Church + Girlfriend problem.

[Urban Ranger]

Originally posted by Sn00py
The bible instructs believers not to let anyone go.. to save everyone.

The bible also instructs believers to sell their belongings, give the proceeds to the poor, and live a simple life.

You don't see many doing that, particularly not somebody such as Falwall, Robertson, and Graham. And, as you noted, none of the pastors of that church.

[DaShi]

[Sikander]

Originally posted by Urban Ranger


The bible also instructs believers to sell their belongings, give the proceeds to the poor, and live a simple life.

I thought you were supposed to cut the soles out of your shoes, climb a tree and learn to play the flute. So many wierd rules, it's hard to keep track.

[self biased]

save yourself, before it's too late.

[Ben Kenobi]

her belief is to save lives, which requires not accepting people's beliefs.

Snoopy, does she believe that it is possible to convert someone against their will?

That's not how it should be. You can encourage someone to join while at the same time accepting their rejection if they choose to refuse the invitation. That's the whole point, you can only save someone if they are willing to be saved.

[Ben Kenobi]

She's willing to end her relationship with Snoopy, not if he doesn't believe in God or in Christ, but if he's not a member of her church.

Yes, and I already explained above why there's a big difference between marrying someone and making friends outside of church.

Many cults also encourage their members to go out and bring in new people. You can't exactly grow if you keep utterly to yourselves.

Agreed wholeheartedly. This doesn't mean that you can't make friends outside the church, while at the same time marrying someone inside the church.

The primary distingushing characteristic of a cult is thought control, and this group is most definately practicing thought control.

What, in preaching and teaching? By your definition the communist party is a cult since they have much more explicit surveillance and thought control.

[Ben Kenobi]

The bible also instructs believers to sell their belongings, give the proceeds to the poor, and live a simple life.

You don't see many doing that, particularly not somebody such as Falwall, Robertson, and Graham. And, as you noted, none of the pastors of that church.

Yes, because people are people. If we were perfect, we wouldn't need God.

[chequita guevara]

Originally posted by Ben Kenobi
By your definition the communist party is a cult since they have much more explicit surveillance and thought control.

I never said they weren't.

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by chegitz guevara


I never said they weren't.

How much thought control makes a cult? Many Orthodox Jews will only read a book on religion if its "kosher" = its received a stamp of approval from a rabbi they respect. Thus insulating themselves from other religions, other forms of Judaism, humanism, etc. OTOH they WILL be exposed to forms of Orthodoxy other than the one they belong, and may well see criticisms of the leaders of the subgroup they belong to. Thought control is a habit of illiberal groups in general - to become a cult, IMO, the thought control has to extend to any criticism of the group and its leader, even from ideologically similar groups. (By this definition only Szatmar comes close to cultlike status withing Judaism, in my understanding - Chabad has some cultlike attributes but is far more open to outside exposure)

[Wernazuma III]

Originally posted by Ben Kenobi


Yes, because people are people. If we were perfect, we wouldn't need God.

Do others read this as I do?
Ben, when did you turn into a sophist? - If we all were philosophers we would need no gods" or some such...

[Urban Ranger]

Originally posted by Ben Kenobi
Yes, because people are people. If we were perfect, we wouldn't need God.

Why do we need a god even if we weren't perfect? Clean up after us? Pad us on the head and say "it's all right?"

Besides, even if were perfect it doesn't mean we wouldn't die.

[FrostyBoy]

I got a question for ya..

How come this guy named Jesus was so incredibly intelligent/wise/amazing compared to everyone else that has EVER lived?

How come the story is so deep, that no other story has ever been deeper?

I guess this is why Jesusism (Yes, I made that up ) is so popular?

[pchang]

A few billion people would disagree with all of your premises

[Ben Kenobi]

Do others read this as I do?
Ben, when did you turn into a sophist? - If we all were philosophers we would need no gods" or some such...

Not sure why you see it this way. All I said is that we need God in our lives because we are sinful people.

Why do we need a god even if we weren't perfect? Clean up after us? Pad us on the head and say "it's all right?"

Besides, even if we're perfect it doesn't mean we wouldn't die

If we wish to be sinners we don't need God at all. But then we suffer the consequences of this decision throughout our lives.

Secondly, actually if we were perfect we should not die. For the wages of sin are death.

[Ben Kenobi]

How come this guy named Jesus was so incredibly intelligent/wise/amazing compared to everyone else that has EVER lived?

Because he is both God and man.

How come the story is so deep, that no other story has ever been deeper?

Because it's truth and all. After all, isn't truth stranger then fiction?