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Tide,
Thanks for posting. Here's a paste of your post which I will answer the best I can:
My faith has slipped since I was shot by my former wife in 1996. I died twice on that night. Once in the helicoptor on the way to the hospital for just under 2 minutes and once for just over 5 minutes while I was in the hospital talking to the doctors after they took the breathing tube out of my throat. The last was a bad experience since I was awake as my body just shut down, but I was able to hear everything until my brain went also. I am so sick of hearing about the light and what a joy it was to see it. I must be the only person that this has happened to that my pastor or next door neighbor who is also a pastor that never saw this so called light. I could care less that I didn't see it, but they are amazed that I didn't see the light with 2 death experiences. Since you do not know me nor do I know you, I have 2 questions that I have not been able to get answered since I am now a realist and basically do not believe there is a heaven, God, etc. and realize that most of the bible is just a bunch of crap. Every religion believes something different and believes their religion is the only true religion. I just don't think some guy in the jungle in africa who prays to a stone carving is going to hell.
1. Who made or how was God made? There is proof on how our solar system and pretty much how all of space was formed. 900 years ago people thought there was a god of the sun and the sea. That looks pretty stupid these days.
2. Do you think this seeing the light bit has gone a little to far?
Come on, when your dead your dead.
Any way, good luck with your calling.
-------------------------------------------------
Tide,
Sorry to hear about your incident. Domestic problems are hard enough without the added tragedy of your personal experience.
You might consider yourself fortunate that you did not see a light. This movement is not of God. It is a deception. Please keep in mind that I am speaking from the view point of a born again Christian.
In regard to this light that people see, it has to be measured against the Word. The Word is very clear regarding what's of God and what is not. It's real simple: If these people come back with a message (no matter how 'lovely' it sounds) that excludes and/or denies the Diety (Godhood) of Jesus Christ, then whatever, whoever, they received their message from is not of God.
The Word teaches that the Devil comes as an "Angel of Light" and his ministers and "teachers of the good". The message that these people come back with have to be measured against the eternal Word, who is Christ. It is by God's grace that he spared you the deception.
To be sure, the idea that all religions teach that they are the only way is not correct. In fact, the truth might even be more upsetting to you since you do not believe the Word. And that is this: Christianity is the only religion that claims exclusivity these days. Just about all your other religions are coming under a common roof, agreeing to disagree on sematics and names and claiming that they are all headed to the same place by different routs.
All except Christianity. The Biblical teaching is indeed exclusive. The thing to remember is that by very definition Christianity is not a religion. Religion has to do with "outward works". Even in the Biblicla texts when the term religion is used (James), it is referring specifically to "good works".
Examine All religions and you will discover that they have this in common: All of them are MANS ATTEMPT TO GET TO GOD.
Christianity is: GOD'S CONTINUAL ATTAMPT TO GET TO MAN.
Christianity is not a religion (based on good works), but it is a family; a faith. And even the harshest critics of Christianity and its abuses give in and admit that the teachings of true Christianity by its author, Jesus Christ, are good teachings and cannot be reasonably argued against as anything other than good. Critics want to key in on the abuses and perversions of it, but when cornered with CHRISTIANITY--not the abuses thereof--do admit that in its purest teaching it is all good for mankind.
It is the individual choice for people to believe or not believe whether the Word is a bunch of crap. But it's next to impossible to read the teachings of Jesus Christ and not get the sense that He was on the right track for mankind.
Another thing that makes Christianity exclusive is the resurrection. How can any religion offer life after death if their founders did not (physically) conquer it [death]? Jesus conquered death and therefore proclaimed Himself the one true God who alone could offer eternal life.
Regarding someone that lives in a jungle and never hears the gospel, there a hundreds of questions that are hard questions with difficult answers. The one misconception about Christianity is that once you're a Christian suddenly you know everything and have all the Answers. This is partly because preachers preach that all the answers are in the Word. What they mean is that all you need to know about living your life and being fulfilled in life; how to live, how to deal with problems and people--that kinda' stuff. They don't mean you'll have all the answers to the Lost City of Atlantis and stuff like that.
However, I do believe if someone, anywhere in the world, is truly seeking for pure truth with an open heart and wants to know the True God whomever or whatever he/she may be (in that person's mind they don't know, but want to know), then God will make a way for that person to receive the Gospel if he's got to send an angel in the flesh or translate a human (like in the book of Acts) to reach him. I believe that He will reveal Himself to anyone who truly wants to know and searches. I've got plenty of questions myself, but I accept Him at His Word; and I take His Word at face value.
As far as who/how God was made, He wasn't. According to scripture He is eternal and has always Been. "I AM THAT I AM" is His Name, and His ways and thoughts are beyond our limited human understanding.
Proof of how the Solar System was made? See the arrogance of man? Just yesterday on CNN they had a report that doctors are now saying women are better off if they DO exercise during pregnancy. Oh. Oops. Same with broken bones (they changed their minds about 10 years ago on that one). About once a year they change their minds on whether or not eggs are good to eat.
Man is limited by the knowledge he has up to this point in time. But yet in their arrogance they still claim scientific PROOF of this and that.
From a purely logical standpoint, it makes sense to me to become a believer. If Christians are wrong, then it doesn't matter. Everyone's in the same boat (whatever that may be).
But if they are right, then non-Christians have a very real problem on hand, and one that will not go away in a week or two. It's actually quiet logical; practical; the traits of a realist.
Thanks for posting Tide...
dave
Thanks for posting. Here's a paste of your post which I will answer the best I can:
My faith has slipped since I was shot by my former wife in 1996. I died twice on that night. Once in the helicoptor on the way to the hospital for just under 2 minutes and once for just over 5 minutes while I was in the hospital talking to the doctors after they took the breathing tube out of my throat. The last was a bad experience since I was awake as my body just shut down, but I was able to hear everything until my brain went also. I am so sick of hearing about the light and what a joy it was to see it. I must be the only person that this has happened to that my pastor or next door neighbor who is also a pastor that never saw this so called light. I could care less that I didn't see it, but they are amazed that I didn't see the light with 2 death experiences. Since you do not know me nor do I know you, I have 2 questions that I have not been able to get answered since I am now a realist and basically do not believe there is a heaven, God, etc. and realize that most of the bible is just a bunch of crap. Every religion believes something different and believes their religion is the only true religion. I just don't think some guy in the jungle in africa who prays to a stone carving is going to hell.
1. Who made or how was God made? There is proof on how our solar system and pretty much how all of space was formed. 900 years ago people thought there was a god of the sun and the sea. That looks pretty stupid these days.
2. Do you think this seeing the light bit has gone a little to far?
Come on, when your dead your dead.
Any way, good luck with your calling.
-------------------------------------------------
Tide,
Sorry to hear about your incident. Domestic problems are hard enough without the added tragedy of your personal experience.
You might consider yourself fortunate that you did not see a light. This movement is not of God. It is a deception. Please keep in mind that I am speaking from the view point of a born again Christian.
In regard to this light that people see, it has to be measured against the Word. The Word is very clear regarding what's of God and what is not. It's real simple: If these people come back with a message (no matter how 'lovely' it sounds) that excludes and/or denies the Diety (Godhood) of Jesus Christ, then whatever, whoever, they received their message from is not of God.
The Word teaches that the Devil comes as an "Angel of Light" and his ministers and "teachers of the good". The message that these people come back with have to be measured against the eternal Word, who is Christ. It is by God's grace that he spared you the deception.
To be sure, the idea that all religions teach that they are the only way is not correct. In fact, the truth might even be more upsetting to you since you do not believe the Word. And that is this: Christianity is the only religion that claims exclusivity these days. Just about all your other religions are coming under a common roof, agreeing to disagree on sematics and names and claiming that they are all headed to the same place by different routs.
All except Christianity. The Biblical teaching is indeed exclusive. The thing to remember is that by very definition Christianity is not a religion. Religion has to do with "outward works". Even in the Biblicla texts when the term religion is used (James), it is referring specifically to "good works".
Examine All religions and you will discover that they have this in common: All of them are MANS ATTEMPT TO GET TO GOD.
Christianity is: GOD'S CONTINUAL ATTAMPT TO GET TO MAN.
Christianity is not a religion (based on good works), but it is a family; a faith. And even the harshest critics of Christianity and its abuses give in and admit that the teachings of true Christianity by its author, Jesus Christ, are good teachings and cannot be reasonably argued against as anything other than good. Critics want to key in on the abuses and perversions of it, but when cornered with CHRISTIANITY--not the abuses thereof--do admit that in its purest teaching it is all good for mankind.
It is the individual choice for people to believe or not believe whether the Word is a bunch of crap. But it's next to impossible to read the teachings of Jesus Christ and not get the sense that He was on the right track for mankind.
Another thing that makes Christianity exclusive is the resurrection. How can any religion offer life after death if their founders did not (physically) conquer it [death]? Jesus conquered death and therefore proclaimed Himself the one true God who alone could offer eternal life.
Regarding someone that lives in a jungle and never hears the gospel, there a hundreds of questions that are hard questions with difficult answers. The one misconception about Christianity is that once you're a Christian suddenly you know everything and have all the Answers. This is partly because preachers preach that all the answers are in the Word. What they mean is that all you need to know about living your life and being fulfilled in life; how to live, how to deal with problems and people--that kinda' stuff. They don't mean you'll have all the answers to the Lost City of Atlantis and stuff like that.
However, I do believe if someone, anywhere in the world, is truly seeking for pure truth with an open heart and wants to know the True God whomever or whatever he/she may be (in that person's mind they don't know, but want to know), then God will make a way for that person to receive the Gospel if he's got to send an angel in the flesh or translate a human (like in the book of Acts) to reach him. I believe that He will reveal Himself to anyone who truly wants to know and searches. I've got plenty of questions myself, but I accept Him at His Word; and I take His Word at face value.
As far as who/how God was made, He wasn't. According to scripture He is eternal and has always Been. "I AM THAT I AM" is His Name, and His ways and thoughts are beyond our limited human understanding.
Proof of how the Solar System was made? See the arrogance of man? Just yesterday on CNN they had a report that doctors are now saying women are better off if they DO exercise during pregnancy. Oh. Oops. Same with broken bones (they changed their minds about 10 years ago on that one). About once a year they change their minds on whether or not eggs are good to eat.
Man is limited by the knowledge he has up to this point in time. But yet in their arrogance they still claim scientific PROOF of this and that.
From a purely logical standpoint, it makes sense to me to become a believer. If Christians are wrong, then it doesn't matter. Everyone's in the same boat (whatever that may be).
But if they are right, then non-Christians have a very real problem on hand, and one that will not go away in a week or two. It's actually quiet logical; practical; the traits of a realist.
Thanks for posting Tide...
dave
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