Fraught

where do you get the idea that kari20 is attacking the character of the atheists? whether a person is a good debater has nothing to do with their character. that is a skill issue, isn't it?

I think this just put God in a Box, There are millions and millions of people who have never been truly exposed to the story of Jesus Christ. How can we limit Jesus to just the story in the Bible. Is Jesus the name of the lord. I know many Mexican people with that name, one of them plays poker. The Bible calls him Emanuel. It is not the letters J E S U S that saves you. It is not knowing those letters that saves you. It is having faith in what Jesus IS. What is Jesus? who is Jesus? Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. i don't disagree that people may be drawn to the power of love and from there acknowledge a god. if they continue to seek, they will find the God. this is still Jesus. he told us that when he left the world, he sent the Holy Spirit to draw all men to him. unfortunately, many of those praying to various false gods are mainly seeking favor or advantage over others. this is not love. the last thing these want is love.

i try to keep up with the science of physics as much as i can because it is fascinating and because it is humbling and i think most of all because it keeps my sense of wonder alive. here is something interesting: (at least to me) - i was reading in the bible today and noticed something i hadn't paid attention to before. God said he created darkness but that He formed light. now isn't that amazing considering the relatively new discoveries about light? isaiah 45:7 - I form the light, and create darkness . . .

christian beliefs can't intermingle because God is sovereign. that said, tho i can empathize. most of the unbelievers i know are unbelievers because they believe all religion is judgmental. yes, people are judgmental but there is nothing judgmental about "love your neighbor as yourself: or "i came not to condemn the world, but to save the world".

i don't quite get the point. it's only common sense that if democracy is a form of government that represents the people, the democratic government will resemble the people they represent.

i don't quite accept your argument. it is standard practice to accept a few of any category as representative. consider polls - a random sampling to represent the whole. this article is even more than fair, as the writer has chosen the top 3 to represent the whole.

maybe this is another problem of semantics. when i say God does not have a body, i am saying he is not confined to a body. i am not saying he cannot manifest himself in a body if and when he wanted to since he has clearly done so in the past, will do so in the future and for all i know, does it occasionally in the present. (hazard, when God speaks of us taking shelter under his wings, do you think he has a body like an eagle?)

a voice of reason!!! to understand christian mysticism, don't even consider comparing it with anything else, especially eastern religions. forget the pre-conceived notions about new-age trivial pursuit. then remember that we say we have God living inside of us! we say that we died and that we got re-born as a whole new person! we also say we will never die again! we say God came to earth as a human being and gave us power to become sons and daughters of God! we say he will come back to take us to live with Him. many would consider all that very mystical in itself. then remember the words of paul in romans: "Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past, . . ." and in timothy: "By common confession, great is the mystery of godliness . . ." and, importantly, in 1 corinthians: "Yet when I am among mature believers, I do speak with words of wisdom, but not the kind of wisdom that belongs to this world or to the rulers of this world, who are soon forgotten. No, the wisdom we speak of is the mystery of God. . ." and by john in the revelation: "but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, then the mystery of God is finished, as He preached to His servants the prophets." these verses tell me that the christian mystic is the seeker of the knowledge of the mystery of God. to seek him, to search out everything he is, again as paul says in hebrews . . . "that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.

also a grass fire half a mile wide burning homes in oklahoma

all the books are opened, including the book of life and not just the book of life. what are the other books? why is the book of life also opened? i do not know and cannot recall any writings on this. 'things that make you go hhhmmmmm!' surely there is allusion to this somewhere in the old testament. there always is. i hope that whoever can recall will share their insight.

. For the same reason every living being has one. God made man in His image and likeness, so that means He looks like us, and we look like Him. God made us in His image and likeness, and if He does not have a body, how come you have a body? Common sense must prevail. "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth" (Gen. 1:26). The thing about being created free moral agents is that we can either believe the Scriptures or not believe them. I have posted many dozens of Scriptures which proves God has a body. If God does not have a body, then there must be as many if not more Scriptures showing this. I have found over 500 Scriptures which show God has a body. There must be at least that many showing he does not have one if this is true? so when He says the earth is His footstool, is He resting His feet on the earth????

oooohh! that is very interesting!

can we discount the fact that even tho' he may not be as intelligent as some (& wouldn't this be true of all the candidates?), he will have a wisdom that goes beyond human wisdom? surely that does not make evangelicals 'snookered' (i like that word). it shows their trust in being led by a man who is led by God. looking forward to hearing your opinions.

read the constitution. the power belongs to the states

Would this apply to Hitler if you were living in Nazi Germany? If I lived during that time, and I was German, I would probably have been loyal to him as the leader of the nation. Now let me ask you a question: Do you think Hitler was used by God to bring about the nation of Israel? The citizens being loyal to him helped in killing 16 million people. No I don't. The Nation of Israel was already in the works when Hitler came to power. Settlers were already going to Israel and the Balfour agreement had already been made. http://www.fff.org/freedom/fd0311e.asp Hitler used by God??? that implies sanction - this is impossible to even consider

to my way of thinking, it is our bondage to the concept of time that causes the confusion. it is only during our lifetime here on earth that we are bound by time. once our earthly bodies are given up, that's not an issue. i look forward to appearing before God at the same time as you, my great-grandparents, the patriarchs & prophets and the apostles of the 1st century! (and along with the rest of the sheep and the goats)

why in the world would God have a body

what about this?: Luke 21:24-26 24 They will be killed by the sword or sent away as captives to all the nations of the world. And Jerusalem will be trampled down by the Gentiles until the period of the Gentiles comes to an end. 25

i can empathize. a scripture verse i keep in mind in the dark times: (from hebrews 11:6) . . . for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. i believe Him.

no. he is, however, the ruler of the principalities and powers of the air. this is why he is able to influence our thoughts. he does not know everything. he did not know that the death of Jesus would be followed by resurrection and victory. he obviously does not know that he will lose in the end. he does not even know when the end will be. he has nothing whatsoever in him of love.

give me a break!! you are saying that if it was proven that our pres & vice pres had committed a crime, they shouldn't be punished because they are our leaders. huh??

cardcaptor, a lot of things have already been said. but i cannot not reply. a part of your quote follows: Hebrews 1:8 But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. WOW!!!!!!! Will you look at that? God actually called the a GOD!!! Acts 7:55-56 But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. you appear to be perceiving God in human terms. as to the 'right hand of God', God's right hand is a place of authority. likewise, in isaiah, God's strong right arm conveys his exercise of authority. Jesus is God's right arm & right hand. sitting at God's right hand is the same as saying exercising the authority of God. is God not spirit? is God not powerful to manifest his spirit in any way he likes. (see my post in God manifesting himself as a cloud, as a pillar of fire, and as a human being). i pray that you would spend a few minutes reflecting on Jesus Christ as God Almighty. i am only asking you just to really think on it for a little while. that God would actually manifest in human form, live as we do with the weaknesses of humanity, having to get tired, to get hungry and thirsty, to experience sorrow and fear, to be without protection in a dangerous world. to the christian, that's powerful. God loves us that much!! to share the human condition and to share the way out.

imagination at work: whenever i read these sorts of posts, i imagine that all believers in the states migrate to bethlehem. there is power in numbers. ahhh well . . . just a fantasy.