Why most of this site is pointless but fun.

You can probably tell form my post what I'm talking about, what my message is. Why is most of this site pointless? Because it was never the point . God didn't write a fairy tale book for us, he didn't write a biography, or a history, or any of that. The point of the Bible was simply as a method of knowing God, however, it is not NECCESSARY to know Him. No books, or rituals, or anything is neccessary to know him. I despise Christianity, and Catholicism, and Islam, and The Church of Latter-Day Saints, and whatever else you can name off. Now where I come from in "calvary chapel-land", they enjoy the motto, "It's a relationship, not a religion". I could not agree more. But the whole point of Christianity is that "We are right, you are not". The point is to define God. I do not need someone to define God for me. I don't name my relationships. I don't call my relationship with my parents "Parentetheism" or with my girlfriend "Girlfriendism". I just have them, and enjoy them for what they are. If my girlfriend writes a book, I don't define her existance by what whe writes. I know her better, but I do not define her by it. I don't quibble over indescrepancies, or ask questions engineered to be unanswerable. Can God make a rock to big for him to lift? Who gives a damn? My point is that we often quibble over minor details that we lose sight of the grand purpose. Sure, I have opinions on all of the things on this site, but I don't tell someone that they are going to hell because they disagree. I enjoy them on an intellectual level, but I do not define my relationship with God by them. I have a relationship with God. Period. I don't change that by saying "well, was it 70 years in that passage or 69. Eh? Eh?" I don't care. Yes, the Bible can let us know God better. But the errant Idead among many is that the Bible is the only book with anything valid to say about God. Other religous texts also contain many valid things to say about God. The point was not to believe in "the God of Jacob" or "the God of Jacob Smith", but to simply have a relationship with God, or Buddha, or Allah, or whatever you will name Him. Many confuse this with pantheism. It is not. It is simply saying that God is not bound by name. God has definite attributes, and the point is simply that people love him and seek him outside of ego, of human emotion, of self. If one seeks God in pure love, all other attruibutes will fall into place.

Thread moved here from the Proposed New Topics forum.

(?) So are you saying that the endless quibbling, bickering, posturing, and good old fashioned debating that we engage in is pointless? So you are saying that it is not necessary to know God by referring to the Bible? This would be true were it possible to connect with only one spiritual reality by default. We are, however, engaged in a spiritual war and the fact is that mere experience will never unfailingly lead a person to the One true God. They will find many other wannabe spirits that mess with their heads, however... Yes, but your girlfriend has a name. Your parents have a name. If you are a Christian at all, God also has a name. You may be correct in saying that the Bible is not necessary to know God, but Jesus Christ IS necessary...relationallywise...to know God. That is, unless you are not a Christian. To refuse to define your God makes your subjective religious experience valid and necessary for you yet pointless for the masses. Thus, you have proved your original post title. Naming Him is the point!This message has been edited by Phatboy, 08-30-2004 05:38 AM

To StuMan77:Welcome to the forum, StuMan77: Well, I certainly did. What you believe in sounds like Bahai Faith.Friendly word of advice: please use spaces to divide up your post into paragraphs so that it is a little easier on the eyes of us readers. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.Have a nice day.

---

"Respect is like money, it can only be earned. When it is given, it becomes pittance"

You refuted your statement here yourself:"That is, unless you are not a Christian."From the OP, I'd say he isn't a Christian.

---

Wanna feel God? Step onto the wrestling mat and you'd be crazy to deny the uplifting spirit. http://www.BadPreacher.5u.com (incomplete, but look anyway!)

In answer to your first question, Phatboy, it is pointless in the sense that many of the debates here are not essential to salvation. While ones concerning the existance of God and Jesus Christ are, not all are.To your second, I'm not saying that a person will neccessarily find God by default. What I was pointing out is that many people begin to put too much emphasis on the Bible on not enough on God.On your third, I dare to disagree. Why does God need a name? I could call Him Bill, and it doesn't change his nature. My point was merely that people get so stuck in calling him God,, they act as if it is a name he is bound by. What if I decided to start calling Jesus "Jimmy"? Would that send me to hell? I don't think so.On the forth, refer to my last answer.This message has been edited by StuMan77, 08-31-2004 01:22 PM

I realize my paragraph may have been written in a confusing way, and I apologize. I could have worked longer on it, in order to clarify things better.While what I am saying may sound similar to Bahai, it remains different. I am not saying that every religion is true, or that the poeple who originated all of them were sent from God. All I am saying is that many Christians (at least where I come from) tend to simply write off all religions but there own as completely idiotic. While many religions may have some silly things to say, some also contain good values. Such as Mormons and there value of family togetherness. While I do not believe mormonism to be true, and I disagree with many values of their religion (such as polygamy), the value of family togetherness is something to be admired.P.S. Thank you for the welcome.This message has been edited by StuMan77, 08-31-2004 02:55 AM

To StuMan77: So in other words, your belief consists of selecting from a wide range of religion the values that you agree with, and then follow them? Sounds more like a philosophy than a religion, really.Patiently awaiting your reply.

---

"Respect is like money, it can only be earned. When it is given, it becomes pittance"

My point was not to build a religion out of other religions, or to say that any of them are right. It is really a philosophy. I believe in Jesus Christ as the one true savior and in a personal relationship with Him. That being said, the church I attend acts as if it is the only one who has anything right (philosophically) and that the other religions have nothing right (philosophically) to say. My point wasn't to draw religous values from religions, merely philosophical ones.

To StuMan77:Errrr....ok. Some would consider religion to be composed of solely religious values - that is, there is no difference between philosophical and religious values in a religion. How did you draw the distinction?

---

"Respect is like money, it can only be earned. When it is given, it becomes pittance"

John 13:20- I tell you the truth, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me."
So if you commune with me in a fun way, and I accept you....and if God sent you.....errr uhhh wow!

Yeah, those fundies can get pretty judgmental. This site has opened my eyes to the possibility of God using science minded people--who may not even be believers in a strict definition--to advance His name and His purpose. After all, as our favorite orange furry guy Jar has reminded us, its all about being a Savior to someone else....not acting as if YOU wrote the Tablets.