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Why Christians Don't Understand Non-Christians
ArGee | 1/3/01 | ArGee

Posted on 01/03/2002 11:19:13 AM PST by ArGee

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To: stuartcr
It's called 'Faith'.

Just like that chair you are sitting on has not collapsed. It ALWAYS held you up before, and you have 'faith', not PROOF, that it always will.


Here in Central Indiana a couple of days ago, a tree, that had 'faithfully' stood at the side of the road for a hundred years, fell onto a car driven by a local pastor. His entire family - wife and 3 kids - were with him.

Four were killed. Only the smallest girl survived, with mere scratches.


Where is FAITH when something like THIS happens???
81 posted on 01/03/2002 12:40:21 PM PST by Elsie
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To: chookter
"The only ones banned forever from the banquet are the servers caught urinating in the lobster bisque."

That is good. Very good.

82 posted on 01/03/2002 12:40:25 PM PST by Pietro
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To: Stultis
Men of intellectual character are justifiably suspicious of those who make matters of fact (e.g. whether Jesus was God) matters of morality.

What do either you or I care about what other men say about G-d.

The issue is what He says about Himself.

Do you know Him? Are you willing to know Him? He is not far from you. He is standing outside your heart asking to come in.

Open your heart.

Shalom.

83 posted on 01/03/2002 12:41:06 PM PST by ArGee
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To: ArGee
I get it. Christianity is the Club 54 of religions.
84 posted on 01/03/2002 12:42:04 PM PST by Jeff Gordon
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To: Khepera
I'm sorry I thought Jim Robinson said no Religious Discussions.

Well, the topic area said "Religious." If Jim Robinson has said otherwise, I missed it and apologize. In that case, this thread won't last long.

Shalom.

85 posted on 01/03/2002 12:42:16 PM PST by ArGee
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Comment #86 Removed by Moderator

To: Elsie
Why then, if someone has faith, but it isn't the same as someone elses, are they wrong, ie, a Muslim, or Jew, or Hindu? Is there not only one God?
87 posted on 01/03/2002 12:43:24 PM PST by stuartcr
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To: LuvItOrLeaveIt
Trot him out, that's all the evidence I need...
And what I cannot understand is blind faith with no evidence.

Would the proofs of divine biblical inspiration be what you personally desire? Or perhaps the evidence for the resurrection? Or perhaps miraculous deliverances? Or would anything besides your personal desires be enough to demand from your Creator?

Luke 16:31 - If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.

88 posted on 01/03/2002 12:43:47 PM PST by sanchmo
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To: ArGee
What Christians don't understand about non-Christians is that we don't presume to 'know' what's on God's Infinite Mind, nor, based on how you've led your life, what your ultimate destination is going to be.
89 posted on 01/03/2002 12:44:03 PM PST by Psycho_Bunny
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To: ArGee
Have you looked?

Yep. I knocked. Nobody answered.

90 posted on 01/03/2002 12:45:10 PM PST by LuvItOrLeaveIt
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To: Khepera
Do you feel threatened? There can only be a religious discussion if we are bashing Christianity? Why is your loud post not directed to everyone that as posted to this thread?
91 posted on 01/03/2002 12:45:55 PM PST by soundsolutions
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To: Pietro
Thank you very kindly.

I'm happy that you picked up on it!

How funny is it that RnMomof7 didn't get it and chose to insult me over that bit of theological play!?

Q.E.D

92 posted on 01/03/2002 12:46:45 PM PST by Cogadh na Sith
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To: ArGee
It's an interesting story but it, unfortunately, bears not one bit of understanding of the non-Christian. I'm not sure there's anyway to explain it within the bound of your parable so I won't (though I reserve the right to use the parable when convenient), easier to be straight forward and put it out in plain English to one I've grown to respect.

The basic atheist complaint your talking about is the good life complaint. Where-in we ask why the important part is which building we entered once a week and what name we invoked when asking the devine for guidance and assistance (or whether we even did that). When I read the Bible (which I still do periodically inspite of being an atheist) I see a lot of good advice on how to be a good person, most of which has absolutely nothing to do with the act of worship. The actual worship strikes me as a very small portion of the Bible. So then our question why is the most important thing how we follow a small percentage of the Bible.

On the other side there's the confusion matter. There are dozen of religions (and sects of religions) in the world, hundreds if you dig into the historical record. All of them claim to be the one true religion. All of the apparently miraculous happenings of the world could be just as easily attributed to any of the religions, none of these things ever have signatures. People of 4 different faiths can see the same thing as clear proof of the correctness of their faith. When you're looking from the inside out there is great sureness in the correctness of your visions. But when you look from the outside in all religions look equal. Some might appeal more than others, but those are largely for asthetic reasons.

Maybe that is the big gap in your parable. You have the richman himself come out and tell the seakers which door to take. But that's not how it works. God Himself has never told me which sect of which religion to follow. I've read significant portions of the Bible, the Torah, the Koran, the Eda and the Bagahivata (I'm sure that's spelled wrong but my spell checker has no clue). I've spent serious time studying Budhism, Shintoism and some of the Indian religions. I've learned the differences between the main sects of the major religions of the world. I even learned a bit about what Babylonians and Summerians worshipped. I've peaked in all the doors I could and didn't see anything that said "yep this is the door".

In the process I have learned that most of the religions in the world have the exact same lessons at the core. Lessons about honesty and honor, and how to deal with your fellow man. Most of the 10 Commandments are included, in some way, in every religion I've studied. Most of the Seven Deadly Sins are warned against, in some way, by every religion I've studied. Of course these things are also taught by many philosophies that are completely seperated from religion. Because these things are good solid advice, if those rules are followed by everyone, regardless of any person's individual reasons for following them, the world would be pretty close to perfect.

So, to bring it into the parable, our question isn't: why can't we go through this door? It's why aren't there signs on the doors saying which one to use?

93 posted on 01/03/2002 12:46:50 PM PST by discostu
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To: Elsie
Matthew 22
 
 8.  "Then he said to his servants, `The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come.
 9.  Go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.'
 10.  So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, both good and bad, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.
 11.  "But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes.
 12.  `Friend,' he asked, `how did you get in here without wedding clothes?' The man was speechless.
 13.  "Then the king told the attendants, `Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'
 14.  "For many are invited, but few are chosen."
 15.  Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words.

You're in GOOD company!
94 posted on 01/03/2002 12:47:06 PM PST by Elsie
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To: fourdeuce82d
What if we die and we find out the guys who worship rocks were right?

If the rock worshippers are correct then what will I, as a Christian, have lost out on when I die?

On the other hand, if Christianity is correct then the rock worshipper will have lost everything when he dies.

-ksen

95 posted on 01/03/2002 12:47:51 PM PST by ksen
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To: LuvItOrLeaveIt
Yep. I knocked. Nobody answered.

Let yourself in then. Someone will be by shortly...

96 posted on 01/03/2002 12:48:24 PM PST by Cogadh na Sith
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To: stuartcr
Why do you assume that all religions are false?
97 posted on 01/03/2002 12:48:25 PM PST by soundsolutions
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To: stuartcr
Why then, if someone has faith, but it isn't the same as someone elses, are they wrong, ie, a Muslim, or Jew, or Hindu? Is there not only one God?

Hey, buddy. You better not say this too loudly at the banquet in the arena or else one of those big bouncers will come and throw your butt out.

98 posted on 01/03/2002 12:49:06 PM PST by gdani
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To: Psycho_Bunny
Thanks, you said it much better than I would have.
99 posted on 01/03/2002 12:49:47 PM PST by stuartcr
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To: soundsolutions
God makes the rules; Jesus said “without faith, it is impossible to please God”.

No god ever said anbything to anybody. People say that god says things to them. Bill Clinton said he never had sexual relations with that woman. People are fallible and proven liars. I don't trust people. Trot out your god and I'll believe it.

100 posted on 01/03/2002 12:50:31 PM PST by LuvItOrLeaveIt
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