AuntiE Loc: 45th Least Free State

Sometimes they are missed initially; however, ultimately are caught. The VV tends to be busy without life outside the site. He catches us at odd times.

oldladyfromwaco

As they used to say in the Baptist church, "Amen!"

jay-are

John 14:
believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. 3 If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And you know the way where I am going.” 5 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.

Jesus preached exclusivity. God said He cares how we get there. Are you a higher authority than God? Are you now wiser and more knowledgable than your creator?

Jesus preached exclusivity, so whatever you are believing is not Christianity. It sounds more like Buddhism.

With that attitude, you are not going to get there. You will get to a destination, but only one path leads to God, and to life.

Matthew 7
13 “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. 14 For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.

Searching Loc: Rural Southwest VA

You know Augustus, it must be nice to sit up in that glass house or ivory tower, whichever, and just in condescending arrogance, dismiss whatever you happen to not agree with. I may have to rescind my offer of dialogue. You might want to consider your words. Glass houses easily shatter and ivory towers, they get really lonely when you sit there and have to have conversations with yourself. :evil:

rumitoid

Jay-are, you seem to be confusing the party platform of the Democrats with the definition of liberal; I supplied accepted and useful definitions of both. The two are not synonyms. Blue is a description, not a label. Is a grey or night sky its political opposite?

"Calling someone conservative or liberal does not force them to live their life any certain way." I never suggested that. But when you call a person a liberal, by everything you have said thus far, they are condemned as anti-Christ in nature. How? Simply by being liberal or claiming to be liberal.

jay-are

No, they are liberal because they claim to be anti Christ.

jay-are

Calling someone liberal comes after observing all their choices and positions on issues, and if those choices or positions fall on the liberal side of the spectrum, they are liberal. They do not choose to be liberal first and then they are forced to swear allegiance to a list of life choices.

Searching Loc: Rural Southwest VA

Well, I may sorta kinda resemble liberal, but I'm definitely NOT anti Christ. Just thought I would interrupt here and put in my one cent's worth. :D

jonhatfield Loc: Green Bay, WI

I was raised Southern Baptist. My step-uncle was a Southern Baptist minister and my step-cousin was the wife of the President of the Southern Baptist seminary. I think I know what is Christian in general terms and from what I have seen you and other extremists post I would say y'all violate most of Christ's teachings in attitude, some in specific words.

I suggest you look over your and your fellow extremists' posts on various subjects on OPP and judge for yourself to what extent they are unChristian in attitude and spirit. Quoting the bible is one thing--practicing what the bible teaches is the difficult part and the measure on judgment day.

Equating Jesus to politics as this site's subject does is itself wrong of course, and libs' having bumper stickers claiming Jesus was a lib is wrong, taking partisan political advantage of the fact that Christianity is the foundation of liberal or free governments throughout the world and the fact we are a liberal nation because we are a Christian nation in practice. That is a general truth. However, to equate Christ to specific political issues and parties is quite another thing. Both our mainstream political parties are "liberal" in the sense of Christianity's being liberal.

Now if one wants to be denominationally partisan regarding freedom and self-government, one would point to Protestant Britain and even more Protestant America and note that historically Protestantism was a factor in the development of Brit and American self government. You might also note that the direct denominations from the Puritans are the Congregational and the Unitarian-Universalist denominations, the two most "liberal" Protestant denominations. So what? Having said that, let me add that in my opinion from experience and observation the past 20 years and especially the past two years in Green Bay, Catholics in the U.S. are in general more Christian in practice and attitude than Protestants. That's relatively more Christian in practice, not sayng that Protestants aren't also quite Christian in practice--and of course we all fall short.

This is a most awkward subject because I'm having difficulty finding a way to balance the subject. That is, libs have the reputation of "bleeding hearts" and conservatives the reputation of grinches in political and social issues, which tends to slant the religious Christian political comparisons. My opinion is that this slant is unfair but I can't find words to state how it's unfair in religious terms, just comes back left sided. Thus I go back to the idea that religion and politics should be separate spheres as far as possible--the one individual, the other public choices.

rumitoid

I am taken, rightly or wrongly, by many here as liberal and I have been a Christian all my life. I love Christ and feel I am at least in the ballpark with how I view his message and live my life. Fortunately or unfortunately, someday I will know for certain. There is not a liberal or conservative view of truth: truth is truth. It is God's way, not a conservative or liberal way.
A question to Christians: do the worldly view the message of Christ as conservative or liberal? As it totally goes against their established practices of the flesh and worldly endeavors, societal mores and ambition, the answer should be liberal. Worse, revolutionary. Oh, and also either insane, stupid, or dangerously naive. Turn the other cheek? What planet are you from?
The Pharisees were the pillar of their society, maintaining long-standing practices and traditions: how would they view Jesus?
For those that have the eyes to see, not the bias vision through a glass darkly of liberal or conservative, truth is pure of any such human adulterations as liberal or conservative.

Searching Loc: Rural Southwest VA

I'm truly sorry that this is so awkward and I'm guessing painful for you. For what it's worth, my take follows. However, I need to say first, n total transparency, I grew up going to a Southern Baptist church. After being on, of all things a pastor search committee, I became disenchanted with organized religion and have not looked back. I consider myself a spiritual person and that I have a strong personal relationship with God. Well, here goes.

To borrow from rumatoid, truth IS truth or another way to put it, human "bias" is just that and not truth. That said, right, left, in between do so disrespect God when they insert Him into, when it comes down to it, their petty bickering and their twisting scripture into something it isn't meant to mean to cloak themselves in righteous indignity. There's nothing politically correct about invoking HIS name for a political cause or for political gain. Some seem to also forget, that there isn't a soul on this earth that has proprietary rights to God, totally the opposite. We should all take care to remember that we are ALL his children. I would think God rather displeased to see his children using His name in vain to either blackmail or shame one another. Those of us who believe each have our own personal relationship with God, and that's how it should stay in my opinion, between God and each individual. It's nobody else's business. As for all the rest, I believe that's what he gave us free will for.

Augustus Greatorex Loc: NE

You do whatever you think necessary. I am probably the most wicked, evil person on this site. Throwin' stones while livin' in my iv'ry tower, that ain't none o' your concern.

Now the Witch of Waco wants to judge others' 'ligious practices, while claimin' herself spirituality which no body has right to judge. Ask yer self is'n it funny how it's all right for her to condemn others' their beliefs and practices, while makin' her ain off limits for condemnation?

oldladyfromwaco

Since I do not subject myself to religious dogma, it is quite simple to understand there is ONE God, not many, and that there is, within each of us the Christ....or whatever any faith might call the equivalent.
I also know that the Bible was put together by the Nicean Council on the instructions on Constantine to reconcile the pagans and the Christians.....and that hundreds of books could have been considered, but were tossed.....
and that much of what is attributed to Christ has been questioned....as has much of the Bible itself, in consideration of ALL of the written properties the Vatican refuses to allow the public to see.
So, you just go your merry little way.....and I will go mine.......observing daily the magnificence God has created in ALL things and in ALL people.....denigrating none and allowing all to believe as each individually wishes...condemning none......at which you seem to be quite proficient. As an aside, I believe religion, which you are postulating to me, totally limits God. How can anyone believe such negativity observing a universe such as ours.....and then learning that scientists say there are more universes than grains of sand on the beaches of earth. He sounds a lot bigger than religion allows....at least to me, because there is only love between God and me....and no fear. You see, I take personal responsibility for my life....and blame God for nothing but the good he brings to it....which, to be frank, is quite a lot....at least since I got religion out of it. You're at a level where there is NO understanding of spirituality.....perhaps in another lifetime you will come to understand, because I can assure you there will be other lifetimes.
Did you know.....but I'm sure you don't....that over 75% of alcoholics and addicts became such after/during strenuous religious upbringing because, "I'm going to hell, so I'm going to enjoy the trip". How many "religious wars" have occurred with millions dead over the centuries? How many people were killed during the Dark Ages because they would not conform to the darkness of religion....when revealing scientific facts. Religion was created as a political tool.....and it is still such today. I don't need religion to get to God. He is with me ALL THE TIME, NO THANKS TO PEOPLE LIKE YOU.
As I have said in previous posts, God, the Holy Spirit, Christ and I get along just great.....out on the banks of the lake for a couple of hours every morning...under a tree.....just as Christ did....without the benefit of a multimillion dollar edifice for a large number of mostly "good Christian" hypocrites to attend.....one hour of every week.

I am 70 years old, jay-are, and I have had this judgmental crap all of my life. I have seen the lives of many individuals ruined by one comment...that became a torrent through a church. I have seen professions ruined.....lives changed, families altered and ruined. And, if you think I accept your miniscule observations on the truth of God as to my destiny, the only thing I will say to you is, "Why don't YOU go look in the mirror....since in my understanding and decades of studying the Bible, the only One allowed to judge and pronounce any "sentence" of heaven or hell......is God.....and, Buster, you sure as heck are not HIM....are you? So, take your hyper-inflated, ego-based proclamations.....and put them in the appropriate place. Have a good evening, and, as I suggested to another a few days ago.....the next time you pray, why don't you ask HIM if you are to judge another's path......because I guarantee, if you are TRULY "in the flow" and connected and listening for His answer, it will be there.....Good luck!

oldladyfromwaco

Ah, Augustus....what an appropriate choice for a name for your post. The "Augustus" was enough....but "Greatorex"?


Haven't you the intelligence to see I judged no one...simply stated my opinion of how I choose to live.....and allow others to live as they please....and wonder why anyone would ever consider anything, especially politically motivated designation of "liberal" or "conservative" toward Christ.....who to me is only love.

Religion is a crock, Augustus, negative, a political ploy, and detrimental to society when used as some choose to....to others it is divine munificence in action. The choice is to each, individually.

The fact that you appear to be unable to even consider or allow another to have an opinion pretty well designates where you stand.

So, stuff it, Judger....and, as I've asked others....who make pronouncements on others....why don't you, next time you pray, ask God if He's allowed you to replace him as judge of humanity. I can assure you He has not, though you may have taken that upon yourself. Ah, well, He does forgive all, doesn't He?

"Augustus GREATOREX?" Get real!

Boo_Boo Loc: Jellystone

I read your comment twice and I very much agree with your thoughts. You are a very thoughtful person, and I am so glad that you are here. Thank you!