Should we handle victory the way the Christian god decrees?

Actually the Book of Revelation is what God showed in a vision. Now, if someone from that time saw the things of what is to happen at the end times, do you think they would have been able to explain it in words we would understand today?

And the beast is the Anti-christ.

Intrepid wrote:

I realize that most of you are American, but those of us outsiders are being painted with the same brush.

It could be argued that the presence of multiple "brushes" might be an indicator of a failed religion.

Questioner wrote:

Intrepid wrote:

I realize that most of you are American, but those of us outsiders are being painted with the same brush.

It could be argued that the presence of multiple "brushes" might be an indicator of a failed religion.

Argue away

Then again, most of us who consider ourselves to be people of faith know that human language and human understanding is inadequate to fully understand or describe the truths of God. In my opinion, for instance, I think all faith groups, Christian and non-Christian, have some of the truth and none have all of it. On any given issue any single person decides what is right for him/her and may see that differently than the next. Despite the differences and even the infighting, Christianity remains. Because all do not agree on each individual point, much less every point, is not a condemnation of Christianity. It is living proof that God can prevail in spite of humankind's worst failures.

It should be noted that there are many theologians who quite successfully argue that the book of Revelations was not, in fact, meant to be taken literally. They hold that it was a message of hope written in a form that it's intended audience could relate to, using apocryphal writing that was considered very powerful and imagery based.

In short, it's a messge of hope, not a book of the end times. . .

I think it to be a fundamental flaw in logic to dismiss the fact that there are so many disperate beliefs and elements attributed to one religion while believing that the collection of words penned by men and printed/translated by men to be God-inspired.

It would seem to me that if God were so insistant that his book be kept straight, he might also lend a hand to keep his flocks in order. That he hasn't, and that this is chalked up to human nature and consequently ignored, baffles me a bit.

Questioner wrote:

Intrepid wrote:

I realize that most of you are American, but those of us outsiders are being painted with the same brush.

It could be argued that the presence of multiple "brushes" might be an indicator of a failed religion.

Argue away

Multiple brushes but one masterful hand that guides them...

RexRed wrote:

Multiple brushes but one masterful hand that guides them...

Aye, that's the jest of it that i'm getting from those I ask.

I just can't see how having so many churches with so much differing dogma and bitter infighting is healthy to any religion.

RexRed wrote:

Multiple brushes but one masterful hand that guides them...

Aye, that's the jest of it that i'm getting from those I ask.

I just can't see how having so many churches with so much differing dogma and bitter infighting is healthy to any religion.

Nor do I. But again with so many so determined to eradicate religion, most particularly Christianity, from the face of the earth, and nobody has been able to do it even within one country, I have to figure our Captain has not abandoned ship no matter how damaged or how far off course she is blown. It is Christ's Church after all. Each new denomination is formed with the intent to 'get it right', yet none seem to quite make it. I have to suspect that God does not require uniformity. and perhaps each denomination enhances the gifts of the Spirit of those who are drawn to it.

englishmajor wrote:

Sorry to disappoint you, Rex. I am Canadian; therefore I have more than two parties to choose from. We actually have 4 in Canada. I am neither Dem or Rep, neither left or right.

Who has been filling my head with thoughts that the world does not like America!!??? Where have you been? That IS the world opinion. I see you do not read or watch anything out of the realm of CNN, etc. America has the right to 'go out and see who our friends are'? What an innocent, naive statement! That is not what America is doing. Have you heard of globalization? It's another word for imperialism, and that is what America is up to. I suggest you go to PNAC website (Project for a New American Century). You'll be surprised to see who the members are. Jeb is one... Please don't try and tell me America is out and about handing out candy to the world and making friends. They are, in fact, trying to push free trade down everyone's throat. Maybe you didn't know, but NAFTA does not work here in Canada (if you happened to hear on your US news, which I doubt - NAFTA has ruled in Canada's favour about the softwoods tariff illegally placed on our lumber, but the US will not honour that agreement) that is just another example of how America deals with other countries. I am glad we have a PM (Prime Minister) who sees through the BS that people like Cond. Rice (who worked for Chevron before she became George's little friend) spew out.

Did you know, Rex, that the Taliban were financed by the US? Look it up online, it's no secret for those who look for answers in places other than CNN, Fox, etc. The US is simply in Iraq for oil. Bush admitted that. Why aren't they in other places in the world where tyranny exists? Why aren't they helping the Palestinians? Why do they allow Israel to have WMD's, and kill Palestinians? Can you answer those questions? Oh, and don't worry about Pakistan. America has their little puppet in charge there; not likely he will use his WMD's....but you never know. The point is, the US used the Taliban until they did not need them any longer, then they became terrorists.
And you're right, this thread is not the correct one for such discussions. I'll be happy to talk with you on the "is george bush a christian' or 'why did america attack iraq'.
Please look up some sites on the net, or read or watch BBC ---something! and get back to me. I think you'll have a different opinion when you learn what PNAC plans. I know when I lived in the States I did not hear half of what I hear on our news here in Canada, which is more globally oriented.......

Like I said, less than half of what you are saying is actually based on solid facts. The US did not become the worlds only super power by being "unpopular"...

You are simply politically slanted and for an "english major" I think you could learn to have an original thought. You are just spouting out leftist propaganda talking points that have no real "truth". You have an agenda. You have been programed with your slander and you simply spout it off like some kind of mindless robot.

I don't have this issue that you have... I voted for Al Gore! not Bush. Then I voted for Bush.

I am a republican (moderate) but I ALSO believe in choice. I also do not think abortion should be used as a form of "contraception"... When it gets to mistake number six and seven then I think that people who have had that many abortions should be listed with pedophiles on the internet...

But I don't get this kind of attack the issues with logic approach from you. I feel it is more attack the issues with partisanship in your case.

I think you or at least your friends are even delusional.

You want to believe anything that pushes your hate agenda further.

Do you even have one original solution other than the generic hate Bush hate America rant?

I am not against free trade... I am for fair trade too.... I believe we should trade with people who are providing their people with hospitals and schools. Do you have a problem with that? Or should we only trade with dictators and people who strap bombs to babies?

I just can't see how having so many churches with so much differing dogma and bitter infighting is healthy to any religion.

It is a spiritual answer not an answer obtained by surface logic.

Most religious people are good...

after all... "God is good and God is great"? Remember?

God is not good!

God is best... people are often talked out of the best for something good...

. . . But again with so many so determined to eradicate religion, most particularly Christianity, from the face of the earth, and nobody has been able to do it even within one country, I have to figure our Captain has not abandoned ship no matter how damaged or how far off course she is blown. It is Christ's Church after all. Each new denomination is formed with the intent to 'get it right', yet none seem to quite make it. I have to suspect that God does not require uniformity. and perhaps each denomination enhances the gifts of the Spirit of those who are drawn to it.

Really!

Where does this fit in:

"Now I exhort YOU, brothers, through the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that YOU should all speak in agreement, and that there should not be divisions among YOU, but that YOU may be fitly united in the same mind and in the same line of thought." (1Corinthians 1:10)

For that matter Paul certainly did not expect his letters to become Scripture. . .

And in those most basic components, almost all those who call themselves Christian agree.