Posted on 03/27/2002 10:38:26 AM PST by malakhi
I've reviewed the critiques and suggestions from Thread 2, have incorporated those I could, and have come up with the following Topic list. One point that was questioned by a number of people were the names of the Denominational Topics categories. I have tried to stay with names that are in common use, and/or are preferred by members of those groups. If you suggested a change here and I did not put it in place, that is probably why.
What I would like to do is to have all interested parties vote a straight up or down on the topics as they stand. If over half of the voters oppose the present list, then we'll reopen it for further changes. If the majority is in favor of the present list, then this is what we'll go with. Keep in mind that additions to the list are always possible down the road.
I will be offline from sunset tonight until Saturday night for the first two days of Passover and then for Shabbat. That will give everyone a chance to weigh in and vote. I'll tally the votes Saturday night, and let Jim Robinson know the results.
Thanks for your participation and the many great suggestions!
General Topics
Activism Opportunities to make your voice heard. Apologetics Defense of doctrine. Current Events Religion or religion-related news of the day. Ecumenism Pertaining to discussion, cooperation and understanding among denominations. History History of religion, religion and secular history, tradition, sacred texts. Humor If at first you don't succeed, don't skydive. Ministry/Outreach Pastoral issues, proselytization, missions. Moral Issues Abortion, divorce, sexuality, social justice, ethics. Prayer Requests for prayer, articles about prayer, spirituality. Religion & Culture Religious critique of secular culture, influence of religion on culture. Religion & Politics Church/state issues, legislation, court cases, 1st amendment, the political process. Religion & Science Creation, evolution, ethical issues posed by scientific advances. Theology Nature of God and religious truth, rational inquiry into religious questions. Worship Methods of worship, liturgy, communal prayer.
Denominational Topics This is not intended to be a complete list, but rather to indicate broad categories. Catholic Latin rite, Eastern rites. Charismatic Christian Assemblies of God, pentacostalism, charismatic movement. Eastern Religions Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism, Taoism. Evangelical Christian Baptist, sola scriptura, non-denominational, independent fundamentalist Bible believers. Islam Sunni, Shiite, Sufism, Wahhabism. Judaism Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, Reconstructionist, Karaite. Mainline Protestant Anglican, Episcopalian, Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian, Unitarian, UCC. Orthodox Christian Greek, Russian, Armenian, Antiochian etc. Other Christian 7th Day Adventist, Churches of God, Messianic Christians, LDS, etc. Other non-Christian Baha'i, Zoroastrianism, animism, Wicca, etc. Skeptics/Seekers Agnosticism, atheism, secular humanism, etc.
According to what I have read in your remarks over time I would think that you should have written
as long as Scripture continues to say what I say it says
I wanted to stay away from you because of your obvious anti-everything except what you believe but I just couldn't hold back this morning.
2 Tim. 3:2-7:
v.2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves......v.5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: FROM SUCH TURN AWAY. For of this sort are they which creepnto houses, and lead captive sill women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, EVER LEARNING AND NEVER ABLE TO COME TO THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTH.
Becky
For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power;
Avoid such men as these. For among them are those who enter into households and captivate weak women weighed down with sins, led on by various impulses, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
Becky
I hearby christen this "The Thread That Would Not Die".....LOL
OM
Actually, I think some good lessons have been learned here. I noticed alot of things about certain groups I hadn't before, and know who to TURN AWAY FROM:)
Becky
Becky
My point is that it seems futile to quote Scripture in defense of a belief in this forum when it is common knowledge that each person interprets that same Scripture according to what they already believe. On a personal level it can say something very different to you than it does to me. Where it can do some good is when someone who really has an open mind and is willing to honestly learn and even debate its meaning in a rational rather than emotional manner.
It might be a wonderful thing if we started a thread where only the Bible was debated and there was no getcha/gotchas, no personal attacks, only truth as each person sees it and see where we have things in common rather than what we disagree about.
As to RNMom I feel she is under attack but after reading her posts for over a year now and reading her attacks against any person who doesn't believe the way she does, I'm not surprised.
***ding**** we have a winner who's nailed it right on the head
listen to you - trying to stir up animosity. Ma - thats his opinion and hes entitled to it. But you know what the important part is? He loves Jesus, and recognizes Christ as his savior, Im sure lives a pious life and exemplifies Christian charity through his actions. Ask yourself honestly if you have put forth the same charity lately.
Like I said and I honestly mean - is there something special I can pray for you?
Just to clarify, I like RnMom very much, we have had extensive chats via email on various topics, we've butted heads ferociously on many threads, and though I was very saddened by her behavior recently on another thread, overall I think she is an honest, sincere Christian woman.
Her outbursts are understandable given the current climate here.
She feels my Church is fundamentally wrong on many issues, deadly wrong on some.
Yet Catholic apologetics on this site is incredibly vibrant despite the current scandal, and we are gaining new reverts and converts weekly.
She cannot see the justice in this, as she sees it as Christians walking into error.
And despite the most intense apologetic efforts of her ardently Calvinist compatriots here, folks are rejecting their version of scriptural interpretation and embracing Catholic and Eastern Orthodox interpretations in droves.
If I saw many many folks leaving Catholicism for her Orthodox Presby positions, I too would be fighting mad, lashing out, angry and even hysterical at times, for I would see it as folks leaving Christ's Truth and entering severe error, an error based on a fundamentally flawed understanding of scripture.
So be patient and give RnMom some slack. She is only doing what she thinks is necessary, for the salvation of others' souls.
And yes, I do believe to the bottom of my heart that the foundations of protestantism is the very roots of modern western decadence and decay.
See my profile page if you would like to know why I would so ardently hold such an obviously unpopular position.
Besides the subjective involvement of being a former RCC member, given what to RnMom appears to be a full frontal attack on her belief system, an attack that is frankly bearing a lot of fruit here lately, I can understand her anger at the efforts of the Catholic Caucus and desire to counter Catholic apologetic efforts here.
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