Fear of death

[Whateverist]

Not a Mormon, I'm a christian who serves in a Southern Baptist Church. The reason I'm a Southern Baptist, if you are interested, I believe that they stand closer to the scriptures, though I do not hold with all their doctrine. I do value my relationship with God here on earth but, will enjoy it even more when I'm finally in the presence of God, in a new and everlasting body. I gave being in charge of a galaxy as a possible responsibility given by God, not just to me but anyone there. Was trying to show Heaven will not be a boring place.

Well you seem like a very level headed theist. I can always accept a theist's belief in a god based on their hunch in the absence of objective evidence for either side. What I can never accept is belief that the bible is the inerrant word of god. I really think you can either have faith in god, in which case you must set aside certainty in the bible - or - you can put your faith in the bible in which case you have no faith in god.

[Godscreated]

Not a Mormon, I'm a christian who serves in a Southern Baptist Church. The reason I'm a Southern Baptist, if you are interested, I believe that they stand closer to the scriptures, though I do not hold with all their doctrine. I do value my relationship with God here on earth but, will enjoy it even more when I'm finally in the presence of God, in a new and everlasting body. I gave being in charge of a galaxy as a possible responsibility given by God, not just to me but anyone there. Was trying to show Heaven will not be a boring place.

Well you seem like a very level headed theist. I can always accept a theist's belief in a god based on their hunch in the absence of objective evidence for either side. What I can never accept is belief that the bible is the inerrant word of god. I really think you can either have faith in god, in which case you must set aside certainty in the bible - or - you can put your faith in the bible in which case you have no faith in god.

You are one of the few who would call me level headed on this forum, thanks, as for believing the Bible is the inerrant word of God I do, if I did not I would find it hard to believe in a God who would allow people to make up things about him that were not true. I know there are things in scripture that seem hard to believe and some things that do not seem right or may seem contradictory, I do not see the Bible as a history book though we get some history from it, I do not see it as a book of made up stories to explain God. I do see it as a book for learning about who God is, why we exist, how to live with God and our fellow man, how to come to God's salvation and ect. Where would we be without the Word of God, how could we know how to find him or that he exist, without it we surely would be lost. By the way I'm a real dog lover, would that be a picture of your dog?

[Norfolk And Chance]

If the bible is the inerrant word of god, then he is a fucking Looney Toon. I love dogs too by the way.

[Zen Badger]

Was trying to show Heaven will not be a boring place.

Really??

And where in the bible does it say that?

[Whateverist]

You are one of the few who would call me level headed on this forum, thanks, as for believing the Bible is the inerrant word of God I do, if I did not I would find it hard to believe in a God who would allow people to make up things about him that were not true. I know there are things in scripture that seem hard to believe and some things that do not seem right or may seem contradictory, I do not see the Bible as a history book though we get some history from it, I do not see it as a book of made up stories to explain God. I do see it as a book for learning about who God is, why we exist, how to live with God and our fellow man, how to come to God's salvation and ect. Where would we be without the Word of God, how could we know how to find him or that he exist, without it we surely would be lost. By the way I'm a real dog lover, would that be a picture of your dog?

The dog in my avatar photo if Fletcher my 12 and half year old Australian Shepherd. Best dog I've ever had in many ways. What sorts of dog do have about?

I understand if you grow up in a christian home being encouraged to look to have a relationship to god, to talk with him and to read the bible it must all seem like one package. But I feel certain that there are good reasons for thinking that the bible could not be the inerrant word of god. When you look how nothing was written down at all for generations after the death of Jesus and then how councils of men decided which scripws and scraps would be included it seems pretty obvious that nothing inerrant could emerge from all that. What was finally decided upon was edited by those dong the deciding and of course numerous translations will have shaved off some original intent. So I think the most you can claim is that like so many books there are inspirational bits and there are wisdom stories for those with wisdom enough to understand them.

[Godscreated]

You are one of the few who would call me level headed on this forum, thanks, as for believing the Bible is the inerrant word of God I do, if I did not I would find it hard to believe in a God who would allow people to make up things about him that were not true. I know there are things in scripture that seem hard to believe and some things that do not seem right or may seem contradictory, I do not see the Bible as a history book though we get some history from it, I do not see it as a book of made up stories to explain God. I do see it as a book for learning about who God is, why we exist, how to live with God and our fellow man, how to come to God's salvation and ect. Where would we be without the Word of God, how could we know how to find him or that he exist, without it we surely would be lost. By the way I'm a real dog lover, would that be a picture of your dog?

The dog in my avatar photo if Fletcher my 12 and half year old Australian Shepherd. Best dog I've ever had in many ways. What sorts of dog do have about?

I understand if you grow up in a christian home being encouraged to look to have a relationship to god, to talk with him and to read the bible it must all seem like one package. But I feel certain that there are good reasons for thinking that the bible could not be the inerrant word of god. When you look how nothing was written down at all for generations after the death of Jesus and then how councils of men decided which scripws and scraps would be included it seems pretty obvious that nothing inerrant could emerge from all that. What was finally decided upon was edited by those dong the deciding and of course numerous translations will have shaved off some original intent. So I think the most you can claim is that like so many books there are inspirational bits and there are wisdom stories for those with wisdom enough to understand them.

Australian Shepherds are great dogs, love their ability to work, they have great minds and drive to be able to accomplish the things they do. I have Rottweilers they to are intelligent and hard working animals, they have a great passion for people.
The wisdom one needs to understand scriptures is God's wisdom, with his help one can understand the deeper meaning of scripture, that's why I believe it's his Word, takes him to understand it as it was meant to be. Just like any book, people can read it and understand what the human writers pen, however with the scriptures there is a God given spiritual context to it which can only be seen with God's help.

[Whateverist]

Australian Shepherds are great dogs, love their ability to work, they have great minds and drive to be able to accomplish the things they do. I have Rottweilers they to are intelligent and hard working animals, they have a great passion for people.

Just got back from the dog park where Fletcher had the audacity to try an mount a magnificent young Rotty. When the youngster turned it around on him his hind quarters gave out. Gradually he is learning the limitations of older years. He no longer charges down a steep hillside to drink from the creek on one of our favorite walks. (The last time he did he was barely able to make it back and I was afraid I might have to try to carry him out.)

When he was 5 or 6 he once got into a staring contest with a similar rotty at the same park. They stood nose to nose for about a minute. No growling, no threat .. just a test of nerves. Then Fletcher slid forward so that his eye was within an inch of the other dog's eye. At that point the youngster trotted off.

The wisdom one needs to understand scriptures is God's wisdom, with his help one can understand the deeper meaning of scripture, that's why I believe it's his Word, takes him to understand it as it was meant to be. Just like any book, people can read it and understand what the human writers pen, however with the scriptures there is a God given spiritual context to it which can only be seen with God's help.

Here we'll have to agree to disagree then. I won't argue against your god but I give your book a big thumbs down. Those who have the certainty of the bible have no faith for they risk nothing.

[Godscreated]

Australian Shepherds are great dogs, love their ability to work, they have great minds and drive to be able to accomplish the things they do. I have Rottweilers they to are intelligent and hard working animals, they have a great passion for people.

Just got back from the dog park where Fletcher had the audacity to try an mount a magnificent young Rotty. When the youngster turned it around on him his hind quarters gave out. Gradually he is learning the limitations of older years. He no longer charges down a steep hillside to drink from the creek on one of our favorite walks. (The last time he did he was barely able to make it back and I was afraid I might have to try to carry him out.)

When he was 5 or 6 he once got into a staring contest with a similar rotty at the same park. They stood nose to nose for about a minute. No growling, no threat .. just a test of nerves. Then Fletcher slid forward so that his eye was within an inch of the other dog's eye. At that point the youngster trotted off.

The wisdom one needs to understand scriptures is God's wisdom, with his help one can understand the deeper meaning of scripture, that's why I believe it's his Word, takes him to understand it as it was meant to be. Just like any book, people can read it and understand what the human writers pen, however with the scriptures there is a God given spiritual context to it which can only be seen with God's help.

Here we'll have to agree to disagree then. I won't argue against your god but I give your book a big thumbs down. Those who have the certainty of the bible have no faith for they risk nothing.

No matter how old they get they still believe they have it. I have a three year old female that gives my big males the what for when she's not ready. Australian Shepherds are strong hearted dogs, all shepherds are,
that's why they were used to protect other animals. I can see Christ in shepherds and rotties, they are loyal and protect those they care for with furiously.
Through the Bible we find certainty, Christ took the risk for those who would accept him so the risk no longer falls on those who believe.

[The Grand Nudger]

GC, the trouble isn't that there are things in the bible which seem hard to believe....more along the line of the bible being an anthology of stories about things that did not happen, no matter how they seem to anyone. You know what though? I don't think you're stupid for believing, just lazy. You don't actually care to know, you're happy with a pleasant fiction (or at least a fiction which seems pleasant to you).

At least, that's how it seems to me.....

(By the by, I love how you go from "inerrant word" to "not a history book" immediately, if it weren't so transparent it would be brilliant. You may be lost without your fairy tales, but I don't seem to have the same trouble.)

[Godscreated]

GC, the trouble isn't that there are things in the bible which seem hard to believe....more along the line of the bible being an anthology of stories about things that did not happen, no matter how they seem to anyone. You know what though? I don't think you're stupid for believing, just lazy. You don't actually care to know, you're happy with a pleasant fiction (or at least a fiction which seems pleasant to you).

At least, that's how it seems to me.....

(By the by, I love how you go from "inerrant word" to "not a history book" immediately, if it weren't so transparent it would be brilliant. You may be lost without your fairy tales, but I don't seem to have the same trouble.)

I'm not lazy I study scripture a lot and as for the part about the Bible not being a history book, it records history an much history has come from it, it was never meant to be a book of history. It is about having a relationship with God to put it in a broader sense.