10 Questions Every Intelligent Christian Must Answer [ANS]
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The purpose of this is to provide short and quick answers to the common "Why won't God Heal Amputees" collection of questions.
Target Audience:
1. Non-Christians who are sincerely seeking truth, who are looking for objective and solid evidence to believe in the God of the Bible (see especially question 7).
2. Christians who are looking to for answers to these questions from the Bible, with the intended purpose of strengthening their own faith.This topic is not intended for:
People who have already decided beforehand that they do not want to believe in God, regardless of the evidence. For such people, I cannot help you. God Himself will deal with you.
Of such people, the Bible already says that they suppress the truth by wickedness. Jesus said this in the Bible "This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil." Examine your own heart. What is the true reason you want to reject God? Is it because you have examined and tested the Bible? Or is it because you are afraid that God will take up your time and make it inconvenient for you to practice what you do in secret, in thought, word and deed?-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A few biblical guidelines to keep in mind as we go through each question:
1. God does not owe us anything.
* If God did not heal anybody, He would still be perfectly good and righteous.
* If we were all in hell right now without any chance of salvation, it would be exactly what we deserve for our sins.
2. God is not a vending machine.
* Just because we pray for something, even if we use the words "in Jesus's name" like a magical formula, God does not have to say yes.
* In Jesus's name = Amen = according to the will of God, because Jesus always did the will of the Father.
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Question #1: Why Won't God Heal Amputees?
[Romans 5:12] Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned.
[Romans 9:15] I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.
Sickness, death, amputations, wars. All these started happening after sin entered the world through the disobedience of Adam and Eve. It is exactly what we deserve. In no way can God be blamed for a person having an amputation nor can He be blamed for not healing an amputee.
God is the boss of the universe, and it is His right to do as He wills. If God heals anybody, it is because He has mercy and gives good things that the person does not deserve.
The very fact that we are able to breathe, to see and to be on the Internet right now, it is a result of God being merciful. In no way do we deserve any of these good things.
If God were to give us exactly what we deserve, we would all be in hell right now. But He delays His judgment and gives us time to repent.
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Question #2: Why are there so many starving children in our world?
[Romans 5:12] Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned.
[Romans 9:15] I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.
Starvation and lack of food are not God's fault. God created the world perfect. In his perfect world, there would never have been any starvation, nor would there be any amputees. But because of our sins, this is no longer a perfect world.
The question we should ask is why isn't everybody starving? The reason anyone has food to eat is because God has had mercy and compassion on him, and has provided good things such as food. This is why Christians give thanks to God for a meal. This is why Christians give thanks to God for every good thing, because every good thing is from God.
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Question #3: Why does God demand the death of so many innocent people in the Bible?
[Ezekiel 18:4] For every living soul belongs to Me, the father as well as the son - both alike belong to Me. The soul who sins is the one who will die.
[Romans3:10] As it is written: There is no-one righteous, not even one; there is no-one who understands, no-one who seeks God.
[Psalm 51:5] Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
The people were not innocent. They had sinned. The punishment for sin is death. Every soul belongs to God, and it is His right to decree when each person will die. If God decreed that I died tonight, He would still be perfectly good and righteous and just.
Surprise, surprise. All have sinned. Therefore, all deserve to die. Do you know that you are doomed die? It is God's right to decide the time and date. You have until then to repent and believe in Jesus Christ.
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Question #4: Why does the Bible contain so much anti-scientific nonsense?
[2 Peter 3:3] First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, "Where is this 'coming' he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation." But they deliberately forget that long ago by God's word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water by water. By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed.
The Bible does not contain anti-scientific nonsense. If you have trouble believing that God created the earth in six days or that there was Noah's flood, I would recommend you take a look at www.creation.com. They have some very scientific articles there written by highly-qualified scientific people. And if you do not like reading scientific articles, they even have videos that make things easier to understand.
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Question #5: Why is God such a huge proponent of slavery in the Bible?
[Romans 6:20] When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.
Do you know that you are a slave? Everybody is either a slave to sin or a slave to God. There is no middle ground. Slaves to sin receive death. Slaves to God receive eternal life. Sin is a bad master. God is a good master.
The references to slavery in the Old Testament clearly demonstrate this concept. Slaves who had a good master even wanted to stay with their master though they may choose to go away. I have tasted and found that my Master, God, is good. Therefore I will always want to stay with Him. It is my desire that you be a slave of the good Master.
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Question #6: Why do bad things happen to good people?
[Ezekiel 18:4] For every living soul belongs to Me, the father as well as the son - both alike belong to Me. The soul who sins is the one who will die.
[Romans3:10] As it is written: There is no-one righteous, not even one; there is no-one who understands, no-one who seeks God.
[1 Peter 4:12-13] Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when His glory is revealed.
[1 Peter 3:19] So then, those who suffer according to God's will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.
[1 John 5:19] We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.
There are no good people. Bad things happen to bad people. I am a bad person. So are you. We may not be bad according to man's standards, but we are bad according to God's standards. The very fact that we are not in hell right now is evidence of God's mercy.
This is a fallen world. God made the world in a perfect state. But now it is fallen, and it is not God's fault. It is perfectly reasonable to expect bad things to happen to bad people in a fallen world.
Guess who has control over this fallen world? The Bible even describes the devil as the god of this world who blinds the mind of unbelievers so that they cannot see the light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. But a time is coming when God will create a new heaven and a new earth.
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Question #7: Why didn't any of Jesus' miracles leave behind any evidence?
[John 20:29] Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
Many people have believed in Jesus Christ without seeing any evidence. But for those who need to see some evidence, He has been kind enough to leave some evidence in various categories. The following may be useful for you. Please study, and then believe, for your own sake.
Archaeological Evidence:
http://www.formerthings.com/israelstele.htm
300+ Messianic Prophetic Evidence (things written hundreds of years before Jesus was born were fulfilled by Him):
http://lastdayscalendar.tripod.com/messianic_prophecies.htm
Scientific Evidence:
http://www.creation.comScientific Foreknowledge:
http://www.eternal-productions.org/101science.htmlLast Days Prophecies (things written in the Bible that you can see fulfilled with your own eyes today):
http://www.eternal-productions.org/101prophecy.html
Historical Evidence (written by secular historians):
http://www.facingthechallenge.org/outside.php
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Question #8: How do we explain the fact that Jesus has never appeared to you?
[Exodus 33:20] But you cannot see My face, for no-one may see Me and live.
[1 Corinthians 13:12] Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
[Colossians 1:28] We proclaim Him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.
[Philippians 3:12]Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.
[John 20:31] But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name.
One reason is because we are still connected to the sinful flesh. With the exception of the time between Christ's birth and His return to heaven, nobody has seen Him perfectly, face-to-face. But the Bible promises that we shall see Jesus face-to-face, when we are glorified after death.
For now, we have the Bible to help us believe. It has been tested and found to be trustworthy. If you have not read the Bible, and you are thinking that it is too thick to read, you can limit yourself to just one or two books. I think the book of Romans gives a pretty good description of the big picture of God's salvation plan. And any one of the four gospel accounts gives a good peek into the life of Jesus on earth.
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Question #9: Why would Jesus want you to eat his body and drink his blood?
[John 6:51] I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live for ever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.
[Luke 22:19] And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is My body given for you; do this in remembrance of Me."
[1 Corinthians 11:26] For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes.
[2 Corinthians 5:21] God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.
Jesus gave His perfectly lived out life and offered it to us. To His followers, His perfect righteousness is imputed to them. Jesus gave His blood to atone for our sins. The followers of Jesus have their sins erased from them, paid for in full.
God knows how forgetful we are. Therefore, the Lord's Supper helps us to remember the focal point of the entire Bible - that Jesus Christ gave His blood to atone for our sins and His life that we have His perfect righteousness.
Whenever we partake of the Lord's Supper, we proclaim to all witnesses that Jesus Christ has done this great deed for our salvation.
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Question #10: Why do Christians get divorced at the same rate as non-Christians?
[Matthew 7:13-14] Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
[Matthew 7:7] Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
[Luke 13:23-24] Someone asked Him, "Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?" He said to them, "Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to."
Not everyone who says that they are a Christian is really a Christian. Just because a person's parents are Christian does not make one a Christian. Just because it is printed on a person's passport that the religion is "Christian" does not make the person a believer, especially in today's modern world. Church today has become fashionable. Pop and rock styles of worship have made church attractive to the young people. I do not mean to say that a certain style of music is necessarily a bad thing, because the Bible actually encourages lively music to worship God [Psalm 150].
However, with so many people coming in the front door, it is difficult to tell the sheep from the goats. Many people go to church for social reasons, or they want to make business contacts. The preaching of a prosperity gospel results in many people running around who think that Jesus wants to help them strike lottery or wants to give them a BMW. There are many who miss out on the main point, which is that Jesus Christ came to die for our sins and purchase our life back to God.
There are many people who want to go to heaven. But not all of these people want God to be there when they get to heaven. In other words, they want a heaven without God, probably because they have no desire to obey Him. But a true Christian will want to please God. This happens as the Christian continues to receive grace from God to grow in obedience, which makes him or her less likely to get a divorce.
However, not every person who gets a divorce is a non-Christian. Christians do go through times of weakness. Or perhaps the divorcee was a new Christian who had not yet learned to obey God. Nevertheless, unless we can look into the hearts of people, we are unable to discern who is really a Christian and who is just for show.
Now, the surveys conducted probably segregated Christians from non-Christians based on what was printed on their passport, which is not a very accurate indicator. If the surveys conducted had segregated Christians based on whether a person desired to obey Christ, then the results should show that Christians who get divorced are very few indeed.
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CONCLUSION
1. God is holy, holy, holy.
2. You are evil, evil, evil.
3. Jesus Christ paid the penalty for your evil and gave you His perfect righteousness
4. The evidence that number 3 is true is that, within this lifetime, you repent of your sins and believe in Jesus Christ.
Still think that you are not evil? Take the test to find out if this is true.
The Good Test:
http://www.eternal-productions.org/thegoodtestvideo.htmI plead with you, together with all the apostles and saints, to come to Christ, urgently.
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Recommended Resources:
Searchable Database of Questions About God:
http://www.gotquestions.orgSolid, Biblical Video Repository (Videos arranged by questions and topics):
http://www.illbehonest.com -
yaaaaawwwwwnnnnnn
more garbage from braindead goons indulging in the wishful thinking of heaven........
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Christian ---> Believe in God
Atheist ----> Don't believe in GodIdiots --------> Arguing whether God exist or not.
Why dumbasses have to make it so difficult?
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That is a good one. No practice of love of God in saying the above. Arrogant! i DOUBT God wants his children to behave such.
FireICe, close this thread la.
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so what if God exists, so what if God does not exist, life goes on. Not as if he exists he will help the needy.
FireICe please close this thread.
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Think FireIce will close this thread when she is online.
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YAWNZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!
AHHHHHHHHHHHH!
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1. God does not owe us anything.
2. God is not a vending machine.
So people pray to him for...? To thank him for doing nothing?
Question #1: Why Won't God Heal Amputees?
Question #2: Why are there so many starving children in our world?Here's the problem.
(i) God created the world perfect.(v) Man sinned.
There is an obvious contradiction when you put in the statements:
(iii) Sin is not perfect.
(iv) Man is created by God.
(v) Man should be perfect.
Question #4: Why does the Bible contain so much anti-scientific nonsense?
If you think www.creation.com is a scientific site, I would strongly suggest you go through our dear Singapore education system. If you have gone through and you still believe that that site says the truth, our system really has failed you.
Question #6: Why do bad things happen to good people?Well, then why do good things happen to bad people?
Question #7: Why didn't any of Jesus' miracles leave behind any evidence?Mohammed, Buddha, even Joseph Smith left behind more evidence for their existence than Jesus Christ. Why don't you believe in them?
Question #8: How do we explain the fact that Jesus has never appeared to you?Rephrasing what Dawkins has said, if you were born in India, you would be saying the same thing about Brahman. If you were born in the Middle East, about Allah. If you were born in Ancient Greece, about Zeus. Your mind just tries to rationalize what others have told you with what you can observe on your own.
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Originally posted by ThunderFbolt:
1. God does not owe us anything.
2. God is not a vending machine.
So people pray to him for...? To thank him for doing nothing?
Question #1: Why Won't God Heal Amputees?
Question #2: Why are there so many starving children in our world?Here's the problem.
(i) God created the world perfect.(v) Man sinned.
There is an obvious contradiction when you put in the statements:
(iii) Sin is not perfect.
(iv) Man is created by God.
(v) Man should be perfect.
Question #4: Why does the Bible contain so much anti-scientific nonsense?
If you think www.creation.com is a scientific site, I would strongly suggest you go through our dear Singapore education system. If you have gone through and you still believe that that site says the truth, our system really has failed you.
Question #6: Why do bad things happen to good people?Well, then why do good things happen to bad people?
Question #7: Why didn't any of Jesus' miracles leave behind any evidence?Mohammed, Buddha, even Joseph Smith left behind more evidence for their existence than Jesus Christ. Why don't you believe in them?
Question #8: How do we explain the fact that Jesus has never appeared to you?Rephrasing what Dawkins has said, if you were born in India, you would be saying the same thing about Brahman. If you were born in the Middle East, about Allah. If you were born in Ancient Greece, about Zeus. Your mind just tries to rationalize what others have told you with what you can observe on your own.
aCTUally we also don't owe that so called god anything. Like that mutual lor, so please don't preach Gospel to get non christians become christians. We don't owe god that we must believe and accept him.
God is overrated.
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Originally posted by ThunderFbolt:
1. God does not owe us anything.
2. God is not a vending machine.
So people pray to him for...? To thank him for doing nothing?
Question #1: Why Won't God Heal Amputees?
Question #2: Why are there so many starving children in our world?Here's the problem.
(i) God created the world perfect.(v) Man sinned.
There is an obvious contradiction when you put in the statements:
(iii) Sin is not perfect.
(iv) Man is created by God.
(v) Man should be perfect.
Question #4: Why does the Bible contain so much anti-scientific nonsense?
If you think www.creation.com is a scientific site, I would strongly suggest you go through our dear Singapore education system. If you have gone through and you still believe that that site says the truth, our system really has failed you.
Question #6: Why do bad things happen to good people?Well, then why do good things happen to bad people?
Question #7: Why didn't any of Jesus' miracles leave behind any evidence?Mohammed, Buddha, even Joseph Smith left behind more evidence for their existence than Jesus Christ. Why don't you believe in them?
Question #8: How do we explain the fact that Jesus has never appeared to you?Rephrasing what Dawkins has said, if you were born in India, you would be saying the same thing about Brahman. If you were born in the Middle East, about Allah. If you were born in Ancient Greece, about Zeus. Your mind just tries to rationalize what others have told you with what you can observe on your own.
yes spot on. there are alot of inconsistencies and paradoxes. starting from evil. evil was from SATAN, but why does an angel like lucifer have evil thought in the first place.free will? if lucifer can betray god, other angels can also betray god isnt it. so lucifer have evil thought and the rest of the angels doesnt? when god created lucifer, doesnt god knows lucifer will become SATAN? if god knows and he created lucifer anyhow, what was god thinking of? can god stop lucifer from becoming SATAN before it happens? this is just but 1 example of the paradox.
you will never understand the irrationality of their beliefs, however warped and inconsistent it is.
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Originally posted by ThunderFbolt:
1. God does not owe us anything.
2. God is not a vending machine.
So people pray to him for...? To thank him for doing nothing?
Question #1: Why Won't God Heal Amputees?
Question #2: Why are there so many starving children in our world?Here's the problem.
(i) God created the world perfect.(v) Man sinned.
There is an obvious contradiction when you put in the statements:
(iii) Sin is not perfect.
(iv) Man is created by God.
(v) Man should be perfect.
Question #4: Why does the Bible contain so much anti-scientific nonsense?
If you think www.creation.com is a scientific site, I would strongly suggest you go through our dear Singapore education system. If you have gone through and you still believe that that site says the truth, our system really has failed you.
Question #6: Why do bad things happen to good people?Well, then why do good things happen to bad people?
Question #7: Why didn't any of Jesus' miracles leave behind any evidence?Mohammed, Buddha, even Joseph Smith left behind more evidence for their existence than Jesus Christ. Why don't you believe in them?
Question #8: How do we explain the fact that Jesus has never appeared to you?Rephrasing what Dawkins has said, if you were born in India, you would be saying the same thing about Brahman. If you were born in the Middle East, about Allah. If you were born in Ancient Greece, about Zeus. Your mind just tries to rationalize what others have told you with what you can observe on your own.
they will not be able to answer you this. better ask god and the bible. please note they are not god, hence they are not in a position to ask your queries. even if they do reply you, please note their answers to your queries are from a personal capacity, not god or the bible.
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""Your mind just tries to rationalize what others have told you with what you can observe on your own"" - to disagree is lacking intelligence! Only sheep needs herding, lions, can they be herded? Catch the drift?
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Originally posted by winsomeea:
aCTUally we also don't owe that so called god anything. Like that mutual lor, so please don't preach Gospel to get non christians become christians. We don't owe god that we must believe and accept him.
God is overrated.
The Bible says God is our Creator so you owe God your very life and He will call you to account for how you have lived it. As to preaching the Gospel to others, that is what God wanted us to do so you just have to live with it. Just politely say no if someone approaches you on the street ya? -
Originally posted by Jacky Woo:
yes spot on. there are alot of inconsistencies and paradoxes. starting from evil. evil was from SATAN, but why does an angel like lucifer have evil thought in the first place.free will? if lucifer can betray god, other angels can also betray god isnt it. so lucifer have evil thought and the rest of the angels doesnt? when god created lucifer, doesnt god knows lucifer will become SATAN? if god knows and he created lucifer anyhow, what was god thinking of? can god stop lucifer from becoming SATAN before it happens? this is just but 1 example of the paradox.
you will never understand the irrationality of their beliefs, however warped and inconsistent it is.
How does Jacky live with the inconsistencies and illogical aspects of atheism? I know, by distracting himself with attacking the Christian faith! -
Originally posted by BroInChrist:
The Bible says God is our Creator so you owe God your very life and He will call you to account for how you have lived it. As to preaching the Gospel to others, that is what God wanted us to do so you just have to live with it. Just politely say no if someone approaches you on the street ya?Your first statement is applicable to people, christians who believe and accept God, not me.
Happy New Year of the Dragon....
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Originally posted by winsomeea:
Your first statement is applicable to people, christians who believe and accept God, not me.
Happy New Year of the Dragon....
Too bad for you the Bible teaches otherwise. All will be judged at the Great White Throne as the book of Revelation says. -
Jesus was a human Being, Krishna was a human Being, Buddha was a human Being, Mohd was a human being – after their ’’passing’’ away – Christianity,Hinduism, Islam came into the pix; the same can be said so for the others. For the purpose of collective identity down the years each was made into a religion. Buddha, Jesus, Krisha, Mohd – all shared experiences and it was existential expereinces in human form. The spirituality was compressed into a box and reduced to organized religion as beliefs,dogma, doctrine and ... One has to question this - can what is true (not be be confused with dict meaning of truth) being boxed? Can one box what is spirit? It is infinite existence and anything that tries to organise it is reducing ti to finite. Why? Human mind is not open to uncertainty, hence the quickness to reduce it to something that has the semblance of certainty. Mind is a pond, Being is a river (flowing). Of course, there are some who go to temples/church or … to pray and sadly it is prayer of supplication which is tantamount to ’’begging’’. Prayer when it is a prayer of gratitude is healthy. The same goes for all others. The neurosis is that man created a fiction and that fiction is God in man’’s image. Hence, the exclusivity, the prejudices, the judgements, the bigotry. What is true needs no maintenance - it is for anyone willing to take the risk to enquire, to explore and find out whehter it is true or untrue. What is a belief - look closely and one would realise that it is borrowed from books, or someone uttered something or about something that could have bee true or untrue for him/her. To simply parrot without existtentially expereincing it - is simply validating it in one's mind- rellevance is there - pscychological or social but it is limited. A fiction needs maintenance and what is true is missed cos the preoccupation with maintenance of fiction is enegry-sapping. Eg Personality needs maintenance cos it is a mask(s). Individuality (indivisible) does not need cos there are no personas. Real religion is always an individual experience and cannot be contained or shut in a box cos what is true always changes! . The sutras, the scriptures, the texts …. add on are mere devices to bring one ’’home’’ inwards to one’s being. How to know? Am i being nasty now? Am I being kind now? These are footprints of one’s being It is a process, a continuum, that is the essence of being religious, if one call himself or herself as religious. My standing in a church or a temple does not make me religious. My being nice to strangers, animals, all people without selection is the essence of being religious. Sadly, when one were to look around it does not feel so. Wearing ’’badges’’ or merely quoting texts, sutras or .. is not religion it is a ritual. Knowledge cannot pretend wisdom. Wisdom emanates from one’’s being, knowledge is acquired from outside of oneself. The former frees, the latter binds. When one comes across someone who can relate to … it reflects the quality of his Being. Being means being eg, kind, being loving, being rude, being considerate or …. . Muse over this A man is at the bar n another walks up to him n asks him, “Are you Ernie Smith?� The man says, ‘yes� The man then says, ‘Were you in Boston a few days ago?’ Ernie says, “Just a min,� n from his bag takes out a notebook, turns some pages, and then says, “Yes, I was a few days ago.� The man says, “Were you in rm 5?� Ernie looks into his notebook n says, “Yes.� The man says, “Did you meet Mrs.Dorothy in rm 6?� Ernie looks into his notebook n replies, “Yes.� The man says, “Tell me, did you make love to Mrs Dorothy?� Ernie looks into notebook again, says, “Yes, I made love to Mrs. Dorothy.� The man says, “Well, I’m Dorothy’s spouse n I don’t like it.� Again, Ernie looks in his notebook and utters, “You know, that’s funny. I didn’t like it either.� This is what hearing is all about. One agrees perfectly, but one hears only what one wants to hear; one understands only what one wants to understand. In being somebody one is most likely to miss, in being nothing one is likely to arrive sooner than one knows. Listening is of the heart! This seems to be the predicament at least it seems for too many of us for now Ps - It is fine to have beliefs systems or ... but it certainly is not when it swallowed whole sale without one enquiring, finding out and ... this entails self-honesty and the risk of finding out that one could be holding on to something that was nver true (it is a possibility). Hence, many dislike it and defend beliefs cos the courage to admit fear and doubt (aka beleifs) is totally absent.
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Originally posted by Fugazzi:
Jesus was a human Being, Krishna was a human Being, Buddha was a human Being, Mohd was a human being – after their ’’passing’’ away – Christianity,Hinduism, Islam came into the pix; the same can be said so for the others. For the purpose of collective identity down the years each was made into a religion. Buddha, Jesus, Krisha, Mohd – all shared experiences and it was existential expereinces in human form. The spirituality was compressed into a box and reduced to organized religion as beliefs,dogma, doctrine and … One has to question this – can what is true (not be be confused with dict meaning of truth) being boxed? Can one box what is spirit? It is infinite existence and anything that tries to organise it is reducing ti to finite. Why? Human mind is not open to uncertainty, hence the quickness to reduce it to something that has the semblance of certainty. Mind is a pond, Being is a river (flowing).
Of course, there are some who go to temples/church or … to pray and sadly it is prayer of supplication which is tantamount to ’’begging’’. Prayer when it is a prayer of gratitude is healthy. The same goes for all others. The neurosis is that man created a fiction and that fiction is God in man’’s image. Hence, the exclusivity, the prejudices, the judgements, the bigotry. What is true needs no maintenance – it is for anyone willing to take the risk to enquire, to explore and find out whehter it is true or untrue. What is a belief – look closely and one would realise that it is borrowed from books, or someone uttered something or about something that could have bee true or untrue for him/her. To simply parrot without existtentially expereincing it – is simply validating it in one’s mind- rellevance is there – pscychological or social but it is limited.
A fiction needs maintenance and what is true is missed cos the preoccupation with maintenance of fiction is enegry-sapping. Eg Personality needs maintenance cos it is a mask(s). Individuality (indivisible) does not need cos there are no personas. Real religion is always an individual experience and cannot be contained or shut in a box cos what is true always changes! .
The sutras, the scriptures, the texts …. add on are mere devices to bring one ’’home’’ inwards to one’s being. How to know? Am i being nasty now? Am I being kind now? These are footprints of one’s being It is a process, a continuum, that is the essence of being religious, if one call himself or herself as religious. My standing in a church or a temple does not make me religious. My being nice to strangers, animals, all people without selection is the essence of being religious. Sadly, when one were to look around it does not feel so. Wearing ’’badges’’ or merely quoting texts, sutras or .. is not religion it is a ritual. Knowledge cannot pretend wisdom. Wisdom emanates from one’’s being, knowledge is acquired from outside of oneself. The former frees, the latter binds. When one comes across someone who can relate to … it reflects the quality of his Being. Being means being eg, kind, being loving, being rude, being considerate or …. .
Muse over this
A man is at the bar n another walks up to him n asks him, “Are you Ernie Smith?” The man says, ‘yes” The man then says, ‘Were you in Boston a few days ago?’ Ernie says, “Just a min,” n from his bag takes out a notebook, turns some pages, and then says, “Yes, I was a few days ago.” The man says, “Were you in rm 5?” Ernie looks into his notebook n says, “Yes.” The man says, “Did you meet Mrs.Dorothy in rm 6?” Ernie looks into his notebook n replies, “Yes.” The man says, “Tell me, did you make love to Mrs Dorothy?” Ernie looks into notebook again, says, “Yes, I made love to Mrs. Dorothy.” The man says, “Well, I’m Dorothy’s spouse n I don’t like it.” Again, Ernie looks in his notebook and utters, “You know, that’s funny. I didn’t like it either.”
This is what hearing is all about. One agrees perfectly, but one hears only what one wants to hear; one understands only what one wants to understand. In being somebody one is most likely to miss, in being nothing one is likely to arrive sooner than one knows. Listening is of the heart!
This seems to be the predicament at least it seems for too many of us for now
Ps – It is fine to have beliefs systems or … but it certainly is not when it swallowed whole sale without one enquiring, finding out and … this entails self-honesty and the risk of finding out that one could be holding on to something that was nver true (it is a possibility). Hence, many dislike it and defend beliefs cos the courage to admit fear and doubt (aka beleifs) is totally absent.
Jesus was a human being, but He was also God. The infinite God took on finite form with all its limitations. So who said the finite cannot "box" the infinite? Only if the infinite God allowed Himself to do so. Moreover, Jesus did not come to start a collective religion. He came to redeem a community of people called the church. Jesus gave to His church a content for the faith, a content that Christians are to contend for, in view of those who seek to destroy the faith.
Prayer in the Bible is not just supplication, and there is nothing wrong with earnest prayers of supplications. God wants us to pray for such. Indeed, God created man in His image and the sad thing is that many have created God in their own image, or in the image of animals and other created things. Sad to say, atheists often reject a caricature of God, thus atheists also end up with a neurosis by creating a God in their own image that they then reject, which they mistakenly or sincerely think is the God of the Bible. Yes, truth needs no maintenance, but it needs proclamation and defense in the light of those who seek to distort it for their own agenda. And BTW, if what is true always changes, then you are saying that what is true can then change into false? This is absurd.
You talked about true wisdom and true knowledge but you have completely missed it. The Bible says that "Fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment." Do you know God and fear Him? Or are you content with syncretising the Bible with other religious faith to produce a mutant religion of your own making?
You keep challenging us not to swallow beliefs with enquiring. Yet it seems that you are least likely to heed your own words because you are adverse to my questioning and examining yours.
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Originally posted by BroInChrist:
Jesus was a human being, but He was also God. The infinite God took on finite form with all its limitations. So who said the finite cannot "box" the infinite? Only if the infinite God allowed Himself to do so. Moreover, Jesus did not come to start a collective religion. He came to redeem a community of people called the church. Jesus gave to His church a content for the faith, a content that Christians are to contend for, in view of those who seek to destroy the faith.
Prayer in the Bible is not just supplication, and there is nothing wrong with earnest prayers of supplications. God wants us to pray for such. Indeed, God created man in His image and the sad thing is that many have created God in their own image, or in the image of animals and other created things. Sad to say, atheists often reject a caricature of God, thus atheists also end up with a neurosis by creating a God in their own image that they then reject, which they mistakenly or sincerely think is the God of the Bible. Yes, truth needs no maintenance, but it needs proclamation and defense in the light of those who seek to distort it for their own agenda. And BTW, if what is true always changes, then you are saying that what is true can then change into false? This is absurd.
You talked about true wisdom and true knowledge but you have completely missed it. The Bible says that "Fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment." Do you know God and fear Him? Or are you content with syncretising the Bible with other religious faith to produce a mutant religion of your own making?
You keep challenging us not to swallow beliefs with enquiring. Yet it seems that you are least likely to heed your own words because you are adverse to my questioning and examining yours.
Jesus is an expereince of the heart (being, soul spirit - it is a knowing). Christianity is of the head (dogma, doctrine and beliefs - it is knowledge). To delude oneself and simply parrot scriptures is utter folly. Perhaps one needs to understand this - which u seem not to - i m talking about a subjective existential happening - that was what Jesus was. prattling on about the Bible and always parroting and quoting - it is objectifying something that is infinite and subjective. Can what is true be compressed into a box? what is rite now can become a wrong the next instant. What is true now may become untrue. Hence I uttered what is true, not truth – what is true – is a continuous tense, eg My being rude can end , my being polite can end. However when I m labelled as stupid, clever or smart – i am already reduced into a thing, a labelled product is finished. Hence, this word ’’being’’ may appear like another concept – on closer srutiny it is akin to a river flowing (rivering). it is existential and always moving and yet not moving (it is a paradoxical phenomenon). The mind is a pond, being is a river (rivering). Hence I say, when one is present to one’s ’’self’’’ (fictional) one is absent to one’s being! Ps - Can one find a Christian heart, can one find a Hindu heart, can one find a Buddhist heart? One can find a Christian head (mind) one can find a Buddhist head -
Originally posted by Fugazzi:
Jesus is an expereince of the heart (being, soul spirit - it is a knowing). Christianity is of the head (dogma, doctrine and beliefs - it is knowledge). To delude oneself and simply parrot scriptures is utter folly. Perhaps one needs to understand this - which u seem not to - i m talking about a subjective existential happening - that was what Jesus was. prattling on about the Bible and always parroting and quoting - it is objectifying something that is infinite and subjective. Can what is true be compressed into a box? what is rite now can become a wrong the next instant. What is true now may become untrue. Hence I uttered what is true, not truth – what is true – is a continuous tense, eg My being rude can end , my being polite can end. However when I m labelled as stupid, clever or smart – i am already reduced into a thing, a labelled product is finished. Hence, this word ’’being’’ may appear like another concept – on closer srutiny it is akin to a river flowing (rivering). it is existential and always moving and yet not moving (it is a paradoxical phenomenon). The mind is a pond, being is a river (rivering). Hence I say, when one is present to one’s ’’self’’’ (fictional) one is absent to one’s being! Ps - Can one find a Christian heart, can one find a Hindu heart, can one find a Buddhist heart? One can find a Christian head (mind) one can find a Buddhist headYou don't seem to know much about Christianity, only seeking to reinterpret it according to your existentialist worldview. Jesus quoted Scriptures to His hearers. Was He guilty of parrotting Scriptures? Absolutely not. And if Jesus, who is Truth, can be personified in human flesh, then why can't truth be clearly communicated in words, limited as words may be? Again I see no good reason for your false dichotomy. One can talk about love AND be loving at the same time. One can claim the label of Christian AND be-ing a Christian at the same time. A Christian is to love God with all his heart, soul and mind. God does not compartmentalise the Christian, so why should you?
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I am not agreeing or disagreeing with what Jesus was - it could have been true and assuming that it was true, he shared the truth of his experience thru his being ...?. He had a knowing! It can be likened to this predicament - eg. someone tells me that a flower near my house is beautiful. He/she expereienced it, and now telling me that it is so. I can believe it, but till I have really experienced it, it means nothing. If I go around telling someone that this particular flower is beautiful without existentially experincing it, i must be a hypocrite lah. At the most, it is psychological and socially possible. As for God's existence? No one knows, and if there is a God - who created God.
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I am not agreeing or disagreeing with what Jesus was - it could have been true and assuming that it was true, he shared the truth of his experience thru his being ...?. He had a knowing! It can be likened to this predicament - eg. someone tells me that a flower near my house is beautiful. He/she expereienced it, and now telling me that it is so. I can believe it, but till I have really experienced it, it means nothing. If I go around telling someone that this particular flower is beautiful without existentially experincing it, i must be a hypocrite lah. At the most, it is psychological and socially possible. As for God's existence? No one knows, and if there is a God - who created God.
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I have examined many of the replies. Therefore, I have updated a "target audience" statement to this topic.
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To fugazzi
Then wads the value of infinity?
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Jonah,
We can take this one by one.
Question #1: Why Won't God Heal Amputees?
[Romans 5:12] Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned.
[Romans 9:15] I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.
Sickness, death, amputations, wars. All these started happening after sin entered the world through the disobedience of Adam and Eve. It is exactly what we deserve. In no way can God be blamed for a person having an amputation nor can He be blamed for not healing an amputee.
God is the boss of the universe, and it is His right to do as He wills. If God heals anybody, it is because He has mercy and gives good things that the person does not deserve.
The very fact that we are able to breathe, to see and to be on the Internet right now, it is a result of God being merciful. In no way do we deserve any of these good things.
If God were to give us exactly what we deserve, we would all be in hell right now. But He delays His judgment and gives us time to repent.This reply misses the point of the "God hates amputees" challenge by quite some distance. A more complete way of framing the challenge is this: If God can and does heal people of various ailments such as cancer, leprosy or even death, why doesn't he also heal amputees?
There are two possible answers:
1. God does heal people of other ailments, but for some reason has no interest in restoring the limbs of amputees. Does he discriminate against them?
2. God does not heal people of other ailments. E.g. when someone recovers from cancer, it may be due to the administering of medical treatment, misdiagnosis in the first place, or simply fakery. There is less ambiguity about amputees (it's harder to fake a missing limb), hence there are no claims of a regrowth of limbs through prayer.
Maybe there's a third possible answer, but you'll have to enlighten me on that. Otherwise, you have to concede either (1) or (2) to solve the challenge.