@warrior I don't think I've ever seen a post quite like that before. If you ask me, your views on Christanity are quite twisted.
I don't consider it a "personal relationship" by just acknologing that Jesus Christ is the creator of everything. I talk with Him every day. He speaks to me as well. Though it isn't an audible voice, it's like a subtle, still small voice. He speaks through the Bible. It is "His Word" after all.
I consider myself a sevant, not a slave. While in the Bible the term slave is used, (as TingThing pointed out in one of his apologetical videos) if you break it down, the term slave really fits better with the modern day term servant. I still have free will. I can either submit, or not submit. A slave is controlled completely. To resist submitment (something I have done many times in my Christian walk) feels like I've been disconnected with a close friend. Because in reality, I have.
When I do my own thing, I feel very guilty about it. A non-Christian would not have this happen. This is the work of the Holy Spirit who guides me. God is 1 God, but 3 persons. There's God the Father (usually referred to as God) God the Son, (Jesus Christ) and God the Holy Spirit.
About TingThing being open about his faith, he's in a different position than I am. He is speaking to you guys as a buisinessman. Not a close friend. Myself, on the other hand, am a member of these forums. I've never imposed my views on anyone. I've had many tell me they don't want to hear me speak of my beliefs. Jesus once told a parable of "The Sower and the Seed," as it is commonly referred to. The parable talks of a man who goes out and plants seed. And explains the different things which happened to different seeds. Some seeds fell by the path, and were eaten by birds. Some seeds fell on rocky ground, where they started to grow, and soon died because the ground wasn't prepared for them. Some fell among thorns and thistles which chocked the growing plant, and some seeds were scorched by the sun as the plants grew. Each scenario is a picture of a different person who hears the good news that this life isn't the only life. This life really isn't that great. (If it wasn't obvious enough.) I mean, look at things like, Covid-19 as an example. Who knows, a much worse virus could strike us. This life isn't all that there is! You could live in a wonderful paradise for all of eternity without any problems. Forever and ever. Sound boring? The Bible promises us that the things in Heaven are so wonderful, that we can't even imagine them. Whereas Hell, (the alternative) is the complete opposite of Heaven. It's a dark, lonely place filled with every horror. If you think this place is bad, you've never seen bad before.
About God's other sons, the Bible is sometimes vague about the term Sons used. Such as in Genesis 6 as an example. It's uncertain as to what this verse is referring to. People have speculated, but it's not certain.
But in other places, it's very obvious as to what God is talking about.
John 1:12
"But as many as received him, [speaking of Jesus] to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:"
In other words, I am a child of God. I'm born of His spirit.
You speak of how He probably doesn't care about us much in comparison with His other "sons."
He loves everyone. And He makes it very clear that we, (humans) are the pinnacle of His creation. Of everything He made, we are more important to Him than anything else.
The Bible is so much more than what you described it to be. So much more. As I aforementioned, the Bible is way more than just a history book. It's a complete, indepth book on every aspect of life. LITERALLY every aspect. It'd take years to write everything in just the area of life improvement before you got everything down.
Did you get that definition of Christanity from a dictionary or wikipedia? Thx for that definiton. It fits almost everything to a T. As I have afore mentioned, I think that Christanity is often miscategorized as a religion. I understand why, but there's nothing I can do about that. God will make all things right in the end. So, I'm not worried about that.
Have you ever actually studied the Bible? I mean, actually read it? I mean, I'm sure you've read bits and pieces of it, but really, I doubt you've given it an honest, humble read. From what I can tell, you're a very prideful person who is arrogant about things pertaining to Christanity. Your perception of it is off because you haven't studied it from a neutral side.
You speak of being a rational thinker. If you ask me, Evolution is a genuine adult fairytale. It's an utter complete mess that was concocted by those who refused to believe the Bible. Many people believe evolution just because they've been taught it their whole life. Just as those who have grown up in a Christian home tend to believe what the Bible says just because that's what they were taught. I do not believe the Bible because that's what I was taught. Sure, I grew up in a Christian home, but that really didn't affect my thinking. I came with a presupposition that Christanity was true when I started studying things out for myself. I had come to a crossroads in my life with the choice to leave everything I was taught, or do things my own way and create my own "religion." Many atheists will fight tooth and nail saying that Atheism isn't a religion. In reality, it is. It is a set of beliefs. That there is no God, usually they believe Evolution and Science. I didn't say they believe Science alone. I said evolution and science. Why? Because I agree with science 100%. I completely disagree with macroevolution. Microevolution is an observable, testable, repeatablefact. Macroevolution can not be observed, tested, or repeated. Evolution is NOT science. Anything that isn't observable, testable, and repeatable isn't science. Now, it can be considered historical science, but in all honestly, science just means knowledge, and the knowledge we have today doesn't even support evolution. There's not even 1 recorded "missing link" anywhere. All "missing link" fossils have been disproven as just misconstruded truths to try to push the evolutionistic agenda. I think that any true Christian who's interested in the truth will leave behind theistic evolution. Because if you do become a Christian and hold to the views of evolution, it really doesn't matter a whole lot.
The Jewish Leaders were religious, and put on a religious show. These men not only acted religious, but were religious. Their religious show really was religious, and they must have thought they were doing what God said. Really? They weren't.
Catholics really don't have anything to do with Jewish leaders, and I don't see how I was trying to "hijack" the conversation.
Apparently your desire for truth is at about the level of your desire for baby toys. In other words, 0. Truth is a powerful thing. I'm pretty sure that you were the one who put up the quote, "There is no knowledge that is not power." Well, I mostly agree with that statment. Some knowledge is not for us to know. I've heard it said that God created us to learn, but he didn't create us to learn evil. So learning knowledge which is evil, is not a good thing.
Having Truth is indeed the greatest knowledge you could ever have. If only you were interested in the truth, you wouldn't have such an apathetic additude.
Let me guess your real reason for being an atheist...
Jesus told a parable of a young man who was a son who would recieve his father's inheritance when he died. He wanted the inheritance right then and there so that he could go to a far away country, and life life his way. His father let him have it, and he was off to this far away land where the Bible says he spent his money on wild living, prostitutes, and all kinds of wicked things. Atheism is like this. God has given us the ability to put Him out of our minds. What you have clearly done is put Him out of your mind possibly at a young age, and silenced your conscience. So that now the things you would have felt guilty about before, you don't feel guiltty about anymore. The conscience (which is God-given, but society shaped) is like a fire alarm. It's annoying, so you take the batteries out. What you don't know is, that without your conscience being your alarm, you're gonna end up in Hell. Because of your deadened conscience, you don't care if Hell exists or not, and you don't care about the actions you have done to earn the right to go there. Of which are breaking God's laws. Sinning. I'd hate for you to go to Hell. I'd hate for anyone to go there. You never know when you're gonna die, and I believe God put you on these forums to hear the good news. And what you do with it is up to you. So far, you've been like the seed which was thrown by the path, and then birds immediately ate it. In other words, you've heard the good news, and you've rejected it. Atheism takes away all of your concern for Hell. You can do whatever you want, with no ultimate consequence. Just...Non-existant.
I'm kind of surprised I denounced everything that those midevil popes were like which you likened to me, and you still say I've got that mindset. I don't. I've got the mindset of a child of God. A Christian. A follower of Jesus. By the way, apparently you do believe Jesus lived. But what about his death? Where is His body? I tell you this. If Jesus Christ isn't alive right now, I'm a Christian in vain. I don't have a relationship with a guy who's been dead for 2,000 years. But rather, someone who has always existed, exists right now, and will exist forever and ever!
I pray that God will bring you to Him. I hope to see you in Heaven one day, Warrior. The choice is up to you.
