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Actually I am out of here for good. With writing like this I don't want to be a part of this forum anymore. Such a wonderful Topic- Thank You God has been turned into something ugly.

Murphy

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Mr. Jenkins, to answer your question, I am thankful that no matter what hurtful things I have to endure here on this earth, my Creator God will be with me through it all and I have nothing to fear. There is a lot of evil here and satan is busy doing his work, but someday that will change. Life is short, but eternity is long and in eternity there will be no more suffering and hardships for true Christians. Like a great apostle said, for me to live is Christ and to die is gain.

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My measured IQ was 146 and 142 in 2 different tests. I got a university degree and hadan exciting job in the military.I write books, I write music. I know,ti sounds like boasting, but it is like it is...what can I say. I always believed an honest glance to the skies in a deep forest is better than a slick prayer in sunday mass. Ah what the heck, we will all find out Dec.21, 2012 anyway...;-)

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"When the people fear the government, there is tyranny. When the government fears the people, there is liberty." -Thomas Jefferson

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In closing, your insistence on attacking those who believe something that you do not believe demonstrates that you do not understand what the word "believe" means. If a person believes, then what they believe is real, and you cannot convince them otherwise that something real is not. The fact that you even try shows your lack of comprehension of humanity.

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"When the people fear the government, there is tyranny. When the government fears the people, there is liberty." -Thomas Jefferson

[/quote]Do you "people" reallybelieve that Jesus was the son of a god? That this desert religion is the only "true" on? You probably answer with yes, but pls explain why you answer so.[/quote]

I know that the Bible calls him the son of God. However, Jesus said he is "Immanuel, which means God with us." That's why the religious community over 2,000 years, ago, murdered him. I know all this Christ stuff sounds crazy. There are times when I don't believe in him either, but he believes in me. That is what counts.

I am interested in religions, too. I read that the chief god, Odin, hung himself on a tree for eight days, too. He sacrificed his eyeball for knowledge. Pretty, wild stuff, too.

GOT, Odin says he was the chief god. And our God commanded us to have not other gods before him. Sorry, we can't believe in Odin.

We believe in cause and effect. We believe Jesus was the self-existent-intelligent-chief-God and cause or creator of the universe.

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Yes, I do believe that. The reason I believe that is because God has a very real presence in my life, I have a relationship with Him, not just knowledge about Him. I pray to Him and He answers my prayers, He provides for my needs, and He gives me strength, joy, and hope.

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"When the people fear the government, there is tyranny. When the government fears the people, there is liberty." -Thomas Jefferson

WRJ, it is your right to believe in no-god. I don't judge you for your belief.

One of the books of the Bible tells me not to be concerned with a little old splinter in my brother's eye when there is a beam in my own eye. All my fellow humans are brothers and sisters.

I believe an in an intelligent cause of the Universe that has always existed, just like the first law of thermodynamics that tells us energy is not created or destroyed, energy has always existed. I'm trying to learn more about this God. I have the Bible and the still small voice that teaches me. No I'm not a crazy-schitzo- fundamentalist christian who believes the Bible is 100% true.

I believe in science and I believe in God. Jesus said I am the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end. He also said I and the father are one. "If you believe in the Father-God, believe in me also." The Godhead of the Trinity (The Father, The Son, and the Holy Spirit) is my God, the Self-Existent and always existed.

It is difficult to define God. It is much harder to define what a Christian is. There are over 330,000 denominations and non-denominations that trace their roots to the religion based on the actions and teachings of Jesus Christ over 2000 years ago. And some of us are as crazy as bed bugs. That's a fact.

I'M TRYING NOT to be a CRAZY CHRISTIAN. In saying this, I am NOT trying to judge Christianity or Christians. Only the LORD can judge us as Christians. And he said, "some of you will call me LORD, and I will say I never knew you."

I don't have contorl over the popes who burned Christians, people who profess to be Christians like Eric Roudolph, or the Jews who crucified my LORD. I'm just trying to find out what it means to be an authentic Christian, live like Christ and follow his example. The only Christian I need to apoligize for is me. Please accept my apology...and one apology is enough.

I really can't answer your questions, except there were other laws around. I'm sure the Hebrews were influenced by the other laws. I agree...Well, yea, there were several codes when the OT and NT books were written. The first time I heard about the earlies laws was in my world history class, it was the code of Hammurabi...

My only point is I think you are talking about fundamentalist Christians. Those who say Christ is the only way to heaven, but say Catholics are going to hell. Those who won't accept evidence the the earth is older than 6000 years.

I could make a list, but I have better things to do.

I tend to practice the seven spiritual laws, below, myself.

Seven Spiritual Laws given in book by Depok Chopra. Depok sounds Buddist to me, but I study and practice his laws.

The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success are:

1. The Law of Pure Potentiality
2. The Law of Giving
3. The Law of Karma
4. The Law of Least Effort
5. The Law of Intention and Desire
6. The Law of Detachment
7. The Law of Dharma

Note:

The Code of Hammurabi was one of several sets of laws in the Ancient Near East. Earlier collections of laws include the Code of Ur-Nammu, king of Ur (ca. 2050 BC), the Laws of Eshnunna (ca. 1930 BC) and the codex of Lipit-Ishtar of Isin (ca. 1870 BC),[9] while
later ones include the Hittite laws, the Assyrian laws, and Mosaic Law.[10] These codes come from similar cultures in a relatively small geographical area, and they have passages which resemble each other.

The code is often pointed to be a primary example of even a king not being able to change fundamental laws concerning the governing of a country which was the primitive form of what is now known as a constitution.

I will practice non-judgement. I will begin my day with the statement, "Today, I shall judge nothing that occurs," and throughout the day I will remind myself not to judge.

WRJ, is there anything wrong with this law? Christ said to judge not; least you be judged...

Applying The Law of Giving

I will put the law of giving into effect by making a commitment to take the following steps:

(1) Wherever I go, and who ever I encounter, I will bring them a gift. The gift may be a compliment, a flower, or a prayer. Today, I will give something to everyone I come into contact with, and so I will begin the process of circulating joy, wealth and affluence in my life and in the lives of others.

(2) Today I will gratefully receive all the gifts that life has to offer me. I will receive the gift of nature: sunlight and the sound of the birds singing, or spring showers or the first snow of winter. I will also be open to receiving from others, whether it be in the form of a material gift, money, a compliment, or a prayer.

(3) I will make a commitment to keep wealth circulating in my life by giving and receiving life's most precious gift: the gifts of caring, affection, appreciation, and love. Each time I meet someone, I will silently wish them happiness, joy, and laughter.

Right now, 5:00 AM comes very early, and must head for the bed. Before, I get in the horizontal position, I need to work on getting my next gig. I need to make a living...you know what I mean?

I'm just trying to make the right choices and live a life that "Imitates the Life of Jesus Christ." Is that not what a Christian should be, since it means to be Christ-like? The path I take on the Journey of Life is the path that I choose. I'm just trying to take the right path.

APPLYING THE LAW OF "KARMA" OR CAUSE AND EFFECT

I will put the law of karma into effect by making a commitment to take the following steps:

(1) Today I will witness the choices I make in each moment. And in the mere witnessing of these choices, I will bring them to my conscious awareness. I will know that the best way to prepare for any moment in the future is to be fully conscious in the present.

(2) Whenever I make a choice, I will ask myself two questions: "What are the consequences of this choice that I'm making?" and "Will this choice bring fulfillment and happiness to me and also to those who are affected by this choice?"

(3) I will then ask my heart for guidance and be guided by its message of comfort or discomfort. If the choice feels comfortable, I will plunge ahead with abandon. If the choice feels uncomfortable, I will pause and see the consequences of my action with my inner vision. This guidance will enable me to make spontaneously correct choices for myself and for all those around me.

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Another is love thy neighbor as thy self.I wouldn't exactly love my neighbor if I knew he was a murderer or child molester.The Christian god didn't like many neighbors because he was responsible for the murder of millions ,according to the bible.Why, is beyond my ability to comperhend.Creaton was taught or forced to believe, when there was no other knowledge of how or why.

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"When the people fear the government, there is tyranny. When the government fears the people, there is liberty." -Thomas Jefferson

Who is my Neighbour?

We commonly think of neighbours as the people who live near us, but Jesus meant it to include all mankind - even our enemies! Jesus told His famous parable of the Good Samaritan to make it clear that "love your neighbour" means to love all persons, everywhere - not just our friends, allies, countrymen, etc. :

One day an expert on Moses' laws came to test Jesus' orthodoxy by asking him this question: "Teacher, what does a man need to do to live forever in heaven?" Jesus replied, "What does Moses' law say about it?" "It says," he replied, "that you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind. And you must love your neighbour just as much as you love yourself." "Right!" Jesus told him. "Do this and you shall live!" The man wanted to justify (his lack of love for some kinds of people), so he asked, "Which neighbours?" Jesus replied with an illustration: "A Jew going on a trip from Jerusalem to Jericho was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes and money, and beat him up and left him lying half dead beside the road. "By chance a Jewish priest came along; and when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by. A Jewish Temple-assistant walked over and looked at him lying there, but then went on. "But a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw him, he felt deep pity. Kneeling beside him the Samaritan soothed his wounds with medicine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his donkey and walked along beside him till they came to an inn, where he nursed him through the night. The next day he handed the innkeeper two twenty-dollar bills and told him to take care of the man. 'If his bill runs higher than that,' he said, 'I'll pay the difference the next time I am here.' "Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the bandits' victim?" The man replied, "The one who showed him some pity." Then Jesus said, "Yes, now go and do the same." (TLB, Luke 10:25-37)

Thank you God for agape love (love of humanity, despite our sinful nature of lust, murder, strife, envy, dishonesty, taking that which belongs to another, unprovoked war without cause and all the other sinful karma of manages.) We were created perfect harmony and you said it was good, but our original father and mother choose sin and it appears that the sin gene was passed to all humans, today. Some are more sinful than others, but we have all fallen short of your standard of unconditional love of fellow humans, as taught in the word.

It is our desire that all humans discover your greatest commandments of a real loving relationship with the God-Creator and His rebellious children.

Love Your Neighbour as Yourself, as written in the word of the LORD.

And one of the scribes came and heard them arguing, and recognizing that He had answered them well, asked Him, "What commandment is the foremost of all?" Jesus answered, "The foremost is, 'Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is one Lord; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.' "The second is this, 'You shall love your neighbour as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these." (NAS, Mark 12:28-31)

In Jesus' teachings, our relationship with our fellow men, women and children is inseparable from our relationship with God. Love of God and love of our neighbours are two aspects of the same calling:

"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." (NIV, John 13:34-35)

GO in peace unto our community and spread your manape love.

I have heard Baptist preachers preach it is wrong for a man to have an ear ring, but in the same verse in the law of the OT, it says men should not shave their beards. Manape has left the building, because he doesn't find God there. I think God has left the building, too.

I can't keep the law of the Jews and religious Christians. I have left religion and follow Jesus. I thank Christ for the liberty that he gave me. God has not religion. Therefore, manape doesn't have religion, but manape has not deserted his friend, the God who caused the universe. Man ape has two laws. The greatest is to love God. The second is to love other manapes. Show your manape love.

http://www.manapes.com/2007_10_01_archive.html

The Old Testament law specified equal revenge for equal wrong: "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth" (Exodus 21:23-25, Leviticus 24:19-20.) But this rule was too harsh for the new age of the kingdom of God. In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said the right thing to do is to take no revenge at all.

"You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.' "But I say to you, do not resist him who is evil; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also. (NAS, Matthew 5:38-39)

The need to forgive is not some ideal that we cannot hope to attain. Forgiveness is necessary to free us from the dark cloud of anger and resentment that can literally destroy our own lives. Unless we are willing to let go of our anger and the desire to punish or get even, the love of God cannot enter our lives.

Related verses: Matthew 6:12, Matthew 5:21-24, Matthew 18:21-35

Help the Needy

"But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. "And all the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left. "Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 'For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.' "Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You drink? 'And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? 'And when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?' "And the King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.' "Then He will also say to those on His left, 'Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.' "Then they themselves also will answer, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?' "Then He will answer them, saying, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.' "And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." (NAS, Matthew 25:31-46)

Jesus could hardly have made things plainer than in His Parable of the Sheep and Goats, above. We are not meant to live hard-hearted or self-centered lives. We are called to put our faith into practice and truly love our neighbors, especially those less fortunate.

Recently, a pan-handler in Atlanta asked me for $5 so he could eat. That was his story. He may have spent it for wine for all I know. When I gave him the money it was his to do what he wanted with it. I didn't expect anything in return, except to let me get the heck out of Atlanta when I asked him for directions to the place where I had parked my car. Anyway, I escaped with my life and I'm back in the land of both the reasonable and unreasonable. I also have mighty fine neighbours. To me Atlanta is hell on earth.

I think organized religion has turned giving all around. They want Christians to give them all their money. I think it is reasonable to give some to the church, because there are costs associated with the way the organized church does religion, but I don't think one needs to give 10% to the church. You can give directly to the poor if you want to.

Reasonable Christianity...it almost seems to be a contradiction of terms isn't it? Perhaps reasonable is the adjective I'm looking for.

I don't think to be a Christian one must suspend intellect and blindly accept whatever fundamentalism claims as true. Personally, I've been trying to find a term that describes my flavour of faith. For example, when science proves the earth is more than 6 thousand years old, I can't accept the belief of fundamentalist and literal teaching of some.

Like you my radar goes into overdrive when I hear some Christians talk. As far a 100% literal interpretation of the Bible, I find a lot that is hard to believe. It would be rather difficult for a bronze age Jew named Moses living over 4 thousand years ago to describe the big bang theory in 21st century terms or tell how old the earth was without carbon dating. The truth is Moses in the OT was more concerned about making a bunch of nomads into a nation. That is his true genius. So what, if he was a little off on how old the earth was when he wrote part of the Bible?

Fast forward to two thousand years ago. I find the teaching of Jesus and his followers to be very reasonable and even humanistic. I'm just trying to apply his teachings that are relevant to my life here in the 21st century. I'm just trying to be a Jesus follower. Hey, if it turns to be fire insurance, I haven't lost anything for following the way.

I have the same problem that you have with unreasonable Christians. I just don't think anyone can judge any religion on the evil behaviour of a few who claim to be Christians. Nor, do I think science inquiry proves or disproves the existence of any god. I just believe. I'm trying not to judge others, because that is a teaching of Jesus, as I understand him. He is the model for my life. I'm not a Christian. I'm a Christ follower.

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Reasonable Christianity ... it almost seems to be a contradiction of terms isn't it? Perhaps reasonable is the adjective I'm looking for.

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When bibles get dusty,
lives get dirty.

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"When the people fear the government, there is tyranny. When the government fears the people, there is liberty." -Thomas Jefferson

Blairsville, Georgia - home in the North GA Mountains

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