Summations Only

No. Our real enemy is lack of education, lack of critical thinking skills, and a stubborn bias towards established dogma. As a Christian, I can tell you that my belief is examined and questioned by me often...but I don't believe that a believer by default is delusional or necessarily wrong. I question certain passages in the Bible and I will admit to a propensity to confirmation bias, but I have had experiences that lead me to no other rational conclusion---except perhaps mental illness! Personally, I believe that God exists and I will admit to actively sharing this belief with others. I will agree with you, however, inasmuch to say that much of Christian Culture is sick and dysfunctional to an extent. Not because of our beliefs so much as our actions and perceptions. I will not blame black and white thinking, because absolutes are a fact of reality---not all is gray. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God, that He pre-existed time itself and was in the beginning with the Father. Jesus is Gods human character, were God to transform into a human. No prophet nor individual will ever get any closer or better in this representation than has Jesus. That being said, I acknowledge what jar emphasizes in that Jesus was made man. As far as goals go, I believe that there is a dynamic--a type of battle in the Spirit---that is in essence a part of the human experience.Many say that Jesus was the "second Adam" but I see Jesus as plan A rather than plan B. God never created actualized evil, in my belief. God created the possibility of evil--potentialized evil in the form of rebellion (independence?) from His Spirit. Lucifer actualized the process by choosing to rebel---much like many of today's educated skeptics do.

Why is it you always take the contrarian position by default?

It means that Jesus is not representing himself---as a human. Jesus is representing God.

In essence and summation, we are always talking about two similar though different concepts.1) The god character, as written and verbally recorded through man. This is the character that one might correct and remind of the rules. It is a sort of altar ego within humanity...a greater conscience as it were.2) GOD, Creator of all seen and unseen...Who is mighty, fearsome, wonderful, powerful. Some believe that Jesus is the chosen means for this GOD to communicate with humanity...others believe that jesus himself is only a character and only human.Our real enemies are ourselves. GOD may or may not commune with us and through us...I believe that he does.

To me, it means that I have been given the gift and promise of communion with GOD. Not that I am GOD nor a part of GOD, but that I am in communion---communication---with Him and with His wisdom.Not that He speaks through me. That He speaks to me.In my conscience. In my reasoning. In my logic. In my honesty and awareness of my dishonesty, GOD is the sword that divides truth from error, right from wrong, love from hate.So how do I know its God, one may ask.I can only answer this question for myself....I cannot answer it for you or anyone else.As you may have said before a time or two...I believe, but I also am aware that I might be wrong.I can only be honest to myself regarding my beliefs and my actions.each day is a new lesson.

We discuss spirituality and religion a lot here at this forum, mike. I have learned a lot about myself through debates here. Rarely if ever do I find many people who agree with what I say, but I have stayed and traded verbal jabs and exchanged human wisdom (or the lack thereof,on my part) with the best of them.It used to annoy me when people couldn't see my well thought out arguments. I was indeed a legend in my own mind. Slowly, however, i learned to take a (devils advocate) approach and pretend that I was supporting their arguments against myself. It worked, and my arguments are better than they used to be---although very few still agree with me. Politics is like that---congressional squabbling annoys me because we the people pay these people to bicker...hoping that our candidate will have more hot air than the opponents.To quote Mark Twain---

quote:

---

"Sometimes I wonder whether the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on or by imbeciles who really mean it." —Mark Twain

---

Our real enemies are the cobwebs within our own thinking.Yes, I believe God exists and would exist even if no human on earth believed in Him. Granted I will admit that I am biased.The jury is still out on whether the human race will survive forever (or a reasonable slice of time) or whether we will be a brief explosion in the grand universal scheme.Your quote says "evidence over faith ... observation over theory.If humans become extinct, Who will observe our demise?Moreso, will there be any evidence for said observer?Edited by Phat, : No reason given.

Perhaps in general, yes. Specifically free speech is never garbage in the context of Forum Guidelines and this online forum. People have a right to be ignorant or ill informed. I know my rights, at least. Besides...the answer is not yet complete. Keep the questions and observations coming, however. Challenge us.

So what do you think of G.I.A. saying that he considers his God to be himself? (I'd like to hear Tangles point of view, for the peanut gallery among you)

A couple of questions.

How can you "follow" yourself?

​

How do you interpret Genesis 3:5 in context?

---

God created war so that Americans would learn geography. —Mark Twain
"A lie can travel half way around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes." —Mark Twain

This topic has waundered in the desert for forty days and forty nights.Greatest I AM--as the topic originator would you like to steer us back on topic or summarize and close.