Topic: What is the "mark of the beast"?
arkdanimal's photo
Sat 10/11/08 03:39 AM
Damn church keys, they sure cause alot of problems!

Krimsa's photo
Sat 10/11/08 03:43 AM
Im assuming that is some kind of inside joke or amusing anecdote locked within the confines of your own brain so the humor is lost on everyone else? huh

arkdanimal's photo
Sat 10/11/08 03:47 AM
no, it is a joke, but it's been around for many decades in the community of people who don't really believe in the idea of God. ask around, I'm sure one of your friends will be happy to enlighten you!

Krimsa's photo
Sat 10/11/08 03:50 AM
Well why not you then?

arkdanimal's photo
Sat 10/11/08 03:51 AM
you probably wouldn't believe me!

Krimsa's photo
Sat 10/11/08 03:53 AM
Edited by Krimsa on Sat 10/11/08 03:53 AM
Does it mean you are inebriated right now?

BrandonJItaliano's photo
Sat 10/11/08 03:54 AM
A red and blue elephant with 3 little white stars on the top of it!!

arkdanimal's photo
Sat 10/11/08 03:56 AM

Does it mean you are inebriated right now?
nope, It's a bottle opener!

arkdanimal's photo
Sat 10/11/08 03:56 AM
Edited by arkdanimal on Sat 10/11/08 03:57 AM

Does it mean you are inebriated right now?
nope, It's a bottle opener! and just because I have stated in the past that I wanted a beer, doesn't mean I drank any!

feralcatlady's photo
Sat 10/11/08 09:35 AM


Thanks doll....now if they could only remember it all so I don't have to repeat myself again....but you know I will over and over and over again......





Are you sure about that tribo......sorry love but God did not put satan in the garden of eden.

Immediately after this Satan declares with emphasis, "I will make myself like the Most High." Why "the Most High"? God has many names. Why did Satan choose this particular name to express his ambitions? Here is the key to the pride of Satan. God is revealed as El Elyon, the Most High God, and in this character he is 'the possessor of heaven and earth.' This is what Lucifer wanted to be. His rebellion was not a request for God to move over so that he might share God's throne. It was a thrust at God himself. It was an attempt to put God out so that Satan might take his place as possessor of the heavens and the earth."

Clearly, when Satan appears in Eden in the guise of the serpent to tempt Eve and Adam, it is a renewed attempt to further this ambition. Having failed to take heaven, he is nevertheless determined to consolidate his hold on earth through earth's inhabitants.

The second prominent feature of the Isaiah passage is Satan's fivefold repetition of the words "I will." He said, "I will . . . I will . . . I will . . . I will . . . I will . . ." This feature gives insight into the nature of sin and possibly into the reason why God permits it and its accompanying evils in His universe.

Suppose for some reason that the word "sin" was suddenly eradicated from the English vocabulary, and suppose we still had the task of telling men and women about their need of God and of God's work of restoration through Christ. How could we go about it? One way we could go about it would be to speak of "sin" as the existence of a contrary "will" in God's universe. Before Satan's fall there was only one will. It was God's will; it was perfect. After Satan's rebellion there were two wills-Satan's and God's-but, of course, only one of the two was perfect-God's. When Adam and Eve were created there was an immediate problem as to which of the two they would follow. Satan thought he would get Adam and Eve to follow him. Although he got them to rebel against God, he did not succeed in getting them to follow his will. So, there were now four wills, each going its own way and only one of them (God's will) remaining perfect. In time there were six wills, as Abel and Cain were added. Then there were sixteen wills and thirty-two and sixty-four. Today there are billions of wills, which explains the constant conflicts in the human race. But it is still the case that only one, the will of God almighty, is perfect and totally desirable.

Satan has been trying to fashion these rebellious and mutually hostile wills into a kingdom, but with very few exceptions he has been monumentally unsuccessful. God's permission of evil allows this truth to become increasingly evident.

But what Satan cannot do, God does. In Christ He is drawing the wills of His people back to Himself and establishing harmony where there was chaos before. That is why Paul admonishes us to be "transformed by the renewing of" our minds so that we will be able "to test and approve what God's will is" (Rom. 12:2). It is why he says, "We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ" (2 Cor. 10:4, 5).

Only God can give harmony. Satan cannot. Satan has power to tear down, but he cannot build up. He can divide, but he cannot bring together again. Actually, even his names show this. "Lucifer"-his name before his fall- means "the bringer [or bearer] of light," a reference to his role as reflector of God's glory. But "Satan" means "adversary," and "devil" means "disrupter." The last name is based on two Greek words: dia, meaning "through" or "among," and ballo, meaning "to throw." The devil is the one who from the beginning has been attempting to throw a monkey wrench into the machinery of the universe.

READING THE BOOK

Satan has been "unsuccessful," but this is in terms of his ultimate goals only. In many cases, as in the temptation of Eve and Adam, he has succeeded. He is a dangerous foe, "a roaring lion looking for someone to devour" (1 Peter 5:8).

The Christian must be on guard against him. How shall we do that? One thing we must do is learn about him. In the movie Patton there is a scene in which for the first time the American general encounters the tank corps of Germany's North African army under command of the brilliant German war strategist Rommel, the "Desert Fox." Rommel's tanks have been destroying the western armies. But Patton out thinks him and is waiting for Rommel with an ambush. The "Desert Fox" is routed, and Patton, who has succeeded by studying Rommel's writing, is jubilant. He laughs and says, "Rommel, you son-of-a-gun, I read your book." Patton defeated Rommel because he knew his enemy. In the same way, although Satan has not given us a war manual, God has; and we are therefore forewarned against Satan and his strategies.

The limitations of Satan are worth talking about in detail. To begin with, he is not omniscient. God knows all things, but Satan does not. Above all, he does not know the future. No doubt he can make shrewd guesses because he knows the nature of man and has observed history. The so-called revelations of mediums and fortune-tellers---when they are not outright deceits---fall in this category. But this is not true knowledge of what is to come. God stated this in a challenge to all false gods, saying, "Present your case...Set forth your arguments...Bring in your idols to tell us what is going to happen...Declare to us the things to come, tell us what the future holds, so we may know that you are gods. Do something, whether good or bad, so that we will be dismayed and filled with fear. But you are less than nothing and your works are utterly worthless" (Isa. 41:21-24).

Satan is not omnipotent. He cannot do everything he wants to do, and in the case of believers he can do only what God will permit. The great example here is Job, who was safe until God lowered the hedge He had thrown up about him, and even then God did this for His own worthwhile purposes and kept Job from sinning.

Satan is not omnipresent. He cannot be everywhere at the same time tempting everyone. God is omnipresent. He can help all who call on Him, all at one time. But Satan must tempt one individual at a time or else operate through one or more of those angels, now demons, who fell with him.

This means that while the Christian must never ignore or underestimate Satan and his stratagems, neither must he overestimate him. Above all, he must never do this to the point of taking his eyes away from God. God is our strength and our tower. He limits Satan. He will never permit a Christian to be tempted above that which he is able and will always with the temptation provide the way of escape that he may be able to bear it (1 Cor. 10:13). We will stand against the temptations of Satan only if we are united to God through the Savior and draw near to Him. Apparently neither Eve nor Adam sought such union; so they fell. But we, though far weaker than they, may stand because we stand in the power of Him who defeated Satan by His victory on the cross and who will return one day to judge him and confine him to the lake of fire forever (Matt. 25:41).


Because sin had entered the world, and into the very nature of man through Adams transgression, then for God to destroy Satan, he would also have had to destroy the man he loved. But God had a better way. A way of Redememption.





THINK!!!think think think think


This is spot on, Feral....:heart:


feralcatlady's photo
Sat 10/11/08 09:38 AM




was he not the most perfect of all gods angels in the beginning? and this does not answer my statements - no matter what satan/lucifer's motifs were, it is still factual[according to the book] that god allowed him to be there correct? he set it up! Satan wasn't just strolling the neighborhood and decided to go in and tempt eve, he was either placed there, or allowed to be there - one of the two, and that was god's doing, doesnot this infallible god hold control over satan?! If so then who else can be at fault here but god himself?


choice my friend......always always that is what you will have........and who chose wrong....hmmmmmmm and who to this day chooses wrong...Not God, but man.......God wants you of your own free will.......and that just like with Christ when he was in the Desert and had nothing to do with satan and his givings and tempting him.....and Christ did what.....He chose right......


My dearest ferallkitty, if god controls everything then how do i have free choice / free will? as i keep stating - if i'm god and i am in charge of this scenario were discussing, and I "ALLOW" this scenario to take place, knowing who will win, then how am i not at fault? Have you heard the word - "FOCUS"? well try to focus on this point instead of going on about what ISH. says about lucifer. this is the scenario once more:

It's a hot and steamy evening in the garden of eden. barely a breeze, and lil miss eve is out with adam to gather some delicious georgia peaches[i like peaches ] and this upright creature adorned and bejewled[according to ISH]. comes strolling towards her nonchalantly and ask how she's doing[ i like to be dramatic and i also think he had sylveter stallone's voice - hey Adrianneeeeee] and eve say's fine and satan replies - hey. did not god tell you you could eat from all the fruit trees? and eve answers well yes except for the golden georgian peach tree in the center here? and they all lived happily ever after amen!

the point is ferral - god is in charge of everything always and he is the one who set up the scenario he allowed it to take place and this is also true of creating lucifer, and all other men that later did evil things - if he had not brought them into existance in the first place then sin could not have entered into existance correct?


Spot on Tribo...




sorry doll....but the cutieful tribo is still confuzled....

feralcatlady's photo
Sat 10/11/08 09:39 AM
It's has been said over and over......so all I can say is you people need to get a clue.....and pull your heads out of the sand...






was he not the most perfect of all gods angels in the beginning? and this does not answer my statements - no matter what satan/lucifer's motifs were, it is still factual[according to the book] that god allowed him to be there correct? he set it up! Satan wasn't just strolling the neighborhood and decided to go in and tempt eve, he was either placed there, or allowed to be there - one of the two, and that was god's doing, doesnot this infallible god hold control over satan?! If so then who else can be at fault here but god himself?


choice my friend......always always that is what you will have........and who chose wrong....hmmmmmmm and who to this day chooses wrong...Not God, but man.......God wants you of your own free will.......and that just like with Christ when he was in the Desert and had nothing to do with satan and his givings and tempting him.....and Christ did what.....He chose right......


My dearest ferallkitty, if god controls everything then how do i have free choice / free will? as i keep stating - if i'm god and i am in charge of this scenario were discussing, and I "ALLOW" this scenario to take place, knowing who will win, then how am i not at fault? Have you heard the word - "FOCUS"? well try to focus on this point instead of going on about what ISH. says about lucifer. this is the scenario once more:

It's a hot and steamy evening in the garden of eden. barely a breeze, and lil miss eve is out with adam to gather some delicious georgia peaches[i like peaches ] and this upright creature adorned and bejewled[according to ISH]. comes strolling towards her nonchalantly and ask how she's doing[ i like to be dramatic and i also think he had sylveter stallone's voice - hey Adrianneeeeee] and eve say's fine and satan replies - hey. did not god tell you you could eat from all the fruit trees? and eve answers well yes except for the golden georgian peach tree in the center here? and they all lived happily ever after amen!

the point is ferral - god is in charge of everything always and he is the one who set up the scenario he allowed it to take place and this is also true of creating lucifer, and all other men that later did evil things - if he had not brought them into existance in the first place then sin could not have entered into existance correct?


Spot on Tribo...



laugh laugh What are we having ladies some english tea time here? spot on governor - laugh


seriously though - i cannot see it any other way than god's resposability - he is the creator of this and all other scenarios in the book how can anyone else be blamed - or you can look at it like this - who came first the sinner or the god?

feralcatlady's photo
Sat 10/11/08 09:41 AM


your all going to hell for this thread


i don't think MS and ferall would agree


I so would not....and dan and phil are going together to reak havoc on hell for all eternity.....

feralcatlady's photo
Sat 10/11/08 09:52 AM


I cant even tell what the last words of Jesus were exactly. Its so contradictory. Look at this.

Okay we have Option 1

Matthew 27:46 SAYING THE SAME AS OTHERS....BUT ONCE AGAIN YOU TAKE IT OUT OF CONTEXT AND IT MEANS NOTHING.

And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" That is probably the most common and what we hear rattled off a good portion of the time.

Option 2

Luke 23:46 SAME WITH THIS, TAKE IT OUT OF CONTEXT AND IT MUMBO JUMBO.k

And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.


Option 3

John 19:30

When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

huh

How many times did this guy get crucified exactly?





Oh this is such a perfect example....


They all wrote at different times which is basically saying the same thing....So once again class let's take the text and break it down so you can understand it.

Matthew 27:446 well golly ding dang...yea it's something new looking at it all....and breaking it down.

45From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land. 46About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi,[c] lama sabachthani?"—which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"[d]

47When some of those standing there heard this, they said, "He's calling Elijah."

48Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink. 49The rest said, "Now leave him alone. Let's see if Elijah comes to save him."

50And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.

51At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. 52The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. 53They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus' resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people.

54When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, "Surely he was the Son[e] of God!"

55Many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for his needs. 56Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee's sons.
The Burial of Jesus
57As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. 58Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus' body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. 59Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away. 61Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb.

The Guard at the Tomb

62The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. 63"Sir," they said, "we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, 'After three days I will rise again.' 64So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first."

65"Take a guard," Pilate answered. "Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how." 66So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.



So see doll what I have been saying all along....Matthew, Luke and John were all saying the same thing..and if you took the scripture of each and printed it out side by side you would see that. But take it out of context and that is why you talk foolish woman.

feralcatlady's photo
Sat 10/11/08 09:58 AM







was he not the most perfect of all gods angels in the beginning? and this does not answer my statements - no matter what satan/lucifer's motifs were, it is still factual[according to the book] that god allowed him to be there correct? he set it up! Satan wasn't just strolling the neighborhood and decided to go in and tempt eve, he was either placed there, or allowed to be there - one of the two, and that was god's doing, doesnot this infallible god hold control over satan?! If so then who else can be at fault here but god himself?


choice my friend......always always that is what you will have........and who chose wrong....hmmmmmmm and who to this day chooses wrong...Not God, but man.......God wants you of your own free will.......and that just like with Christ when he was in the Desert and had nothing to do with satan and his givings and tempting him.....and Christ did what.....He chose right......


My dearest ferallkitty, if god controls everything then how do i have free choice / free will? as i keep stating - if i'm god and i am in charge of this scenario were discussing, and I "ALLOW" this scenario to take place, knowing who will win, then how am i not at fault? Have you heard the word - "FOCUS"? well try to focus on this point instead of going on about what ISH. says about lucifer. this is the scenario once more:

It's a hot and steamy evening in the garden of eden. barely a breeze, and lil miss eve is out with adam to gather some delicious georgia peaches[i like peaches ] and this upright creature adorned and bejewled[according to ISH]. comes strolling towards her nonchalantly and ask how she's doing[ i like to be dramatic and i also think he had sylveter stallone's voice - hey Adrianneeeeee] and eve say's fine and satan replies - hey. did not god tell you you could eat from all the fruit trees? and eve answers well yes except for the golden georgian peach tree in the center here? and they all lived happily ever after amen!

the point is ferral - god is in charge of everything always and he is the one who set up the scenario he allowed it to take place and this is also true of creating lucifer, and all other men that later did evil things - if he had not brought them into existance in the first place then sin could not have entered into existance correct?




God Control I would not say that.....God the creator I would say. God let all humans have free choice to choose him or not.....Like you don't know this already....your trying to trick me huh tribo...gigglesnort. See tribo that is where your off....because God give us "Free" choice he doesn't know what your going to choose. What makes you think that God would know what is to happen..of course not silly man. Now of course God would want you to make right choice...but the choice is "yours"

And if she had chosen to not eat the golden georgian peach then of course NO SIN and NO FALL of man.....But she did eat from it.....so the price they had to pay. Pretty simple huh Mr. Doesn't take rocket science like all think.



God did NOT NOT NOT SET UP THE SCENARIO.....Adam and Eve let satan tempt them even when they should not have......Was Christ ever ever ever tempted by satan...And did Christ make the right decisions yes......Did Adam and eve? No so there you have it....and no matter how many way to sunday you say it....IT WAS MAN THAT FELL from grace and man to blame.....

Did you bother to read at all what I wrote......because again all the answers are their for the reading....that way I don't have to keep repeating myself...ahhhh that would be a beautiful thing. Sin entered through satan.....and just like with Christ they could of chosen to not let it in...sadly they did....and the price for that ignorance they surly did pay.


of course i read what you wrote briefly - here's why - you were off topic on bringing in what went on outside of what the op was about. tongue2

that said - i read what your saying now i know it was man who fell - i know it was satan that temted - but again who started this scenario? satan? adam and eve? or god!! to blame the creation for what god put into motion is crap. the buck stops and starts with god, he is resposable for everything that exist and everyuthing that he created - are you now saying he's not?flowers



ahhhh tribo I thought you were more intelligent then this....let's re-examine what we have learned in the past.

satan was God's right hand angel

satan thought he was better then God

Big Big mistake

God banishes satan

satan goes to the garden of eden tempts Adam & Eve

they fall for it......



THEY SINNED THEY WERE THE START OF THE FALL OF MAN.
THEM GET IT.....THEM ADAM EVE SATAN NOT NOT NOT GOD. God's only part in it was the consequences for their action......
God being responsinble for everything that exist has nothing to do with what "THEY DID" GOd wants us to make the right choice.....we don't we pay



regarding the original OP like they ever stay on topic that is just laughable and It was not I that brought up Genesis 3........I just thought if your going to debate on it then by golly have it there for all to see.....I am smart like that...giggle.





Sorry to disappoint you on your take on how intellegent i am deb, i wish i could be smart like you - but alsa it wil never besad

but in my ignorance let me say again - who created adam and eve and then put them on satans way? who allowed satan to be in the garden? who but god can take reposability for all that has taken place in this world? who is the creator and who is the created? who has the ability and the power? who is resposable for starting this whole creation thing? you?



You could never disappoint me tribo....stubborn yes....love fighting with a fence yes.....You know the answers to all the questions you ask tribo....but the fighting God part of you wants to justify what is right in front of your face that you refuse to see. Again I say to you tribo.....God is sinless and the only ones who made their beds and can lie it it...is Adam Eve and satan. God created and it was all GOOD.....Satan thinking he was better started it all...and adam and eve chose to follow...BIG BIG BIG mistake...And just like you my love who know scripture who knew God are choosing your path......your choice but just remember love all choices have consequences that go along......Peace always to you tribo...

tribo's photo
Sat 10/11/08 11:14 AM
Edited by tribo on Sat 10/11/08 11:27 AM
hmmm? well deb lets look at it from another perspective then ok? who created the tree of "good and >>EVIL<<"? In other words, who placed something which was evil in the garden, was it satan? no, - was it adam and eve? no - hmmm? then who could it be?? i wonder could it be GOD!!! - why yes it was - god placed/put/planted/ this potential for man acquiring evil in the garden, so god puts/brings about/CREATES the potential for evil in the face of man and also allows satan to enter the sinless place and do what god already knows he is capable of doing[since he had already fallen from grace] - so this is the scenario/outline/story as it is laid out for those to read - correct?

God ""knew"" EVIL before he creates man, he knows what it is from time immemorial, and even though he says he can't stand evil/sin/trangression - he, and he alone- is the one who brings the potential for evil into his own creation. Now explain to me why he would do this if he hates evil and sin and trangression? Why even set up that which he created for potential failure? It was a purposeful act by god to do so, there is no way around this deb. god purposely made the potential to do evil or sin available to his creation - the ability for them to be tempted by satan and the ability for them to disobey him, yet he and he alone is resposible for placing this potential there to begin with, there is no one else to blame - had he not done so and satan had placed it there then i could agree with you - but he did not - as i told MM - if the question i raised had been - " is god resposible for everything >>>GOOD<<< - you would have quickly answered - absolutely!! well its the same question about the same tree the tree of the "knowledge" of both " GOOD" and >>>EVIL<<< - you cannot proudly exclaim "absolutely" to the "good" part and then turn around and exclaim ""absolutely not"" to the other!! were tslking the exact same tree not 2 different trees.

feralcatlady's photo
Sat 10/11/08 11:32 AM
Edited by feralcatlady on Sat 10/11/08 11:34 AM
Yes God did and did not God tempt man all the time.......after Adam and Eve....did he not always test to see where loyalities lie....yes he did. And yes you are correct in this respect......but also God started with them in giving them free will did he not? yes exactly so I still stand by my original answer and that is they chooce.

And everything God did, or does is with purpose tribo...this is no difference.....he didn't create robots he created men whom he gave free choice. I would put myself there right now and if anyone tempted me to do anything against God....NO SIR RE NOT EVEN AN OPTION....

In Christian theology, the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil is connected to the doctrine of original sin. Augustine of Hippo believed that humanity inherited sin itself and the guilt for Adam and Eve's sin. By eating of the fruit of the Tree, Adam and Eve sought to be like God. There is a minority of Christians that affirm the doctrine of Pelagianism, which believes every individual faces the same choice between sin and salvation that Adam and Eve faced.


hmmm? well deb lets look at it from another perspective then ok? who created the tree of "good and >>EVIL<<"? In other words, who placed something which was evil in the garden, was it satan? no, - was it adam and eve? no - hmmm? then who could it be?? i wonder could it be GOD!!! - why yes it was - god placed/put/planted/ this potential for man acquiring evil in the garden, so god puts/brings about/CREATES the potential for evil in the face of man and also allows satan to enter the sinless place and do what god already knows he is capable of doing[since he had already fallen from grace] - so this is the scenario/outline/story as it is laid out for those to read - correct?

God ""knows"" EVIL before he creates man, he knows what it is, and even though he says he can't stand evil/sin/trangression - he, and he alone- is the one who brings into his own creation. Now explain to me why he would do this if he hates evil and sin and trangression? Why even set up that which he created for potential failure? It was a purposeful act by god to do so, there is no way around this deb.

Dan99's photo
Sat 10/11/08 11:39 AM
Deb, God would not approve of your avatars, you will go to hell for that.

Krimsa's photo
Sat 10/11/08 11:41 AM

Deb, God would not approve of your avatars, you will go to hell for that.


laugh laugh laugh She has a "stripper pole" also Dan. Deb is a very "unique" Christian. I mean that in a good way. happy

feralcatlady's photo
Sat 10/11/08 11:41 AM

Deb, God would not approve of your avatars, you will go to hell for that.



Get your mind out of the gutter dan......There are much worse then a bikini bottom and a vest......pffftttt...stop looking if you don't like it...



laugh laugh laugh laugh laugh laugh