Zemirah Loc: Sojourner En Route...

I deeply regret your taking offense at my response, but that is your choice.

My response was to your assertion below that it is intellectual laziness that motivates the use of the internet for research, rather than doing "honest research."

I took no offense, and certainly intended none in my response that some are intellectually uninspired, which you have now applied to yourself.

Have a soothing and satisfying day.


Pennylynn wrote:
Thank you.

"Personally, I do not thank G*d for the invention of cut and paste, it removes people from books, honest research, and enforces the notion that if you read it on the internet, it must be well researched "truth." But, we have become intellectually lazy using any and all shortcuts."

Rose42

Speaking to the cut and paste I for one am very thankful for it. Arthritis makes it hard to type much

TexaCan Loc: Homeward Bound!

I also am thankful for it. It would be difficult for me to comprise a clear, concise, statement that includes all the pertinent scriptures to support my belief or the point that I am attempting to make. My Evangelical beliefs are believed by many and with a little bit of searching and reading of different sites it is not difficult to find one to support my beliefs. Also, I use an iPad so it would take me forever to type with my one finger! LOL!

Rose42

I like to look at varying viewpoints and check their sources. I don’t have a lot of books nor do I have the space or money for them. But I have what I need so all is good.

TexaCan Loc: Homeward Bound!

I think knowing different viewpoints and different beliefs only reinforce the confidence of our own beliefs!

Boo_Boo Loc: Jellystone

Cut and paste is fine providing that the data being copied is correct, and you are not plagiarizing. So many times people do not do the research and they adopt opinions as facts. One's opinion should be based on facts, but rarely are. A fact refers to the something true or real, which is backed by evidence, documentation, etc. On the other hand, opinion is what a person believes or thinks about something. You are correct when you say "it is not difficult to find one to support my beliefs.." But, what if that site gives opinions and cherry picks scripture?

How often have you seen people misquoted, valuable information discarded because it does not fit a "narrative"? For thousands of examples, read some of the quotes attributed to our President. Here is an example, did President Trump call Neo-Nazi "very fine people"? Many news outlets say yes, but is it fact? Taking his full statement, no.

Trump: “I’ve condemned neo-Nazis. I’ve condemned many different groups, but not all of those people were neo-Nazis, believe me. Not all of those people were white supremacists by any stretch.”
Trump: “Those people were also there, because they wanted to protest the taking down of a statue of Robert E. Lee.”

Trump: “Many of those people were there to protest the taking down of the statue of Robert E. Lee.”

Trump: “Excuse me, they didn’t put themselves down as neo-Nazis, and you had some very bad people in that group. But you also had people that were very fine people on both sides.”

This cheery-picking happens too frequently with Bible verses. The Bible is not merely a collection of quotes or one-liners but is literally the Word of G*d. When the Scriptures speak, G*d is speaking. That is why we must approach the Bible with extreme care and intentionality. Grabbing a quote from here and there corrupts the Word... Although I do not support Saul/Paul, he did make a valid point when he wrote: "For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths."

The internet is filled with opinions and myths, it is one of the greatest tools in use to lead us onto a path of disinformation and twisting of the Word, just as the snake in the Garden who beguiled Eve. What I am saying...be very careful of what you adopt, do your homework, as if your soul depended on it.

TexaCan Loc: Homeward Bound!

I couldn’t agree with you more! It is extremely important to read and to depend on the complete word of God!
I depend on the Holy Spirit to help me discern scriptures. Jesus promised that once we accept Him as our Lord and Savior that the Holy Spirit will be Indwelt in us as our helper. I don’t depend on man’s opinion of what scripture says, I depend on my own understanding from reading and studying the Bible, the whole Bible.
This is not to say that there aren’t those that I don’t have confidence in to help me understand the Bible! At this point in my life, I have studied enough years that I am confident in my beliefs and in my interpretation of the Bible. I agree with you that the internet can be detrimental to finding the truth, whether it is in religion or politics! One must check and then check again. I must admit, I enjoy having the ability to research anything at my fingertips! Whether it is a serious search or a silly fun search to settle a bet with my husband!

Thank you for your advice on the internet, I appreciate you taking the time to reply to my comment! I always appreciate your sharing your beliefs and the stories of your beloved Poppa. I have that same kind of respect, love and memories of my Daddy!

Zemirah Loc: Sojourner En Route...

Rose, without the ability to access the internet and find and copy passages from the same trusted Bibles I began reading at home at the age of nine, I would be physically unable to post much of anything online.

The indwelling Holy Spirit within me has been my guide, counselor, and comforter throughout my life, as is true of all born-again Christians. He will not lead us astray by going online.

God has made available trusted classics of historic Christian and Jewish literature none of us could totally collect in our homes for sheer volume.

Spiritual discernment in selecting trustworthy sites and authors is no different than in a bookstore... if one could any longer find a physical bookstore that one could physically access, or still had the ability to drive.

Yes, God's providence extends even to the internet.

Zemirah Loc: Sojourner En Route...

Hi TexaCan,

The ability to access other's (especially opposing) viewpoints, enables us to more accurately obey the admonition in Jude 3, to Contend for the Faith.

Jude 1:3: "Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints."

The ability to quote from the enemies of the gospel from their own literature, and hold it before the glaring truth of God's word is the clearest way to contradict false teaching.

In 1995, I was in seventh heaven, tediously compiling information onto stacks of 2"x4" index cards from large reference books I would be unable to lift today, then entering the info interspersed with my own commentary onto pages of MS Notepad, inserting the HTML code as I typed it, then transferring each completed topic to our Cult-awareness Bible Based online domain.

That is no longer necessary today, and I praise God for the instant access we have to those same trusted documentary sources, already online and readily available, Interlinear Bibles, Bible Handbooks, Greek, Hebrew Dictionaries, Exhaustive Concordances, Commentaries by Christianities most trusted and revered Bible Expositors from past centuries.

"I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored and you have entered into their labor." (John 4:38)

Without the internet, our ability to communicate would resort back to sending post cards, and typing multiple copies of our work on an IBM typewriter, with black carbon sheets interspersed between the sheets of typing paper.

Thank God bygone eras are bygone eras!

TexaCan Loc: Homeward Bound!

Good afternoon Zemirah!

Can you imagine what we would have thought if someone had of told us when we were teenagers about the capabilities of the internet? I thought my little transistor radio was magic and definitely the coolest thing I could imagine!

For myself, by searching the different sites to find one that agrees with my belief on a given subject, I am learning or refreshing my memory on scripture. Many times I get interested in the research and I go into it even deeper. Without the use of the internet and the ability to type in a few words and immediately have a list of all scriptures that pertain to that subject, I would not be able to discuss and to provide all the scriptures to prove my point. The internet allows me to engage in a conversation and provide the proof that is required to prove my point or my belief on a given subject. It’s a constant learning tool for me IMHO!

It’s absolutely a beautiful day here on the Bama coast!

Hope you’re having a Blessed Day!

MARANATHA

Rose42

That it does. He makes available what we need when we need it.

Canuckus Deploracus Loc: North of the wall

Although not always as we would have it

Amen...

Rose42

True and always what we need.