I don't wish to ask you how you got the money or where, I just want to say be careful out there. I've had two friends mangled from accidents and one friend die in a horrific accident on their motorcycles.
@ConnieLee One of the downfalls of the Christian religion is the belief that none of us deserves to be loved. We all deserve to be loved, especially by God, who commands us to love one another, even our enemies. When all of us Christians understand what love is AND that we all deserve love, AND when we stand in love, that's when most of the problems that you list cease to be problems. Christians do not lead by example when they believe they are not deserving to be love, but are accepting of themselves enough to accept the unconditional love that is given by God. Just as children deserve to be loved by their parents, we deserve to be loved by God as his children, and we are.
@EdCrown @Ono lol dog(ma) doo-doo, I'm so going to use this one! Thanks Ed and Kathleen, you bring a smile to my face!
I remember when I was a kid, my Sunday School teacher telling us there was no such things as dinosaurs. The church was adamant that scientists were just making that stuff up. Most Christians don't say that anymore, because the overwhelming evidence that there were dinosaurs on this earth, they can't refute anymore.
I doubt that God really cares if we accept evolution. What we Christians have the hardest time learning is our mistakes of the past... ie the world is flat, the earth revolves around the sun, we should kill witches, kill for God. Most of them fought tooth and nail to keep the belief going. I believe that many did so because they were afraid it would tear them away from God. Same holds true today.
I don't want to go so far off topic and debate evolution, but I bring this up to show my fellow Christians that we don't need to fear change. We should embrace it, especially when it comes to how we treat our fellow human beings. A religion that bullies people who believe differently, or loves differently is not what we should be about. We should be embracing each other, and helping hold each other up. We should not be mucking about in the mud of dogma, tearing ourselves or others down into the muck. That is not love.
I had to walk away from the dogma, and it took many years before I could even think about going to church, because of the creeps that inhabit it. Yes, I thought many were creepy people, Christians who tear one another down. Now I believe they aren't creeps, but broken people who’ve been torn down themselves. I tried going back to church many times. I would listen to sermon after sermon of preachers beating on their followers, or some other group of people. All in the name of God.
Through it all, I hung on to the verses about love. And I kept asking, where's the Christian love? Now I know I was asking the right questions. I finally found a church that spoke love, that built each other up, and believed Jesus's commandments to love one another. Not only believed it, but walked it. Truly walked with God, loving one another, and striving not to sit in judgment of others.
When a Christian walks with God and is filled with his love, the rest of the dogma they've been taught, especially the criticisms of other groups of people falls away. There is no room for it, when the heart is filled with love. It’s the dogma that keeps people held down in the muck.
For those targeted by those who profess God, but show no love, I hope you realize that they are coming from their own broken spirit. Please, whatever you can do, try not to put such importance on their words. They themselves are hurting.
But, things are changing for the better and I want you to know, that you are perfect the way you are. No apologies! Hold your head high and if you are trapped for a while in an area that is still steeped in ignorance and prejudice, hold on and make plans for when you can leave and find a better place to live. Just know that many, many people are working towards the day when you are no longer discriminated against. Sure, there will be the die-hards that won’t be able to let go of their dogma. Soon to be relics of the past.
They can only have power over you, if you believe them. Don’t! Surround yourselves with loving, positive people who care for you, and ignore the rest. If you want fellowship with Christians, find a church that preaches the love and walks the talk. If you go into a church and the preacher is beating his flock down, or negatively pointing fingers at other people, walk away.
Please remember not all Christians are the same. There are many of us who accept you just as God made you.
You are right, the emotion love trumps everything here. Perhaps you can read the message that Dan wrote that brought us all here, it's a message about love. It is what Jesus commanded of you and me. And you keep ignoring that.I am well versed with it. I am well versed with people who use the bible to clobber others with, as you do here. I am well versed in your religion, I was raised in it, where people much like you, use it as a weapon. My walk with Jesus is just fine. I am saved, and I believe what Jesus said, and I've allowed his love to fill my spirit. I have no need to clobber those who believe different then me. I have no problem having relationships with people who believe differently than me. I have no problem with how God made any LGBT, as I believe he makes no mistakes.
I believe that you are hung up on the law as the Pharisee was. That your words here do not speak about God's love for anyone. The bible says you are but a clanging gong, because you have not love. Because if you did, it would be shining all over this board. Unfortunately, you don't understand this. And thus I will continue to pray for you, that you allow God into your heart, so that you will know real love.
Take care LoT, I really do want you to find that love.
@Lover of truth @Ono @DavidStevens From what you say, it is really apparent to me and many others that you aren't here with a loving spirit. You are wielding the bible as a club to beat others with. Yes indeed LoT you sound like someone that is in dire need of some saving, so that your heart will be softened with Christ's love.
As far as reconciling anything, I have no need. It's not up to me to judge other people. As far as I can see there is nothing to judge when there is not harm done. Now if someone is harming another, they need to be stopped, and punished if they are raping, or murdering or harming another in another way. That's why we have laws for that.
I've heard every word you said. I listened, but I do not accept your interpretation of the bible. What you do harms other people, and turns them away from God. I know that your walk with God is between you and him. But if you believe that people have to answer for what they do, you better mind your manners a bit better, for everyone you have turned off from God, you will have to answer for it.
Now wouldn't a better way to come here and communicate is to do it with humility and a loving spirit?
I don't know who is whispering in your ear, but it isn't Jesus telling you to behave the way you are here. Your way is not his way, he accepted everybody. I think you need to go back to your Bible and do some serious reading of Jesus words and life, and do some solid prayer, and ask for that part of you that needs to be healed so that you don't feel the need to clobber people with your religion.
I truly hope you find healing and some peace.
@Lover of truth @Ono @DavidStevens God has worked in my life and has opened my heart, my walk with God is going just fine. I have peace with this love. I have walked the rigid life you lead, and now know what Jesus meant about love. I hope (and mostly pray) you find it someday too. Then you will know why he commanded us to love and not judge, or be rigid with the law, it brings much peace within. When you find the peace within, you stop worrying so much about "the law" and stop using it to clobber others. If you put even half your efforts into loving another, instead of worrying about "the law" would make a HUGE difference in your life.
You keep coming back here doing the same thing over and over again, I think Jesus has been trying to open your eyes, but you seem not capable of taking off the blinders of "the law". I hope whatever is preventing you from doing so that God heals that part of you, that is keeping you stuck in "the law".
@Lover of truth @DavidStevens @Katy Bug I am a Christian and what I see you displaying is exactly what Jesus was talking about with the Pharisee. He doesn't have to be a Christian to see that your actions are what Jesus was talking about. David isn't displaying any emotion, he is telling you what he sees. You could learn a lot from how David treats others. However, your answer did display emotion. However, emotions are not a bad thing, we all have them, even you. I highly recommend you read the chapters about the Pharisee. And what you are holding up is not the Bible as the standard, but a bible as a club to beat others over the head with.
I hope someday you will understand what Jesus was talking about when he said to love one another. I am not seeing any loving kindness in any of your words here. So I beseech you to pray and ask Jesus to help you find his love and place it in your heart. So if you want to hold up a standard, how about first begin with God's love that is supposed to be in your heart. Once it is there, the rest is easy.
@Snooterpoot @Lover of truth Snooterpoint, your opinion does matter to this Christian. Lover of truth is here to stir the pot, as are a few others. Please don't let their words get to you. They only speak for a minority that is getting smaller all the time. Unfortunately they are so vocal, it may seem like we are all like them, but we are not. You do matter to me!
@CurtisBeauJackson @facturann @FrederickKahrs @Kievjoy Thanks Curtis, this really wrenches my heart, as you know. I am so glad that you didn't commit suicide, that I had a chance to interact with you and get to know you! How much we all would have lost had you taken your life. I am hoping that there is becoming more help and hope for other young people who face this in their daily lives. That the voices of those of us who don't think you are different, or scum of the earth, but our brothers and sisters will soon be much louder than those who do.
@facturann @FrederickKahrs @Kievjoy From your words that write here, you don't sound respectful at all. Your first post shows so little respect for others that I am wondering if you know the meaning of respect. Putting yourself up on a pedestal of self righteousness is not respectful at all. You may say you are respectful, but your actions show none, at least here in this forum. As a fellow Christian, I hope and pray that God will show you what respect is, and hopefully it won't be a painful lesson for you.
@EdCrown Hey Ed! It's good to see you and your sweet spirit back here again, hope life is treating you well!
@Bryan Matthews I hope someday that you will find the love that God has for you and set aside all this hell and damnation dogma. That you will also find acceptance for yourself as you sound like there is a bit of self loathing there. Until then I wish you more peace in your life and acceptance for yourself and for others who are hurt by this dogma. There are Christians and churches who do not indulge in this God -of -hate dogma.
@Lebr I too am a mother of a gay daughter, and I can relate on those that say they are friends, ripping you. At least you know that she is not behaving as a friend. Lately I've been taking heart, the tides are changing, which is great for our daughters! If you don't have a circle of support for you and don't know where to turn, Pflag is a great group for people like us to help us be great parents for our gay and lesbian children.
@ibealion @Dmack89 Ibealion--Phew, such a tall pedestal you climbed up on. Be careful it may be toppling at any moment. A wise man knows that he isn't perfect and can not have all the answers. A foolish man runs about, letting everyone know how right he is about everything--no one else knows the truth but him. A wise man just smiles and watches the unaware man boast "Look at me, look at me," drawing more attention to his arrogant foolishness.
@Tiffani @ibealion I am thankful that he doesn't speak for ALL Christianity. That there are those who walk with the love of God in their hearts, that shines brighter than any law of the Pharisee's heart.
@ibealion @Ono That you reject love is not a surprise. That you continue to behave like a Pharisee is not a surprise. When I hear some love in your voice, then we shall talk. Until then, I hope you hear God's message in those that have spoken to you here, that your "spiritual ears" will hear. I will pray for you.
The question does not remain. You are here to beat other people up with your self righteousness. It's time to get yourself right with God, as you are just acting as a prideful ibealion.
@ibealion @timqz1 @DavidStevens Actually to someone that sees color in a different way, the sky could be green or orange. The sky is orange and pink and purple and green and turquoise in the morning and in the evening.
The world and God isn't in black and white, one or the other, right or wrong. There's many shades of gray. That you stand so rigid in this world says more about you than God. Instead of going around arguing your self righteousness, maybe start praying that God show you how to love your fellow human being?
@ibealion @Ono @DavidStevens I imagine that people get angry at you a lot. The pride, the boastfulness, the lack of love for another ... I have to wonder how many people just shut their ears to you. Many will come before God and be surprised who will be allowed to enter, and who will not. You sound like one that will be woefully surprised. As I asked you before, go read the story about the Pharisee, and perhaps throw in a good measure of 1 Corinthians 13. Unfortunately, I believe you haven't received God's memo about the melody of love, until that sinks in and you truly show your love, you are but a clanging gong that makes people cringe and cover their ears.