Witnessing

[Anne]

Okey dokey....................thought you'd run off and left me and aptho

Summer, I don't think Paul was in prison when he wrote that particular chapter, but not sure yet, still looking. I thought he was about to go on a misson trip, maybe aptho knows more.....I'll keep looking into it and when I get a clear understanding i'll get back to you.

[Tribulation]

Hi dood,

I've just read through another topic that you posted called 'To convert a non-believer' and I just felt a need to ask YOU some questions instead of the other way around! I hope you'll oblige in answering them, but don't feel like you have to! And simple answers will do - unless you feel like you need to give a detailed explanation!

1. Matthew 22:42 - "What think ye of Christ?"

Do you believe in God? (I'm guessing it's a 'no'!) If not, do you believe in a 'higher power'? If neither - what's your view on how we came into existence?

2. Genesis 37:15 - "And a certain man found him, and, behold, he was wandering in the field: and the man asked him, saying, What seekest thou?"

Are you curious about the things of God - or are you here to simply engage in debate with Christians?

3. Titus 2:12 - "12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;"

Do you feel like you know all the answers to life? If not, what do you think of the world? Are you happy with your life?

4. Revelation 20:15 - "And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire."

Are you never worried that you might actually be wrong?

[Anne]

Hey trib,

Welcome to this thread, I think if you read from the beginning you'll see where dood stands on all these points.

Please remember to keep this thread respectful and non-abusive, as it is about witnessing.

Also as far as I understand, the "how to convert" thread was closed, and I would hope that those wishing to speak with dood in reference to that specific topic would not use this thread as a continuation of that topic. I would hate to see this thread suffer the same fate!

Anyways, enough said on that, dood i've read your reply and will get back to you as soon as I've thought it over.

God Bless you dood.

[Anne]

As long as you're happy with it dood, God Bless.

[Anne]

Still thinking how best to reply here dood.

[Tribulation]

This is fair. Anyone who wants to ask, feel free I have no issue at all with this. I'm a open book.

Tribulation Asked:

Do you believe in God? (I'm guessing it's a 'no'!) If not, do you believe in a 'higher power'? If neither - what's your view on how we came into existence?

I believe both God and a higher power along with the human race are all of one multi-facetted existance. This includes all things that we can see, touch, taste, feel, plants, animals and all forms and means of anything that we have.

Do you feel like you know all the answers to life? If not, what do you think of the world? Are you happy with your life?

If I knew all the answers I wouldn't be here. No although I do enjoy educating myself in many different subjects and area's of life. I think the world has a mixture of both good and bad, or Godly and ungodly things. I think the world is constantly improving itself as time goes on. But only one step at a time. The human mind and heart is said to be able to think of a infinite number of things, likewise we also have a infinite number of things we can go wrong on. To me it's a work in progress. Am I happy with my life sure I am. I know life isn't perfect. But I accept it, for it's good and bad.

Are you curious about the things of God - or are you here to simply engage in debate with Christians?

I'm not really here for either. I reconize my time will come that a understanding of exactly what god is will come, so i don't really worry about it no. On the same note I also reconize that people will always get better in the forms of physical, mental illness's and wrong doings. I actually believe death has a lesson to be learned, not a gateway to heaven or hell or a judgement. Heck I can't judge my kids to damnation, with God being greater than I am in mercy I do have to beg and ask how could he if I couldn't do it.

Are you never worried that you might actually be wrong?

No I'm not. I trust my judgement and abilities to listen and understand. The only thing that would bother me is to continiously be wrong. When I'm wrong slap my hand for it and explain it so I can comprehend it. Then I won't be wrong anymore. If not please don't slap my hand. Likewise if someone is unable to explain it without getting frustrated that I will ask questions or show my proofs again please don't slap my hand till you can debunk my proofs.

Hi dood,

Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. However - your answers have left me a bit puzzled and I think I'm even more curious now!! Okay if you could answer another couple of questions in response?

1. So, you believe in God AND a 'higher power'?

2. Okay.

3. Are you here to further your understanding of God?

4. Okay.

God Bless.

[LadyGunivere]

you ever think that they might be in different points of their life dood?

[LadyGunivere]

Understandable dood sorry for interrupting....

[LadyGunivere]

Not only that now that I think about but emotion and how we interpret what we are saying... but I'm sure you already know all this so......I'll keep reading and listening and seeing if I learn anything here.

[Anne]

Okay. Can everyone agree that killing is bad wrong, no good can come from killing? If so i can elaborate. According to biblical means everything is either up/down postive/negative or God/Satan. So we can easily tack good things to god, bad things to the devil.

I'm trying to avoid conspiracy's (personally i think the best conspiracy is a conspiracy) Anne I agree people tack the name of God to things that have nothing todo with God. Although easily done and the error seen it is close to the issue I see. The issue I'm speaking of is killing is often actually done in what is thought to be the best interest, or best comprimse for means which are good. If it's good it has to be a point for god and none for the devil.

Lets look at the North Korea/American situation. North Korea's leader actually believes America and it's citizens are devils. Through the leadership they influence their people into this view and even use their own poverity to help re-inforce the view they are being told. That the americans did this. Which begots the excuse to build nuclear weapons and test them for the aventual war. Since America is the oppressor in the eyes of the North Korean Government. If they did strike america it would be generally viewed as a Good idea by the North Koreans. Although perhaps not the best idea it's better than the poverty their citizens presently live in.

So if North Korea struck. In the name of what is good, many many will believe they were doing the right thing and not know better, although I'm sure most over-here would percieve it as evil.

Likewise if America struck North Korea. America can easily say they launched a nuclear missile or were going too etc... To justify the attack. Americans could easily say it's not best, may not even like it. but it was a good or nessecary decision.

The problem I'm hitting at is all decisions, debates, wars anything that is contributable to violence or evil is always done in the name of what is good. Or is done in gods name. Even if you know better or not.

We tack so much of a holy name to it. Our presidents and prime ministers pray on public TV in times of war.

Sorry for taking so long dood.

Okay the first thing you question was:

Can everyone agree that killing is bad and wrong, no good can come from killing?

I bet some were comping at the bit to reply to that, you see not everyone would agree that killing persay is wrong. Let me try to explain what I mean, in defending your ones country or even your family or self against whatever type of attack or violence encountered it is unfortunate that people do get killed, but is killing in self defence wrong, no I don't think it is.

I draw a distinct line between that which is killing and that which is murder, in my mind there is a difference! To deliberately and cruelly with no reason other than hatred or selfish reason to set out to cause someone harm and as such results in their untimely death, that to me is murder and is forbidden in the Bible, there are quite possibly others here who could explain the Biblical difference between killing and murder much better than I. I understand, quite possibly you will disagree, but that is my honest thought on the matter.

Again dood, it is unfortunate that there are so many wars which result in so many deaths, believe me when I say, that this makes me very sad in my heart. But how can I turn towards God and say "God you know, all this,...........all this is your fault! See all this bloodshed, see all this pain, all these tears, this is your fault!" Because dood it's not God's fault, it is our very own faults, in each country, without exception you have people who are driven by the thirst for power and many will choose to achieve that by whatever means necessary including the mass slaughter of their own people, religion controls the people and false religion were made by man in order for that goal to be achieved.

Corrupt leaders say, "Okay you don't agree with me! I guess you'll have to die!" and so ensues mass murder, all done in the name of religion. But these are deceptive men/women in high places in positions of power and they do not speak for God the Creator! And don't think for one second that they do! They use religion to control the people of any given country, because a huge majority of people want so much to believe in a higher power a god who cares, unfortunately they look in all the wrong places, in an effort to reach a self fulfilling religion.

On the other side of the coin, you have countries which are under constant attack from terrorists who fight in the name of their god, and yeah I guess those terrorists believe that they are fighting for the real god, but remember the distinction I made between killing and murder? The countries which defend themselves, this may require going into the lions den to fight, so to speak, are killing in self defence dood and this is not murder. Now what an individual does or how an individual soldier behaves whilst in that war towards the innocent caught up in the situation, sometimes reflects badly on the country who set out to defend itself. But should the defence of a country be called into question and halted because of the blackness of one heart among the many. I think not!

But I do agree with the main tenor of the whole point you made, we tack Gods' name to wars and killings and each country believes that it fights on a true gods side. I think that God must have shed so many tears over some of the things humanity has done in His name, but unless we learn to turn towards God who created all things and seek to find out what it is He needs from us, then it is a sad but necessary fact that this bloodshed will continue until God Himself steps in and says "ENOUGH, NO MORE!"

You see again this is man looking for his own way and refusing to seek God's way and will, and unless we do this then we are in for a very sharp and sudden lesson.

One of my greatest hearts' desires is for people to stop looking at the world and humanity and thinking this is all God's doing, my second is that Christians would humble themselves before God and ask for forgiveness for the ill imagine we present of Him. You want to know how to recognise a true Christian dood, a true follower of God the Creator, well in their hearts they only seek to further Gods will and not their own, and you will see it in their eyes and hear it in their words, sometimes their actions may not demonstrate so but they will always be quick to see their fault and make ammends. A true Christian has the love of God in their heart and when they look out to the world, they remember what God Created and see what it has become, and their heart breaks for God. A true Christian will look into the heart of a man and say "Won't you come home now?"

Ya see , you have the knack of getting me to ramble on an on

I'll leave you with that now, God Bless you dood, hope you find your way safely home.