yes.
I don’t follow the argument of the Trinity only originating circa 4th century.
John Himself writes regarding the Word of God in John 1:1-3
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
The Targums written regarding Yahweh identify the Lord with the word, MEMRA, or “WORD”.
Even in English, the same meaning is conveyed.
Yahweh identified as God; the second person identified as God in the Word or Memra.
In a less formal fashion, we can read Scripture and simply acknowledge God is spoken of semantically as three persons, but still one with another. One God, three persons.
He’s known to us by over 350 names in Scripture, but while we have faith through Him, He provides salvation.
Here is a link to her website
Her work in recovering the religious practices of ancient Israel is quite interesting. She also has a lot of eye opening things to say about what was going on in Israel around the time of Lehi's exodus. Most of her work is totally independent of any LDS influence. It wasn't until after she had written several books on the subject that she was contacted by LDS scholars who were interested in her work. She was quite surprised to find out what the scriptures of the restoration had to say and how closely LDS theology supported her theories.
Here is a link to an MP3 of a lecture she gave at BYU in May of 2003.
What Did Josiah Reform? The Earlier Religion of Israel
She was also a respondent at the Worlds of Joseph Smith conference that was held at the Library of Congress during June of 2005 commemorating the anniversary of the prophets 200th birthday.
Session 2: Joseph Smith and the Recovery of Past Worlds
There is also a paper at FARMS discussing her work.
Paradigms Regained: A Survey of Margaret Barkers Scholarship and it's Significance for Mormon Studies
It never ceases to amaze me how some anti-Mormons look for demonic influences where none exist.
Asking if something is not true is an idiom or figure of speech. It is a way of stating or asserting that something is true. It is often used in rhetorical questions, to which no answer is expected:
18 Is not the LORD your God with you? and hath he not given you rest on every side? (1 Chr. 22:18)Similarly, the same idiom is used when the questioner expects an answer, but already has a good idea of what that answer will be:12 Hath not the same Hezekiah taken away his high places and his altars, and commanded Judah and Jerusalem, saying, Ye shall worship before one altar, and burn incense upon it? (2 Chr. 32: 12)
6 Do ye thus requite the LORD, O foolish people and unwise? is not he thy father that hath bought thee? hath he not made thee, and established thee? (Deut. 32:6)
Is it not true that you are the Masked Marauder, Mr. Smith?
And I should like to ask them if it is not true that in a great multitude of instances, they have no expectation at all that the members of their church will wake up and be influenced by the truth, and will do what they know to be their duty. (Charles G. Finney, Holding the Truth in Unrighteousness, part 2)
He who disbelieves it, let him go round to every embassy in Europe and ask if it is not true. (Matthew Arnold, Culture & Anarchy, p. 326)The latter example is particularly interesting because it parallels the usage of Moroni 10:4. Arnold argues that something is true (as does Moroni) and suggests that the reader can obtain confirmation by asking someone in a position to know.
I think we agree "The Word" spoken of is Jesus Christ. So, who was the Word (Jesus Christ) with in the beginning? God. Is Jesus Christ God? Certainly. Is the Holy Ghost God? Absolutely. Three distinct Gods that form the Godhead. We have the Father (God) who is our Father & the Father of our spirits, Jesus Christ (God) who is our Saviour, & the Holy Ghost (God). The Word was with the Father in the beginning. One God in purpose, goal, thought, etc. but three distinct beings. Otherwise the scripture might have said "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was God. Period. Why state, "and the Word was with God" if it was just Him?
Does that make sense? I'm not asking you to believe necessarily, but can you see where that could make sense? Can you see where there could be another explanation?
IMHO, the explanation is in the expression itself.
IMHO, most people get more confused over the Trinity by attempting to read into it than receive what He provides.
IMHO, keep it simple, understand that throughout Scripture there is but one God which is eternal and all powerful/Sovereign and He is revealed to us by three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
No need to write more into it than that, other than studying the different persons as so revealed and letting Him guide us accordingly.
IMHO, there is also reason through faith in Him as to why He has revealed Himself in such a fashion.
O.K., I respect your humble opinion. Thanks for the civilized discussion. I wish you a great day my FRiend.
Just curious why you felt the need to ping JR?
Did some one offend you?
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