one.opinion Posted June 4, 2021 Group: Royal Member Followers: 6 Topic Count: 29 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 5,240 Content Per Day: 2.10 Reputation: 1,356 Days Won: 4 Joined: 07/03/2017 Status: Offline Author Share Posted June 4, 2021 2 minutes ago, David1701 said: I'll give you that assurance (but that does not mean that my tone will necessarily be calm and neutral). Will you give the same? Your OP shows several instances of not exhibiting the fruit of the Holy Spirit (false teaching, unbelief, etc.). Fruit is not all about being "nice", especially not in response to things like deception. You have not exhibited love, joy, peace, patience, forbearance, kindness, goodness, gentleness, or self-control since you started replying. I'm not convinced about faithfulness. Your follow up to your initial statement basically contradicts your own assurance. Without some serious changes, I do not believe a conversation would be fruitful or meaningful. For anyone else reading, I have been a follower of Christ for over 40 years, and will continue to be until He calls me home. Anyone questioning that questions the work of the Holy Spirit. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marathoner Posted June 4, 2021 Group: Royal Member Followers: 16 Topic Count: 71 Topics Per Day: 0.05 Content Count: 10,142 Content Per Day: 7.07 Reputation: 13,097 Days Won: 97 Joined: 05/24/2020 Status: Offline Share Posted June 4, 2021 10 minutes ago, one.opinion said: You have not exhibited love, joy, peace, patience, forbearance, kindness, goodness, gentleness, or self-control since you started replying. I'm not convinced about faithfulness. Your follow up to your initial statement basically contradicts your own assurance. Without some serious changes, I do not believe a conversation would be fruitful or meaningful. For anyone else reading, I have been a follower of Christ for over 40 years, and will continue to be until He calls me home. Anyone questioning that questions the work of the Holy Spirit. There's no need to answer accusations which violate the TOS of this forum, hence why we're under no obligation to answer the contentious. The same fruit attributed to unbelievers, those works of the flesh which the apostle warned us about, are evident in those who accuse without knowledge nor understanding. The best response to an accuser is to say and do nothing, for we are not to return evil with evil. Better a meal of vegetables with love than the fattened calf with strife. Let the reader judge for themselves who comes bearing accusations and who does not, remembering the words of the Lord who told us, "You will know them by their fruits" (Matthew 7:16). Above all, we should forgive anyone who accuses us falsely even if they never change. I remain silent toward accusers because it's not my place to defend myself; in defending myself, I might find that I'm no different than my accuser. The Lord vindicates us and no other. We stand and fall by the Lord, not by men, even when those men accuse us. Even if that man is our brother. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David1701 Posted June 4, 2021 Group: Royal Member Followers: 8 Topic Count: 15 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 5,731 Content Per Day: 3.55 Reputation: 3,522 Days Won: 12 Joined: 11/27/2019 Status: Offline Share Posted June 4, 2021 (edited) 2 hours ago, one.opinion said: You have not exhibited love, joy, peace, patience, forbearance, kindness, goodness, gentleness, or self-control since you started replying. I'm not convinced about faithfulness. Your follow up to your initial statement basically contradicts your own assurance. Without some serious changes, I do not believe a conversation would be fruitful or meaningful. For anyone else reading, I have been a follower of Christ for over 40 years, and will continue to be until He calls me home. Anyone questioning that questions the work of the Holy Spirit. I offered to do what you asked and you reply like this? Your assessment of what is, or is not, fruit of the Holy Spirit is the not the plumb-line. Of course, the fruit of the Holy Spirit is what you have stated, but your decision as to whether or not my attitude accords with that fruit, is based solely on your own opinion. How did Jesus, Paul, Peter, Jude, et al, respond to teaching that undermines what the Bible states? Was that fruit-bearing? Yes, of course; but, when I respond similarly, you claim that my response is not fruit bearing. Something does not add up... The Bible states that God created the world in six literal days (numbered days and nights, with morning and evening). The Bible states that God created the Earth and plant-life, before he created the stars and the Sun. The Bible states that God created Adam directly from the ground (he didn't evolve from anything) and that God made Eve from one of Adam's ribs. The Bible states that sin entered the world through Adam and that death came by that sin. The Bible states that there was a global flood that wiped out all of humanity, except for eight people, and almost all the air breathing animals, except for a very small number, on the ark. There's much more to add, but this is enough to start with. Do you believe any of this at all? Edited June 4, 2021 by David1701 extra word 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Who me Posted June 6, 2021 Group: Royal Member Followers: 5 Topic Count: 17 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 3,300 Content Per Day: 1.72 Reputation: 1,686 Days Won: 0 Joined: 01/27/2019 Status: Offline Share Posted June 6, 2021 On 6/4/2021 at 2:02 PM, one.opinion said: Evolution says nothing about the existence of God Strange how evolution is the excuse/explanation used by atheists to justify there not believing in God. Yes there is nothing written down in the origin of species that says this theory does away with God. But it is one of the main props of atheism. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
one.opinion Posted June 6, 2021 Group: Royal Member Followers: 6 Topic Count: 29 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 5,240 Content Per Day: 2.10 Reputation: 1,356 Days Won: 4 Joined: 07/03/2017 Status: Offline Author Share Posted June 6, 2021 1 hour ago, Who me said: Strange how evolution is the excuse/explanation used by atheists to justify there not believing in God. It is a shame. I don’t listen to anything Richard Dawkins says. To me personally, I see evolution as a wonderful and powerful tool that God has used to achieve His creative purposes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marathoner Posted June 7, 2021 Group: Royal Member Followers: 16 Topic Count: 71 Topics Per Day: 0.05 Content Count: 10,142 Content Per Day: 7.07 Reputation: 13,097 Days Won: 97 Joined: 05/24/2020 Status: Offline Share Posted June 7, 2021 (edited) Theories of evolution are used to counter literal interpretations of key passages in Genesis by some and are not a means to deny God. That's the straw man. I've listened to brethren and unbelievers alike and I've encountered few who properly grasp evolutionary theory. Many atheists deny God for their own reasons, just like how unbelievers pursue false gods for their own reasons. The problem with straw men is that they unravel when the wind blows. This is where the following exhortation serves us well: So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God. (James 1:19-20 NKJV) If we're called to witness to the atheist or the unbeliever, then let us be swift to listen to them and slow to speak. Preaching or speaking at anyone does little good. I've listened to atheists and no one stated that the theory of evolution was the reason why they denied God. Their reasons are more varied than that. Edited June 7, 2021 by Marathoner 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marathoner Posted June 7, 2021 Group: Royal Member Followers: 16 Topic Count: 71 Topics Per Day: 0.05 Content Count: 10,142 Content Per Day: 7.07 Reputation: 13,097 Days Won: 97 Joined: 05/24/2020 Status: Offline Share Posted June 7, 2021 44 minutes ago, one.opinion said: It is a shame. I don’t listen to anything Richard Dawkins says. To me personally, I see evolution as a wonderful and powerful tool that God has used to achieve His creative purposes. Dawkins is a militant antitheist, the sort that many Christians mistake for an atheist. As I've learned, there are differences between the two. An antitheist embarks upon a crusade against God, gods, and religion in general. I suppose one might say that an antitheist is a fanatical atheist. Their crusade against God is a religion unto itself. Atheists, on the other hand, tend to be a varied lot. The Lord has called upon me to witness to atheists before and so I observed and listened to my atheist neighbor before opening my mouth to speak. This is why so many of us run into a brick wall with atheists; we rush into the fray armed with talking points, and the offended atheist shuts us down or walks away. Better to be patient, better to be their friend, and better to be wise in how we witness to our unbelieving neighbor. Listening to the Spirit of the Lord and waiting for Him to use us is what it's all about. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marathoner Posted June 7, 2021 Group: Royal Member Followers: 16 Topic Count: 71 Topics Per Day: 0.05 Content Count: 10,142 Content Per Day: 7.07 Reputation: 13,097 Days Won: 97 Joined: 05/24/2020 Status: Offline Share Posted June 7, 2021 Social media changed everything. Atheist Facebook groups enabled the propaganda of rabid antitheists like Dawkins (he's but one of several) to proliferate and radicalize a significant population of otherwise noncommittal atheists. What do I mean by noncommittal? They're actually agnostics, individuals who aren't certain about the Lord. Some were subjected to abuse by Christian relatives... others experienced a crisis of faith... so like I wrote above, there are many different reasons why an atheist (or agnostic) fosters their unbelief or uncertainty. Notions derived from evolutionary theory happen to the forte of the antitheist, and it's wonderfully ironic that the science they expound doesn't support their nonsense. It's propaganda, and I've witnessed the confusing effect this has had upon brethren. YEC organizations have done more harm than good because they buy into the antitheist propaganda, helping to ensure that the noncommittal atheist remains beyond our reach. What they need is a friend and ambassador of Christ in their lives, not a zealous bull in a china shop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael37 Posted June 7, 2021 Group: Servant Followers: 21 Topic Count: 241 Topics Per Day: 0.11 Content Count: 6,946 Content Per Day: 3.27 Reputation: 4,869 Days Won: 2 Joined: 07/05/2018 Status: Offline Birthday: 09/23/1954 Share Posted June 7, 2021 36 minutes ago, Marathoner said: I've listened to atheists and no one stated that the theory of evolution was the reason why they denied God. I've encountered ex-Christians, one had been in pastoral ministry, who have become atheists after being indoctrinated with evolutionist theory, choosing to believe it over the Bible. Ironically in one case, the ex-Christian only studied evolutionary theory because a Baptist committee required him to have a University Degree before they would ordain him. Tares amongst the wheat. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
one.opinion Posted June 7, 2021 Group: Royal Member Followers: 6 Topic Count: 29 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 5,240 Content Per Day: 2.10 Reputation: 1,356 Days Won: 4 Joined: 07/03/2017 Status: Offline Author Share Posted June 7, 2021 1 hour ago, Michael37 said: I've encountered ex-Christians, one had been in pastoral ministry, who have become atheists after being indoctrinated with evolutionist theory, choosing to believe it over the Bible. On the flip side of the coin, I've known several ex-Christians who were drawn away from faith because of the misinformation they were given about evolution as a child. When the discovered that what they had been taught (regardless of how good the intent) was untrue, they questioned whether everything they had been taught about God was true. This is one of the reasons I spend time here. There are far too many good Christian men and women that still propagate misinformation regarding God's creation. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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