There is no such thing as 'Free Will'

pattimax said:
This IS the Christianity page.

The condemnation, my dear friends, is all yours. Enjoy your eternity in darkness. Take care that you don’t actually read this Bible you are so knowledgeable about. And I, too, am glad you have prepared so thoroughly for an eternity of pain and agony.
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Now I'm going to have to quibble with you PM (and Q1). I may be wrong, but I've always seen the thread topics as a way to categorize the subject of the OP, not as a requirement for participation. Interfaith is after all a discussion between people of different religions. I think it enriches everybody's experience to hear different points of view. You are (in my mind at least) more than welcome to join the Buddhist chat and compare your religious beliefs to Buddhism anytime. I'll leave a light on for you.

I can also understand your anger. Just today I wrote a fairly obscene email to Bill O'Reilly prodding him on the Minnesota Supreme Court decision that declared Al Franken the winner of that long drawn-out U.S. Senate race (for some reason O'Reilly hates Franken). And within the last week, in an email, I accused Arnold Schwarzenegger of suffering from steroid-shrunken "huevos" due to his cowardly refusal to raise taxes in the midst of California's budget crisis. Sometimes you just got to let it out.

I hope this doesn't mean you won't abandon us completely. I did enjoy our conversations up until the moment they were typed in 36 point bold. But hey, at least it wasn't in teal (I'm talking to you Penelope).

Peace out Pattimax.
 
citizenzen said:
Now I'm going to have to quibble with you PM (and Q1). I may be wrong, but I've always seen the thread topics as a way to categorize the subject of the OP, not as a requirement for participation. Interfaith is after all a discussion between people of different religions. I think it enriches everybody's experience to hear different points of view. You are (in my mind at least) more than welcome to join the Buddhist chat and compare your religious beliefs to Buddhism anytime. I'll leave a light on for you.

I can also understand your anger. Just today I wrote a fairly obscene email to Bill O'Reilly prodding him on the Minnesota Supreme Court decision that declared Al Franken the winner of that long drawn-out U.S. Senate race (for some reason O'Reilly hates Franken). And within the last week, in an email, I accused Arnold Schwarzenegger of suffering from steroid-shrunken "huevos" due to his cowardly refusal to raise taxes in the midst of California's budget crisis. Sometimes you just got to let it out.

I hope this doesn't mean you won't abandon us completely. I did enjoy our conversations up until the moment they were typed in 36 point bold. But hey, at least it wasn't in teal (I'm talking to you Penelope).

Peace out Pattimax.
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You know CZ, the irony here at IO is, that of the three (maybe four), major monotheistic faiths here, there seems to be a magnetic appeal for non-believers to come to the Christian thread, just to see if, oh I don't know, feathers can be ruffled. Then there appears in posts that smug satisfaction that they either can be, or that the posters here claiming to be Christian are quite stupid and un-worldly...and you know, that really is insulting. Especially when Christians try to embrace others who have questions, and even those with anger issues.

When God said "turn the other cheek", he wasn't referring to butt cheeks...

Usually, when a man gets slugged in the face twice, and is still standing and steady, and is making no move to retaliate, there should be a bit of awe in the aggressor...I think that is the "zen" you so desperately seek...

Maybe it is right here.

I don't know, but I do know this, you are attempting to take on some one, you really should be asking questions of (pattimax), out of a thirst for knowledge, as opposed to attempting to set a trap of the mind, or worse, the soul...

That is a game you can't win, not this time, not with that one.:eek:

v/r

Q
 
Quahom1 said:
You know CZ, the irony here at IO is, that of the three (maybe four), major monotheistic faiths here, there seems to be a magnetic appeal for non-believers to come to the Christian thread...
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Now if I were to guess why this is the case, I'd say it's more likely due to the fact that the percentage of Christians in this forum is higher than any other faith. So the number of discussions in this thread is higher than any other faith's thread. And if one enjoyed talking about subjects such as religion, philosophy, etc., it would seem logical (to me) to go where the discussions are taking place and engage in them rather to wait quietly in my chosen faith's thread. I'm here to talk, to exchange, to engage. What are you here for?

I do want to ask, Q1, what does interfaith mean to you? Would you be more comfortable if you only had to hear the echos of your own opinions? Why even continue the charade of calling this forum Interfaith if we're all supposed to stay in our safe little places discussing only topics that make us feel comfortable? Aren't we adult enough, intelligent enough and courageous enough to explore the world's religions openly?

I am. Are you?
 
Hey CZ, it looks like you really put your foot in it this time ;).

Well you are welcome to come visit us in the Jewish sub-forum anytime you want a good argument :). After all, we don't even believe in anthropomorphism or corporealism over there :D. How's that for an insane asylum :p.
 
Now don't get yourself all worked up Q. It's nearly my bedtime and tomorrow's a school day.
 
Harmless eh? lol I'm a Christian with an attitude and a secular education in science and engineering (oh yeah, and law). Wait 'till you meet my Dad...

May lambs jump over the fence while the shepard counts them for you.
 
citizenzen said:
There's just enough time to tell us what "interfaith" means to you. Consider your answer my lullabye.
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It means common respect for others, regardless of their beliefs, something I fear you have not quite grasped yet...:eek:

Good night, and sleep tight, and dream fine dreams CZ.
 
pattimax said:
The condemnation, my dear friends, is all yours. Enjoy your eternity in darkness.
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Lmao.. definitely you get hypocrite of the day prize for that one. Classic bible thumping double-standards.
 
pattimax said:
We are commanded to be the hands and feet of Christ, to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and care for widows, orphans, and the stranger. Where it leaves them, is entirely up to each one of US. God will provide for their needs, and calls upon us to be the delivery system.
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I'm genuinely trying to "play by the rules" here, as in asking questions about Christianity in this forum...

What I'm getting at is, how would you explain, for instance, the hunger, poverty and deprivation of all those people in Zimbabwe? Where is God for those people?

s.
 
citizenzen said:
Now I'm going to have to quibble with you PM (and Q1).
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and me perhaps. I think folk should be free to wander around but the specific faith forums are specific faith forums for a reason, aren't they?

CZ, isn't this the forum that would be the appropriate one for the intra-religious chat that you are promoting here in the Christian forum?

Comparative Studies - Interfaith forums

s.
 
Quahom1 said:
Now that is a loaded question. What with pattimax doing what she can to help others and my going out to try and save lives at sea...that leaves...you...
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Please, it was not meant to be.

I meant...

Patti said "Life is eternal, and the choice we have to make is whether we wish to spend eternity in the light of God or in the darkness of our own "wisdom".
When I am hungry, God feeds me. When I am cold, God warms me. When I am weary, God gives me rest."

I'm not trying to be tricky; I'm just asking. I appreciate that each of us can only do so much as individuals. But my question is simply in response to what Patti said above. In other words (as I say in a previous post) - how do the people of Zimbabwe get provided with food from God? Many of course aren't, but it isn't through lack of choosing God - is it?

s.
 
pattimax said:
Much applause! :D
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:confused:

Why would anyone ask a question if they are alone? (is what I meant)

(and for the record, Patti wandered off Christianity here, not me! I'm only responding to her words!)

s.
 
Snoopy said:
What does this mean? :confused:
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A game of telephone is where a number of people stand in a line, then a message is passed in whispered form from one end of the line to the other, with the goal being that the message isn't changed in transit. It doesn't usually end that well.
pattimax said:
This IS the Christianity page.

 I had the wrong idea about this forum. I had no idea this was a place where Christians were not permitted to explain their faith. Rather, this is a place where you all come to congratulate each other on being so much smarter than us, while you repeatedly misrepresent us and the God you do not believe in.
The condemnation, my dear friends, is all yours. Enjoy your eternity in darkness. Take care that you don’t actually read this Bible you are so knowledgeable about. And I, too, am glad you have prepared so thoroughly for an eternity of pain and agony.
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Dear me, I hope I didn't help to make you so angry. I respect your beliefs, and am perfectly happy to read when you explain them. The reason that I brought up the evangelizing, is that it seems to me that instead of non Christians mocking Christian beliefs, and calling Christians ignorant for believing what they do, Christians blatantly call others beliefs wrong, and try to actively convert nonbelievers when said nonbelievers merely come looking for insight into your beliefs. I understand that as a Christian, you feel the need to evangelize where you can. I was merely questioning if an interfaith forum would be the most suitable place for evangelizing. I did not mean that you shouldn't be here, explaining and discussing your views, and I did state that I could see why you would feel that you had no choice. I like discussing things with you and hope that continues.

What I am really trying to say is that if my post had anything to do with offending you, I am truly sorry.:eek:

pattimax said:
John 3:17-20 says that people are condemned by their own choice. Christians believe that the death of Christ on the cross paid the penalty for the sins of all humanity, for all time (since Adam, until the end of the world). This solution to the problem of sin preserves God's demand for justice (who would want an unjust God?). It goes on to say, however, that there are those who would prefer to reject this act of mercy, in order to continue to behave badly. These people condemn themselves to darkness because in the dark their deeds will not be known.
A God who loves me so much to make a way back to the light for me is a God I can keep company with!
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Are you saying here that people of other faiths are not seen by God even when they do good deeds? Or that they reject Jesus because they want to continue preforming bad deeds? Both? Just trying to clarify. :)

citizenzen said:
Now if I were to guess why this is the case, I'd say it's more likely due to the fact that the percentage of Christians in this forum is higher than any other faith. So the number of discussions in this thread is higher than any other faith's thread. And if one enjoyed talking about subjects such as religion, philosophy, etc., it would seem logical (to me) to go where the discussions are taking place and engage in them rather to wait quietly in my chosen faith's thread. I'm here to talk, to exchange, to engage. What are you here for?

I do want to ask, Q1, what does interfaith mean to you? Would you be more comfortable if you only had to hear the echos of your own opinions? Why even continue the charade of calling this forum Interfaith if we're all supposed to stay in our safe little places discussing only topics that make us feel comfortable? Aren't we adult enough, intelligent enough and courageous enough to explore the world's religions openly?

I am. Are you?
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Nicely said. None of us mean to undermine others beliefs (or at least we shouldn't.) This forum is a rare opportunity to glean greater understanding about concepts or faiths that we wouldn't have the opportunity to learn and discuss otherwise. It's a pretty awesome place! :D

And people shouldn't feel the need to quarantine themselves into their own faith specific threads. It's all about the transfer of data, and knowledge. And if you had to stay in your own section, I would be out of luck. :( I don't fit in completely anywhere. :D

See ya!
 
immortalitylost said:
A game of telephone is where a number of people stand in a line, then a message is passed in whispered form from one end of the line to the other, with the goal being that the message isn't changed in transit. It doesn't usually end that well.
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Got ya. Not sure why the phones are needed though.(or why it's also known as Chinese whispers). I've heard of this as a message being passed along the trenches in war. The message started off as "Send reinforcements - we're going to advance" but ends up as "Send three and four pence, we're going to a dance." :rolleyes:

s.
 
Snoopy said:
I think folk should be free to wander around but the specific faith forums are specific faith forums for a reason, aren't they?

CZ, isn't this the forum that would be the appropriate one for the intra-religious chat that you are promoting here in the Christian forum?
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It might be if I was the OP and was looking for the appropriate place to put my thread. But once a thread has been started and the discussion engaged, then I don't think it becomes a closed discussion involving only members of the faith titled in the thread. That, to me is a terribly limited and far less interesting discussion and a betrayal of what Interfaith is all about.
 
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