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WizzKidd

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Posts posted by WizzKidd


  1. 1. What is the basis they are using regarding the 144000? And, erm....what exactly is a jewish christian? :) ...sorry that one made me chuckle.

    A jewish Christian is a person of jewish heritage (either by nationality or by religious belief) who believes The messiah has come in the person of Jesus. http://www.jewsforjesus.org/

     

    2. The whole free will thing doesn't fit with the adam and eve story. Adam and eve have no knowledge of good and evil...hence neither existed for them to choose from. They would really have not had a conception that eating the apple was "evil" until they ate it...all they knew was god told them not to and a charming snake say "oh...its ok...g'head." If we understand this story as myth (myth in the anthropological sense, not in the debunking sense) then it stands as an explanation of the beginnings of free will, but this kind of sets the Augustine and Aquinas on their ear. Free will is granted by god, despite it allowing evil, because it is for the greater good. But the very action by which we get the ability to choose, to gain free will, is an act of evil. (You may argue that they had free will which is how they choose the apple, but a decision made is a decision made in ignorance really free will? This all begs the question of why did god put the damn apple there anyways).

    Having no knowledge of good and evil does not negate free will. You can have free will to choose the options of which you are aware without knowing all of them. After all in any given situation I seriously doubt I know all the options available to me, yet still I make my choices. So God gave one rule.. don't eat from this tree. They choose to do so. Doesnt matter if they "knew good and evil". They were free to choose their own path.

     

    3. I need to ask what choice was given to the multitudes of people who did not have access to god's word or love. The egyptians in exodus for example. Now of course all the other peoples were supposed to be decended of Noah's son's and should have had knowledge of god to begin with, but I don't know of anything stating he paid much attention to any group other than those that lead to the hebrews. It seems at babel he picked the group he wanted and the rest were on their own. Even if this is not the case (you may know of something I don't), the word of jesus certainly did not immediately reach the ears of all. In fact, before the resurection, Jesus tells his apostles to not go to the genitles and the samaritans, but only to the children of israel. What happens to all these others who are not given the opportunity to choose?

    The way I understand it, is that since all human life started with Adam and Eve every person from them forward should KNOW that there is God since they walked with him. It was their job then to pass the info on, and they did.. but just like a game of telephone, over the years the message got deluted and even discarded all together. The following scripture sheds a little light on why they do not know him, and why it's not God's fault but mans.

     

    Romans 1:20-21

    "20For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 21Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened."

     

    The bible contradicts itself in many areas.

    I would disagree. The bible seems to contradict itself in some places, but those who have dedicated their lives to stutying those seemingly "contradictions" have been able to make a lot of sence from them. However, I am no expert on the matter, so I wont be spouting examples.

     

    - Just my thoughts, full of imperfections no doubt. But thanks for humoring me anyway :w00t:


  2. (By the way, Ateh, where on earth did you get those stories about Buddha, Mithra and Krishna? In all my talks with my Buddhist and Hindu friends, don't think I've ever heard those before.)

     

     

    pretty easy in this day and age, you dont even need a library card. go into any internet search engine and type '' comparison between jesus and buddha/mithra/krishna''. although this informaion is available from numerous sources and actually i'd say its better to read it from a book because i fear the age of books is dying and thats awful. also off topic.

     

     

    hey presto the research of thousands of years of historical studies at your fingertips

     

    You have to be careful believing everything you read on the internet. Talk about your un-qualified sources! You could happen upon the site of some Crazy person on a soap box.. you just never know.

     

    The above is not to say that there is not a lot of great info out there.. you just have to be sure to back it up with reliable sources.


  3. Thanks for keeping it simple Morabelon. And a good point you make.. if you want to know if God is real or not, investigating Jesus seems like the logical place to start to me too. After all, he is quoted as saying "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6


  4. Just goes to prove, atheists spend more time thinking about god than anyone else.

     

    Come on man, that's a crazy statement. Tehologians spend their entire life studying God. The bible tells believers that they are to "pray without ceasing". Do you really think someone who does not believe in God spends more time thinking about him than someone who is purposely devoting his entire being to him? I actually believe that because Jesus died for me, he wants me to live for him. Caring for people and loving on them as he did. This requires A LOT of prayer and thoughtfulness about the character of God. So, to me the above statement just seems WAY off base.

     

    I would like to thank Anthropologist for so masterfully describing my situation. While I wont say he is 100% correct, I don't think I could convey it any more clearly either. Thanks Bro, you truely are one of a kind!


  5. Christains are told that God helps those who help themselves. You get into heaven by your works. Yes God is there to support you but if you don't get off your ass you are not going to get anything handed to you.

     

    That is very not true: "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast." Eph 2:8-9

    I realize many of you may not believe what the bible says, but Christians sure do so the above statement is clearly false.

     

    Finally, the Bible was first written 2000 years ago. Don't you think by now the Christian church would have omitted some parts that would embarras them and embellish, or even lie about some parts to make as if Christianity was oh so good?

     

    I have yet to meet a man who believes in God who would be willing to malign His word. That's just a rediculous statement.

     

    PS - What happened to people sharing their views and concerns openly?? This thread has become a forum to attack each others viewpoints. Let's stop the flaming of each others opinions please.. I can respect your point of view (heck, I was not a believer for the first 20+ years of my life), maybe you could also respect mine?


  6. As a 17-year old (well, to be 17 this year anyway...) brought up as a Roman Catholic, I believe that there is some sort of supernatural being who reigns supreme over our world and any others. However, being an AS student studying Philosophy, it has certainly raised many questions.

     

    There are many arguments for and against the existence of God - I can't really be bothered to put them down but if you really want them send me a PM of any sort and I'll just email you my essay on the existence of God - and due to my studies I have become very skeptical of my beliefs. There are just too many flaws and weaknesses in arguments put forward by philosophers who try to explain God or His existence that I have found myself questioning my Roman Catholic background time and time again.

     

    So... I am very uncertain as to where I lie in the religion system.

     

    Just my 0.02$. (as usual =/)

     

    Sadly, this is where many people begin to loose their faith in God.. The universities try to push science as the ultimate authority. But remember, many of the "truths" science claims are built on theory. Science has been wrong many times after teaching a "truth" for many decades or even centuries.


  7. Well, I dont think I could more accurately describe my position or my beliefs than I already have. I also dont think that even if I did anyone would be open to it.

     

    So, I bid this thread fare well.. enjoy everyone.


  8. they are only eyewitness accounts if you believe the book to be true .If you believe like an aethist does that the bible is a fictious book they do not count and cant eyewitness accounts be falsified ?..

     

    " I was in the gulf war killed 5 people " << my eyewitness account total BS but simple example

     

    Yet all these books of the new testament written by many different people over a span of many years in distant places from each other all corroborate each other. Seems like quite an elaborate hoax considering that the books were not compiled together till a few hundred years later. How would they have know each others stories in order to ensure unitity between them?

     

    There just seem to be too many players in too barbaric a time to manage such a hoax.


  9. I also believe the bible is God's inspired word. Men wrote it under the guidance of the holy spirit. Men also translated it under that same guidance. Still it's helpful when researching any given matter to use several diferent versions of the bible as cross references to each other. I myself also use the greek and hebrew versions to cross refernce the words used there along with the many translations of those words including the translations of the words as they apply in different passages. Not that I know how to read greek or hebrew, but if you do this enough you can manage to be fairly proficient at looking up the meanings and cross referencing them.

     

    Still Jesus himself was quoted as saying there will be many false profits in the days to come. These people would certainly try to defile God's word. And wether you believe the bible we have today is divinely inspired or marred is up to you. In my experience studying and cross referencing it, I have found it to be complete, true, and accurate in every case. Sometimes it took A LOT of digging to get there tho.

     

    The thing I find most interesting is that the bible (especially the new testament) was written about and by eye witnesses to the events written about. In such an barbaric age, do you really think that a conspiracy of this magnitude could have been hatched and still be thriving 2000+ years later? I personally find it hard to discount the words of the 4 authors of the Gospel; Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. They were apostles who lived with Jesus and eventually wrote an account of it. Luke also wrote Acts - the account of the first Christian church's birth and toddler years (if you will).

     

    Then there is Paul.. a person who persecuted and killed christians. Jesus met him and Paul's life did a 180. He became the most prolific contributor of the new testament. Why or How would all these seperate people write about something and comit to it even to the point of death? They must have really believed. For some seeing is believing, for others faith in the messenger is enough.

     

    You know, when I stop to think about it I cant think of any other contraversy that has lasted nearly as long with people so passionate on either side about it. I wonder why that is...


  10. Conavar,

     

    Making our own gods is not the real answer IF there is a singular God who wrote the bible. He speaks very strongly against such actions and beliefs. He also states his case very strongly about eternity and where our choices will lead.

     

    I know you said that religion was invented to get us to fear death (or however you put it) but IF the Christian god is God, then there is fear to be had about the subject if you have not accepted the forgiveness Jesus freely offers.

     

    Bahh ^^ I so didnt want to go there.. forgive my forwardness, I just have a hard time letting people believe things I believe to be false which will lead to destruction. It's only because I care that I even bothered.


  11. Well, I believe that the truth of the matter is as dragburn was saying. It takes a certain amount of Faith to believe whatever you believe about who we are and where we come from. Neither Science nor any religion can provide ABSOLUTE proof.

     

    So, I guess the question is weather you put your faith in Man and his ability to reason and such, or a higher being. As science is really only a by product of centuries of reasoning being built upon by each generation. You may also want to note that many of the well known first centruy scientiets were only using science to try and prove things in the bible. Some time ago that practice changed :icon13:

     

    PS - I define faith as putting your belief in something un proven to you.


  12. WIZZKID

    It all very well quoting the bible/koran etc but WHY do you believe . Anything happen to make you believe ? or are you just blindly putting your faith in a belief system

     

    Quoting any Religious txt is just like me Quoting J.R.RTolkein and saying it true they are just books .

     

    If you re-read my message, I mentioned WHY I believe.

     

    As for me, I believe because I decided to step out in faith a long time ago and begin to work out what I believed. God was faithful, and I have been in relationship with Jesus ever since. Our relationship continues to grow stronger and deeper, and never have I been forsaken by my Lord. Does God exits? I bet my everything on it and I am always happy to share why.

     

    I realize that may not sound like a good reason to most, but if you ever experience the relationship as I have, yout will know it's the best reason to believe.


  13. While I feel your message was a little harsh Gandalf, I do believe the idea behind it is accurate. I have never seen a design without a designer. And in our understanding, things tend toward chaos and break down, not creation of wonderfully designed things by accident (though I would love to throw all the pices of a rolex into the air and have it fall back together). That's what big-bang and evolution from nothing suggest.


  14. I am also a Christian, and a Deacon at my church. I am also about to begin the process of getting a degree in christian counciling and become a Pastoral Care Minister.

     

    My biggest issue with Religion is that it Preys on peoples fear of death and think we all agree none of us want to die.

     

    I ademantely disagree with the above. Though many people who call them selves "Christians" today may propegate the above thinking, those of us who truely strive to follow Christ know that "Religion" is man's attempt to be worthy of redemption via some set of Holy (separate) rules. No such set of rules are required when you live by the spirit through faith in Jesus Christ (Acts 15: 10-11), for his death paid for all our sins while we were still sinners. Therefore it's by Grace that we have been saved (Ephesians 2:8-9). The only thing left for us to do is to accept this free gift of Love.

     

    I would say that "Religion" is really a to-do list and is worthless, but Christianity is "Relationship" and the more you get to know Christ (reading his word, praying, just talking to him) the richer that relationship becomes. It's much like a marriage. Spend no time with your husband/wife and see how much you have in common when re-uinted after a long break. So it will be when every knee bows before the Lord on that day (Romans 14:10-12). The verse says "every knee will bow", not just the knee of the believer. But I dont say this to scare anyone, because as I stated above this is a homecomming of sorts. It will be a joyus time of celebration. There should be NO fear in death, and that's really the point.

     

    As for me, I believe because I decided to step out in faith a long time ago and begin to work out what I believed. God was faithful, and I have been in relationship with Jesus ever since. Our relationship continues to grow stronger and deeper, and never have I been forsaken by my Lord. Does God exits? I bet my everything on it and I am always happy to share why.

     

    Should you believe in God? Well, that's for you to consider. I can only talk about what he has done in my life.

     

    - Humbly Yours


  15. Hi All,

     

    Well, here is another handy little tool for those of you who are "serious" about being efficient in your alchemy / manufacturing / harvesting. This Excel spreadsheet allows you to enter your Available EMU (what's left over after you have your harvest tools in inventory) and choose an item to create from a list. It then tells you what ingrediants (and how many) you need to take with you to the mines to make the items. And with a food choice list, you can quickly see the difference in how many of the items you can make per trip depending on what food you choose.

     

    Even if I do say so myself, This little spreadsheet ROCKS!

    http://www.el-iron.com/downloads/el_alch_harvest.xls

     

    PS - If you dont have Microsoft Excel on your computer, then download Calc from OpenOffice.org (it's FREE)


  16. im assuming the code has built in trading commands.

     

    Actually, you just drop a bag at the bots feet. It will pick up the items, and use the equipment list files (which the read me file explains) to equip items. Then when you want to get items from the bot, you request a bag "/quimb bag" :)

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