[JoeCanada76]

I would like to respond. I have not read everybody post but I have a lot to say. Not here to argue with anybody but just to share my thoughts about all of this and to say a few things about the thread as well.

ClassyT, talks about how she was accused of hijacking a thread. It was I that accused her of doing so. I also admitted privately that I contributed to the problem. It went on for a while and it was not fair to the original poster and stated that. I never once said that all paths lead to God. What I did say is that it is good to question, it is good to research and seek out other ideas and thoughts. Just because we are Christian or believers in Jesus Christ does not mean that it is wrong to look at other religions. For a person who is questioning their faith. I think it is best that he does go through all the steps. Search out other denominations other religions. By being told the bible is the only way, this is the only way. Is pushing people away from God. I think we could be more supportive of people on their journey. Even if it means searching out other books and religions because if they have been left with a great impression by us, and our actions and our words then They will feel more welcomed. They will come back and do you really think that God agrees that forcing people, or preaching or down grading another persons journey or search to be his will. God gave us FREEWILL. Wants us to CHOSE ON OUR OWN. So to force somebody to believe the same way, is going against Gods will.

God created us all. He gave us ALL LIFE. So I do not understand how somebody can say that he did not all give us spirit. If we did not have any spirit, we would not be alive, we would never have been created. Jesus Christ died on the Cross and he said that I will send out a comforter to you. The Holy Ghost ( The Holy Spirit). Each and everyone of us was created by God. We are all part of God and come from God. So his word, his spirit is within each and everyone of us. It is our choice to listen to that inner spirit or not.

God did give us thoughts, feelings, communication. We are all pieces of the puzzle, we are all unique and we all have a purpose. God is within me, and what feels right in my soul/spirit is what will come out. My heart comes from God. He is my Wisdom, he is my Creator and my thoughts and feelings were created by him. We all have the choice to love or not to love. We all have choices to make in this life and we were giving the individuality, we were giving the mind to think, thoughts to share. Not everybody is the same or will agree but how we go about meeting each other and coming together whether we agree on all the wording or not.

Most peoples disagreements or misunderstands are based on a different way of wording things. The thing is the greatest commandment is to love one another. Everyone. Not just people that are in your same belief system.

I believe that God welcomes people to question him. To question religion, to question the world. Books are books. Thoughts are out there, and it does not make a licking difference who reads what as long as the individual finds GOD IN HIS OWN WAY. We all have a journey to make. We can share what we believe, we can tell them about the bible and share the bible. The young man on the other thread was brought up and knows it very well. So he needs to go out and see what else is out there, and he needs to make a decision on his own whether he will come back to his original teachings or not.

By the way, you can have God in your heart. You can have Jesus in your heart and living word in your spirit/soul. That does not nor should limit that person to read other books, to search out the truth on there own even if it means looking at other religions.

God and Jesus was about LOVE, UNDERSTANDING, AND FORGIVENESS. GOD IS WHERE LOVE IS.

Jesus is not for the found but for the lost. Jesus will look and seek out those who are lost but the ones that think or believe that they know everything. Are the ones that are pushing people away from God and I feel that people who are forcing their beliefs on others are actually doing a disservice to that individual and to God. We need to be loving and understanding and gentle.

This is what I believe, it is up to you to chose what you think is best for yourself. Search out other things, guaranteed he will come back.

[classyT]

I haven't the faintest idea what you are saying.

So.. why would you tell someone in search of God to talk to people who do not KNOW God and then instruct to read read read. Read WHAT? I don't understand as a Christian woman... I would expect someone who does not have a relationship with Jesus Christ to say that type of thing.. not someone WITH one. Why lead someone... away from the Father?

[JoeCanada76]

so..why would you tell someone in search of God to talk to people who do not KNOW God and then instruct to read read read. Read WHAT? I don't understand as a Christian woman...I would expect someone who does not have a relationship with Jesus Christ to say that type of thing..not someone WITH one. Why lead someone .....away from the Father?

Please read more what I wrote above and maybe you will understand my thoughts on it.

[artlady]

Yes ! A resounding YES ! God Bless You :) All paths DO lead to God ! In my opinion

[Wondergirl]

Just because we are Christian or believers in Jesus Christ does not mean that it is wrong to look at other religions. For a person who is questioning their faith. I think it is best that he does go through all the steps. Search out other denominations other religions.

Some time ago, a girl posted a question on one of these boards and said she wanted to find a way to get out of evolution/science class because it was against her Christian faith. I advised her to stay in the class and learn all she could and to get a good grade. The more she knows about something, the better off she will be in arguing against it, if that's what she thinks she needs to do.

I was advising a coworker about getting his short story edited and published. It centered around the Baha'i faith. I knew nothing about that religion, so I dug into studying about it. Did I join their church? No. Did I improve the way he told the short story? Yes. Plus I have his respect more than I did before, and am closer to bringing him into Christianity (if he so chooses). (Baha'i has some similarities, and I know what they are. Do you?)

The same with other religions -- the more one knows about them, the more informed one is and can more reasonably and cogently discuss with someone who believes in one of them. My coworker is Hindu. I've learned a lot about Hinduism by talking with her, listening to her, reading about Hinduism. Have I become a Hindu? No. But I have her love and attention and respect now, and am a lot closer to bringing her to Christianity (if she so chooses) than if I had pounded her over the head with the Old Testament.

Like I had said, talk with others about their religions and learn about those religions. It will give you the best advantage as a missionary to them.

[classyT]

I would like to respond. I have not read everybody post but I have a lot to say. Not here to argue with anybody but just to share my thoughts about all of this and to say a few things about the thread as well.

ClassyT, talks about how she was accused of hijacking a thread. It was I that accused her of doing so. I also admitted privately that I contributed to the problem. It went on for a while and it was not fair to the original poster and stated that. I never once said that all paths lead to God. What I did say is that it is good to question, it is good to research and seek out other ideas and thoughts. Just because we are Christian or believers in Jesus Christ does not mean that it is wrong to look at other religions. For a person who is questioning their faith. I think it is best that he does go through all the steps. Search out other denominations other religions. By being told the bible is the only way, this is the only way. Is pushing people away from God. I think we could be more supportive of people on their journey. Even if it means searching out other books and religions because if they have been left with a great impression by us, and our actions and our words then They will feel more welcomed. They will come back and do you really think that God agrees that forcing people, or preaching or down grading another persons journey or search to be his will. God gave us FREEWILL. Wants us to CHOSE ON OUR OWN. So to force somebody to believe the same way, is going against Gods will.

God created us all. He gave us ALL LIFE. So I do not understand how somebody can say that he did not all give us spirit. If we did not have any spirit, we would not be alive, we would never have been created. Jesus Christ died on the Cross and he said that I will send out a comforter to you. The Holy Ghost ( The Holy Spirit). Each and everyone of us was created by God. We are all part of God and come from God. So his word, his spirit is within each and everyone of us. It is our choice to listen to that inner spirit or not.

God did give us thoughts, feelings, communication. We are all pieces of the puzzle, we are all unique and we all have a purpose. God is within me, and what feels right in my soul/spirit is what will come out. My heart comes from God. He is my Wisdom, he is my Creator and my thoughts and feelings were created by him. We all have the choice to love or not to love. We all have choices to make in this life and we were giving the individuality, we were giving the mind to think, thoughts to share. Not everybody is the same or will agree but how we go about meeting each other and coming together whether we agree on all the wording or not.

Most peoples disagreements or misunderstands are based on a different way of wording things. The thing is the greatest commandment is to love one another. Everyone. Not just people that are in your same belief system.

I believe that God welcomes people to question him. To question religion, to question the world. Books are books. Thoughts are out there, and it does not make a licking difference who reads what as long as the individual finds GOD IN HIS OWN WAY. We all have a journey to make. We can share what we believe, we can tell them about the bible and share the bible. The young man on the other thread was brought up and knows it very well. So he needs to go out and see what else is out there, and he needs to make a decision on his own whether he will come back to his original teachings or not.

By the way, you can have God in your heart. You can have Jesus in your heart and living word in your spirit/soul. That does not nor should limit that person to read other books, to search out the truth on there own even if it means looking at other religions.

God and Jesus was about LOVE, UNDERSTANDING, AND FORGIVENESS. GOD IS WHERE LOVE IS.

Jesus is not for the found but for the lost. Jesus will look and seek out those who are lost but the ones that think or believe that they know everything. Are the ones that are pushing people away from God and I feel that people who are forcing their beliefs on others are actually doing a disservice to that individual and to God. We need to be loving and understanding and gentle.

This is what I believe, it is up to you to chose what you think is best for yourself. Search out other things, guaranteed he will come back.

Joe,

Wow. That was a great post. I agreed with MOST of what you said and you provided me with what I was looking for. I personally wouldn't send someone on a quest for truth from people that I believe do not have it... but at least you made me understand some of your points that I didn't get last night. I apologize if I offended you and I think using wisdom is always the best way to reach people. I get so passionate sometimes... I don't always use wisdom. I guess my approach is so different from yours that maybe I thought it was yours was"lukewarm". I guess the Lord gave us all different personalities for a reason... thanks for your response. :)

[JoeCanada76]

Yes, approach is defiantly different. Different people need to be approached in different ways. The Lord gave us all different personalities for a reason, and I agree. Your welcome and I am glad that I answered some of your questions.

[artlady]

I know that at some point we can all agree on one thing.

I wonder what it is ? :rolleyes:

[Tj3]

sorry, dont think so, been around a long time and I dont think you are right. They can't even decode the Dead Sea Scrolls properly which is supposed to contain some of the disciples teachings.

Really? And exactly who are you and what role did you play in the committee that was working on the Dead Sea scrolls - do tell, I can verify your claims.

BTW, I have a copy of the Dead Sea scrolls translation right in front of me.

[Tj3]

You have no way of knowing this. And that is a silly thing to put your faith into as there is nothing in the Bible that states that this may be accurate.

I gave the quote - if you don't like it, take it up with the author of the Bible.

Look at verse 16. "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God.." There were 4 more books that were put into the Bible after Timothy wrote this. And how many other books/letters were written that were NOT included in the Bible.

Books that were not put in the Bible are not part of the Bible. Your comment assumes that God did not know the makeup of His own Bible.

And WHO had the say so as to which books would be included? The Church.

No, God.

You cannot say with any accuracy what all Timothy was or was not referring to with the word "Scripture".

Actually, we know quite well. The OT was well defined by then and much iof the NT is defined as scripture within the NT by other books of scripture.

The Bible as we know it wasn't seen until around 300 AD.

I'd love to see your validation for that claim!

[Tj3]

How do you get the word out to the millions who died before Christ was born?

Maybe I look older than I am, but I am really much less than 2000 years old, so I did not do anything.

[Tj3]

Having a copy of "the Greek" or any other copy does NOT mean you did not interpret it.

Really? So you never heard of "reading"?

[Tj3]

Exactly where does your Bible prove the dates you claimed? Do you understand that the earliest copies we have date from the 4th century?

Try 24,000 partial or complete manuscripts, the earliest dating back to the 2nd century.

[Tj3]

Athos,

Those old testament saints are all covered under the blood of Christ. The sacrifices of animals just covered them. They knew NOTHING of the Lord Jesus...and yet he certainly was promised in Genesis 3.

Quite right. No one has been saved by any way other than the blood of Christ. The OT ritual sacrifices were prophetic of the coming of the Messiah who would die on the cross, shedding His blood to pay the price for our sins.

[Tj3]

It's very simple. Many Christians have a more profound understanding of Christianity than Fundamentalists. It's really as simple as that. They don't limit God to their own beliefs. Good night, all.

So you are claiming that all Fundamentalist Christians are unsaved?

[artlady]

Yes all paths lead to God.
Love.Its that simple.

[Tj3]

Yes all paths lead to God.
Love.Its that simple.

You may have missed my earlier reference to scripture. It is simply not possible that all paths lead to God because by saying so, you are denying the Bible and Christianity as a path to God because the God of the Bible claims exclusivity:

Acts 4:10-12
10 let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. 11 This is the 'stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.' 12 Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."
NKJV

John 14:6
6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
NKJV

And then a serious warning to those who teach otherwise:

Gal 1:6-10
6 I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, 7 which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed. 10 For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.
NKJV

This is the only place in all scripture where a curse is repeated against anyone for anything. Clearly to suggest that there is any other gospel is considered to be an extremely serious offense by God.

Therefore either you accept the claims of God's word in the Bible that Jesus ALONE is the path to God, or you reject Christianity and look for other paths. In either case, it cannot be true that all paths lead to God.

[Wondergirl]

The Bible as we know it wasn't seen until around 300 AD.

I'd love to see your validation for that claim!!

I'll help. From straightdope.com --

The first officially sanctioned canon of the New Testament was attempted by Irenaeus of Lyon. Irenaeus saw the effect Gnosticism was having on Christianity and feared that the church was splintering into factions. Formalizing doctrinal authority seemed to be the answer. He felt there were two sources of authority: Scripture and the apostles. A work could be accepted as canonical if the early church fathers used it. He never really compiled a list of books, but he did establish the basis for subsequent determinations of orthodoxy.

The work of Irenaeus was solidified by Bishop Eusebius some 150 years later, early in the 4th century AD. Eusebius was a prolific church historian who gave us most of what we know of early church history. He also gave us the first surviving list of New Testament books that matches what we have today, putting them in thematic order as well. Relying on the tradition of the church, Eusebius created what was probably the first Christian Bible as we know it today.

[Wondergirl]

It's very simple. Many Christians have a more profound understanding of Christianity than Fundamentalists. It's really as simple as that. They don't limit God to their own beliefs.

So you are claiming that all Fundamentalist Christians are unsaved?

No, he isn't. Read that again carefully.

[adam7gur]

Romans 8:28 But we know that to those who love God all things work together for good, to those who are called according to his purpose.
The next question then is, how does someone love God?
John 14:15 If you love me, you will keep my commandments.
That goes for those who know Him!What about all those who do not know Him?
Romans 2:14 For whenever Gentiles, that have no law, do by nature the things of the law, these, not having law, are a law to themselves:

15 who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing testimony, and their reasonings between one another bringing accusation, or also making excuse

16 in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men through Jesus Christ according to my gospel.

Yes Jesus Christ says I am the way,I am the truth,I am the LIFE,but those words could also been said like this..
The way is I AM,the truth is I AM,the LIFE is I AM when we know that I AM is God's name,meaning that someone who does not know Jesus, walking the way, testifying the truth with the heart and living LIFE by nature, does love Jesus!
1+2=3 but 2+1=3 also!
Where a path leads depends on if by faith or by nature, the commandments of Jesus are kept!