Willie T

As usual your post shows, undeniably, that you rank as one of the smartest people on this forum. And that is given as a very serious comment... and genuine compliment.

All of this insists upon our modern concept of fighting hard to make Revelation out to be a Crystal Ball aimed at thousands of years off into their future... instead of a letter actually addressed to the real and presently existing churches it was delivered to. In its day, Jerusalem was one of the biggest centers of trade in the entire world. A catastrophic loss when it was destroyed that second time. (The first time was in 586 BC.)

And in your rush to condemn something you don't even seem to know Jesus equated leaven to the kingdom of God. Leaven was a very good thing as Jesus told it there.

It is a sad thing that so many people love to feel: "My sin isn't the one you are committing, so let's just bash you, and leave me alone." Somewhere in the back of my mind, I seem to recall something about Jesus mentioning that we were to FIRST take care of the plank in our own eye.

No, actually the OP was about a woman here believing a falsehood told to her by another poster... period.

It crosses my mind sometimes how often the Bible states that gluttony is a sin. I wonder what the average build and weight of pew-sitting Christians is, and yet they absolutely refuse to stop gorging themselves. I guess if it is not specifically a moral issue, it is OK?

Doesn't it kind of boil down to simply which group she gets ostracized by, and for what?

My main problem seems to be with the emphatic and dogmatically demonstrative statements of presumed "FACT" that are often declared when really doing little more than just expressing an opinion of personal interpretation. The idea of saying "I think" or "I believe" or "the way I see it is..." seems to be an impossibility for some people. 100% of the time it has to be... "It IS !!!" It seems as though they fear being a double-minded Christian if they do not make a positive statement that there can be no other way to view something but the one they are proclaiming is an absolute fact. It seems to be something they just cannot risk God hearing them say.

I find it interesting in all this comparing.... if we read literally, we have to believe that Hell is located in the center of this planet.

I guess we have to go all the way to calling some people flat out liars to put them where we swear they are. I just haven't learned to do that yet. https://hillsong.com/media-releases/hillsong-church-statement-by-senior-pastor-brian-houston/

It is getting all too prevalent.

If you hadn't used a sort of double negative, and ended up saying the opposite of what you probably meant... "yes:", we are probably in agreement that the platform of the Democrat party is in opposition to God. (That is not to say that the GOP, or any politicians, are really too concerned about God.)

I would have to disagree with that. This was the question: "Do you think it is impossible for a Democrat to be a Christian?" And you answered that you felt that it was "not anymore, not a modern Democrat" impossible to become a Christian. I think it is impossible for a modern Democrat to be a Christian.... if they continue with the thinking of that party.

I'm feeling it. I think I am getting where you are coming from, and it is an intriguing avenue of thought. (I'm off to the shower right now. Later!)

An interesting thought. But, are you considering that God married one. Does that bring any different view to it for you?

You're welcome. One who thinks and wants to know God more deeply will always find encouragement and help.

You are quite a thinker. That is refreshing. May God keep guiding you.

*Still Alive*, if you can break away from this scintillating conversation, I have a question. Do you know if the Bible specifically says where John was when he wrote the letter of Revelation?

I am so awed. (and I can't even walk on water. )

Yes, I have always loved the dogmatist's belief that an actual star from outer space was going to slam into the earth, and the result would be merely something like a third of the Earth's water supply would be contaminated.

It is said that Karl Barth once spoke these words: "I Take The Bible Too Seriously To Take It All Literally."

I appreciate the fact that you feel that way. This book is free online.

A little fun for all you so fearful of opening any book you have not been told to... Here is a small paragraph from the book under discussion: "Second, there seems to be a subtle indication that the one designated “666” is somehow serpent-like. Not only is Satan himself called a “serpent” in Revelation (Rev. 20:2), but his cohort, the Beast, is so designated. The sound of the number 666 even in English sounds hauntingly like a serpent’s chilling hiss. (Go ahead, say 666 out loud) In the Greek the situation is the same. The three letters serving as the number are: CHI, XI, STIGMA. Phonetically their eerie sound is that of a serpent’s hiss. What is more, the middle number-letter even has the appearance of writhing serpent." Though some of you run from learning interesting little things like this, I like knowing I am a little more aware of things today than I was yesterday. True, that new knowledge you now possess has nothing to do with gaining Salvation... but you are a bit wiser than you were just four seconds ago.

Just repeating: You have not the slightest notion what is inside the pages of that book.

Possibly, but we do have to always take into consideration that the Bible tells us that there was no time that Jesus ever spoke to "the crowds" of people that He did not speak in parables.