Does God exist?

[uknesvuinng]

It's the same story, told out of chronological order and from different POVs. If you have seen Akira Kurosawa's famous movie "Rashomon", you would have recognized the non-linear style of storytelling that Genesis 1 and 2 employ.

So the fact that the second story explicitly states plants and animals were created after humans (in fact, humans were treated as a prerequisite for plants, along with rain) and the first story explicitly states plants and animals came before humans doesn't make for a contradiction? That's some mighty powerful compartmentalization you're employing there...

[spacecowboy000]

Really? Interesting Catch-22. One can;t understand the bible unless they are filled with the holy spirit. So the only people that can explain things are part of the cult to begin with, and those that find fault are simply unable to understand. You have to be part of the cult to have a legitimate opinion, but you can;t get into the cult unless you have already bought all of their lies. Nice system you got there.

It's to prevent others from teaching the word incorrectly. The problem with many oral histories is that, usually because of human error, they change. Jesus told the apostles to wait in Jerusalem and not to leave until the Holy Spirit had come upon them. God wanted to fill their hearts with His wisdom, His power, and His truth in order for them to truly begin His ministry. Without the Holy Spirit the apostles would not have been able to correctly and accurately preach the word of God.

Psalm 119:73 - Give me understanding to learn Your commands.
Matthew 13:19 - When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart.
Romans 3:4 - Let God be true, and every man a liar. As it was written: "So that you may be proven right when you speak and prevail when you judge."
2 Corinthians 10:5 - We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God.
Colossians 2:8 - See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy.
2 Peter 3:15-16 - Our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.

[spg_1983]

It's to prevent others from teaching the word incorrectly. The problem with many oral histories is that, usually because of human error, they change. Jesus told the apostles to wait in Jerusalem and not to leave until the Holy Spirit had come upon them. God wanted to fill their hearts with His wisdom, His power, and His truth in order for them to truly begin His ministry. Without the Holy Spirit the apostles would not have been able to correctly and accurately preach the word of God.

Psalm 119:73 - Give me understanding to learn Your commands.
Matthew 13:19 - When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart.
Romans 3:4 - Let God be true, and every man a liar. As it was written: "So that you may be proven right when you speak and prevail when you judge."
2 Corinthians 10:5 - We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God.
Colossians 2:8 - See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy.
2 Peter 3:15-16 - Our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.

Ah so the members of the cult are the ultimate authority? Then why are there so many differing interpretations and conflicts WITHING THE CATHOLIC CHURCH, not even counting the various sects that have split off since its invention?

[Morbo]

i found god

Spoiler:

[spacecowboy000]

Ah so the members of the cult are the ultimate authority? Then why are there so many differing interpretations and conflicts WITHING THE CATHOLIC CHURCH, not even counting the various sects that have split off since its invention?

A member of a small church in Africa could have more of an understanding than the Pope. That is the way God is. He chose sinners and poor fishermen as his disciples to show that anyone with true faith can follow him. Many stop looking at the Bible through the Holy Spirit and begin to interpret it how they see fit. They allow their own personal philosophies to corrupt and skew their ability to truly understand the Bible. That goes for conservative, moderate, and liberal Christians. Anyone who puts their own personal agenda above that of God's, will use the Bible as a tool to further that agenda.

Matthew 13:17 - For I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.
Mark 9:38-41 - "Teacher," said John, "we saw a man driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us." "Do not stop him," Jesus said. "No one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, for whoever is not against us is for us. I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward.

[spg_1983]

A member of a small church in Africa could have more of an understanding than the Pope. That is the way God is. He chose sinners and poor fishermen as his disciples to show that anyone with true faith can follow him. Many stop looking at the Bible through the Holy Spirit and begin to interpret it how they see fit. They allow their own personal philosophies to corrupt and skew their ability to truly understand the Bible. That goes for conservative, moderate, and liberal Christians. Anyone who puts their own personal agenda above that of God's, will use the Bible as a tool to further that agenda.

And how exactly do you tell the true speakers from those full of crap?

[spacecowboy000]

And how exactly do you tell the true speakers from those full of crap?

That is where faith and the Holy Spirit come in. You must open yourself to him and him only. Ignore what the world and others tell you. Allow God and God alone to be your guide and he will show you who are true members of the body of Christ.

[Deputy-Assistant-Second-Prime]

And how exactly do you tell the true speakers from those full of crap?

We already discussed this.
To non-believers, those that are actually full of crap seem to make sense.
To non-believers, those that are true speakers seem to be full of crap.

[spacecowboy000]

We already discussed this.
Those that are actually full of crap seem to make sense.
Those that are true speakers seem to be full of crap.

You have made my point. To those of the world and of themselves, the words of false prophets and false believers would make sense. Only to the true body of Christ would the true speakers make sense.

[Deputy-Assistant-Second-Prime]

You have made my point. To those of the world and of themselves, the words of false prophets and false believers would make sense. Only to the true body of Christ would the true speakers make sense.

And considering how full of crap your posts seem to me...you must really be a true speaker.
We finally have an airtight and conclusive proof! Huzzah!

[spacecowboy000]

And considering how full of crap your posts seem to me...you must really be a true speaker.
We finally have an airtight and conclusive proof! Huzzah!

You may insult me if you wish, but it will not anger me. I will turn the other cheek as many times as it takes.

[uknesvuinng]

Spacecowboy, perhaps you should invest a little time to read a fable called The Emperor's New Clothes. It's a classic and teaches a very valuable lesson about mass reinforced delusions and social roles. People can convince themselves of all kinds of ridiculous things when they're so heavily invested in a false belief.

[Deputy-Assistant-Second-Prime]

You may insult me if you wish, but it will not anger me. I will turn the other cheek as many times as it takes.

Insult you? That wasn't an insult. I was mocking your fallacious non-answer.

You couldn't counter the argument, so you replied with a Loki's Wager logical fallacy with which you argue that non-believers can not possibly understand the true meaning of the Bible, therefore your opinions can not be challenged by them.

Therefore, I took your assumptions & reasoning to it's logical conclusion.
If you are correct, since I am a non-believer....
....my conclusion should have been a great source of inspiration for you.

[Deputy-Assistant-Second-Prime]

i found god

Spoiler:

Just when you think you have him trapped in a spoiler tag, he escapes.

He's an elusive fellow, I'll give him that.

[uknesvuinng]

Just when you think you have him trapped in a spoiler tag, he escapes.

He's an elusive fellow, I'll give him that.

Morbo wins the "Unintentional Deep Statement of Truth" award.