Have Ya'll Heard?

[mr surveyor]

Melissa

I'm impressed.

surv

[apheod]

It is not enough to be a good person. One must believe that Jesus died on the cross for their sins and accept him as their saviour.

Based simply on faith that a 2000 year old document that was translated and released in several evolving versions hasn't been corrupted by man, assuming it was divine word in the first place?

I guess my first post was a little too vague, I knew the official Christian position on people such as me. I agree that your statement "If you are an unbeliever, please know that the most important thing is to have a personal relationship with Jesus. " comes off a little strange to the unbelievers. Basically you're saying that no matter what our character, how much good we do on this earth, how often we pray... we suffer for all eternity because we don't believe exactly what you do. A similar theme exists in most religions, worship their God(s), or else. In this case, it means to worship someone who was at least born a mortal.

I mean no disrespect to anyones beliefs, I just feel there can be healthy discussion without anger or people getting offended, especially on a forum with such a mature membership. If i have offended anyone, I apologize.

[OldLincoln]

Well, that old boy has been saying this for a very long time. Happens or not, I believe he believes it through and through. I'll actually feel sorry for him Saturday night (that is if it doesn't happen).

From what I understand, he claims a series of earthquakes will start somewhere in the east and trigger a domino effect all over. I don't believe he is correct, but don't bet eternity that he's wrong either.

Shame because Saturday is my big outing with my son driving up to Manteca CA about 2 hours from here. It's not really for the shopping, but the destination look here at this place and drool: Bass Pro Shop - Manteca.

[tconroy]

The rapture is supposed to occur this coming Saturday.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/05/19...orld-saturday/

Please don't be deceived by this. The Bible says that there will be false prophets and I consider this guy to be one. The Bible also says that no one knows the time or the date that Jesus will return.

I feel led to say that churches and Christians sometimes do and say things that will drive people away from religion. If you are an unbeliever, please know that the most important thing is to have a personal relationship with Jesus.

Flame me if you must.

There is none righteous, no not one. Romans 3:23

[melissa5]

Based simply on faith that a 2000 year old document that was translated and released in several evolving versions hasn't been corrupted by man, assuming it was divine word in the first place?

I guess my first post was a little too vague, I knew the official Christian position on people such as me. I agree that your statement "If you are an unbeliever, please know that the most important thing is to have a personal relationship with Jesus. " comes off a little strange to the unbelievers. Basically you're saying that no matter what our character, how much good we do on this earth, how often we pray... we suffer for all eternity because we don't believe exactly what you do. A similar theme exists in most religions, worship their God(s), or else. In this case, it means to worship someone who was at least born a mortal.

I mean no disrespect to anyones beliefs, I just feel there can be healthy discussion without anger or people getting offended, especially on a forum with such a mature membership. If i have offended anyone, I apologize.

I mean no disrespect either and have not been offended or angered by any post in this thread.

You hit the nail on the head when you started talking about faith. I was fortunate to have Christian parents who took me to church and sent me to a Christian school and I became a Christian at a young age. Some would say that I had been brain washed. I would say no to that. You can present information to someone, but you can't make someone become a Christian. Yes, you can make them memorize Bible verses. You can make them sit through sermons. Even if you tortured them, you can make them say they believe in whatever, but you can't make someone believe down deep in their heart where it matters most. Faith is a requirement. Like you said, there are many religions with many different gods, but I choose to believe in the God of Abraham, Jesus Christ, and the Bible and I have faith that I will one day be in Heaven with Jesus.

I'm not judging you and I'm not trying to tell you that my belief system is better than yours. I do have a question though. If you believe in God and live your life by Christian values, why would you not believe in Jesus or the Bible?

[tconroy]

Well, that old boy has been saying this for a very long time. Happens or not, I believe he believes it through and through. I'll actually feel sorry for him Saturday night (that is if it doesn't happen).

From what I understand, he claims a series of earthquakes will start somewhere in the east and trigger a domino effect all over. I don't believe he is correct, but don't bet eternity that he's wrong either.

Shame because Saturday is my big outing with my son driving up to Manteca CA about 2 hours from here. It's not really for the shopping, but the destination look here at this place and drool: Bass Pro Shop - Manteca.

I have to go there every day. I work at the 2nd largest and one of a kind Bass Pro Shop in the US. Im the CSR and boating instuctor, field tester for tracker boats.Hey, somebody's gotta do it. I delivery boat to the lakes and teach people how to maintain and operate their vessel, along with artic cat 4 wheelers. I also have to feild test boats after being worked on to make sure they are fixed.I put them thru a series of tests which entails driving them as fast as they will go in all kinds of water.

[Bawanna]

It's a dirty job but somebody's gotta do it.

Maybe I'll put you in for that dirty job show. You can be almost as famous as O'Dell the movie star.

[ltxi]

I thought the world was supposed to end on 12/21/2012, the last day of the Mayan calender.

That's the back up plan.

[apheod]

I mean no disrespect either and have not been offended or angered by any post in this thread.

You hit the nail on the head when you started talking about faith. I was fortunate to have Christian parents who took me to church and sent me to a Christian school and I became a Christian at a young age. Some would say that I had been brain washed. I would say no to that. You can present information to someone, but you can't make someone become a Christian. Yes, you can make them memorize Bible verses. You can make them sit through sermons. Even if you tortured them, you can make them say they believe in whatever, but you can't make someone believe down deep in their heart where it matters most. Faith is a requirement. Like you said, there are many religions with many different gods, but I choose to believe in the God of Abraham, Jesus Christ, and the Bible and I have faith that I will one day be in Heaven with Jesus.

I'm not judging you and I'm not trying to tell you that my belief system is better than yours. I do have a question though. If you believe in God and live your life by Christian values, why would you not believe in Jesus or the Bible?

I too was raised by Christian parents, my brother is also an ultra devout Christian and hardcore abortion protester... travels all over the country to protest. The principals of good and evil just feel "right" to me, so I live my life respecting others, helping wherever I can, and doing my best to be a loving, forgiving man.

I went to a public school, but don't feel I would believe any different if I been privately schooled. I was in a bit of an apathetic, rebelious daze through part of my teenage years, and when I came out of that, I thoroughly studied several of the major religions and still like to read religious history and theology. my personal belief is that although many of them had the right idea in mind, man's wicked influence and the centuries of the knowledge being passed down and translated has made it so no one has got it just quite right. I should stress that I do not consider Christ a false prophet, or reject the possibility he was the son of God. It's just in my personality to be very objective and believe only what I see, and for me to say that I feel Christ's love and go through the motions without truly in my heart believing that, would be sinful IMO.

A major paradox of Christianity for me has always been that God is loving and merciful, yet he condemns the majority of human souls to eternal damnation, unfathomable tortures, even when many of them are good people in their hearts and have lived right, simply because they do not know Christ. What of the people who lived and died after Christ, but were never exposed to his message?

[PattayaPistol]

I'm not trying to tell you that my belief system is better than yours.

Maybe my education was not up to scratch, but the way I have been reading these posts you most certainly are saying that your belief system is better than mine. I find that somewhat offensive, and exceptionally naive. I have traveled the world extensively (basically non stop for the past 39 years, living and working on every continent with the exception of Antactica). I meet people of many different faiths and the funny thing is so many of them believe in their religions as strongly as you believe in yours. According to many of them, neither you nor I will be saved. Oh well, I guess according to your religion I will not be saved, but I hope we can still be friends on the forum, and at least then some of my friends should be saved. Me, I think I'll have another beer and watch events unfold.

Cheers
PP

[crazymailman]

A major paradox of Christianity for me has always been that God is loving and merciful, yet he condemns the majority of human souls to eternal damnation, unfathomable tortures, even when many of them are good people in their hearts and have lived right, simply because they do not know Christ. What of the people who lived and died after Christ, but were never exposed to his message?

According to Romans 2:13-15, those who didn't have the law were not judged according to the law. If I understand that correctly, those who never heard Christ's message aren't held accountable to it. But for those who have heard and rejected it, that's a different story.

[melissa5]

A major paradox of Christianity for me has always been that God is loving and merciful, yet he condemns the majority of human souls to eternal damnation, unfathomable tortures, even when many of them are good people in their hearts and have lived right, simply because they do not know Christ. What of the people who lived and died after Christ, but were never exposed to his message?

Frankly, I don't remember hearing a sermon on that and don't have an answer. I googled it and found a web site that suggested that people who are never exposed to the message of Christ will be judged differently than those who have heard the message and then rejected Christ. I will have to ask my Pastor.

[melissa5]

Maybe my education was not up to scratch, but the way I have been reading these posts you most certainly are saying that your belief system is better than mine. I find that somewhat offensive, and exceptionally naive. I have traveled the world extensively (basically non stop for the past 39 years, living and working on every continent with the exception of Antactica). I meet people of many different faiths and the funny thing is so many of them believe in their religions as strongly as you believe in yours. According to many of them, neither you nor I will be saved. Oh well, I guess according to your religion I will not be saved, but I hope we can still be friends on the forum, and at least then some of my friends should be saved. Me, I think I'll have another beer and watch events unfold.

Cheers
PP

No offense was intended, PattayaPistol. Of course we can be friends.

[Dietrich]

I thought the world was supposed to end on 12/21/2012, the last day of the Mayan calendar.

Sorry,but that doesn`t work for me either.My birthday will be on 12-23-2012 and I plan to spend the greater part of that day duck hunting.Will someone contact this Mayan fellow,whoever he is,and tell him he needs to make more calendars.Ones with pictures of girls in thongs are always nice.

[jimbar]

Damn, I just bought a lottery ticket today. Now, if I win,...what happens......the world ends. I may have time to buy a gun or two, and get some shooting in before it ends, I heard it's supposed to end at 3:00 pm Pacific time, so if I hurry,......