Thank you. What the individual feels is how it should be.

By definition doesn't CHRISTian mean those who believe in CHRIST?
Buddhists are people who believe in BUDDHA.
SATANists are people that believe in SATAN.
SPIRITualists are people that believe in the SPIRIT.

TRUMPets are people who believe in TRUMP, whahahaha I made a funny!

Yes I do

...and this is not a Christian forum this is:
General Religion Chat

Edited for attacking other members..kindly stick to the topic.

soufie
Site Admin

I never said it was a Christian Forum.

That's true.
You did imply that beliefs other than Christian are invalid tho.
Which is common anytime Christianity is among general religious discussions.

In a general religion chat (discussion) anytime someone mentions God, Christians automatically assume they are referencing the Christian God.
I assure you, my God is not the Christian God.
Even within specific religions individuals have different interpretations of God, including Christianity.
The essence of discussion in a general religion chat is the diversity in which different people reference their own ideas concerning their God(s).
It also allows people to express their views on religions even when they don't adhere to the concept of any God.

When a general religion thread is titled The Living Presence of God it quests for discussion about the living presence of God from other people's points of view.
Christian views dominate the discussion to the point of oppression and belligerence. The discussion becomes a challenge to attack or defend Christian beliefs and anyone that offers up a different, non-Cristian view is ridiculed or attacked for their unique beliefs.
In essence, Christians make a general religious discussion about Christian beliefs.

Can't any religious folks have a disscussion without posting 500 quotes from the bible? The bible is abstract, meaning everyone interprets a different way... So by posting scriptures isn't really helping anything, just makes for an argument... Plus that, if we can read it here, we can read it in the bible as well...

Sometimes I get the impression that the book and what is written in them is more important than the ideals it is meant to instruct.
The books no longer supports the religion but become the religion itself.

Quoting the passages from the book is only pertinent if the person reading the passages believes the concepts of the book. The passage quotes prove nothing except that it is written in that book.

In science fiction, imagination is written as fantasy based on science.
Most religious texts don't have a basis in science or reality.
If you look in the fiction section of a book store you will find lots of books based on imagination and belief. The commonality is they are all based on some type of fantasy. It doesn't matter how complex the fantasy is, if it is not based on reality - it is fiction.

Now when passages are quoted and the work is based on fiction it has the same importance as quoting "The Hobbit" or "A Princess of Mars".
Any relation to reality is subjective to interpretation.

However, if you quote passages from a book of stereo instructions the passage has significance because stereos exist in the real world, wires, input/output jacks and components exist in the real world. You can go find them and follow the quoted passage to a definite outcome.

also, you can't really interpret stereo instructions 45 different ways, it isn't written in vague parables..

Right.
And if you do interpret those instructions incorrectly it yields immediate negative results. (No sound from the speakers)

I wonder if any of the religious folks get what you just typed...lol

&


I suppose to some 500 quotes is alot of reading. But the Bible is an integral part of the Christian experience. It is hard to understand Christianity without the Bible.

We, as Christians, also believe that His Spirit leads and guides us to and through the Bible, among other places.

The instructions that God has left for us are in the Bible. These are instructions that will lead to a better life. A more spiritual life.

Interpretation is a problem among Christians. It is the reason I used the English version that comes from the Ancient Koine Greek text.

So whether you read these 500 quotes or not, you will never understand Christianity without reading The Scriptures in their entirety.

the bible isn't meant to be understood, its meant to be explained by someone who says they are closer to God than you...

And exactly how would you know that?

The Bible is meant to be understood. But only those who have read it would know that.

because everyone interprets it differently...does the pope know more about God than anyone else? Does your preacher have a better relationship with God than you? If the bible was meant to be understood by everyone, there wouldn't be any need for preachers or popes...

I get what you're saying.
Consider for a moment that some people have no need to seek guidance and understanding of someone else's beliefs.
When I was reading the Bible I was curious to understand how its passages related to my life. Then I realized that it works pretty much the same as reading your astrology. You 'find' things that relate to your life because it is written in such a way it 'can' apply depending on how you interpret it.
When I was following religion I was convinced, by that religion, that there was something wrong with me. I was seeking answers in belief that were always there in reality, if I had looked.
When I stopped putting faith in someone else's beliefs about me, Everything got better. I do mean EVERYTHING.

Religion has a methodology.
It convinces you there is something wrong with you then attempts to control you thru various paths so you ultimately comply with their objectives. It puts just enough truth and coincidence there for you to feel like you need more guidance. The more you absorb the deeper down the rabbit hole you go.

To climb out of that hole and stand on reality allowed me to take back my tranquility. My life makes more sense now. My decisions are based on my will, not anyone else's. I no longer fear life. I no longer fear death.
I won't read passages because I understand what they are for now.

As I said earlier, I am not Religious, but Spiritual.

^^^THAT^^^
Does not jive with your posting history.
I could go back and copy/quote all the examples but I don't want to.
Perhaps you don't understand the differences between religious and spiritual?

Suffice it to say spiritual requires no scripture to belief.