Wasn't meant to be. Was a sincere compliment. Also a warning that most can't/don't keep from conforming to their environment .. even if it's something they perceive to be 'wrong.'
Question for Mormons
- Thread starter Gyp Rosetti
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Wasn't meant to be. Was a sincere compliment. Also a warning that most can't/don't keep from conforming to their environment .. even if it's something they perceive to be 'wrong.'
No doubt, but ..........
I didn't want to make it a huge post to explain what I meant with every line... and I know it was not as clear as I would have liked it to be.
What I meant there was that he did not go track down the Pharisees and Sadducees where they were to hang and chill with them. He did not join them them when they were doing things he knew was wrong just to keep them company. They sought him out, and he would not turn them out.
He would go where he wanted and do what he wanted and they were welcome to tag along, but he usually did not seek them out in their place of business to call them to the carpet. The one exception was when he cleansed the temple, but that was not him seeking them out to call them out... that was him doing something he thought was important.
I don't know if it did... but I hope this cleared up what I was thinking.
CONAN
Well-Known Member
That's great but I don't believe in anyone being impervious to temptation.
I think it's both. I think you can't depend on only controlling your environment or only having ironclad beliefs. I don't think you just go blindly into "enemy strongholds" because you feel God is on your side and so no harm will come to you.
Why does everything always have to be couched in the extreme? I guess it's the easiest way to make a point and/or alter the circumstances to be right?
Who is quoted as saying they think it's a good idea to walk blindly into the enemy's camp and assume you'll be okay? I don't recall seeing that anywhere.
Here's my philosophy; never run TO the devil ... But also never think you can outrun evil. Be solid in your beliefs, don't tempt yourself, but have enough confidence in your God that if you find yourself in a situation ... That you'll emerge victorious.
Who is quoted as saying they think it's a good idea to walk blindly into the enemy's camp and assume you'll be okay? I don't recall seeing that anywhere.
Here's my philosophy; never run TO the devil ... But also never think you can outrun evil. Be solid in your beliefs, don't tempt yourself, but have enough confidence in your God that if you find yourself in a situation ... That you'll emerge victorious.
NAOS
Well-Known Member
Fixed back... and I will add this note. NewAnonymityOldSkeptic does not believe it, and that is just fine.
Go back into your faithproof foxhole and enjoy yourself.
Lots of faith/belief in my life. But, I reject anthropomorphisms of god.
Such a combination is possible.
Confused by what you mean here.
Sometimes, sure. However, there are plenty of times when we all do things knowing it's wrong. I guess what I meant was, never consciously run to the devil.
So basically you are saying you do not believe Christ existed... or that he was the Son of God because you do not believe that God would have any similar characteristics as a human would?
This is why you threw the word allegedly into my post all over the place, you don't believe it because you cannot reconcile a Son of God coming down and living among humans and exhibiting some human like characteristics?
How about you think about it backwards then. If God is our Father, then to me it makes sense, that as his children we would have at least some of His characteristics. I say we have some of His characteristics, to go along with any other characteristics we pick up.
It's okay if we disagree.
Wrong and wrong.
I'm pretty sure Spazz is saying he needs to be Christlike by going into the poker den of wolves and preaching repentance.
I'd rather go and just take up an offering.
CONAN
Well-Known Member
My bad. You were speaking a lot for me so I just made that assumption.
Duck Rodgers
Well-Known Member
Jesus' socializing was always a main complaint. The religious class thought he was too worldly. John the Baptist didn't easily accept him at times due to percieved worldliness and the contrast of the life he lived to John's own even after God showed approval for him and he had witnessed Christ in person. Of course, socializing and partying and the like were not the same today as then. We're talking feasts and a little dancing at weddings and what not. He was a sinless man. I'm not putting the example of Christ going about in his day up against what's acceptable for Christians to be exposed to today. They are different worlds. Christ gave us this little tool....himself....his spirit.....inside of us....to help us deal with modern circumstances. If Las Vegas or Gameface's basement makes you feel like you died inside...by all means stay away. I'd just find it a bit peculiar.
But still, there something deeply seeded that those people were having issues about Jesus. It wasn't a one time event. He didn't turn water into wine and then stop socializing beyond his ministry. He was likely out and about(whatever that meant back then) a fair amount . And when you say he didn't he seek it out, he was pretty popular. He got invited to things and he went to things. That's all we know. He could've not shown up to anything. We can easily extrapolate from what's there that he probably did a lot more preaching/teaching/healing than was ever mentioned and he probably was in on many more social occasions setting a good example. And who knows what exactly he was doing during the preparatory years. Working, socializing, learning are probably some safe generalities. Maybe a bit of travel. He was human after all.
Bottom line, I don't care. If you can "breath fire" and convert people....then that's probably what you were meant to do.
If you have to go Thomas Kempis on the world and live a more secluded life to feel at ease with God, then that's what you were probably meant to do. He was a big part in my conversion. If he didn't accept living a monastic life and write/gather Imitation of Christ, I might not be a Christian right now. Probably loads of others too. But I don't feel like I need to go about life in the same way that Kempis was advocating even though it touched me greatly. It's not me. The LDS version of Christianty didn't work in my life either, even though I like large swathes of the Book of Mormon.
Maybe these people that seem to fear every situation and place that doesn't fit into their view of acceptable are supposed to feel that way. In my experience, the exact opposite occurs when you come unto Christ though. The world expands, not shrinks. And It starts contracting again when you get off course. You start functioning a lot better in hostile situations. I guess I can just consider myself lucky in that regard if that's not the common experience.
But still, there something deeply seeded that those people were having issues about Jesus. It wasn't a one time event. He didn't turn water into wine and then stop socializing beyond his ministry. He was likely out and about(whatever that meant back then) a fair amount . And when you say he didn't he seek it out, he was pretty popular. He got invited to things and he went to things. That's all we know. He could've not shown up to anything. We can easily extrapolate from what's there that he probably did a lot more preaching/teaching/healing than was ever mentioned and he probably was in on many more social occasions setting a good example. And who knows what exactly he was doing during the preparatory years. Working, socializing, learning are probably some safe generalities. Maybe a bit of travel. He was human after all.
Bottom line, I don't care. If you can "breath fire" and convert people....then that's probably what you were meant to do.
If you have to go Thomas Kempis on the world and live a more secluded life to feel at ease with God, then that's what you were probably meant to do. He was a big part in my conversion. If he didn't accept living a monastic life and write/gather Imitation of Christ, I might not be a Christian right now. Probably loads of others too. But I don't feel like I need to go about life in the same way that Kempis was advocating even though it touched me greatly. It's not me. The LDS version of Christianty didn't work in my life either, even though I like large swathes of the Book of Mormon.
Maybe these people that seem to fear every situation and place that doesn't fit into their view of acceptable are supposed to feel that way. In my experience, the exact opposite occurs when you come unto Christ though. The world expands, not shrinks. And It starts contracting again when you get off course. You start functioning a lot better in hostile situations. I guess I can just consider myself lucky in that regard if that's not the common experience.
CONAN
Well-Known Member
That would suck