ScubaSteve

...meaning God's existence is rational. Yeah, there are plenty of rational explanations for various phenomena. They all can't be correct, because many of them contradict each other and compete. I have not, however, found a fact derived from any scientific exploration that contradicts the existence of God or His activity in this world. Evolution shows that genesis is bunk. Geology shows that the Flood is bunk. We know that creatures present in the Bible like unicorns and talking snakes and all that nonsense never existed. You religion is based on a book full of superstitions and mythology; how you can even suppose it could be true is completely beyond me. It's also beyond me how you can say that God's existence is rational when everything you attribute to divine intervention could be explained in ways that do not need any magic and are thus way more likely than your completely unsupported religion. The bone I would like to pick is that you say Evolution shows that Genesis is bunk. I beg to differ on that because Evolution isn't proven yet! They have a general idea of what happened in evolution, but just seem to be missing some vital links in the whole scheme of things. Until those links are found (if they ever will be) evolution cannot be used to prove anything. It is still only a theory. Another thing I would like to state about evolution is that if we evolved from apes from changes in our DNA, why are there still apes? But anyway, that's digressing from the point of conversation so will leave it at that. Just wanted to add my two cents worth

Another question about evolution I would like to ask, is if we evolved from apes like we supposedly did, and that was a physical change for the better, why are there still apes? Wouldn't they have evolved into humans as well?

My parents were Godly parents, as Charismatic Christians they always went above and beyond just the Sunday Masses. We used to attend regular praise and worship sessions elsewhere and they encouraged us kids (there were 5 of us) to go to youth group, Christian camps etc. Unfortunately however I did have a major straying from the right path from the ages of around 14/15-20/21. That involved a large slide into drugs and alcoholism and sexual relationships etc. and everything else that goes along hand in hand with them. If it wasn't for my parents constantly sending me text messages telling me that anytime I wanted to come home that they always had a place for me and that they still loved me even when I had absolutely no contact with them for 3 years, then I would probably be either still heading down that path or be dead. In fact I could probably say I would be dead by now. But it was Mum and Dad's upbringing and their strong base of faith and what they taught me when I was young which gave me the determination to get through the rough times, and eventually the Lord used that to bring me back to him and now I am a much stronger Christian and have accepted Jesus as my Saviour and Lord. So I just want to praise God and thank him for the wonderful parents he blessed me with, without them I wouldn't of found Him again and be living the wonderful life He has given me. Praise God!

Wow, that's shocking. And I completely agree! In New Zealand it isn't uncommon for nakedness etc. to be shown on the News programmes no less, played at 6pm! The time when most kids are sitting around watching t.v with their parents! Albiet it's not porn but it can be just as bad.

I believe it was because of 3 things: 1. It was used as a sign of obedience to him in all matters. I mean, as a male, who in their right mind would want to cut a piece of flesh off that part of the body? But to truly obey and follow God, He requires us to go beyond just the mental side of living for God, He want's us to physically live it, to physically show that we stand for him. Also what billielovesdarrin posted: 2) It could be that it was a sign of belonging to his covenant people. Once circumcised, there was no turning back. The man would be identified as a Jew forever, which reminds us that once we accept the covenant of God and accept God and to receive God's gifts, we accept it for life, you can't really renege on the deal. If you accept him into your life you do it for life. Just like you can't sew the foreskin back on. 3) It also could of been used as a symbol of "cutting off" the old life of sin, purifying oyour heart and dedicated yourself to God. By partaking in the act of circumcision you are saying that you are God's and only God's. That you are obediant to His words and His ways. And also looking at the more physical side of things it could of been done as a health measure, prevent infection etc, so God was killing two birds with one stone. Anyway, they are my thoughts on the subject.

What I don't understand about evolution is how can we be created from a single celled organism, which to reproduce has to replicate itself due to the fact that there are no gametes present which means it is asexual. If something could reproduce and spawn the entire living species on earth, why did it suddenly change from being an asexual organsim to almost every single living creature requiring a mate of the opposite sex to reproduce? Wouldn't the asexual tendancies be more beneficial and enable the organism to survive more easily as it didn't have to compete for a potential mate/partner, therefore increasing it's chances of survival?

I have mixed feelings about your post DOK. I know there are many bad churches out there that have done harm to the flock, but when I read your complaint, I was just not sure how valid it was. Here is what I mean. Jesus taught us that if we were going to follow him, we had to die to self. We must die so he can live. In that way, we do lose our old identity. The old man has died and now we are a new creature in Christ Jesus so we obviously won't be like we were before. If that is what you mean by being stripped of your identity and personality, I really don't think the church is at fault. It sounds like they are trying to teach discipleship. That being said, you didn't provide any real details about what they did so it is quite possible if I knew the rest of the story I might be giving a completely differen't response. There is nothing wrong with you or anyone else being you in the sense of the unique personality God created you to be. At the same time, some people claim that being them means doing things that are contrary to scripture. When someone points out something they are doing is wrong, they get mad and say, "Well that is just who I am." I hope I am not confusing you. There is a fine line here. I would suggest you spend time praying and seeking God about the matter and follow his leading. That leading may tell you to return to your church and submit to their authority, or it may tell you to leave. I pray the Lord will help you to make the right choice. Also DOK, if you have anything you want to add but don't want it added to the thread, feel free to PM me anytime. I can hardly be called a defender of the church. Much of the so-called church today is anything but Christian, but there are still some good places left. I am just trying to be fair about things and not attack what might be a good Bible believing congregation. I have to say this is the best post so far on here. That's good sound advice.

I like this idea as well, I'm going to go find some highlighters in the next few days... although I'll likely need a new bible as well, the one I have now has very thin pages, and even my super-light yellow highlighter bleeds through to the next page at times. I use colour pencils, it may take a little longer to highlight the passages but it doesn't bleed through and still looks tidy while making them stand out

What are hermeneutical gymnastics? Lol and first of all, can I ask where you stand, are you for believing that the bread and wine become Body and Blood or do you believe that it's a joke and contradiction? Sorry, I'm having one of those slow sort of days

It's possible that Jesus did that to seperate the devoted from the "cruisers". For following Jesus requires us to take the good along with the bad, there are always going to be things we have to do that we don't like. You wouldn't want people following you who are only in it for the good times, or are able to pick and choose what they want/don't want. If Jesus had reneged on his statement and said that he was only joking, how seriously would the people that left have taking their commitment to him? When something they didn't like or didn't want to do they would of just been able to say "Well you were just kidding then so I'll take it that you're just kidding. It would of ended up as a half hearted commitment that would of fallen apart at the first sign of hardship. And I think I can safely say that no one would want that minor level of commitment.

I completely agree! As a Kiwi I'm absolutely disgusted that our government would even contemplate doing something like this! Imagine how the child would feel if they got told when they were older that the government had been "tracking" them because they had a higher risk of becoming a criminal?! It could knock their self-esteem completely and possibly make the situation alot worse! I feel that it's undermining the importance of parents in the upbringing of their children, the government should be concentrating on educating parents on how to raise their kids properly instead of just sitting in the background waiting for them to stuff up. I'm dissapointed about it, it's just another example of the "nanny state" that our current government is trying to bring in. Also dissapoints me that the Church in New Zealand isn't doing more to stop it.

Amen to that! It's inspirational that story

Who is to say that it isn't though? For even though it doesn't taste like flesh and blood, (I've never eaten flesh but am pretty sure it doesn't taste like the hosts) why can't Jesus transform it into his flesh and blood? For after all, Gods ways are not ours and ours is not to question why.

Lol yeah I am Catholic and loving every minute of it!