THE ESSENCE OF JESUS MESSAGE

[Michael37]

3 hours ago, Questioning said:

I am challenging you to think about the conditioning that has taken place in your life. 

Reminds me of another challenge along much the same lines . . .

Gen 3:1  Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, "Has God indeed said, 'You shall not eat of every tree of the garden'?"

[Charlie744]

3 hours ago, Questioning said:

If any of you understand how the mind can be "conditioned" to believe certain things, then perhaps you will open your mind to explore what I am about to suggest.  But the fear of everlasting Hell in an afterlife is one of the strongest conditionings that can take place, and can even cause you to "discount" any information outside your present knowledge base. I am challenging you to think about the conditioning that has taken place in your life.  I was one of you until it dawned on me that I had been "conditioned" by church dogma.

After growing up in Christianity and years of prayerful study of the Bible, and then studying the evolution of life on earth, and how the mind can be conditioned to think, and believe certain things, and now about the evolution of God/gods, and of religions, I have come to some conclusions.  One is that authoritarian fear conditioned into a young mind is a VERY powerful motivator.

Also, along with the evolution of humans came the evolution of gods, religions and morality.  Reading the Bible and believing you understand all of this evolution is like studying the tail of an elephant, and thinking you understand the whole animal.  I just finished reading the book, A LITTLE HISTORY OF RELIGION, by Richard Holloway.  It is a fairly short, easy to read summary of the evolution of gods and religions, and pretty well sums up the following books.  More detailed books are;  A HISTORY OF GOD, by Karen Armstrong.  EVOLUTION OF GOD, by Robert Wright.  HOW JESUS BECAME GOD, by Bart Ehrman.  And RELIGION EXPLAINED, by Pascal Boyer. 

I invite you to pray to discern truth, and look at the ideas presented in these books.  I also invite you to study about human mental development and how the mind is shaped and "conditioned".  And study about delusions and hallucinations.  There is valid information outside the Bible.  

I have decide I am a "Jesus-ite".  I believe in his philosophy of life, but not his divinity.  And I apologize for some occasional sarcasm or "snarkyness".  I need to work on that.  I realize this post may be deleted, and I may even be banned from the site.  If so, I wish all of you well.

Would you mind telling why you to not find or feel Jesus is not divine? Thanks, Charlie

[Justin Adams]

1 minute ago, Michael37 said:

Reminds me of another challenge along much the same lines . . .

Gen 3:1  Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, "Has God indeed said, 'You shall not eat of every tree of the garden'?"

Very good point. The Nacash was also 'questioning' with a view to the destruction of belief and faith.

[Questioning]

On 3/5/2021 at 2:53 AM, clancy said:

You will have an impossible job, discussing that God doesn’t exist ,with a “ believer “ in Christ.....waste of time, we hold the truth.

I never said God doesn't exist.  And yes this is a waste of time because I also believe I have a grasp of the truth.  The truth is what I have prayed for all along.  And after growing up in Christianity, going to two Christian Colleges, studying the Bible from Genesis to Revelation for years, and then studying the other religions, I think I have a grasp on the truth.   Until you look at all the available evidence about religion, you don't know what the truth is.  You are studying the tail of the elephant and believing you understand the whole animal.  I invite you to study the whole animal. 

I Will not be making any further postings here on the regular forum.  If anyone has more they want to discuss, send me a P.M. so I will get notice of it via email.  But please understand I probably know all of your arguments and evidence for what you believe.  I used them myself for years.   Otherwise, Goodbye and best wishes.  

[Charlie744]

20 minutes ago, Questioning said:

I never said God doesn't exist.  And yes this is a waste of time because I also believe I have a grasp of the truth.  The truth is what I have prayed for all along.  And after growing up in Christianity, going to two Christian Colleges, studying the Bible from Genesis to Revelation for years, and then studying the other religions, I think I have a grasp on the truth.   Until you look at all the available evidence about religion, you don't know what the truth is.  You are studying the tail of the elephant and believing you understand the whole animal.  I invite you to study the whole animal. 

I Will not be making any further postings here on the regular forum.  If anyone has more they want to discuss, send me a P.M. so I will get notice of it via email.  But please understand I probably know all of your arguments and evidence for what you believe.  I used them myself for years.   Otherwise, Goodbye and best wishes.  

Questioning, there are a few things that come to mind re: your questions, your responses or perhaps your decision not to respond to a specific post, along  with your two comments from your post above, "I believe I have a grasp for the truth", and "you don't know what the truth is". And of course what maybe a very big "tell" is your selection of your username "Questioning".

You have studied Christianity for years and you seems you are now looking into other forms of worship....... Something (s) in Christianity is clearly not sitting very well within you ....... and this could be so many things it would be inappropriate to try and guess ....

I can assure you NO ONE on this planet has all the answers but those within this forum are willing to throw out their interpretations .....Everyone comes out of  the Scriptures with different interpretations.....never going to change!

With the level of Christian education in your pocket and your ability to identify your own concerns (and you are the only one who can identify them), this might be a perfect opportunity to take each one and drill down on it within this group. You still may not agree with anyone but you should be able to either strengthen your current opinion or move it off its present position.

So, at the risk of coming across as "pestering or pushing" you, perhaps you would not mind posting one issue (at a time) that is keeping you from Christ......

If not, God bless, Charlie

 

 
 

 

[Guest clancy]

54 minutes ago, Questioning said:

I never said God doesn't exist.  And yes this is a waste of time because I also believe I have a grasp of the truth.  The truth is what I have prayed for all along.  And after growing up in Christianity, going to two Christian Colleges, studying the Bible from Genesis to Revelation for years, and then studying the other religions, I think I have a grasp on the truth.   Until you look at all the available evidence about religion, you don't know what the truth is.  You are studying the tail of the elephant and believing you understand the whole animal.  I invite you to study the whole animal. 

I Will not be making any further postings here on the regular forum.  If anyone has more they want to discuss, send me a P.M. so I will get notice of it via email.  But please understand I probably know all of your arguments and evidence for what you believe.  I used them myself for years.   Otherwise, Goodbye and best wishes.  

I have to disagree about not knowing the truth....the truth is, I have received the Holy Spirit, who indwells  me,....that is all the truth I need.

I am His Child, which can never be taken away, ....not sure what your grasp of the truth is, maybe you can share, on the forum, if you decide to visit again...

I can never deny my Faith,I have it, which was God given...whoever the Father gives to the Son, he will never lose one.....In Jesus Name..Amen!

[Questioning]

On 3/8/2021 at 12:51 AM, clancy said:

 

 ....not sure what your grasp of the truth is, maybe you can share, on the forum, if you decide to visit again...

 

As I said in my March 7 post, anyone wanting further discussion can send a P.M.

Edit: Is there no provision for sending a personal message on this forum?

Edited March 16, 2021 by Questioning

[Questioning]

On 3/5/2021 at 3:14 AM, Waggles said:

 

But it all goes in one ear and straight out the other because in the end you are not really interested in truth.

 

So you are God and understand my heart and mind?  The word that comes to my  mind is "pompus".   After all the years of prayer and study to find truth in religion, and of all the replies I have had on this forum, I both resent that statement, and have pity on you.  Until you have prayerfully looked at the evidence for major world religions, and how they evolved, you don't know what you don't know.  But if you are happy in your ignorance, so be it.  Again I invite you to read the books I recommended.  I grew up in, and lived with all your evidence and arguments for years, but you haven't examined mine.  If you do, and find no truth there, then you can go back to your truth.  Best wishes, and goodbye to all of you.

[Waggles]

39 minutes ago, Questioning said:

After all the years of prayer and study to find truth in religion

But there is no truth in religion. There is only truth in God. And to receive this truth one MUST have the indwelling Spirit of truth.

Otherwise you only have false religion that "evolved" through the power and influences of fallen angels and human philosophy. 

No I am not God, but I do have God abiding within me, so my knowledge comes from the highest sources. 

Edited March 24, 2021 by Waggles

[Your closest friendnt]

 

@Charlie744

***Not all the readers are from Christian backgrounds and not all may understand what is the meaning of divine. 

Can you elaborate on what is divine and when someone is divine? 

Edited March 25, 2021 by Your closest friendnt