(March 20, 2014 at 8:14 pm)futilethewinds Wrote: Well, sorry to tell you this, but truth-seeking and questioning assumptions may lead to a loss of faith. The Christian establishment discourages that kind of stuff for a reason. I personally appreciate your healthy appetite for knowledge. Have you studied some comparative religion and philosophy? That's a good place to start when you're asking questions about religion, assumptions, and belief.

Here and there, but generally I have not. If you have good reads avaliable now would be a good time to suggest them as I am looking to expand my library in this area!

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(March 20, 2014 at 10:00 pm)Minimalist Wrote: Hmm....

Quote:As for Hezekiah the Judahite, who did not submit to my yoke: forty-six of his strong, walled cities, as well as the small towns in their area, which were without number, by levelling with battering-rams and by bringing up seige-engines, and by attacking and storming on foot, by mines, tunnels, and breeches, I besieged and took them.


From Sennacharib's Prism - Cuneiform inscription 8th century bc)

Hope you make out better than the first Hezekiah.

That legit made me laugh! Thank you for that! Although if I were to go out in some fantastic way, one last stand with battering-rams wouldn't be all that bad!

(March 20, 2014 at 10:02 pm)Hezekiah Wrote: ]
Here and there, but generally I have not. If you have good reads avaliable now would be a good time to suggest them as I am looking to expand my library in this area!

More areas of study than specific reads. Buddhism, Wicca, and Satanism are fascinating in contrast to Christianity. Although the latter two might seem scary if you've been loaded down with common misconceptions about them.

(March 20, 2014 at 10:08 pm)futilethewinds Wrote:

(March 20, 2014 at 10:02 pm)Hezekiah Wrote: ]
Here and there, but generally I have not. If you have good reads avaliable now would be a good time to suggest them as I am looking to expand my library in this area!

More areas of study than specific reads. Buddhism, Wicca, and Satanism are fascinating in contrast to Christianity. Although the latter two might seem scary if you've been loaded down with common misconceptions about them.

I did read about Kabbalah and mysticism, and I LOVED IT. However it was frustrating because when I tried to discuss this with some of my Christian friends they would say things like, "Oh that's cultish- Oh that's heresy-" I felt discourage. Heresy can expand your concept of God.

Yeah - except when the Assyrians attacked Jerusalem...or whatever the town was called at the time....Hezekiah surrendered and paid tribute.

He turned out to be a pussy.

(March 20, 2014 at 10:47 pm)Minimalist Wrote: Yeah - except when the Assyrians attacked Jerusalem...or whatever the town was called at the time....Hezekiah surrendered and paid tribute.

He turned out to be a pussy.

Oh yea. That sucks. All I really remember from that story is he had 15 years added to his life when he was on his deathbed.

Still...here's to not being a pussy!

Keep up the good behavior
Learn from trolls how not to behave
There are troll firing squads waiting patiently for blood to spill

Hullo Hezekiah, welcome to the forum.

(March 20, 2014 at 8:33 pm)Hezekiah Wrote: Thanks! I believe in questioning everything, and not being afraid to set down my own beliefs, and in doing so, if my beliefs are really the truth, then I'll find myself picking them back up again.

Welcome aboard. That's a bold statement. I wish more xians would make it in earnest. What happens for you when they don't align with the truth?

You're in the Lion's Den now. If you're serious about questioning your beliefs, we'll certainly but them to the test

(March 21, 2014 at 6:01 pm)ThePinsir Wrote:

(March 20, 2014 at 8:33 pm)Hezekiah Wrote: Thanks! I believe in questioning everything, and not being afraid to set down my own beliefs, and in doing so, if my beliefs are really the truth, then I'll find myself picking them back up again.

Welcome aboard. That's a bold statement. I wish more xians would make it in earnest. What happens for you when they don't align with the truth?

You're in the Lion's Den now. If you're serious about questioning your beliefs, we'll certainly but them to the test

Hey thanks! And I am very serious about questioning my beliefs if I figured this would be the place to do it! If the truth doesn't align, then I'm better off for it! I'm on a quest for truth at any cost

(March 21, 2014 at 9:50 pm)Hezekiah Wrote:

(March 21, 2014 at 6:01 pm)ThePinsir Wrote: Welcome aboard. That's a bold statement. I wish more xians would make it in earnest. What happens for you when they don't align with the truth?

You're in the Lion's Den now. If you're serious about questioning your beliefs, we'll certainly but them to the test

Hey thanks! And I am very serious about questioning my beliefs if I figured this would be the place to do it! If the truth doesn't align, then I'm better off for it! I'm on a quest for truth at any cost

And if the cost is your belief in god?

Ps hi from Perth western Oz