andycharrington Posted February 14, 2008 Group: Members Followers: 0 Topic Count: 2 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 8 Content Per Day: 0.00 Reputation: 0 Days Won: 0 Joined: 02/14/2008 Status: Offline Share Posted February 14, 2008 Hello all, My name is Andy Charrington and i'm from Birmingham. (UK, not AL) I have need an answer to a question i do not know....... Let me explain. Last night i was out with some friends and we started talking about God. More specifically, the Evangelical Church. I found it a very challenging and hurtful conversation but not for any reasons that make any sense. To put this into perspective i am not a massive fan of Christianity. I AM a Christian but NOT a fan of the way it is taught or lived in this day and age. I am not overtly spiritual as i don't believe spirituality to be more important than "normal" human experiences. But what i felt last night was almost as if i was feeling God's sadness. I felt as though God was asking me to do something about it. However i don't know what to do. What i think needs addressing is the fact that SO many people have SO many views of SO many parts of Christianity. None of them less valid than the next. However i can't help feeling that we are all bound by our surroundings. We only know what we've been told. The only opinions we have are bits and pieces of opinions we have heard elsewhere and latched onto. This is not to say that our opinions are flawed, just that there are SO many more valid opinions that we should surely have the option of taking into account. So i guess i do know what the question is. What can i do? I feel like i'm supposed to do something. I'm a web designer so i think i have to build a website of some sort. What would in your opinion be a useful website? A site that asked people to submit their views of God/Christianity with the view to publishing a book with all these different ideas in? A site that simply allowed people to write what they think? Maybe on a user suggested topic? Or what??!! I feel like God is asking me to do something about the division and hurt that has spread through the church. But i don't know what to do. Can you help please? Thanks, Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ayin jade Posted February 14, 2008 Group: Worthy Ministers Followers: 44 Topic Count: 6,178 Topics Per Day: 0.87 Content Count: 43,799 Content Per Day: 6.19 Reputation: 11,244 Days Won: 58 Joined: 01/03/2005 Status: Offline Share Posted February 14, 2008 Interesting but something to consider here. If you have a site, you are responsible for its truth. A site that welcomes people to post their views of Christ and Christianity invites those who do not understand it, or have views that conflict with scripture. How would the Lord feel about you having a site that promotes something against His word? That could happen easily. Take a good look at this site and see not just how many views are out there, but how many views are out there that are incompatible with His views. What i think needs addressing is the fact that SO many people have SO many views of SO many parts of Christianity. None of them less valid than the next. Do you seriously believe that? One person says homosexuality is a sin, another one says its ok and not a sin. Which view does He have? Which view is valid and which isnt. However i can't help feeling that we are all bound by our surroundings. We only know what we've been told. The only opinions we have are bits and pieces of opinions we have heard elsewhere and latched onto. This is not to say that our opinions are flawed, just that there are SO many more valid opinions that we should surely have the option of taking into account. Do you believe what His word says? Do you believe that the bible is inerrant God breathed scripture? We should be basing our beliefs on what the bible says. What matters is His truth, always. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andycharrington Posted February 14, 2008 Group: Members Followers: 0 Topic Count: 2 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 8 Content Per Day: 0.00 Reputation: 0 Days Won: 0 Joined: 02/14/2008 Status: Offline Author Share Posted February 14, 2008 i agree, i would be responsible for the site. We will use the example of homosexuality. I am guessing that you are against it. I also assume that if questioned you could quote me verse upon verse that proves your point. However what if someone else could also quote me verse upon verse that proves homosexuality is ok?? What makes your interpretation right and theirs wrong. Or vice versa? You see my point? You will be convinced of what you believe and rightly so. But does that make someone else's view void? I dont think it should. You will hold one belief for a reason. Whether it is what you were taught, you heard someone else say it or it is just the conclusion you have come to. But those reasons are not good enough to dismiss other peoples views are they? Surely everyone should have a right to say what they think and seeing as no-one KNOWS what the RIGHT interpretation of the bible is we should welcome other and different takes on it don't you think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tsth Posted February 14, 2008 Group: Royal Member Followers: 2 Topic Count: 297 Topics Per Day: 0.04 Content Count: 5,586 Content Per Day: 0.69 Reputation: 193 Days Won: 1 Joined: 04/09/2002 Status: Offline Share Posted February 14, 2008 Dear andy, Welcome to WB's. I just wanted to address your last statement above, and say that THAT is exactly how we got into this mess of confusion. If, as mentioned before, we would go back to The Foundation/The Word, and believe It for what God says, it would help us tremendously! Rather than following the traditions and sayings of men. Mark 7:6 He answered and said to them, "Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: 'This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. 7 And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.' In His Love, Suzanne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andycharrington Posted February 14, 2008 Group: Members Followers: 0 Topic Count: 2 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 8 Content Per Day: 0.00 Reputation: 0 Days Won: 0 Joined: 02/14/2008 Status: Offline Author Share Posted February 14, 2008 thanks for that. My question still remains unanswered. What makes YOUR interpretation of the bible correct and someone else's not? You must surely agree that the bible can be interpreted in many different ways? (If not how can it be relevant throughout time?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tsth Posted February 14, 2008 Group: Royal Member Followers: 2 Topic Count: 297 Topics Per Day: 0.04 Content Count: 5,586 Content Per Day: 0.69 Reputation: 193 Days Won: 1 Joined: 04/09/2002 Status: Offline Share Posted February 14, 2008 It is very relevant for me and my family. We read it and take it for what it says, exactly how it says it. We only start the gymnastics of interpretation, when we have issues that are in conflict with Truth. That's human nature, always has been. Go read the dialogue of satan with Eve. She bought the twisted interpretation, because in heart she knew that she desired something contrary to God's Word. That's what temptation is, twisting what we know in heart and spirit to be truth, to be able to "get what we want". In His Love, Suzanne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andycharrington Posted February 14, 2008 Group: Members Followers: 0 Topic Count: 2 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 8 Content Per Day: 0.00 Reputation: 0 Days Won: 0 Joined: 02/14/2008 Status: Offline Author Share Posted February 14, 2008 so there is only ONE meaning for everything that the bible says? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tsth Posted February 14, 2008 Group: Royal Member Followers: 2 Topic Count: 297 Topics Per Day: 0.04 Content Count: 5,586 Content Per Day: 0.69 Reputation: 193 Days Won: 1 Joined: 04/09/2002 Status: Offline Share Posted February 14, 2008 What is it that you question, andy? (I'll tell you right from the start, that I do not have all of the answers, yet. No one does, but the Lord God Himself. But, we learn from Him/His Word, everyday, if we're willing, and if we believe Him and what He says.) I believe ALL of God's Word, I just do not understand ALL of it, but that does not give me the right to cast doubt upon It. It does not change His Truth. And He does not demand that we understand all the time, He just tells us to obey, even when it doesn't make sense. Which is exactly what all the men of biblical history did. They did not always understand, nor was it always comfortable OR make sense to them, BUT, they believed anyway! And God was proved True, He ALWAYS IS! In His Love, Suzanne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tsth Posted February 14, 2008 Group: Royal Member Followers: 2 Topic Count: 297 Topics Per Day: 0.04 Content Count: 5,586 Content Per Day: 0.69 Reputation: 193 Days Won: 1 Joined: 04/09/2002 Status: Offline Share Posted February 14, 2008 Maybe it would profit you more, to begin with BELIEF, rather than DOUBT? In His Love, Suzanne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tsth Posted February 14, 2008 Group: Royal Member Followers: 2 Topic Count: 297 Topics Per Day: 0.04 Content Count: 5,586 Content Per Day: 0.69 Reputation: 193 Days Won: 1 Joined: 04/09/2002 Status: Offline Share Posted February 14, 2008 Your title of this thread prompted me to post this: Luke 10:39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. 41 "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her." In His Love, Suzanne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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