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Post by timothyu on Mar 29, 2018 16:35:00 GMT -5
Yes, it supersedes doctrine.
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Post by timothyu on Mar 31, 2018 1:01:11 GMT -5
Well... Good Friday is over with the usually sorrow for what befell Jesus and the thanking of Him for what He went through.
Not once as usual did I hear anyone, Christian or non, exclaim in a repentant voice what a horrible self serving species we are for nailing Him up in the first place. It's easy to say, oh I would never do that, let's blame the Romans or the Jews. But at the same time we humans for the most part, support a system of man that would do that, even today.
Jesus represented a world opposite to what we would call our own. Jesus died, God knowing full well from the start, that man would never allow an upside down world to the one man has created to come into existence. We the people can't even get along with each other let alone a man who comes and tells the whole world they have it backwards. The Romans and even Herod Jr. thought His notion was too foolish to even consider as a threat, power is arrogance. The Pharisees knew He was right according to scripture, yet they to cherished their power more. Christianity today would do the same. Jesus was a radical, subversive to man's world.
Even on a small scale it created enough of an issue with the clergy to have Him executed. Christians are more concerned about the me me rewards of resurrection on Sunday than taking responsibility for killing the Messiah in the first place, Responsible then and today as supporters of a world built upon self interest, self justification of deeds and gain at the expense of others.
Without repentance of that way of thinking and living, what happens on Sunday is of no concern to them who fail to take responsibility for the condition of the world. We can't fix it but we can reject it, hate it for what it is. Jesus said so, but it seems to me a great many missed the memo.
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Post by chopin on Apr 10, 2018 4:13:53 GMT -5
It seems to me that in 50 years Germany, France, Sweden and Belgium will became Muslim caliphates...
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Post by timothyu on Apr 19, 2018 13:11:00 GMT -5
It is always interesting to come to places like this where the idea is to discuss, but more often than not what only occurs is a childish yes it is, no it isn't carnival. One might expect it in political forums as many of the great unwashed pretend they actually do have a say in the running of a nation, but one would expect a more civil attitude free of mockery or aggression in religious forums, yet it seems to me the disease is everywhere.
The concept of civil discourse in speech in a nation like the US that takes pride in it's free speech (along with some 190 other nations) and which dominates these internet sites, seems to have been lost to those who have sunk to the level that free speech conversation means nothing more than a right to disagree without any productive input or conciliation often crossing lines involving hatred or aggression. Neither of the latter is a right of free speech but simply a deep character flaw using free speech as a cover in the way some use God to justify their less than godly ways.
Perhaps we can blame the internet that gives voice to anyone, whether educated or ignorant, expanding on the concept of free speech by dissension once figure-headed by college unrest. A former voice and platform when it actually stood for something productive and responsible rather than focusing on self serving rights.
The result is not growth but a backwards movement to the drawing of tribal lines and a mentality leading to nothing but strife and division that will recreate the downfall of previous nations once infected with the same affliction. Civilization taking a step backwards while claiming a bastardization of the original concept of free speech by way of civil discourse, is somehow a step forward. If everyone is so right all the time then how come they continually get it wrong? ©
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Post by gth (Columbus OH) on Apr 20, 2018 9:03:49 GMT -5
It seems to me, that no one knows what timothyu is talking about -- likely including timothyu.
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Post by timothyu on Apr 20, 2018 12:27:55 GMT -5
Well we know of one for sure, but that is ok. We are all made different with different capabilities and levels of understanding. Who knows, someday things may click for you. Never stop moving forward.
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Post by timothyu on Apr 22, 2018 19:56:12 GMT -5
There is an old classic called the Nickel Song made popular by Melanie/The New Seekers. Christians for the most part it seems to me, fail to seek God on a life long basis yet seem to think by accepting a simple theology and repeating/following it, all will be well for them. Quite often missing the big picture, let alone seeing it as necessary for their salvation, learning often stops at this point. As the song goes 'they're only putting in a nickel and they want a dollar song'.
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Post by timothyu on May 12, 2018 15:03:17 GMT -5
Quick comment while watching a 'Nero' fiddle while the Mid-East burns.. how has certain Israeli leadership (more specifically leadership of the nation of Judah that refused to return to their barren homeland for 1900 years having found easier fortune in other lands) seemingly been able to get you to sacrifice your sons and daughters and pay the tab on systematically squashing their so called (and specific) enemy nations around them since 9/11 based on a US plan targeting those specific nations formulated in the early 90's? God's will or man's? (Yes ok.. I suppose the lust for oil and profit for the military-industrial complex plays a role) You need to remember that even these people (especially these) will also like the rest of us, be under the foot of the Messiah upon His return for failing still to bow to the will of God while feigning ongoing (rather than a specific historic and often God inspired) persecution, a common ploy these days among many peoples and cultures, oppressors pretending to be the oppressed. Extremists are among all nations, religions and factions, allowed to lead by foolish followers.
It seems to me that they, being no different than the rest of man by nature, have learned nothing and refuse to love neighbour/enemy as self while manipulating others to do their dirty work for them, just as many other nations do. (I seem to recall Pilate being used in the same way... hey if it works why fix it) The end result as usual is hatred on all sides, the common by-product of the will of man.
Why is man so easily manipulated? Because all love to seek gain at the expense of others, the root of temptation. A reverse form of love taught by the Messiah. No wonder the Kingdom has no place in the world and doings of man. Many lay claim to it but none abide by it.
Ok.. your turn. This is where the usual self justification starts, reformulating good and evil to suit personal world views. The original sin. ©
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Post by timothyu on May 14, 2018 15:04:36 GMT -5
Was just watching a video of a world leader talking about the new Jerusalem Embassy. Two quotes stood out... "partner in the cause of freedom and peace" and "we extend a hand in friendship to Israel, Palestine, and all of their neighbours".
I'm not certain how those goals are being accomplished, this freedom, peace and friendship with all, a politically convenient reference to loving neighbour as self while doing the exact opposite. Who are these humans who fall for such corrupt thought and process by leaders?
All white hat gobbledegook, considering a plan set up in '92 or thereabouts, and carried through with, after 9/11 conveniently gave an excuse to implement it. This plan called for the destabilization of 7 specific countries, all on Israel's enemy list. Was this the partnership just talked of? Is this the hand of friendship to neighbours? The result was an outside nation (s) sacrificing sons and daughters and tax dollars which seemingly would keep Israel safe and it's hands appearing clean. This neighbouring cleansing carries on yet today while enemies are being blamed as the cause for retaliating against provocation as we saw in Gaza today.
Once again we are seeing the kind of manipulation mankind invokes to seek gain at the expense of others. A tradition of man. Does God condone gain at the expense of others and self determination of what is good and evil? No. Should you?
My question is.. is this how God goes about bringing a plan for the people of Israel to fruition? Or is this what man does by his own accord while God continually has warned of the consequences of such actions from the beginning. Knowing where these actions will eventually lead, until He has to step in and put things right by smiting all institutions of man... especially the ones claiming they serve God (oddly by going against His will).
Even if God has lead the people of Judah back to this historic point in time, it is not yet for reward, but perhaps a final opportunity to repent of the actions we are seeing now. Actions no better than the ones before, making all previous punishments look like a walk in the park.
Man often uses God to self justify actions which seek gain at the expense of others, while God commands us to love neighbour/enemy as self. Man finds ways to subvert what God wants in order to mean what man wants. (Remember 'freedom, peace and friendship with all'?)
It seems to me it is time for mankind, specifically Christians with access to Jesus' teachings, to wake up to how we are manipulated to support ways adversarial to God but favourable to man's selfish goals, and start seeing it from God's side. Love and non-provocation trumps violence any time. (no pun intended). Someone has to start first and that should be the more powerful.
Foolish mortals claim to seek light or the narrow path while barrelling along in human fuelled darkness on the broad path to destruction, thinking theirs is the true way because they self determined it to be so.
How can a way so big that it is the traditional way of mankind, be considered narrow or small? Typical human manipulation as usual. Jesus however, said the way was narrow and the light would shine in the darkness. He did not justify any actions of man that used self determination or justification. He instead taught Kingdom against the world of man.
Yes it takes a lot of darkness to make a light truly stand out, especially a lonely light that is uncommon or not seen as familiar in this world of man we have created. It stands alone and regarded by few, a stark pinpoint in the darkness of man's nature, often overlooked by a human mind determined to serve self and focused on self, therefore the dark.
Does that light emit from the self justifying ways of man as we continually change what is good and evil to suit our needs? Or is that small but bright light like a voice crying out in the wilderness/darkness, asking that we choose loving neighbour/enemy as self as God commanded rather than provoking or destroying those neighbours/enemies to please self interest, but not God?
Again, it seems to me in the case of Israel now, what we are seeing is man using the concept of end of days to forward their own agenda of setting up a supreme system for themselves pretending it represents the coming new Kingdom, while inadvertently in the process actually bringing the end of days about. Surprise!
There is and will be only one supreme system and that is the Kingdom of God, and that Kingdom is not of this world which man continually remakes in our own image while proclaiming 'freedom, peace and friendship with all'.
Christians should be shaking their heads in sorrow over such repetitious human behaviour down the centuries in the name of God or whatever. Sorrow rather than getting their hackles up that their false world has been exposed for it's hypocrisy to the will of God, hackled up in their beloved armour, attempting to extinguish that little light with the power to expose all of man's self will as adversarial to, rather than representative of God.
It also seems to me that if this Christianity forum truly represents followers of Jesus who actively seek God and aren't afraid to, by way of in context scripture, go beyond the borders of religion... then it is time they stopped following mankind. We can't serve both. God remains firm while religion waffles according to the desires of man.
©
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Post by timothyu on May 18, 2018 14:39:20 GMT -5
Ancient scripture, both Hebrew and Christian, remains relevant because the nature of man does not want to change and as a result remains so predictable. It seems to me the Bible from beginning to end has God showing man the benefit of change, while man throughout seems determined to do it man's way.
Rather than focus on that scripturally requested change to the will of God, man seems to have made it their mission to instead perfect self justification by finding greater philosophies/theologies to convince themselves that their ways are God's ways. So predictable.
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Post by timothyu on May 19, 2018 15:23:17 GMT -5
It seems to me... A cult, a government, a religion, even a partner will break us in order to make us over in their own image. God will not do so. We must break ourselves of flesh and make ourselves over in a way uncommon to mankind (thus freeing ourselves from those mentioned above). We've been shown that way which by it's very existence condemns the self serving will of man to it's own finite reward.
Remember, that it is not God who breaks us but it is the actions within ourselves and those of man in the world around us that have brought these things upon us.
These the results of eating of the knowledge first forbidden to us. A knowledge in itself not destructive, but destruction caused by the mere act of self determining whether or not eating of that knowledge would be harmful. The result being that very act of self determination then corrupting the knowledge gained by our use of it for personal gain and self justification.
Our downfall, personally or as a whole, the inevitable ongoing result. Resulting in order to hopefully bring about a self awakening in seeing the foolishness of man and the wisdom of the ways of the Kingdom, and understanding the destructive forces of one and the wisdom of the other; repenting/changing accordingly, no longer calling any self serving actions of man as being of God.
Trusting His ways is the same as trusting Him. Trusting our own is folly.
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Post by lightbulb1 on May 22, 2018 21:37:50 GMT -5
IT SEEMS TO ME WHEN YOU MAKE A MISTAKE SOMEBODY IS USUALLY THERE TO HELP YOU OUT WHEN NEEDED...
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RNorm
Champion Member
Cry Aloud and Spare Not...
Posts: 6,921
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Post by RNorm on May 23, 2018 13:37:16 GMT -5
It seems to me, that no one knows what timothyu is talking about -- likely including timothyu. It seems to me that Timothy is talking about the lack of real and substantive discussions regarding scripture and/or doctrine in these forums; and looking at the various threads, he seems to be right...
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Post by timothyu on May 23, 2018 15:49:45 GMT -5
Seems to me if it doesn't involve politics, it is of little interest to most people, especially here or for years back at GB. Without politics in Christianity, or any other religion for that matter, and people seem lost. Seemingly blissfully unaware that politics or man's ideals have no place in Chrisitiantiy. One cannot discuss Jesus' scripture without realizing it is about world of man against Kingdom, not man against man. So human politics play little part here, for though they oppose each other, they are of the same system. The Kingdom opposes them all.
On the other hand, if the world of man calling themselves Christian of various opposing tribal faiths, wants to come here and oppose the Kingdom, well then by all means have at it. Perhaps in the end, if pride is not too strong, they will end up switching allegiances. Difficult no doubt, for many in a nation putting itself not only above others, but the Kingdom also.
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Post by timothyu on May 31, 2018 15:16:04 GMT -5
There was a time before the dwindling of 50 years ago that churches were packed on a Sunday (and by churches I mean the old traditional congregations pre the re-branding to political theology). The people that went were often searching for a solution to their private feelings of personal inadequacy. A personal inadequacy, not only due to societal standing or whatever, but also often derived from centuries of being taught they were sinners who must trust a powerful church to save them, the power ironically achieved by the suppression of the people in the first place.
But some did find the solution in the words of Jesus as did the oppressed of Jesus' age, through the understanding of the division between the default self serving ways of man versus the opposing ideals taught by God, and the promise the latter could overcome the former. Sadly many were taught it would only come after death and not now, contrary to what Jesus taught.
Unfortunately at the time, even more were taught that to overcome the inadequacy they must stop feeling down trodden by learning to soar with the eagles, the very eagles that had oppressed them in the first place. Soar so that they could learn to become a power themselves or at least a part of it. You can't beat us so join us. Adversary talk. Made over in a new image using God but not of God. This appealed to the meek and greedy alike.
The new era of political theology that had got it's start in the nation in the early 20th century, gave a voice to those who felt they had none and in turn they became a new movement built upon a theology as old as the official state church itself and following the same concept of having the church protect them but a new church with political power also, the ultimate of both worlds at least to man's thinking. Wave the flag and cross at the same time.
The result was not only a growth of this newer new age movement (a coming post) which appealed to those of poor self esteem and status seekers alike, but also resulted in not only a depletion of those in the old traditional churches where only God and not government protection was offered (churches who in turn within that nation eventually also separating themselves from their fellow denominations to no longer resemble them in the outside world due to joining the new theology).
Furthermore it also resulted in an actual turning away by many (which even spread into the outside world) as a result of this new era of visible Christian hypocrisy, made even more obvious by the clash between love and war of the time and the new political Christianity's support of not the first, but the latter of the two.
It seems the simple solution would be to do a reversal of what has occurred, but the odds of that happening are very slim considering how defensive a people can be at the thought of losing power and whose cultish minds are completely closed to any such suggestion even though God has taught the opposite of their belief all along. Their world and it's ideals built upon man's will still comes before God. Before His ideals/ethics of His Kingdom/will, even though it has been here almost 2000 years.
How many times do the people who claim to have replaced the Hebrews of old, have to suffer the same consequences as the Hebrew people for taking control of their own lives, before they figure it out? But that concept is also for another post. ©
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