I admit I have a personal God.

Jim

Best explanation in this thread.

One of my favorite friends is a devout Catholic. He now only goes to Latin Mass, disavows Vatican II and all that followed it, calls the current communist pope the “anti-Pope,” and says Protestantism is heresy and Protestants are heretics. The implication is that the brutal Inquisition that gave rise to Protestantism in the first place would be a joyful time again. Then Mark’s comment above about the Torah being “legalistic” and therefore “heresy” reminds me why I left the church at age twenty and never looked back. Every Wednesday and Sunday I’d be berated by self righteous hypocrites, judging harshly everyone around them. I was glad to go. It may all be a big mess, as this debate demonstrates to me, but practically speaking I don’t see a better vehicle for conveying morality and a decent society. The alternative is catastrophe, which America is staring in the face. Whatever your Christianity is, support it.

What a waste of time these threads are.

Back to the theme of my post is the revitalization of the American Church underway, is NOT what pastors, or preachers, or even priests want to do, think they should do, or feel the need to do. Our churches have become churches of social causes and have lost sight of the ecclesiastical church mission which Jesus Christ Himself commissioned (Matt 28:19-20).

And there has been huge divergence from Jesus' sending of the Comforter and His Acts 2 ordination with the Spirit upon all the first church planters (Apostles = those who had seen the Risen Jesus personally). There have been no Apostles since.

Apostles were discipled and commanded by Christ to hand down what was taught to them to respectable trained overseers, elders, and deacons, which is "the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints" passage of Jude 1:3.

What is that faith? That's the core 7 points based on biblical texts as "evidence." God's evidence. No quibble and no squabble. You don't agree, you're not a Christian Church.

Why is that? Because, we remember that every heretic in church history had Bible verses. Pharisees, Judaizers, Arians, Nestorians, and those of today.

So, devout men and women study today what was handed down from the Apostles and the question is really; "What were "we" handed and did we receive, protect, and pass it on properly?"
Most would say no. We need to "tighten up." Been a bunch of drifting at sea depending on what preachers and teachers "thought" best. Human wisdom.
So the return to the ancient teachings with a cultural overlay and that's where the theological mission resides.
Great news... the Spirit will guide.
As He always has, amongst it all.
Say thank you to dutiful and orthodox teachers and preachers as often as you can.
The enemy smells victory and he is relentless.

Blessings,
Mark

the guy in the mirror?

Waste of time.
Waste of time.
Trying to get my MB550 around that with a dab of lure on a Q-tip.....
If you don't want to read a topic, and there are 25 topics on a page.....

SNAP!

Blessings,
Mark

I know James has me on ignore (he curls up in a fetal position if he hears his "logic" being skewered).

but I still post....not for his benefit (his ego won't allow it); but for those who can learn from the discussion.

PMs are frequent during these for sure.

taking you at your word, which major religion is WORSE for homosexuals: Christianity or Islam?

why aren't you railing against Islam?

James, name ONE Mosque that sanctions/performs same sex marriages in Islam.

Just ONE!!!

All I want to know is this. Maybe James can answer. If your wife poisons your children should you divorce her and take the chance of committing adulatory if you marry another? Or do you avoid that all together and tie a millstone around your neck and cast yourself into the sea?

I can tell you as Christianity is declining in America and Europe, Islam is growing. We're gonna find out about the treatment of humanity under Islam, where there is no person created in the image of God, but rather quite the opposite..... only servitude and submission to Allah.

People really have no idea about this religion but it's no religion of peace. Anywhere it's been.
The liberal Shiites are radical but the more conservative Sunnis aren't collaborators at heart either.

Blessings,
Mark

Love this thread brother Mark keep on doing Gods work sir!! God Bless!

Jesus said there is an exception for immorality of the other spouse. Murder is immoral (as well as illegal). Remarriage would be allowed, under my interpretation of Christ's teachings.

Jim

What? Everyone knows that islam is the religion of peace while christianity, the one that says to love your neighbor as thyself, is responsible for every evil under the sun.

No, that's not what it says.

Matthew 19:9 And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery. (KJV)

Not that it's pertinent, but it depends on what translation you use, yotetrapper.

Jim

when you say that the treatment of homosexuals is the reason you despise Christianity (yet have no public issues with Islam); you are lying.

not just to us, but perhaps to yourself, as well.

when we see you call out Islam with equal fervor for its [WAY more!] horrendous treatment of your protected class, you may regain some credibility here.

but until then...you are unworthy of debate.

I dont despise Christianity, I just dont believe any of it.

Since the subject seems to be homosexuality, is it a choice or are people born that way? My son in law says it doesn't matter. If born that way they can choose to be sexless or to ignore their desires and marry a female.

Choice or birth defect?