My question is, May I speak only to Christians, please?

Question

I am a decent chap, a fellow who was a child of a rape, whose teenage mother abandoned him at 2, who would make a golden life for himself in the classical theatre in New York, who is now 71, five times a grandfather, a taxpayer, an honest and truthful man, a nonbeliever in the god of Bronze Age desert nomads, and, if I may, please, I wish to speak to persons who think of themselves as Christian. Please read both the OT and the NT all the way through, make notes, if you do not understand a verse, give it a bit of research. Use your brains, they are the core of you as a human being. Think, see what you are reading, think not of the Bronze Age but of 2007. Please, dear hearts, think, think, think.

Answer 1

"May I speak only to Christians?"

Not if you try doing it on a public Internet forum.

Answer 2

On the contrary, none of us are "decent" chaps, we're all sinners.

What does any of your background have to do with whether the bible is true or not? You tell us to think, yet then add irrelevant information (I didn't say it wasn't interesting, just that it has nothing to do with what you're discussing.

I have read both the OT and NT all the way through. Many of us even have a reading plan that aids us in doing just that every year.

I do use my brains, I apparently just happen to come to different conclusions than you do. And from an atheistic point of view, how are our brains any more "core" to our being human than any other part of us, since we're nothing more than a bunch of chemicals anyway? Why should we bother to think if we're only going to die and pass away into non-existence in a few years anyway?

Answer 3

At 71 you haven't had any spiritual experiences? You got to ask yourself why when everyone else gets a view of the program and you don't. This has nothing to do with which "AGE" you are from. You suggest that material cultures are more advaced than societies that don't need to smelt ores. Even if they only had lithic technology, this hardly would restrict any Shaman from doing his job.

Answer 4

Very good question, and you phrased it so beautifully. I hope I can do it justice...
I am a follower of Jesus Christ.
He rose from the dead, you know...He is still alive and well, in 2007. He is quite aware of how society has changed. Some of those changes sadden Him, others not so much.
My point is, dear heart, that God is a dynamic God. He lives in the hearts of His people...just as He always has, from the bronze age nomads through to the disciples...and now, He lives in the hearts of His followers in 2007...
Please, dear heart, think, think, think...

OH, and btw, you are a WONDEFUL argument AGAINST abortion!! Think if abortion had been legal when your Momma got knocked up with you, you might not even be here, today, giving us the benefit of your 71 year old wisdom!! My Mom did not desert me...she made it very plain that getting pregnant with me ruined her life, and if abortion had been legal, I surely would not be here, giving you the benefit of my 56 year olf wisdom...
Yes, indeed...THINK, THINK, THINK!!!!!!!

Answer 5

I agree with what you say that our brains need to be engaged when reading the bible and that we need to understand the cultural context in which the bible was written to gain a better understanding of what god was trying to convey to the people in those times.

God revels to people the all the information that they can cope with.In a barbaric time he revealed a barbaric religion. when he had enlightened people more through his prophets he revealed more enlightened true. it is why prophets are so important they revel the truth that is needed for a particular day and age.

Answer 6

You must have a tremendous stage presence to have reached your present status. That is quite remarkable and admirable. I would have loved to experience your performances.
Your exhortation to think is dead on the mark. Question, reason, always seek the truth. Struggle to see truth as it applies to yourself, and if it is true for you it should also be true for others.
I have done the exact thing you propose. My conclusions, however, are contrary to yours. It has to do with perspective and you have no need of anyone to lecture you on perspective, for you have mastered the art of theatre.
My prayers are with you.

Answer 7

conversing in tongues isn't data of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Lives being replaced is data of baptism of the Holy Spirit. Like Paul pronounced, conversing in tongues is edification for the self. it relatively is why it relatively is not spectacular why a lot of Christians are prepared approximately it.

Answer 8

I realize you've addressed your question to Christians. I am not a Christian and I apologize for the intrusion. But I'd just like to tell you how rare and refreshing it is to read such a polite and eloquent question in this particular forum. Thank you.

Answer 9

I am a Christian. I read in the Old and New Testaments each day. For years the Old Testament was hard and harsh and cruel and ugly to me, but then I realized God didn't want to sugar coat or use melodramatics. God wanted to portray everyday people exactly as they behaved, spoke and reacted.

One of the worst parts for a mother who dearly loves her children is "if you raise a rebellious child, just kill him." The truth is if you raise a rebellious child who rebels against God and denies and rejects Jesus Christ, then God will kill him. Only one way to heaven and eternal life and that is by believing in Jesus Christ who died on the cross of Calvary so mankind could be restored to a right relationship with Almighty God. God doesn't sugar coat.

Another one is Lot, Lot's wife and 2 daughters. Lot offered his 2 daughters to raging homosexuals. Angels told his wife not to look back and she did so they turned her into a pillar of salt. Lot's daughters wanted children so they got their father drunk and had sex with him. And here I am thinking what horrors are in this Bible, but then I remember God saved Lot because Abraham asked God to save him. Abraham was a man who believed in God and God rewarded Abraham for believing. But then even Abraham and Sarah wanted a child so badly that Sarah gave Hagar her handmade to Abraham. This is hard for me to understand but this happened quite often back then. Today barren women get artificial treatment or get a surrogate mother. The Abram/Hagar act may happen but not accepted as normal.

What you are asking us to "think, think, think" about is what makes the Bible authentic, genuine, truthful and the infallible Word of the Living God. Only God's Word would be absolute truth without melodramatics and sugar coating.

God split the Red Sea so the Hebrew children could cross over on dry land. A God capable of these miracles could have put an Oz Book or a Star Wars Trilogy together for us, but God kept it, as absolute truth, without falsehood of any kind. It is by far the greatest book ever written. Why not? It is inspired by Almighty God. It is written exactly as it happened.

I want you to think about the prophesies in the Bible. It was the prophecy of the Jews returning to the promised land, made a nation in one day and speaking the Hebrew language that helped me understand without a shadow of a doubt as to who wrote that Holy Bible. Too many fulfilled prophesies for me not to believe that the Bible is the infallible Word of the Living God. The core of me as a human being is the heart. "From the heart, the mouth speaks."

Please read some Bible commentaries from some of the great men of God. Their understanding, wisdom and knowledge as it was given to them by God may help you.

Answer 10

Well, how about that!!!
I truly like what you say.
For someone who came from so far back in the pack, you are to be admired.
You don't look anywhere near 71 in your avatar.