Christian Theology.

[zaangalewa]

Christian Theology -- Theism

Christian theology affirms theism, the belief in the existence of a supernatural God.

No. First of all we don't believe ih anything what atheists say about us and second we - and the Jews and the Muslims and others - believe in "the creator". The creator created existance. Before he did do so the word "existence" made not any sense. Same with the words "before" "he" "did" "do" "so" "the" "word" "made" "not" "any" "sense".

Christian theism

Christian what? The Christian religion (=rebound in god) is not an ideology. God is life - God is love - God is rationality. Always everyone is able to find god anywhere.

rests primarily on two solid foundations: special revelation (the Bible) and general revelation (the created order).

More simple. God speaks with us - and what we percept and not percept all around us is made from god and full of his spirit. Somehow everything is his spirit. The problem is not god. The problem is our own [lack of] love and [lack of] spirit.

While the Bible reveals the character and personality of God page after page, the “whole workmanship of the universe,” according to John Calvin,

Calvin? An extremely fanatic and murderous man, I heard.

reveals and discloses God day after day. The Psalmist says, “The heavens declare the glory of God” (Psalm 19).

Christian Theology – Grounded in Jesus Christ

Christian theology points to what Christians believe—that a personal God has revealed Himself through a created world, and that He has a plan and ultimate destiny for that world. Christian theology is ultimately Christ-centered. The God who “so loved the world that He gave His only Son” has allowed for a personal relationship between Himself and fallen humanity.

Christian Theology

What about this idea: God created all heavens, all worlds and all hells - and the devil had created theology?

 

[Lysistrata]

Theology is broadly defined as matters of God or religious belief, but I for one would say that it's just matters of God, or Theos, and so therefore is impossible to comprehend.

More manageable in Christian "theology" is eschatology, or matters of last things, and soteriology, or matters of the resurrection.

The entire New Testament is the kingdom of God, essentially, or eschatology. That is the central message of Christianity. Once we understand eschatology, then soteriology becomes our focus, but theology is a wild goose chase since we can not fully understand the infinite.

the only part of the New Testament that has to do with God is that which tells the story of Jesus, his life, his teachings. The rest of the New Testament is man-made. there are people who think that Saul/Paul or Timothy or the writer of Revelations (John of Patmos?) have something to do with the Creator.

Not that Timothy wrote any part of the Bible, but Paul, Timothy, and John of Patmos had no more or less to do with the Creator than David, Solomon, or Job did.

But really, I would say that they knew even more about God because they knew Israel's Messiah personally (or at least that generation of his disciples). Whereas the patriarchs and prophets yearned century after century for God to restore His kingdom on the earth, the apostles and disciples actually bear witness to that restoration in real time.

Jesus was/is not the messiah of the Jews, though. Is there actually anyone who would fit the role of the one-and-only representative of the Supreme Being on earth? There were millions of people who did not live within the Roman Empire of 2,000 years ago, as well. The years among the Hebrews, the Indians, the Chinese number in the 5,000 range. And there were people in other civilizations on other continents, as well.

The New Testament teaches that Jesus was Israel's Messiah, and that's what Christians believe.

Notice we have "israel messiah". In Jesus's time, the walking preacher,
View attachment 328680

“so loved the world that He gave His only Son”

and his son was to preach and save the Hebrews only, and God so loved the world he drowned everyone. I can go on how lovely God is, but its so depressing.

^ Penelope Yes and No. Your depressing approach is like looking at the US health care
system and lamenting that "700,000 people die each year from medical mistakes including prescription errors"
while other people look at the successful treatments and outcomes and are grateful "it's the best in the world."

Which way is correct? Both are. Yes, the system has advantages of being able to afford
proactive research and development, as well as problems with profits getting in the way of access.

But we don't have to throw the whole system in the trash.
We can STUDY what failed, and improve on it.
We only have to throw away the parts causing problems.

All human history and institutions are similar.
There is a learning curve, by trial and error, and learning
by example and experience, we learn to keep the better approaches
that lead to positive outcomes, and avoid the negative approaches
that lead to negative outcomes.

If your approach is depressing, how can the same problems
be looked at in a more positive way that still acknowledges the wrongs
but CORRECTS them so it isn't depressing but seen as a POSITIVE process
of overcoming the ills of the past and working toward sustainable solutions in the future?

and you healthcare is faith healing!! Still think god is going to heal you if you get cancer, or DM or Covid 19??

He might.

NO!!

Do you think we might discuss the doctrines of the resurrection and the transubstantiation?
Have you any thoughts on that?

I don't believe in either, although I swallowed the host for years.

The Creator of the universe must have reached out to all of his/her creations. Not just a tiny minority in the Middle East some 2,000 years ago. Christians, Jews, Muslims continue to argue with each other. But there must be a broader picture that gathers in all of the humans on all continents. Just for starters: what did the people living in north and south America know about their Creator when they could not have known that there were people living in Judea? What did people living in China know or those living in India?

 

[zaangalewa]

“so loved the world that He gave His only Son”

and his son was to preach and save the Hebrews only, and God so loved the world he drowned everyone. I can go on how lovely God is, but its so depressing.

He drowned everyone?

Does that mean we had to grow gills?

He's your god, ask him.

He’s not yours?

Are there more than one?

Again, ask him. If you have a line of communication with God, go and ask him. All your questions will be answered by him in your bible and praying. Ask him.

I don’t ask G-d questions like that.

What was the question? I will ask him. ... ah - here is it - it are two questions:

He drowned everyone?

That's only a joke of people who don't understand what every child understands: the story of Noah's ark.

Does that mean we had to grow gills?

No. This means since latest baptism your spiritual gills are able to breathe in the wind.

 

[zaangalewa]

Theology is broadly defined as matters of God or religious belief, but I for one would say that it's just matters of God, or Theos, and so therefore is impossible to comprehend.

More manageable in Christian "theology" is eschatology, or matters of last things, and soteriology, or matters of the resurrection.

The entire New Testament is the kingdom of God, essentially, or eschatology. That is the central message of Christianity. Once we understand eschatology, then soteriology becomes our focus, but theology is a wild goose chase since we can not fully understand the infinite.

the only part of the New Testament that has to do with God is that which tells the story of Jesus, his life, his teachings. The rest of the New Testament is man-made. there are people who think that Saul/Paul or Timothy or the writer of Revelations (John of Patmos?) have something to do with the Creator.

Not that Timothy wrote any part of the Bible, but Paul, Timothy, and John of Patmos had no more or less to do with the Creator than David, Solomon, or Job did.

But really, I would say that they knew even more about God because they knew Israel's Messiah personally (or at least that generation of his disciples). Whereas the patriarchs and prophets yearned century after century for God to restore His kingdom on the earth, the apostles and disciples actually bear witness to that restoration in real time.

Jesus was/is not the messiah of the Jews, though. Is there actually anyone who would fit the role of the one-and-only representative of the Supreme Being on earth? There were millions of people who did not live within the Roman Empire of 2,000 years ago, as well. The years among the Hebrews, the Indians, the Chinese number in the 5,000 range. And there were people in other civilizations on other continents, as well.

The New Testament teaches that Jesus was Israel's Messiah, and that's what Christians believe.

Notice we have "israel messiah". In Jesus's time, the walking preacher,
View attachment 328680

“so loved the world that He gave His only Son”

and his son was to preach and save the Hebrews only, and God so loved the world he drowned everyone. I can go on how lovely God is, but its so depressing.

^ Penelope Yes and No. Your depressing approach is like looking at the US health care
system and lamenting that "700,000 people die each year from medical mistakes including prescription errors"
while other people look at the successful treatments and outcomes and are grateful "it's the best in the world."

Which way is correct? Both are. Yes, the system has advantages of being able to afford
proactive research and development, as well as problems with profits getting in the way of access.

But we don't have to throw the whole system in the trash.
We can STUDY what failed, and improve on it.
We only have to throw away the parts causing problems.

All human history and institutions are similar.
There is a learning curve, by trial and error, and learning
by example and experience, we learn to keep the better approaches
that lead to positive outcomes, and avoid the negative approaches
that lead to negative outcomes.

If your approach is depressing, how can the same problems
be looked at in a more positive way that still acknowledges the wrongs
but CORRECTS them so it isn't depressing but seen as a POSITIVE process
of overcoming the ills of the past and working toward sustainable solutions in the future?

and you healthcare is faith healing!! Still think god is going to heal you if you get cancer, or DM or Covid 19??

He might.

NO!!

Do you think we might discuss the doctrines of the resurrection and the transubstantiation?
Have you any thoughts on that?

I don't believe in either, although I swallowed the host for years.

The Creator of the universe must have reached out to all of his/her creations. Not just a tiny minority in the Middle East some 2,000 years ago. Christians, Jews, Muslims continue to argue with each other. But there must be a broader picture that gathers in all of the humans on all continents. Just for starters: what did the people living in north and south America know about their Creator when they could not have known that there were people living in Judea? What did people living in China know or those living in India?

They know - and ignore - what's written in their heart in a similar way what you know in your heart - and what you ignore.

 

[Mindful]

“so loved the world that He gave His only Son”

and his son was to preach and save the Hebrews only, and God so loved the world he drowned everyone. I can go on how lovely God is, but its so depressing.

He drowned everyone?

Does that mean we had to grow gills?

He's your god, ask him.

He’s not yours?

Are there more than one?

Again, ask him. If you have a line of communication with God, go and ask him. All your questions will be answered by him in your bible and praying. Ask him.

I don’t ask G-d questions like that.

What was the question? I will ask him. ... ah - here is it - it are two questions:

He drowned everyone?

That's only a joke of people who don't understand what every child understands: the story of Noah's ark.

Does that mean we had to grow gills?

No. This means since latest baptism your spiritual gills are able to breathe in the wind.

I was being facetious with that last one.

 

[Lysistrata]

Theology is broadly defined as matters of God or religious belief, but I for one would say that it's just matters of God, or Theos, and so therefore is impossible to comprehend.

More manageable in Christian "theology" is eschatology, or matters of last things, and soteriology, or matters of the resurrection.

The entire New Testament is the kingdom of God, essentially, or eschatology. That is the central message of Christianity. Once we understand eschatology, then soteriology becomes our focus, but theology is a wild goose chase since we can not fully understand the infinite.

the only part of the New Testament that has to do with God is that which tells the story of Jesus, his life, his teachings. The rest of the New Testament is man-made. there are people who think that Saul/Paul or Timothy or the writer of Revelations (John of Patmos?) have something to do with the Creator.

Not that Timothy wrote any part of the Bible, but Paul, Timothy, and John of Patmos had no more or less to do with the Creator than David, Solomon, or Job did.

But really, I would say that they knew even more about God because they knew Israel's Messiah personally (or at least that generation of his disciples). Whereas the patriarchs and prophets yearned century after century for God to restore His kingdom on the earth, the apostles and disciples actually bear witness to that restoration in real time.

Jesus was/is not the messiah of the Jews, though. Is there actually anyone who would fit the role of the one-and-only representative of the Supreme Being on earth? There were millions of people who did not live within the Roman Empire of 2,000 years ago, as well. The years among the Hebrews, the Indians, the Chinese number in the 5,000 range. And there were people in other civilizations on other continents, as well.

The New Testament teaches that Jesus was Israel's Messiah, and that's what Christians believe.

Notice we have "israel messiah". In Jesus's time, the walking preacher,
View attachment 328680

“so loved the world that He gave His only Son”

and his son was to preach and save the Hebrews only, and God so loved the world he drowned everyone. I can go on how lovely God is, but its so depressing.

^ Penelope Yes and No. Your depressing approach is like looking at the US health care
system and lamenting that "700,000 people die each year from medical mistakes including prescription errors"
while other people look at the successful treatments and outcomes and are grateful "it's the best in the world."

Which way is correct? Both are. Yes, the system has advantages of being able to afford
proactive research and development, as well as problems with profits getting in the way of access.

But we don't have to throw the whole system in the trash.
We can STUDY what failed, and improve on it.
We only have to throw away the parts causing problems.

All human history and institutions are similar.
There is a learning curve, by trial and error, and learning
by example and experience, we learn to keep the better approaches
that lead to positive outcomes, and avoid the negative approaches
that lead to negative outcomes.

If your approach is depressing, how can the same problems
be looked at in a more positive way that still acknowledges the wrongs
but CORRECTS them so it isn't depressing but seen as a POSITIVE process
of overcoming the ills of the past and working toward sustainable solutions in the future?

and you healthcare is faith healing!! Still think god is going to heal you if you get cancer, or DM or Covid 19??

He might.

NO!!

Do you think we might discuss the doctrines of the resurrection and the transubstantiation?
Have you any thoughts on that?

I don't believe in either, although I swallowed the host for years.

The Creator of the universe must have reached out to all of his/her creations. Not just a tiny minority in the Middle East some 2,000 years ago. Christians, Jews, Muslims continue to argue with each other. But there must be a broader picture that gathers in all of the humans on all continents. Just for starters: what did the people living in north and south America know about their Creator when they could not have known that there were people living in Judea? What did people living in China know or those living in India?

They know - and ignore - what's written in their heart in a similar way what you know in your heart - and what you ignore.

I don't know how to take your comment. I am a human being among billions of others. I know at least one person who is fasting for Ramadan. To him I wish Ramadan Mubarak!

 

[Mindful]

Theology is broadly defined as matters of God or religious belief, but I for one would say that it's just matters of God, or Theos, and so therefore is impossible to comprehend.

More manageable in Christian "theology" is eschatology, or matters of last things, and soteriology, or matters of the resurrection.

The entire New Testament is the kingdom of God, essentially, or eschatology. That is the central message of Christianity. Once we understand eschatology, then soteriology becomes our focus, but theology is a wild goose chase since we can not fully understand the infinite.

the only part of the New Testament that has to do with God is that which tells the story of Jesus, his life, his teachings. The rest of the New Testament is man-made. there are people who think that Saul/Paul or Timothy or the writer of Revelations (John of Patmos?) have something to do with the Creator.

Not that Timothy wrote any part of the Bible, but Paul, Timothy, and John of Patmos had no more or less to do with the Creator than David, Solomon, or Job did.

But really, I would say that they knew even more about God because they knew Israel's Messiah personally (or at least that generation of his disciples). Whereas the patriarchs and prophets yearned century after century for God to restore His kingdom on the earth, the apostles and disciples actually bear witness to that restoration in real time.

Jesus was/is not the messiah of the Jews, though. Is there actually anyone who would fit the role of the one-and-only representative of the Supreme Being on earth? There were millions of people who did not live within the Roman Empire of 2,000 years ago, as well. The years among the Hebrews, the Indians, the Chinese number in the 5,000 range. And there were people in other civilizations on other continents, as well.

The New Testament teaches that Jesus was Israel's Messiah, and that's what Christians believe.

Notice we have "israel messiah". In Jesus's time, the walking preacher,
View attachment 328680

“so loved the world that He gave His only Son”

and his son was to preach and save the Hebrews only, and God so loved the world he drowned everyone. I can go on how lovely God is, but its so depressing.

^ Penelope Yes and No. Your depressing approach is like looking at the US health care
system and lamenting that "700,000 people die each year from medical mistakes including prescription errors"
while other people look at the successful treatments and outcomes and are grateful "it's the best in the world."

Which way is correct? Both are. Yes, the system has advantages of being able to afford
proactive research and development, as well as problems with profits getting in the way of access.

But we don't have to throw the whole system in the trash.
We can STUDY what failed, and improve on it.
We only have to throw away the parts causing problems.

All human history and institutions are similar.
There is a learning curve, by trial and error, and learning
by example and experience, we learn to keep the better approaches
that lead to positive outcomes, and avoid the negative approaches
that lead to negative outcomes.

If your approach is depressing, how can the same problems
be looked at in a more positive way that still acknowledges the wrongs
but CORRECTS them so it isn't depressing but seen as a POSITIVE process
of overcoming the ills of the past and working toward sustainable solutions in the future?

and you healthcare is faith healing!! Still think god is going to heal you if you get cancer, or DM or Covid 19??

He might.

NO!!

Do you think we might discuss the doctrines of the resurrection and the transubstantiation?
Have you any thoughts on that?

I don't believe in either, although I swallowed the host for years.

The Creator of the universe must have reached out to all of his/her creations. Not just a tiny minority in the Middle East some 2,000 years ago. Christians, Jews, Muslims continue to argue with each other. But there must be a broader picture that gathers in all of the humans on all continents. Just for starters: what did the people living in north and south America know about their Creator when they could not have known that there were people living in Judea? What did people living in China know or those living in India?

They know - and ignore - what's written in their heart in a similar way what you know in your heart - and what you ignore.

I don't know how to take your comment. I am a human being among billions of others. I know at least one person who is fasting for Ramadan. To him I wish Ramadan Mubarak!

I don’t know if there were any Christian allegories in LOTR.

CS Lewis, perhaps.

 

[Andylusion]

“so loved the world that He gave His only Son”

and his son was to preach and save the Hebrews only, and God so loved the world he drowned everyone. I can go on how lovely God is, but its so depressing.

Hebrews 'first', not 'only'. Woman at the well, was no a Hebrew. The woman whose daughter was afflicted with an evil spirit, was not Hebrew. There were more than a couple times were Jesus helped non-hebrews.

That is not to say they he didn't prioritize the G-d's chosen people.

There is nothing wrong with that, anymore than you would feed your own children first, before giving food to a needy family with children.

As far wiping out the people with a flood... again, the Bible says the world was filled with violence and evil. It was justified punishment. G-d has the right to punish evil. In fact, if G-d did not punish evil, he would not be good.

If your daughter was raped and murdered, and the judge over the court let the man who did it off free... don't tell me that you would be happy about. Nor tell me that if the man who did it was given justified punishment, that you would be depressed.

Same thing with G-d. G-d must punish evil, because he is the very nature of all that is good. Every punishment levied by G-d in history, and those punishments of today, are all completely and totally justified and good.

I don't know about you, but it makes me very happy to realize that evil will be punished. Think about all the sex-trafficked girls we have in this country, right now. Many of these evil people, will never be caught, never be brought to justice, because the public is more worried how racist it is to stop illegal immigration.

It makes me happy to know all of those evil people will be punished, and those who are complicit will also be punished. No one who supports or engages in evil, will escape the wrath of G-d... specifically because G-d is good.

Equally G-d will also show mercy to any who turn away from their evil. Again... because G-d is good in every way.

 

[zaangalewa]

Theology is broadly defined as matters of God or religious belief, but I for one would say that it's just matters of God, or Theos, and so therefore is impossible to comprehend.

More manageable in Christian "theology" is eschatology, or matters of last things, and soteriology, or matters of the resurrection.

The entire New Testament is the kingdom of God, essentially, or eschatology. That is the central message of Christianity. Once we understand eschatology, then soteriology becomes our focus, but theology is a wild goose chase since we can not fully understand the infinite.

the only part of the New Testament that has to do with God is that which tells the story of Jesus, his life, his teachings. The rest of the New Testament is man-made. there are people who think that Saul/Paul or Timothy or the writer of Revelations (John of Patmos?) have something to do with the Creator.

-----
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
-----

-----

 

[Penelope]

“so loved the world that He gave His only Son”

and his son was to preach and save the Hebrews only, and God so loved the world he drowned everyone. I can go on how lovely God is, but its so depressing.

Hebrews 'first', not 'only'. Woman at the well, was no a Hebrew. The woman whose daughter was afflicted with an evil spirit, was not Hebrew. There were more than a couple times were Jesus helped non-hebrews.

That is not to say they he didn't prioritize the G-d's chosen people.

There is nothing wrong with that, anymore than you would feed your own children first, before giving food to a needy family with children.

As far wiping out the people with a flood... again, the Bible says the world was filled with violence and evil. It was justified punishment. G-d has the right to punish evil. In fact, if G-d did not punish evil, he would not be good.

If your daughter was raped and murdered, and the judge over the court let the man who did it off free... don't tell me that you would be happy about. Nor tell me that if the man who did it was given justified punishment, that you would be depressed.

Same thing with G-d. G-d must punish evil, because he is the very nature of all that is good. Every punishment levied by G-d in history, and those punishments of today, are all completely and totally justified and good.

I don't know about you, but it makes me very happy to realize that evil will be punished. Think about all the sex-trafficked girls we have in this country, right now. Many of these evil people, will never be caught, never be brought to justice, because the public is more worried how racist it is to stop illegal immigration.

It makes me happy to know all of those evil people will be punished, and those who are complicit will also be punished. No one who supports or engages in evil, will escape the wrath of G-d... specifically because G-d is good.

Equally G-d will also show mercy to any who turn away from their evil. Again... because G-d is good in every way.

I have a different take on the OT, God is evil. What would you call Moses??
You must be a jew, because people who don't spell God are jews.

People who think God is talking to them are confused, its their voice talking to them.

 

[zaangalewa]

“so loved the world that He gave His only Son”

and his son was to preach and save the Hebrews only, and God so loved the world he drowned everyone. I can go on how lovely God is, but its so depressing.

He drowned everyone?

Does that mean we had to grow gills?

He's your god, ask him.

He’s not yours?

Are there more than one?

Again, ask him. If you have a line of communication with God, go and ask him. All your questions will be answered by him in your bible and praying. Ask him.

I don’t ask G-d questions like that.

What was the question? I will ask him. ... ah - here is it - it are two questions:

He drowned everyone?

That's only a joke of people who don't understand what every child understands: the story of Noah's ark.

Does that mean we had to grow gills?

No. This means since latest baptism your spiritual gills are able to breathe in the wind.

I was being facetious with that last one.

Facetious? Sorry. I'm a German. Humor confuses our gills.

 

[zaangalewa]

Theology is broadly defined as matters of God or religious belief, but I for one would say that it's just matters of God, or Theos, and so therefore is impossible to comprehend.

More manageable in Christian "theology" is eschatology, or matters of last things, and soteriology, or matters of the resurrection.

The entire New Testament is the kingdom of God, essentially, or eschatology. That is the central message of Christianity. Once we understand eschatology, then soteriology becomes our focus, but theology is a wild goose chase since we can not fully understand the infinite.

the only part of the New Testament that has to do with God is that which tells the story of Jesus, his life, his teachings. The rest of the New Testament is man-made. there are people who think that Saul/Paul or Timothy or the writer of Revelations (John of Patmos?) have something to do with the Creator.

Not that Timothy wrote any part of the Bible, but Paul, Timothy, and John of Patmos had no more or less to do with the Creator than David, Solomon, or Job did.

But really, I would say that they knew even more about God because they knew Israel's Messiah personally (or at least that generation of his disciples). Whereas the patriarchs and prophets yearned century after century for God to restore His kingdom on the earth, the apostles and disciples actually bear witness to that restoration in real time.

Jesus was/is not the messiah of the Jews, though. Is there actually anyone who would fit the role of the one-and-only representative of the Supreme Being on earth? There were millions of people who did not live within the Roman Empire of 2,000 years ago, as well. The years among the Hebrews, the Indians, the Chinese number in the 5,000 range. And there were people in other civilizations on other continents, as well.

The New Testament teaches that Jesus was Israel's Messiah, and that's what Christians believe.

Notice we have "israel messiah". In Jesus's time, the walking preacher,
View attachment 328680

“so loved the world that He gave His only Son”

and his son was to preach and save the Hebrews only, and God so loved the world he drowned everyone. I can go on how lovely God is, but its so depressing.

^ Penelope Yes and No. Your depressing approach is like looking at the US health care
system and lamenting that "700,000 people die each year from medical mistakes including prescription errors"
while other people look at the successful treatments and outcomes and are grateful "it's the best in the world."

Which way is correct? Both are. Yes, the system has advantages of being able to afford
proactive research and development, as well as problems with profits getting in the way of access.

But we don't have to throw the whole system in the trash.
We can STUDY what failed, and improve on it.
We only have to throw away the parts causing problems.

All human history and institutions are similar.
There is a learning curve, by trial and error, and learning
by example and experience, we learn to keep the better approaches
that lead to positive outcomes, and avoid the negative approaches
that lead to negative outcomes.

If your approach is depressing, how can the same problems
be looked at in a more positive way that still acknowledges the wrongs
but CORRECTS them so it isn't depressing but seen as a POSITIVE process
of overcoming the ills of the past and working toward sustainable solutions in the future?

and you healthcare is faith healing!! Still think god is going to heal you if you get cancer, or DM or Covid 19??

He might.

NO!!

Do you think we might discuss the doctrines of the resurrection and the transubstantiation?
Have you any thoughts on that?

I don't believe in either, although I swallowed the host for years.

The Creator of the universe must have reached out to all of his/her creations. Not just a tiny minority in the Middle East some 2,000 years ago. Christians, Jews, Muslims continue to argue with each other. But there must be a broader picture that gathers in all of the humans on all continents. Just for starters: what did the people living in north and south America know about their Creator when they could not have known that there were people living in Judea? What did people living in China know or those living in India?

They know - and ignore - what's written in their heart in a similar way what you know in your heart - and what you ignore.

I don't know how to take your comment. I am a human being among billions of others.

Not a rectangle full of light with some scribbles? hmmm ...

I know at least one person who is fasting for Ramadan. To him I wish Ramadan Mubarak!

I guess this means "blessed fast" or something like this.

 

[LittleNipper]

“so loved the world that He gave His only Son”

and his son was to preach and save the Hebrews only, and God so loved the world he drowned everyone. I can go on how lovely God is, but its so depressing.

Hebrews 'first', not 'only'. Woman at the well, was no a Hebrew. The woman whose daughter was afflicted with an evil spirit, was not Hebrew. There were more than a couple times were Jesus helped non-hebrews.

That is not to say they he didn't prioritize the G-d's chosen people.

There is nothing wrong with that, anymore than you would feed your own children first, before giving food to a needy family with children.

As far wiping out the people with a flood... again, the Bible says the world was filled with violence and evil. It was justified punishment. G-d has the right to punish evil. In fact, if G-d did not punish evil, he would not be good.

If your daughter was raped and murdered, and the judge over the court let the man who did it off free... don't tell me that you would be happy about. Nor tell me that if the man who did it was given justified punishment, that you would be depressed.

Same thing with G-d. G-d must punish evil, because he is the very nature of all that is good. Every punishment levied by G-d in history, and those punishments of today, are all completely and totally justified and good.

I don't know about you, but it makes me very happy to realize that evil will be punished. Think about all the sex-trafficked girls we have in this country, right now. Many of these evil people, will never be caught, never be brought to justice, because the public is more worried how racist it is to stop illegal immigration.

It makes me happy to know all of those evil people will be punished, and those who are complicit will also be punished. No one who supports or engages in evil, will escape the wrath of G-d... specifically because G-d is good.

Equally G-d will also show mercy to any who turn away from their evil. Again... because G-d is good in every way.

I have a different take on the OT, God is evil. What would you call Moses??
You must be a jew, because people who don't spell God are jews.

People who think God is talking to them are confused, its their voice talking to them.

God can speak to individuals in a variety of ways. He may place a thought in someone's mind. He may send an individual to enlighten someone else who is bewildered or searching. He may reveal the meaning of a portion of His Holy Word to someone earnestly studying to find truth. He may allow an event or a series of events to occur to motivate individuals and redirect them. He may even speak in someone via a dream...

 

[Lysistrata]

Theology is broadly defined as matters of God or religious belief, but I for one would say that it's just matters of God, or Theos, and so therefore is impossible to comprehend.

More manageable in Christian "theology" is eschatology, or matters of last things, and soteriology, or matters of the resurrection.

The entire New Testament is the kingdom of God, essentially, or eschatology. That is the central message of Christianity. Once we understand eschatology, then soteriology becomes our focus, but theology is a wild goose chase since we can not fully understand the infinite.

the only part of the New Testament that has to do with God is that which tells the story of Jesus, his life, his teachings. The rest of the New Testament is man-made. there are people who think that Saul/Paul or Timothy or the writer of Revelations (John of Patmos?) have something to do with the Creator.

-----
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
-----

-----

Thank you for sharing. All of us walk in the spirit. Tolkien taught us how. Not some pope or priest or rabbi or monk.

 

[Lysistrata]

Theology is broadly defined as matters of God or religious belief, but I for one would say that it's just matters of God, or Theos, and so therefore is impossible to comprehend.

More manageable in Christian "theology" is eschatology, or matters of last things, and soteriology, or matters of the resurrection.

The entire New Testament is the kingdom of God, essentially, or eschatology. That is the central message of Christianity. Once we understand eschatology, then soteriology becomes our focus, but theology is a wild goose chase since we can not fully understand the infinite.

the only part of the New Testament that has to do with God is that which tells the story of Jesus, his life, his teachings. The rest of the New Testament is man-made. there are people who think that Saul/Paul or Timothy or the writer of Revelations (John of Patmos?) have something to do with the Creator.

Not that Timothy wrote any part of the Bible, but Paul, Timothy, and John of Patmos had no more or less to do with the Creator than David, Solomon, or Job did.

But really, I would say that they knew even more about God because they knew Israel's Messiah personally (or at least that generation of his disciples). Whereas the patriarchs and prophets yearned century after century for God to restore His kingdom on the earth, the apostles and disciples actually bear witness to that restoration in real time.

Jesus was/is not the messiah of the Jews, though. Is there actually anyone who would fit the role of the one-and-only representative of the Supreme Being on earth? There were millions of people who did not live within the Roman Empire of 2,000 years ago, as well. The years among the Hebrews, the Indians, the Chinese number in the 5,000 range. And there were people in other civilizations on other continents, as well.

The New Testament teaches that Jesus was Israel's Messiah, and that's what Christians believe.

Notice we have "israel messiah". In Jesus's time, the walking preacher,
View attachment 328680

“so loved the world that He gave His only Son”

and his son was to preach and save the Hebrews only, and God so loved the world he drowned everyone. I can go on how lovely God is, but its so depressing.

^ Penelope Yes and No. Your depressing approach is like looking at the US health care
system and lamenting that "700,000 people die each year from medical mistakes including prescription errors"
while other people look at the successful treatments and outcomes and are grateful "it's the best in the world."

Which way is correct? Both are. Yes, the system has advantages of being able to afford
proactive research and development, as well as problems with profits getting in the way of access.

But we don't have to throw the whole system in the trash.
We can STUDY what failed, and improve on it.
We only have to throw away the parts causing problems.

All human history and institutions are similar.
There is a learning curve, by trial and error, and learning
by example and experience, we learn to keep the better approaches
that lead to positive outcomes, and avoid the negative approaches
that lead to negative outcomes.

If your approach is depressing, how can the same problems
be looked at in a more positive way that still acknowledges the wrongs
but CORRECTS them so it isn't depressing but seen as a POSITIVE process
of overcoming the ills of the past and working toward sustainable solutions in the future?

and you healthcare is faith healing!! Still think god is going to heal you if you get cancer, or DM or Covid 19??

He might.

NO!!

Do you think we might discuss the doctrines of the resurrection and the transubstantiation?
Have you any thoughts on that?

I don't believe in either, although I swallowed the host for years.

The Creator of the universe must have reached out to all of his/her creations. Not just a tiny minority in the Middle East some 2,000 years ago. Christians, Jews, Muslims continue to argue with each other. But there must be a broader picture that gathers in all of the humans on all continents. Just for starters: what did the people living in north and south America know about their Creator when they could not have known that there were people living in Judea? What did people living in China know or those living in India?

They know - and ignore - what's written in their heart in a similar way what you know in your heart - and what you ignore.

I don't know how to take your comment. I am a human being among billions of others.

Not a rectangle full of light with some scribbles? hmmm ...

I know at least one person who is fasting for Ramadan. To him I wish Ramadan Mubarak!

I guess this means "blessed fast" or something like this.

Yes. It is a time that Muslims repent of their sins, seek forgiveness and guidance from the Almighty. It's similar to Lent in the Christian calendar. Deprive self. Seek forgiveness. Whatever religion we follow as individuals, we must all seek to be humble.

 

[Meriweather]

Not necessarily the belief, but the concept.

The concept is that Jesus, by his presence in the bread and wine, can us spiritually.

 

[Mindful]

Not necessarily the belief, but the concept.

The concept is that Jesus, by his presence in the bread and wine, can us spiritually.

So that’s the Transubstantiation?

 

[Meriweather]

So that’s the Transubstantiation?

Yes.

 

[Mindful]

So that’s the Transubstantiation?

Yes.

And there’s a contradiction in terms.

Protestants believe it’s a representation of the body and blood of Christ.

To Catholics, it actually is the body and blood of Christ.

Am I right?

 

[Meriweather]

And there’s a contradiction in terms.

Protestants believe it’s a representation of the body and blood of Christ.

To Catholics, it actually is the body and blood of Christ.

Am I right?

Yes, you are correct.

Jesus, not surprising, believed in the power of words, especially his word. Jesus said, "This is my body...This is my blood." He lost a great many disciples when he said this. Jesus simply watched them leave before turning to his Apostles and saying, "Will you leave me as well?"

One would have thought Jesus would have called after those leaving, "Wait! Wait! I was only speaking symbolically, in allegory!" But he did not. Those who left noted it was a hard teaching, and who could accept it.

Catholics remember this. Protestants focus on Jesus saying, "Do this in memory of me." They still embrace this latter comment of Jesus, but not any of the former. It is also interesting that when Protestants broke away from the Church and the Eucharist, they also broke away from another set of words Jesus thought vital. These are the words spoken in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, where people actually hear, "Your sins are forgiven."

No one can blame Protestants for thinking they know their sins are forgiven, so why go and hear the words?

Words were essential to Jesus, and they remain essential to Catholics. You might say Protestants just found a few shortcuts.