locutius wrote on Dec 15^th, 2008 at 10:43am:

And if that’s the case, then why should we trust dialogue to be led by the religious, when even the Pope is inclined to take a shot at the ancient enemy of Christendom?

Christianity has been used and abused hardcore.

The stuff you get at church isn't what is in the Bible, nor are the things priests/reverends/pastors tell you to do Christian.

God is not a business, no one has a monopoly on it, nor can anyone alive comprehend it in its' entirety.

You can comprehend religion but you can't comprehend God.

Here's something about Jesus though;

He said the only way to the Father, assuming God, Heaven etc, is through him.

How did he fail to take in to account lost tribes in the jungle? Are they going to Hell for never being able to be given the word of Jesus?

I doubt it. Why would God instantly condemn people?

I consider the Bible to be of a more allegorical nature.

Serpent/snake/satan = evil = temptation = control = selfishness.

Easy to compare that to certain branches of authority.

Now in regards to the loaves and fishes miracle, how about this angle:

Heard that saying give a man a fish and you feed him for a day, teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime?

What if Jesus actually taught a town of 5000 how to be reliant on themselves rather than having to go to market or buy off the king/nobles whatever.

He could have done this by teaching them to make nets out of grasses/reeds and how to make crude flour for dough/bread by using the seeds from the plants and grinding them up.

That doesn't sound as cool as turning a couple of fish and pieces of bread in to enough to feed thousands though.

easel wrote on Jan 18^th, 2009 at 2:58pm:




Response.....

2 Timothy 3:5
Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.






Was what Jesus claimed  what John the Baptist claimed here [below], a fact, a declaration of God's potency?

Or just an 'allegory' ?

Matthew 3:8
Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:
9  And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.





A lot of ppl today have questions.

Q.
If our God is so powerful why doesn't he intervene in the world, in the affairs of man?

Q.
Why doesn't our God reveal himself?

Q.
Why does my God, allow evil?

A.
Throughout much of the Bible there is an admonition, that [all] men do evil things, because they have no fear of God.


We walk this earth today, and many men scoff,
...and confidently say that, 'God' does not reveal himself, because God does not exist.

And yet in our journey here, so few of us consider the question,
....Who, and what *is* being revealed,in our lives ???

Hint, hint, hint!!!!...

Is it God?

Or is it SATAN?







easel,

I agree, that many of the stories within the Bible have an allegorical aspect.

Q.
Do you believe that the story of Jesus resurrection after 3 days merely was an allegory?

It is clear today, that some ppl who call themselves Christian, don't believe that Jesus is alive.

Indeed many ppl who call themselves Christian, are not even confident that he was a real person!

And there are many ppl in the Christian church today, who don't even believe that there is a God !!!!




For me, God is real.


Psalms 25:14
The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.


And God has said that he is able to raise up the dead.

Q.
Can he?

A.





Jeremiah 17:5
Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.


Romans 1:21
Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
22  Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
23  And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
24  Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
25  Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
26  For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
27  And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
28  And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
29  Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
30  Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
31  Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:


The words of that last Romans verse, sounds a lot like the world of man today, doesn't it???    


Seek your God, and his righteousness.

easel wrote on Jan 18^th, 2009 at 2:35pm:




easel,

You are incorrect here.

This is dealt with in the new Testament [by Paul].

Read your bible.

easel wrote on Jan 19^th, 2009 at 12:32pm:



easel,

How lost you are!

This is the exact lie, the serpent told Eve, and wanted men to believe.

And of course, that story was an allegory, wasn't it?



Quote:




easel,

Again, you are incorrect here.

This is not said in the New Testament.

Where do you get such thoughts from?

Jesus was born, of a woman.

God became flesh.

Read your bible.


Hebrews 4:13
Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
14  Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
15  For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.




Quote:


So SATAN does not exist?

Non-one can see God either.

The wisdom of human logic,
....."Because I can't see radio waves, they don't exist!"

That is the wisdom of men.





Quote:




Even while Jesus was among them, Jesus disciples could not help but reveal their nature, their human failings.


Luke 9:43
And they were all amazed at the mighty power of God. But while they wondered every one at all things which Jesus did, he said unto his disciples,
44  Let these sayings sink down into your ears: for the Son of man shall be delivered into the hands of men.
45  But they understood not this saying, and it was hid from them, that they perceived it not: and they feared to ask him of that saying.
46  Then there arose a reasoning among them, which of them should be greatest.


Mark 9:30
And they departed thence, and passed through Galilee; and he would not that any man should know it.
31  For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day.
32  But they understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask him.
33  And he came to Capernaum: and being in the house he asked them, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way?
34  But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest.



easel,

These [above] are people who were born in bondage to the world.

i.e.
You and me!



Some advice i hope that you will take.

Don't listen to stories, from priests, or leaders of men, or 'heroes'.

Don't seek spiritual gurus, or spiritual leaders among men.

If you really want to understand the nature of our God, and indeed, the nature of men,
Read the Bible.



easel,

There is an old quip among Christians,

"The Bible will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from the Bible."


In my experience it is true.