Christianity and the End Times

Nor do I.

Yeah, sorry I tend to like the sites like Jihad Watch that tell the truth more than the leftist propaganda sites. Why not? He's embraced all the doctrinally antichristian religions of the world including atheism. I wouldn't put anything past this Pope.

I know he wasn't talking about prophecy. He was talking like a parent to an unruly child saying I'm going to punish you if you don't straighten up.Edited by Faith, : No reason given.

Yes jar I know, and so does everybody who has read that part of the Bible. The first part is a general outline of the creation, the second gives more detail particularly about the creation of humanity.

If you believe there was that much time between the writing of the different accounts you are doing worse than apologetics, you are believing the usual ridiculous lies of the "scholars." Who probably gave you this crazy notion about the differences between the texts too. What is this bizarre attitude you have that the people who have read the Bible for millennia, not to mention generations of scribes who meticulously copied it and generations of priests and rabbis who studied it, wouldn't have noticed the things you pat yourself on the back for noticing? You're talking about a writing the Jews heard read to them year after year after year and you think somehow only you can see things that escaped their notice?

Listened again to the last statements on that video I posted back in Message 417 of a sermon on The Reliability of the Bible by a Dr. Josh Moody, because he did such a nice job of describing the great value of the Bible to believers as God speaking to us. This time I transcribed what he said:From about 31:59: And just to round off the subject, here are a few lines from Psalm 19 about the great worth of scripture: It's supernatural. God speaks to us through it more often than He speaks to us in any other way. Since many read it who don't have such experiences, though believers do all the time, it has to be that having the Holy Spirit is necessary to hearing from God in this way, meaning you have to be born again.But since this is a traditional orthodox pastor describing such things, and believers know what he is talking about, those who don't believe really ought to consider that maybe there is a spiritual state that makes such experiences possible instead of just dismissing it all.Edited by Faith, : No reason given.

The spiritual state isn't supposed to be about us, it's about the Bible itself and the ability to experience it is given by the Holy Spirit who is God. The point is you might consider that God is real and that by believing in Him we can experience Him speaking to us through His word. I don't know what it is you have in mind that would put a person above average but if you fit the description there is nothing stopping you from becoming that above-average believer in God.Edited by Faith, : No reason given.

Nobody is "hearing voices," that is not how God communicates through His word.You are the one making up stuff when you keep insisting Christian belief comes from aq "need" to believe. An awful lot of us were very resistant at first to what we now believe, came "kicking and screaming" as I think C.S. Lewis described himself, were drawn against our will. You can't speak for any of us and it's very rude of you to think you can.Edited by Faith, : No reason given.

Did you read my quote? J. B Phillips described the "uncanny" experience of the Bible's speaking to his "condition" as he worked on translating it. A lot of this sense of the living God in His living word is "happening" to read passages and verses that directly apply to one's state of mind or current situation in your life, verses that just "happen" to be what you "happen" to be reading that describe what you are going through in life. Happens a lot to me and to many Christians as well as to the translator Phillips, an Anglican priest who as he says thinks of such experiences as something fundamentalists talk about but that he wouldn't expect to have himself. Sometimes I pray to understand something and within days I just "happen" to be reading something that answers my questions. Have I also mentioned that I've had the experience of being very concerned about something and a breeze from a window blows the pages of the Bible that happens to be lying open on the table to a particular page on which my eye just happens to fall on the exact verse that speaks to my concern. I think I may have mentioned that once.So there are typical ways God speaks to us through His word. No I did not say that, you are putting words in my mouth that in fact say the exact opposite of what I said. When I started reading to find out what or who God is I believed all the religions had the same God and that I'd probably become a follower of a Hindu guru or a Buddhist. I had NO IDEA WHATEVER of becoming a Christian. I was honestly and legitimately PERSUADED to the truth of it, even to a great extent against my will. You really are very rude to impose your views on other people. No, I did not forget that, but I'm describing how many of us BECAME Christians whereas you are talking about having grown up in the church, and a church that apparently teaches very iffy, "liberal" doctrine at that. You obviously never experienced the supernatural reality of the faith, were never born again, it remained a purely mental experience. You cannot tell us how we got persuaded by imposing on us your judgment that it is all a delusion. You should consider that you are the one with the wrong judgment.

Christianity has been THE only real help in the world ever.

"Talking to God" assumes getting answers, which I would think might change your mind. Being something, being average or whatever, is not the point of belief, God is the point, relationship with God is the point.Edited by Faith, : No reason given.

That MIGHT be because Catholicism during that period wasn't really Christianity, but since I don't know the history you are referring to I can't know for sure what you are talking about.Edited by Faith, : No reason given.Edited by Faith, : No reason given.

I think that "imaginary pulpit speak" is recognizable to Christian believers as describing their own personal experiences. You really really really want it to be imaginary, though, don't you? To the point that you'll call millions of people insane who say they've experienced it personally rather than consider that maybe YOU get it all wrong.Edited by Faith, : No reason given.Edited by Faith, : No reason given.

You've made it impossible for yourself to have the eternal life you say you want. Edited by Faith, : No reason given.

No, it holds that we are personally responsible for our choices.