tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20524196.post396739571093487682..comments2024-02-14T11:00:03.180-05:00Comments on Tom McLaughlin: Opposing ForcesTom McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07691546351143209227noreply@blogger.comBlogger79125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20524196.post-34393985668123742582010-01-05T13:04:42.941-05:002010-01-05T13:04:42.941-05:00Actually this is a good title for what's going...Actually this is a good title for what's going on here. "Opposing Forces"...although I'm thinking more towards a spiritual POV than a physical one. <br /><br />I have to make a correction I meant to say Nathan instead of Nathaniel in my last posting. <br /><br />Also food for thought: <br /><br />In his book Maximum Achievement, corporate trainer Brian Tracy writes, "Virtually everything you do is the result of habit. The way you talk, the way you work, drive, think, interact with others, spend money and deal with the important people in your life are all largely habitual." But then he says, "The good news is that all habits are learned, and they can therefore be unlearned."*<br /><br />It's easy to see the habits in our lives. We brush our teeth, dress ourselves, and drive to work the same way. Those habits may or may not need changing. But here's one habit we should definitely unlearn: our tendency to consider the temporal implications of life's choices and events before we consider the eternal.<br /><br />"Every action of our lives touches on some chord that will vibrate in eternity."<br />E. H. ChapinDAWNnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20524196.post-41462992667625766292010-01-05T12:36:14.565-05:002010-01-05T12:36:14.565-05:00"The Bible contradicts itself on matters of h..."The Bible contradicts itself on matters of history. A person who reads and compares the contents of the Bible will be confused about exactly who Esau's wives were, whether Timnah was a concubine or a son, and whether Jesus' earthly lineage is through Solomon or his brother Nathan. These are but a few of hundreds of documented historical contradictions."<br /><br />It really doesn't matter but just for the record there ARE NO contradictions. I've been reading this book for 40 years and every time I thought I saw one I found out later the problem was my understanding not the word itself. How about you? Are you saying this because you've read it yourself..or is it perhaps you've got yourself a nice little website that lists the "supposed" contradictions. I've heard them all. They're bogus. <br /><br />For instance...the lineage of Christ. In the book of Matthew we see Joseph's line mentioned thru Solomon (kingly line) and in the book of Luke it was Mary's line thru Nathan (Solomon's brother). <br /><br />So God in his wisdom covered it all. He looked down the corridor of time and chose Mary and Joseph who were both relations of David thru his two sons. Thru one line Jesus obtained the Kingly connection (Solomon) and thru Nathanial he received the right to be the son of David by his mother's bloodline. His birthright was NEVER questioned. <br /><br />"You may choose to serve an impossible God. I will choose reality."<br /><br />You choose Hell. And yet you would blame God for your choice?DAWNnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20524196.post-74300494378198513742010-01-04T15:12:20.212-05:002010-01-04T15:12:20.212-05:00The Bible is supposedly God's perfect Word. It...The Bible is supposedly God's perfect Word. It contains instructions to humankind for avoiding the eternal fires of hell. How wonderful and kind of this God to provide us with this means for overcoming the problems for which he is ultimately responsible! The all-powerful God could have, by a mere act of will, eliminated all of the problems we humans must endure, but instead, in his infinite wisdom, he has opted to offer this indecipherable amalgam of books called the Bible as a means for avoiding the hell which he has prepared for us. The perfect God has decided to reveal his wishes in this imperfect work, written in the imperfect language of imperfect man, translated, copied, interpreted, voted on, and related by imperfect man. No two men will ever agree what this perfect word of God is supposed to mean, since much of it is either self- contradictory, or obscured by enigma. And yet the perfect God expects the imperfect humans to understand this paradoxical riddle using the imperfect minds with which he has equipped us. Surely the all-wise and all-powerful God would have known that it would have been better to reveal his perfect will directly to each of us, rather than to allow it to be debased and perverted by the imperfect language and botched interpretations of man. <br /><br />The Bible contradicts itself on matters of history. A person who reads and compares the contents of the Bible will be confused about exactly who Esau's wives were, whether Timnah was a concubine or a son, and whether Jesus' earthly lineage is through Solomon or his brother Nathan. These are but a few of hundreds of documented historical contradictions. If the Bible cannot confirm itself in mundane earthly matters, how are we to trust it on moral and spiritual matters? <br /><br />The Bible is imperfect. It only takes one imperfection to destroy the supposed perfection of this alleged Word of God. Many have been found. A perfect God who reveals his perfect will in an imperfect book is impossible. <br />While believers may find comfort in being faithful to impossibilities, there is no greater satisfaction than a clear mind. You may choose to serve an impossible God. I will choose reality.Stephen Caspernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20524196.post-72619493122503490712010-01-04T14:49:42.915-05:002010-01-04T14:49:42.915-05:00...if there is you have yet to mention it....if there is you have yet to mention it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20524196.post-47056270289429967742009-12-29T11:31:02.352-05:002009-12-29T11:31:02.352-05:00there is...there is...DAWNnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20524196.post-64643433718048976302009-12-28T23:45:49.730-05:002009-12-28T23:45:49.730-05:00If there were even the teensiest bit of evidence c...If there were even the teensiest bit of evidence concerning HIS truth...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20524196.post-57075286944072325812009-12-27T18:06:02.317-05:002009-12-27T18:06:02.317-05:00"With no disrespect, it doesn't matter wh..."With no disrespect, it doesn't matter what your convictions are either. Your truth is no more real than mine."<br /><br />You are criticizing without understanding. <br /><br />I'm NOT talking about MY truth compared to YOUR truth. We are coming from two complete different world views. I believe the Bible is the revealed Word of God. It has NOTHING to do with religion or religious views. <br /><br />It's NOT MY truth. It's HIS. So I'm comparing YOUR truth to HIS. I'm Not comparing YOUR truth to MY truth. It's doesn't really matter what I think. <br /><br />What it boils down to is this. You have a choice. You can either believe what the world tells you and take the humanistic secular world view or you can believe that God didn't leave us here sans instructions and take the biblical world view.DAWNnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20524196.post-3615605513011284592009-12-26T13:04:23.834-05:002009-12-26T13:04:23.834-05:00With no disrespect, it doesn't matter what you...With no disrespect, it doesn't matter what your convictions are either. Your truth is no more real than mine. Your god is no more real than mine. And no, I don't really know what it all boils down to, but neither do you. We are all here together, but unfortunatly some feel compelled to keep claiming that they will go to heaven while others burn in hell. Whatever makes you feel good I suppose. Talk to you later on another thread.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20524196.post-20292130814170786992009-12-25T22:17:50.116-05:002009-12-25T22:17:50.116-05:00"What it still boils down to Dawn, is my conv..."What it still boils down to Dawn, is my conviction that any merciful being would not allow a loved one to eternally burn in flames." <br /><br />Well, no disrespect..but it doesn't matter what your conviction is. You're not the judge. You didn't make up the rules. <br /><br />When you create a people, you can do what you wish with it. But you have no say in this matter. There is only room in the universe for one God. Neither do you understand what the whole thing really boils down to. <br /><br />There isn't one, decent, honest, hardworking person that can compare to a Holy God and his standards although that doesn't seem to stop us from dreaming!DAWNnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20524196.post-27056021209772817592009-12-24T14:46:33.808-05:002009-12-24T14:46:33.808-05:00What it still boils down to Dawn, is my conviction...What it still boils down to Dawn, is my conviction that any merciful being would not allow a loved one to eternally burn in flames. Especially not for something like what they believe in! It sounds absolutely satanic to allow a kind, decent, honest, hard-working person to suffer in hell because, "well, damnit, they chose not to believe in me!...oh, you over there, Charles Manson, you can come on in...I see you have decided to believe in me." Preposterous.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20524196.post-85540651650709568542009-12-22T23:09:46.130-05:002009-12-22T23:09:46.130-05:00"I think you are a good person who has been u..."I think you are a good person who has been unfortunately brainwashed by christianity. I truly do wish you a Merry Christmas though, and best wishes."<br /><br />I wasn't always a Christian Peter. I was where you are now. I know exactly where you're coming from. Have you ever read C.S. Lewis one of the foremost writers and thinkers of the 20th century? He dealt alot with reason and logic in his book Mere Christianity. Using reason and logic he had no choice but to believe in God. Anthony Hopkins played him in the movie Shadowlands. <br /><br />He died on the same exact day as John Kennedy and it would have made big news if not for the fact that the president dying on the same day. <br /><br />If you really are interested in truth, logic and reasoning, I suggest getting ahold of some of his writings especially the book I mentioned. He had a unique ability to combine reasoning and imagination capturing your mind and taking you into a richer world of thought and experience that points to God.<br /><br />Best wishes as well.DAWNnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20524196.post-56244397493452553652009-12-22T22:53:54.592-05:002009-12-22T22:53:54.592-05:00"I just have not been given an answer as to w..."I just have not been given an answer as to why god would choose to burn non-believers in hell when he supposedly has everlasting love and mercy for us all."<br /><br />so if I answer your question then you'll believe? Really? Ok. <br /><br />God does not take pleasure in the condemnation of the wicked. I've already said that...but there's more. <br /><br />God has many attributes...love, mercy, grace, holiness etc. When God loves it's at 100%. There is no greater love than the love of God. His grace and holiness also are perfect and he exercises them in a most perfect way. On the opposite spectrum is his attribute of judgment. He's a perfect judge as well. He has no choice but to make perfect judgments. There is no half way with God. <br /><br />His holiness demands perfection. Because of sin, we fall short. We are far from perfect. The wages of sin is death. But with the problem of sin comes the provision and solution he provided in His sinless son who came to pay the price for our sin. <br /><br />So to answer your question, God doesn't choose to burn unbelievers. They choose their path themselves when they do not accept God's promise of satisfaction and provision of Salvation. <br /><br />God is in the business of good news. Joy is foremost on his mind for us, not judgment. Christ said he came to give life and to give it abundantly. <br /><br /> So if we find ourselves in the heat zone we can't blame God. We will have nobody to blame but ourselves. Right now you have a choice to make. Don't blame God for your choice.DAWNnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20524196.post-19967712790365670342009-12-22T13:35:01.651-05:002009-12-22T13:35:01.651-05:00No, I absolutely DON'T want to believe that go...No, I absolutely DON'T want to believe that god is like an abusive parent. No, I DON'T want to hate him. I would love to be shown evidence of his existance. I just have not been given an answer as to why god would choose to burn non-believers in hell when he supposedly has everlasting love and mercy for us all.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20524196.post-67721064815145575912009-12-22T13:32:25.086-05:002009-12-22T13:32:25.086-05:00Dawn, God has not "clearly revealed himself t...Dawn, God has not "clearly revealed himself to man". If he had, all men would believe. Don't say it's for lack of looking, or trying to look, because I know personally that is not the case. <br /><br />As to your 5 lies that people would rather beieve:<br /><br />1. Life is random.<br />2. Truth is relative; no standard<br />3. All people are "basically" good.<br />4. Everyone is in charge; be whatever you want.<br />5. Self-satisfaction is the goal in life. <br /><br />I do not believe these "lies". As I said, I also believe strongly in the senses of reason and morality, so our world views have lots of important similarities. Our only disagreement is on the proof of existance of god. You have given none and believe on pure blind faith. That is not for me. You anssered none of the areas I brought up in my last message. I don't believe you rationally can. Your blind faith and words of the bible simply do not hold up against reasoning and truth. I don't want this to turn ugly because I think you are a good person who has been unfortunately brainwashed by christianity. I truly do wish you a Merry Christmas though, and best wishes.Peternoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20524196.post-15925979156329221132009-12-22T13:11:48.868-05:002009-12-22T13:11:48.868-05:00"Are you telling me that god’s love is like t..."Are you telling me that god’s love is like that of an abusive parent, one that beats the snot out of their child because they “love” them?"<br /><br />my guess is this is really what you choose to believe so you can hate God all the more. I can see you have no concept of the love of God to ask such a thing. Read Matthew 23 to see God in the flesh (Jesus) weeping over the sin of his people as they rebelled against God. God takes no pleasure in the judgment of the ungodly. <br /><br />Here's a thought for you to ponder. All people walking around...past, present and future are God's creation...but NOT ALL can be called "children of God."DAWNnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20524196.post-14058456758063709972009-12-22T13:06:49.719-05:002009-12-22T13:06:49.719-05:00"A Freudian slip?"
No, not at all. Thi..."A Freudian slip?"<br /><br />No, not at all. This is NOT a good thing. <br /><br />But again... to you and Peter, we are coming from two diff world views so I can't expect that we can agree on this subject. My world view is shaped on the Word of God. Yours is on secular humanism. God gave us natural revelation (creation) and special revelation (his written word). One day we will be judged according to how we responded to it whether you believe in it or not. That's what truth is all about. <br /><br />God has clearly revealed himself to man but there are at least five dominant lies that people would RATHER believe. <br /><br />1. Life is random.<br />2. Truth is relative; no standard<br />3. All people are "basically" good.<br />4. Everyone is in charge; be whatever you want.<br />5. Self-satisfaction is the goal in life. <br /><br />I thank God there is hope. That's what the Christmas story is all about. <br /><br />God takes life's broken pieces and gives us unbroken peace!.<br /><br />Merry Christmas!DAWNnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20524196.post-7316754628392957432009-12-22T12:12:53.990-05:002009-12-22T12:12:53.990-05:00DAWN said...
”We can look at Norway, Denmark and S...DAWN said...<br />”We can look at Norway, Denmark and Sweden who are much more advanced with the legalization of homosexual marriage than we are. “<br /><br /><br />You say these countries laws about homosexual marriage are more "advanced". I like your word choice. I'm surprised you admit that these countries are farther along in development when it comes to these matters. A Freudian slip?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20524196.post-41737635620263865672009-12-22T11:18:50.815-05:002009-12-22T11:18:50.815-05:00DAWN said...
”First like I said previously.. altho...DAWN said...<br />”First like I said previously.. although homosexuality flourished in ancient Greece, Rome and Sodom, none of these civilizations survived.”<br /><br />Huh? How incredibly naïve. That is like saying that because Chariot racing flourished in these places that perhaps they were to blame on the fall of these empires? Same sex marriages were outlawed in the Roman Empire in 342 AD and the empire still fell a little over 100 years later. You have still give NO evidence that gays were at all responsible for the fall. Overexpansion? Unsound economic policies and inflation? Barbarian mercenaries and invaders? Plauges and diseases? Nope, nope, nope and nope….it must have been the gays! Laughable.<br /><br />DAWN said...<br />”We can look at Norway, Denmark and Sweden who are much more advanced with the legalization of homosexual marriage than we are. “<br /><br />Interesting that you bring that up…perhaps that fact has something to do with Norway being voted as having the best living conditions in the world. Sensible, compasionate laws create great societies to live in.<br />http://digg.com/travel_places/World_s_Best_Countries_to_Live_In<br /><br />DAWN said...<br />”More than 10,000 studies have concluded that kids do best when they are raised by loving and committed mothers and fathers.”<br /><br />Go look closely at these type of studies. You will find that the key is “loving and committed”, not gay/straight.<br />Here is an excerpt about these studies:<br />"The vast consensus of all the studies shows that children of same-sex parents do as well as children whose parents are heterosexual in every way...In some ways children of same-sex parents actually may have advantages over other family structures."<br />http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/news/20051012/study-same-sex-parents-raise-well-adjusted-kids<br /><br /> <br />DAWN said...<br />”Homosexual marriage will destroy the fundamental principles of marriage and parenthood”<br /><br />That is a strong OPINION that is based on no evidence. The 50% divorce rate amongst heterosexuals, and the horrible parenting that is so sidespread can NOT be blamed on the ever popular scapegoat, the gays. <br /><br />I don’t quite get the relevance of your custody story, which you didn’t give the full story to. For five years, the biological mother violated court rulings in Vermont and Virginia that agreed upon Vermont’s jurisdiction in the case and therefore affirmed Jenkins’ visitation rights as a co-parent. Had she not made her daughter a pawn in fundamentalist cultural warfare conducted by Jerry Falwell’s Liberty Counsel, and had she simply permitted visitation as required under law, she would have retained custody. But I still don’t understand why you even brought the case up, although it is encouraging that judges are basing their decisions on who is the best parent regardless of sexual preferences.<br /><br /><br />"So when a baby is born it receives this everlasting love and mercy forever. How exactly does this fit in with the idea of eventually sending this baby to burn eternally in hell if it doesn't grow up to have the "right" beliefs?"<br /><br />You still haven’t answered this question, which is pretty straightforward. You say god gives everlasting love and mercy. How is this love “everlasting” and “merciful” when it involves sending the “loved” one to hell if, when it grows up, it is not a “believer”. Are you telling me that god’s love is like that of an abusive parent, one that beats the snot out of their child because they “love” them?<br /><br />I believe, as you do, that our two most important senses are our spiritual ones - Reason and morality. They are VERY strong within me and they have led me to conclude that the christian god does not exist and that what is best for society is being godd for goddness sake.<br /><br />Merry Christmas!Peternoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20524196.post-80596711247012133012009-12-21T20:29:01.703-05:002009-12-21T20:29:01.703-05:00"So when a baby is born it receives this ever..."So when a baby is born it receives this everlasting love and mercy forever. How exactly does this fit in with the idea of eventually sending this baby to burn eternally in hell if it doesn't grow up to have the "right" beliefs?"<br /><br />Are we talking about babies or people growing up who reject God? Remember God sees and judges our spirit. You are looking at our outer physical tent that covers the spirit. <br /><br />A baby can't reject God now can he? You know what's interesting?Helen Keller who was blind, deaf and dumb when asked by her teacher if she wanted to know about God answered that she already knew he existed she just didn't know his name. <br /><br />We will have no excuse when we stand before him. His fingerprints are all over the place. Not only that he put within us a conscience to know him. We talk alot about our 5 physical senses don't we? What about the two spiritual senses he left us with? Reason and morality. It is so strong within us it should lead us to God <br /><br />The problem is we have allowed the world and the Prince of it to distract and block that out. The world is blind, deaf and dumb to God because that's where it wishes to be.DAWNnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20524196.post-54142843412192492512009-12-21T20:19:12.872-05:002009-12-21T20:19:12.872-05:00"Can you show me the slightest shred of evide..."Can you show me the slightest shred of evidence that gays are not good for society?"<br /><br />Peter, first off I thought you were much younger so forgive my assumption there. I am older, but not a whole lot older than you. <br /><br />I'm not saying "gays are not good for society." They are people just like we are. I'm saying the legalization and acceptance of this as normal behavior or legalizing marriage between two men and two women is not good for society. <br /><br />First like I said previously.. although homosexuality flourished in ancient Greece, Rome and Sodom, none of these civilizations survived. In modern times we only need to look at the Netherlands and Belgium both of which legalized gay marriage and gave it equal status with tradition male/female marriage.<br /><br />We can look at Norway, Denmark and Sweden who are much more advanced with the legalization of homosexual marriage than we are. The consequences for traditional families have been devastating there. Traditional marriage is rapidly dying with most young couples living together outside of the covenant of marriage. The percentage of children born out of wedlock reaches as high as 80% in some areas of Norway. <br /><br />Many of our pressing social problems can be traced to the breakdown of the family which represents the very foundation of human social order. It's just common sense. Institutions, governments, religion and the welfare of children are all dependant on its stability. When it is weakened or undermined the entire structure begins to wobble. <br /><br />More than 10,000 studies have concluded that kids do best when they are raised by loving and committed mothers and fathers. <br /><br />Homosexual marriage will destroy the fundamental principles of marriage and parenthood. I also believe the divorce rate will be even higher and we are starting now to see some breakups all across the country between two same sex partners and the severe implications when it comes to child custody. <br /><br />Just recently on the news: two gay women divorcing went before a judge over the custody of "their" daughter. He awarded primary custody to the NON biological mother OVER the biological mother. <br /><br />This is just one reason this whole thing is absurd that we're even discussing these things.DAWNnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20524196.post-65817732822062355452009-12-21T17:04:26.536-05:002009-12-21T17:04:26.536-05:00A christian griping and blaming societies woes on ...A christian griping and blaming societies woes on gays would be like Tiger Woods griping that it's people like Sara Palin's daughter who are giving Family Values a bad name.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20524196.post-43520859428273225352009-12-21T15:22:41.984-05:002009-12-21T15:22:41.984-05:00Here are some comments by Bertand Russell:
"...Here are some comments by Bertand Russell:<br /><br /><br />"You find as you look around the world that every single bit of progress of humane feeling, every improvement in the criminal law, every step toward the diminution of war, every step toward better treatment of the colored races, or ever mitigation of slavery, every moral progress that there has been in the world, has been consistently opposed by the organized churches of the world. I say quite deliberately that the Christian religion, as organized in its churches, has been and still is the principal enemy of moral progress in the world."<br /><br />He goes on to say:<br /> <br />"We want to stand upon our own feet and look fair and square at the world -- its good facts, its bad facts, its beauties, and its ugliness; see the world as it is and be not afraid of it. Conquer the world by intelligence and not merely by being slavishly subdued by the terror that comes from it. The whole conception of a God is a conception derived from the ancient oriental despotisms. It is a conception quite unworthy of free men. When you hear people in church debasing themselves and saying that they are miserable sinners, and all the rest of it, it seems contemptible and not worthy of self-respecting human beings. We ought to stand up and look the world frankly in the face. We ought to make the best we can of the world, and if it is not so good as we wish, after all it will still be better than what these others have made of it in all these ages. A good world needs knowledge, kindliness, and courage; it does not need a regretful hankering after the past or a fettering of the free intelligence by the words uttered long ago by ignorant men. It needs a fearless outlook and a free intelligence. It needs hope for the future, not looking back all the time toward a past that is dead, which we trust will be far surpassed by the future that our intelligence can create."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20524196.post-45530055374632865572009-12-21T14:06:52.775-05:002009-12-21T14:06:52.775-05:00Here is a link that shows a lengthy study as to th...Here is a link that shows a lengthy study as to the effects of religion on society. If one is looking for a reason why our country might fall there appears to be much more evidence that religion is more at fault than homosexuality.<br /><br />http://www.epjournal.net/filestore/EP07398441_c.pdfAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20524196.post-2158024956138856182009-12-21T09:19:50.598-05:002009-12-21T09:19:50.598-05:00Here is another unanswered question:
Dawn said:
...Here is another unanswered question:<br /><br /><br />Dawn said:<br />"He loves us with an everlasting love and his mercy endures forever."<br /><br />So when a baby is born it receives this everlasting love and mercy forever. How exactly does this fit in with the idea of eventually sending this baby to burn eternally in hell if it doesn't grow up to have the "right" beliefs?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20524196.post-34496071711417334872009-12-21T09:17:00.014-05:002009-12-21T09:17:00.014-05:00Dawn, I don't know how much older you are than...Dawn, I don't know how much older you are than me, but I'm 45. Yes, I've noticed changes in our society, many of which I don't like...there IS too much graphic raunchiness in songs and on TV and magazines, for example. The divorce rate in this country is also disturbingly high. There is way too much violence. And although it is getting better, there is still too much ignorance and intolerance towards people that are "different". But my question to you is this - what do homosexuals have to do with these problems? Can you show me the slightest shred of evidence that gays are not good for society?Peternoreply@blogger.com