Why?

[shadowman]

No shadow man. It makes me want to share the news with others, if they had half a mind to listen...then maybe they could believe and "feel good", and want to share with someone else the "good news"...

and I do not understand what "cuz" means. But then, I try not to use contractions either...silly me.

why do they beleive, why do they feel good? why is it good news?

...

yet you knew it was a contraction.

 

[shadowman]

You have to have faith to believe the unseen things. God rewards faith. Ive witnessed miracles that defy the "logic" and rules of the universe. Just because you dont believe in something doesnt mean its not there... If you really are afraid of hell my thought is that you are already being convicted of its truth by the Spirit of God.

who in the hell wouldnt be afriad of hell


im afraid of a god that would do that.

hey fear of god! the first step to wisdom!!! allright!!!!

what miracles were these? ive witnessed miracles too. yet if anytihng i dont have jesus, i have satan (i got a jungian devil complex)

did you read my thoughts on mind prayer and faith?



http://www.comparative-religion.com/forum/thoughts-on-the-mind-prayer-5752.html

what are your thoughts on that?


i dont know i understand the argument. i have felt like a wretch and that i t would be nice if jesus would forgive me. but i thik the way it works is we project our self love onto the idea of jesus and when we have self love it helps us love others, we label that compassion, self love and love for others that builds and grows "the spirit of jesus"

other people in other walks of faith do similar things

i think this is evidence that a lot more of this is psychology

and that hell was just a hell of a scare tactic and tool in the powerful brainwashing arsenal of the church

thats why to hook as many teens with self esteem problems they give out pamphlets that are like

jesus:

hope
love
peace
wisdom
support
friends

etc etc its like a miracle tonic!

and hell scares the hell out of people for areason.

poison their water then sell them the cure!

bible says we have a problem, says we deserve hell, says jesus fixes all that

its perfect from a psychological standpoint

if thats how god works then im scared! according to the bible the scared is actually good! more perfect psychology in action!

 

[shadowman]

Hi shadowman--



I am a musician, as well. I am also part Cherokee. I am also a Christian. So I think maybe I can relate to this part of your question.

For example, I love Bob Marley's music. But every once in a while, there are lyrics that offend me, because of my love for Jesus (as my Savior as well as my foremost Teacher, Shepherd, Master). So rather than throw away what I find to be good, I simply don't indulge in what I cannot spiritually condone. I occasionally do the same things with certain Christian hymns--every now and then, I find messages in them that speak against what the the Spirit has revealed to me about Christ and what His followers should be or do. In these cases, I abstain. I do so quietly, though, because I know that I don't know everything about God. And even though many of the people at my very conservative church would not fully embrace the beauty of the legends passed down orally through the ages by the Native Americans, I do so with no conflict in my soul. I don't, however, present these stories at this particular church, because I think it would be disrespectful and seen as political.



Ideally, Christianity is about trusting in Jesus Christ. That is the very first step that one takes. As you can see from reading this thread, the ways in which Christ reveals Himself to the individual can vary. But I leave this up to the wisdom of the Spirit. I know this may sound confusing at first, but trusting in Christ is a step I will never forget nor regret.

On the subject of the Bible? Making sense of it means allowing one's self to study it--prayerfully. I have no doubt that if you sincerely desire to understand what is there, you will. One thing I can tell you is that yes--you will have questions. I believe with all my heart that this sacred text is designed to focus on questions and solutions.

I wish for you the blessings you may find there.

As Saltmeister said--listen to your heart.

(Oh, and I read your other post on the thread you started--I will try to respond there as well, but it might be later on.)

InPeace,
InLove

i feel what you are saying. i love bob marleys music too. but should i stop listening to santeria or candoble music from cuba or brazil or haiti? not only is this not christian but the rhythms are for invoking the spirits and incarnations of the yoruban most high god

of course this possessed trance is similar to shakers of bygone days or the sapeaking in tongues of the pentacostles but this is obviously the unholy to their holy

i dont think listeing to my heart works

i beleive ive ben brainwashed to a certtyain extent

i also ave mental health issues

the reason i have these issues in part because of the myths i have learned from growing up in this society

strangely enough, the things my "heart tells me" is not what is even in the bible

because what was fed into me at developmental stages was not really in the bible, it was scare tactic versions or re interpretations of bible, and other myths!

i take that as evidence of the psychology involved

listening to your heart is one thing, but its so intangible, how do i know when its my heart?

maybe christian psychology is better than the jungian stuff, maybe i really have demons and forfeited my soul to satan.

 

[Quahom1]

why do they beleive, why do they feel good? why is it good news?

...

yet you knew it was a contraction.

No, I learned it was a substitute for because (for the reason that), but I had to look it up. At first I thought you meant a variation of a term referring to a "relative" of similar status...

Now:

Why do they believe... my answer, We hold these truths to be self evident, because they contradict nothing, they withold nothing, and exclude no one. They offer hope, and promise, as well as comission and responsiblity.

Why do they feel good... they bring peace of mind and soul, and a confidence that One looks over us (covers our back), and has a place for us, when the day is done. We have a "home" to come to, after a long voyage. (Remember, you're asking a sailor, so you get a sailor's perspective)...

Why is it good news...see answers one and two above.

my thoughts

v/r

Q

 

[shadowman]

thats cool i understand that. and yes i sometimes refer to people as cuz cus or cuzzo, i understand the confusion lol

thank you for your pderspective sailor

i have felt a good feeling reading parts of the bible


i am confused still, maybe because of my disorder.

due to past actions i feel like i would qualify for hell or punishemnt, wrath of god etc.

but i still dont like thoe ideas

i still love buddhism, kung fu, yoruban and khemetic spirituality (egyptians had a book of life a long long time ago!)

i just dont like the demonification of other cultures beelifs and the idea of absolute good and evil

and condemnation to hell

it doesnt help that im under influence of a psychosis that has foundations in christian ideas (and i cant say because its true, i can say, because i was raised in a chrich many times and was confirmed and taught to meorize certain bible passages) at this pont in my undertandig, if i listened to my heart all the time i would be believeing some insane things!!

 

[InLove]

Hi again, shadowman.

You have asked me some interesting questions. I am not sure I am qualified to answer all of them, but I can tell you what I know as it relates to my life experiences.

i feel what you are saying. i love bob marleys music too. but should i stop listening to santeria or candoble music from cuba or brazil or haiti? not only is this not christian but the rhythms are for invoking the spirits and incarnations of the yoruban most high god

Here is what I have come to know about music (including rhythm). Music is a free agent. People may assign meanings to it, but music in its purest form is free. We can be free to be objective about it. If you are listening to music that deeply disturbs you, then maybe you have to figure out why, which, by the way, seems like what you are attempting to do.

of course this possessed trance is similar to shakers of bygone days or the sapeaking in tongues of the pentacostles but this is obviously the unholy to their holy

I am not sure that the practices of the Shakers and that of the Pentecostals are all that comparable. But then I never have experienced either of the things you mention here, so I can't really say. But, again, I would say to you that if something about the music you are attached to right now seems unholy to you, then I would take a step back and try to view it objectively.

i dont think listeing to my heart works

i beleive ive ben brainwashed to a certtyain extent

i also ave mental health issues

the reason i have these issues in part because of the myths i have learned from growing up in this society

strangely enough, the things my "heart tells me" is not what is even in the bible

because what was fed into me at developmental stages was not really in the bible, it was scare tactic versions or re interpretations of bible, and other myths!

i take that as evidence of the psychology involved

I am no expert, shadowman, but I know that religious abuse does occur. If this is what has happened in your life, all I can do is tell you that I have seen people overcome the effects of it. And I can say for sure that if someone has intentionally tried to scare or torture you into trusting Christ, then either they did not understand His teachings, or they were on a power trip at your expense.

listening to your heart is one thing, but its so intangible, how do i know when its my heart?

I think that if the thoughts you have presented here are sincere, then you are already listening to your heart.

maybe christian psychology is better than the jungian stuff, maybe i really have demons and forfeited my soul to satan.

Whether "Christian psychology" is better than Jungian is something you have to decide for yourself. Some say both subscribe to the "collective, subjective psyche". But I say that it is possible to be objective about them both. And I think you would know for sure if you had "sold your soul".

InPeace,
InLove

 

[Saltmeister]

there is a "trial here" somewhere in CR's past wherein that very same question came up. Oh, I do not know, about two years ago I should think. Dauer was the presiding judge, and Christians were in the end, "convicted" of being Christian...you should research it, you might find the "legal transcripts" of the case very interesting.

Really? Are you kidding? I thought Dauer was a nice person. Unless he was invited to do that. But then again, our faith has a lot to say about judgment, so I guess we got what we were asking for.

Got links to the trial?

 

[Quahom1]

Really? Are you kidding? I thought Dauer was a nice person. Unless he was invited to do that. But then again, our faith has a lot to say about judgment, so I guess we got what we were asking for.

Got links to the trial?

He is. I think someone else started the thread and Dauer became the defacto judge by request (someone else's).

 

[FLOWERGIRL]

Jesus christ plays a very big part in the out working of Gods purpose for the earth . and the bible reveals it all . working inline with Gods purpose will lead to everlasting life.

Hi Mee,

I hope I don't offend you by what I'm about to say but if you claim to be a christian why do you call yourself a Jehovah's witness?

 

[Saltmeister]

Hi Mee,

I hope I don't offend you by what I'm about to say but if you claim to be a christian why do you call yourself a Jehovah's witness?

Jehovah's Witnesses do consider themselves to be Christian, and I suppose they should be entitled to believe that.

We are all born into situations and circumstances that we didn't choose. Being born into particular circumstances means we see only a part of the whole universe. Each of us capture particular aspects of life and sometimes mistakenly consider them to be the sum-total of the universe and our own existence.

There are basically three possibilities: 1) A person "born into" to a particular religious group doesn't understand why they belong to it, 2) People "born outside" of that religious group don't understand why those who choose a faith continue to uphold it and 3) both.

I was born into a Christian family. Did I understand why I was "Christian" when I was a kid? No, I didn't. Does that mean that I couldn't be justified being a Christian? No. Does that mean I should necessarily stay Christian? No. Did I eventually figure out the reasons for being Christian? I believe so.

I didn't have all the reasoning figured out at once. It has taken an entire lifetime to appreciate what it means to be a Christian. The Why Questions couldn't be answered in five seconds. God gave me the mind and intelligence to figure out why. That required time. It required time because it had to be a natural process. The process of why a person chooses to be Christian should be a natural process, not something cooked up in five minutes.

Religion is not like five-minute noodles. The cooking and serving of five-minute noodles is an unnatural process. Learning should be a natural process. Religion should be personal. Learning and understanding a religion is not like cooking a meal.