=jakester;1518648]hey, cozyk - I know you have an axe to grind with me because I called you out on several previous posts. It's nothing personal. Maybe you'll come to see the bible as the truth someday... I certainly hope so.
I don't remember you as being a poster that "called me out" Refresh my memory.
Secondly, I'm still growing and I know I can be a real jerk sometimes; I have the right to be wrong and I have the right to be a jerk because I am a sinner. I'm the sort of human sludge that Jesus came into this world to save, I suppose. So if I strike you as a real jerk and a real axxhole, you're absolutely right... I don't try to be but sometimes I just am. All I can do is ask you to be merciful and realize that you are not talking to a perfect person.
I'm not perfect either, but I try to not come off as a jerk or an axxhole. You sound like you are fine with that because that's "just who you are". You can believe the bible all you want and claim to know the truth, but if you are an axxhole to people, you've missed the boat.
I'm passionate for what I believe... I'm passionate towards others who believe the truth... I will ruthlessly defend my faith in the face of what I believe is contempt and cowardice.
Please explain the cowardice part. Where has anyone been a coward?
Am I infallible? Nope. Am I always right? No way. But if I am wrong, I will listen to reason and take to heart any admonition from someone who is looking at reality with the right perspective.
The right perspective? Who is the judge of the right perspective?
So, I read your posts and I try to think about what you say... sometimes I agree with you but a lot of the time I don't. But I have the right to disagree with you and I believe I have the right to disagree strongly when I feel it is just.
I totally agree
Remember when Jesus was in the temple and he totally destroyed the tables where the money changers were doing business? I bet you $100 that there would be people in America today who would be outraged by what he did and think he was intolerant or wrong... well, that same Jesus is the one who will come back someday and bring justice to those who persist in their disobedience to the truth... so dig that, cozyk.
" Persistence in their disobedience of the truth" Which truth are you referring to?
"So dig that cozyk". Is this you being more of an axxhole?
The Jesus of the bible is not some pillowy-soft, hippie looking to smoke a doobie and talk about love... he's the Lord of Salvation now but someday he will bring a sword and destroy those who care not for the truth.
Neither you nor I really KNOW how Jesus was. That's the whole point of the OPs statement. We only know what we read or have been told, and that is contingent on what kind of family we were born in to, or if we were born into a civilized society or in the middle of a jungle. Maybe, the bible and christianity has it all right, ...and maybe they don't. Maybe some other religion is the "truth" and it's followers feel just as passionate about their belief as you do yours. Maybe they feel sorry for us and are frightened for our souls because we are so mis-led and blinded to the real truth. For any one group to declare their belief is the one and only true belief is the ultimate in audacity.
And again, if that makes you feel uneasy and makes you think I'm some tyrant of a person who holds to a literal translation of the bible, then that's cool... I've got no problem with that. The moment that you start reading any of the bible and start taking any of it literally is the day that we can really talk.
I've had a lifetime of reading the bible and it drives me nuts with it's arrangement of words. I remember when I was in high school, I was sitting in my Sunday school class as I had 99% of the Sundays in my life. My teacher read a lengthy scripture and then we were to discuss it. I did not have a clue what it was trying to say. I ask him to please paraphrase what he had just read. He looked at me like I had two heads and said "I don't know how to make it any plainer" Maybe it's just me, but it just gives me a head ache. BTW Your passion comes across as bullying.
Lastly, cozyk, how do you think a "true" Christian should act? Like a nice little insipid worm... never disagreeing; never have strong words for people. I'm just curious... I always love how pagan, unbelievers try to tell Christians how they should act.
There is a huge gap between axxhole and insipid little worm. Try to shoot for the middle. Leave the bully tactics out.
I never said I was pagan or an unbeliever. I happen to have formed some beliefs through my journey that mesh with many christian beliefs. But something. I'll never do is to say that my path is the only path and call it THE truth.
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