Does Peer Pressure stifle the acceptance of the obvious?

Wiz...meet me in chat if you get this message within five minutes

It is a sad thing to be brainwashed by organized religion. In context to the early Christians, we really have no basis to determine if they were borderline cultists within the context of the larger culture OR if they truly had something going on that the larger culture should learn from.When I say "we" I include all of us responding to this post.Now...as for "I", I believe that the early Christians wer not mere victims of peer pressure to pray in the upper room and freak out over signs and wonders. I believe that these people were an imparted bunch that were as close to God as any human before or since.God was not merely a concept of agreement externally...He was a living presence internally!These are my opinions and are thus to be treated as such, BTW>

I will say (IMHO) that many of the educated minds of our country who laugh at religion are staunchly defiant of their right to earn a good living based on their educational credentials.This is the American way to be sure, but a capitalist idolator will defend the system that funds their paycheck just as readily as a reluigious wingnut will defend the faith that changed their lives.Some of us have faith in human progress. We also expect to benefit financially by being supporters of it...like the "useful" drugs that the giant companies mass market.This message has been edited by Charismaniac, 11-18-2005 03:53 PM

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Matt 10:39-40 "Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives the one who sent me."Jesus Christ
Heb 4:12-13-- For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
Holy Spirit,speaking through the Apostle Paul