Topic: Free will or 'Gods' will ?
no photo
Sun 03/30/08 04:48 PM

JB:

What?????

We are God and we are many personalities.


What?????

Oh my, yet another ego-based 'God'...

And you thought you saw it differently?

I would not call all of the masks required for humans to feel accepted by other humans 'God'...

Of course, if it feels right to you... it is your package... your box... put a nice ribbon on it...

'God' is a coping mechanism according to what you just said...

I know at least one other person here who would agree... and I just absolutely adore her... truly...

But she is clear about it... you are not...




Well if you are not God and if, as you say, ALL IS ONE, then who pray tell are you?

You don't really make much sense.

JB

no photo
Sun 03/30/08 05:38 PM



God gave us free will and the choice to follow God's Will but just because you have free will doesn't mean that you'll follow God's will.
God has a plan but it is up to us to follow that plan.
So in a way yes it can be both.bigsmile


So do you follow "Gods plan" if you don't know what it is?





Jeannie.....that's why God left us a manual ....with directions and instructions included....bigsmileflowerforyou :heart:


and those that follow those instructions completely are most likely insane

Zapchaser's photo
Sun 03/30/08 05:55 PM




God gave us free will and the choice to follow God's Will but just because you have free will doesn't mean that you'll follow God's will.
God has a plan but it is up to us to follow that plan.
So in a way yes it can be both.bigsmile


So do you follow "Gods plan" if you don't know what it is?





Jeannie.....that's why God left us a manual ....with directions and instructions included....bigsmileflowerforyou :heart:


and those that follow those instructions completely are most likely insane

laugh It depends on your perspective and your definition of insanity.laugh

no photo
Sun 03/30/08 05:56 PM



God gave us free will and the choice to follow God's Will but just because you have free will doesn't mean that you'll follow God's will.
God has a plan but it is up to us to follow that plan.
So in a way yes it can be both.bigsmile


So do you follow "Gods plan" if you don't know what it is?





Jeannie.....that's why God left us a manual ....with directions and instructions included....bigsmileflowerforyou :heart:



A Manual??? Really?? Where? If you are talking about The Bible, then you lost me. That is no manual.

First, God didn't write it... IMO.
Second, the instructions are very chaotic and inconclusive, and confusing.
Third, these so called instructions have lead to many wars and countless different denominations of an and illogical and confusing religion.

You still have not answered my question, I really do seriously want to know why you believe this story of a crucified savior who died for the sins of mankind, who people now claim was the son of God.

Seriously I want to understand why people believe this story. Nobody will tell me yet, how this story makes any sense.

To what force or God was this man sacrificed for?
How does his blood sacrifice pay for mankind's sins?
Why the ritual eating of the flesh and drinking of the blood?

None of this ritual makes sense in today's modern enlightened world.

JB





no photo
Sun 03/30/08 06:16 PM
Edited by MorningSong on Sun 03/30/08 06:19 PM




God gave us free will and the choice to follow God's Will but just because you have free will doesn't mean that you'll follow God's will.
God has a plan but it is up to us to follow that plan.
So in a way yes it can be both.bigsmile


So do you follow "Gods plan" if you don't know what it is?





Jeannie.....that's why God left us a manual ....with directions and instructions included....bigsmileflowerforyou :heart:



A Manual??? Really?? Where? If you are talking about The Bible, then you lost me. That is no manual.

First, God didn't write it... IMO.
Second, the instructions are very chaotic and inconclusive, and confusing.
Third, these so called instructions have lead to many wars and countless different denominations of an and illogical and confusing religion.

You still have not answered my question, I really do seriously want to know why you believe this story of a crucified savior who died for the sins of mankind, who people now claim was the son of God.

Seriously I want to understand why people believe this story. Nobody will tell me yet, how this story makes any sense.

To what force or God was this man sacrificed for?
How does his blood sacrifice pay for mankind's sins?
Why the ritual eating of the flesh and drinking of the blood?

None of this ritual makes sense in today's modern enlightened world.

JB








Jeannie...the best way to find the answers, is not to look to man, but to go to the source itself...namely, the Bible ( I personally reccomend reading the Old King James version .....because of the poetic beauty contained within....something which I think you will also appreciate ):smile:

But in the meantime, here is an article ,that will throw some light , on the subject of the Blood of Jesus.flowerforyou


The Blood and Why it is Precious

Source John Carver Ministries

By Dr Charles S. Price

It is true that it takes the power of the Holy Ghost to make men see the tremendous spiritual value in the blood of Jesus Christ. Unsaved men cannot understand it. By the word "unsaved," I not only mean men who are out in the world of open sin, but also that man who is lost in the high-ways and byways of his own unbelief. He might even be a minister. If he does not believe in the blood of Jesus Christ he is not a saved man. I am going to give you a few reasons why the blood of Jesus is very wonderful and precious.
The Blood Makes Atonement

Leviticus 17:11, "For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the al-tar to make an atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes an atonement for the souls." In the heavens above--in the water beneath--in the world in which we live--there is no atonement for sin except through the blood. From the time when our foreparents in the Garden of Eden were told to make skins with which to cover themselves, unto this day, there has never been ONE SINGLE CASE of atonement for sin without the shedding of blood. The sacrifice of Cain was rejected while the sacrifice of Abel was acceptable to the Lord. In all of the types of priesthood that we discover in Old Testament scripture, there was never any system or method of atonement offered to them except the shedding of blood. Type and antitype must correspond. The life of the body is in the blood--and Jesus shed his precious blood upon Calvary--and thereby gave His life for the atonement of all of our sins.

We Have Peace Through His Blood

Colossians 1:20, "And, having made peace through the blood of His cross, by Him to reconcile all things unto Himself; by Him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven." The world of sin is at war with God. The Bible distinctly tells us that we have been at enmity with God. We were aliens: strangers--enemies of the Lord and of His truth. But when Jesus completed and finished his marvelous work of reconciliation, we became, like Abraham, friends of God. There was an armistice between the souls of men and an indignant God. The marching hosts of heaven proclaimed the glorious truth that at last we had peace with God, and it was such a beautiful peace that it passed all human understanding. We be-came reconciled to God. He be-came our propitiation and through the blood of Calvary's Lamb, the garments of warfare were lifted from us and our wonderful Saviour put around us the robes of His righteousness and peace. There is not a theologian in the world who can tell me how that can be done except through the blood of Jesus. Re-member, it is only THROUGH THE BLOOD that we become reconciled to God and that we have peace.

We Were Purchased By The Blood

Acts 20:28, "Take heed, there-fore, unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost has made you over-seers, to feed the church of God, which he has purchased with his own blood." This is a Pauline warning to the elders. It is a charge to the ministers of the gospel, given with all of the authority and power of the Holy Spirit. The flock that is entrusted to the care of the minister is not HIS flock at all. I once interrupted a preacher who began to talk a great deal about "my flock" and "my people." "But they are not your people," I declared, "and that is not your flock." I told him that they were God's people and that they were the flock of the Good Shepherd of the sheep. Such a thought should make us feel our responsibility. In the passage of scripture I have just given you, Paul is reminding the ministers that in the providence of God, the Holy Ghost has made them overseers of the flock that be-longs to Jesus Christ. Did the minister purchase them? If so, what did he pay for them? Such a thought is outside the bounds of reason. My brother minister, the next time you enter your pulpit look into the faces of the people of your church and say to your-self: "These are the people that Jesus purchased with His own precious blood." That ought to make you feel the tremendous responsibility of your position.

The Blood Redeemed Us

Revelation 5:9, "And they sung a new song, saying Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof; for you were slain, and have redeemed us to God BY THY BLOOD out of every kindred and tongue, and people, and nation." To redeem means to buy back--to purchase once again. In this text we have a glorious and marvelous vision of the four beasts and the four and twenty elders that were prostrate on their faces before the Lamb of Heaven, who is none other than the Lamb of Calvary. They played their harps of gold and offered before the Lord the golden vials, which were filled with the prayers of the saints. The scripture says that these prayers were as sweet odors and incense before the Lord. Then, because of the ecstasy of their redeemed hearts, they commenced to sing. In that glorious anthem they declared that the Lord alone was worthy because it was He that had been slain. They asserted that it was THE BLOOD that was shed at the time of His sacrificial death that had redeemed them--and not only them--but the saints of God of all ages and from every land. How many men can dare pro-claim that we do not need a BLOOD ATONEMENT today, after reading this passage, is beyond my comprehension. Blind is that poor wandering soul who fails to see the truth of redemption through the blood of Jesus Christ. Hallelujah! He has re-deemed us BY HIS BLOOD!

We Are Justified By His Blood

Romans 5:9, "Much more then, being justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him." Men cannot be made just until they are justified. No man can stand justified in the sight of God by any act of his own or by any deed of morality or of righteousness. Preachers talk about justification by faith--but fail to make much of the power of the blood. When we speak of justification by faith what do we mean? Faith in what? Faith in whom? The only answer that can possibly be is the faith in Christ, but the scriptures lead us to a much deeper conclusion than that. It must be faith in the CRUCIFIED Christ. Not until Jesus died on Calvary's cross did we stand justified in the sight of God. That is an integral doctrine of the ministry of our blessed Lord. The average congregation goes away from the modern church with the statement, "We are justified by faith," ringing in their ears; but comparatively few ever experience the result of the exercise of faith. If Christ had lived and had not died a sacrificial death, we never could have been justified in the sight of God. It was because we were already justified that he arose from the dead. If we have not been justified, then Christ would have failed in the work that God sent Him into the world to do. But Hallelujah, the precious blood was acceptable in the sight of God--the atonement for sin--and men stood justified before the Father because of the SHED BLOOD of Jesus Christ the Son.

The Blood Is Our Admission And Entrance To The Glory World

Exodus 12:13, "And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt." Cast your mind back for a moment or two to that scene on the eventful night in far-away Egypt. Can you picture that slain lamb lying dead right in front of the door of the hut where dwelt the slave? Not far away was the blood that had been shed. The lamb had done everything that it possibly could do, its work was finished. The blood was sprinkled upon the door posts and upon the lintel above the door. Very soon the avenging angel was to pass with the sword of death down every street and alley in Egypt. He did not only visit the palace of Pharaoh, but he would look in the doorway of every slave. The scriptures do not tell us that when the avenging angel passed by he looked at those slaves and said, "I will not stop here. I see you are an Israelite." He did not look for them at all, he looked FOR THE BLOOD. When traveling days are over and you knock at the portals of the glory world, the angel who stands guard at the gates will not look for you. He will look for the blood. No sin will enter there--and the only thing that can wash away our sin is the PRECIOUS BLOOD of Calvary's cross.

We Are Sanctified Through His Blood

Hebrews 13:12, "Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate." Once again we find that the type merges into the anti-type, and thereby presents to us a beautiful and marvelous picture of God's great redemptive plan. After the sacrifice had been offered in the days of old--the body of the lamb that was slain was taken outside the gate and burned. That body was flesh. It was typical that flesh should be consumed--that it should be destroyed. Sanctification means death to sin and fleshly desires. It means complete separation from the world and the things of the world. But how can man be sanctified? How can we ever climb the steps that lead from total depravity to the heights of holiness and purity? Like a drowning man in the midst of the sea, we can find nothing to assist us in our struggle. We can search in vain; for the manner in which this much-to-be desired experience could be obtained can never, never be ours until we see the Lamb that was slain from the foundation of the world. Our Lord suffered with-out the gate. No man can ever walk the highway of sanctification until he has passed through the PORTALS OF THE BLOOD. That is another great reason why the blood of Jesus is so marvelously precious.

The Blood Cleanses Us From All Sin

I John 1:7, "The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe." To me this is a very precious truth. There are two tenses in which this text should be read. I refer to the past tense and to the present tense. If we live tomorrow, then tomorrow becomes our present, which is why I did not say we could read it in the future tense. The blood that cleanses today will not avail for tomorrow until we continue to live under its cleansing. It is a mistaken idea, and a terrible one at that, that because the blood of Jesus cleansed you many, many years ago, that having been cleansed, you are forever cleansed. The truth is that the blood of Jesus cleanses your heart from sin when you give yourself to Christ and accept him as your Saviour. But that blood CONTINUES TO CLEANSE--it cleanses you today--it cleanses you now. Have you noticed the words of the text? It is only as "we walk in the light" that the blood cleanses. But what light shall we walk in? Will any light do? Will the light of spiritualism, the light of New Thought, or the light of Modernism bring about the desired result? Read the Word of the Lord carefully and you will find that it is only as we walk in light as HE IS IN THE LIGHT that two wonderful things happen. First we have fellowship one with another, and second, THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST cleanses us from sin. That is--it is continuous in its operation. The blood that Jesus shed on Calvary's cross for me was applied the day I found Him as my Saviour, but it also justifies me today.

The Blood Brings Us Nigh To God

Ephesians 2:13, "But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ." I know that this scripture was written for the Gentiles. Paul was writing to the church at Ephesus, and he was referring to them as people whose lives had been very, very far away from God. But now, because Jesus died upon Calvary for them, they had been brought nigh unto the Lord. Were we not once very far away? Were we not once lost in the vales of sin? . . . until the day came when the Good Shepherd carried us back to the fold again? A little girl climbed on her father's knee and threw her chubby little arms around his neck and said: "Daddy, I am so glad that God lets us call him 'Our Father,' because it makes us feel so much closer to Him." Oh, the wonderful blood of Jesus, the precious shed blood of the Lamb of Calvary! It has drawn us by the cords of power divine until the sweet and beautiful relationship has been established in the grace of God. No longer are we wandering around in the distant mountains, lost in darkness and despair. Through the blood of Jesus we have been brought nigh. The Holy Spirit is our guide. Jesus is our elder brother, and God is our heavenly Father. These are a few of the reasons why the blood of Jesus Christ is so precious.



Copyright © 2005 EarsToHear.net
Sunday June 19, 2005 07:19 PM -0400



Zapchaser's photo
Sun 03/30/08 06:18 PM




God gave us free will and the choice to follow God's Will but just because you have free will doesn't mean that you'll follow God's will.
God has a plan but it is up to us to follow that plan.
So in a way yes it can be both.bigsmile


So do you follow "Gods plan" if you don't know what it is?





Jeannie.....that's why God left us a manual ....with directions and instructions included....bigsmileflowerforyou :heart:



A Manual??? Really?? Where? If you are talking about The Bible, then you lost me. That is no manual.

First, God didn't write it... IMO.
Second, the instructions are very chaotic and inconclusive, and confusing.
Third, these so called instructions have lead to many wars and countless different denominations of an and illogical and confusing religion.

You still have not answered my question, I really do seriously want to know why you believe this story of a crucified savior who died for the sins of mankind, who people now claim was the son of God.

Seriously I want to understand why people believe this story. Nobody will tell me yet, how this story makes any sense.

To what force or God was this man sacrificed for?
How does his blood sacrifice pay for mankind's sins?
Why the ritual eating of the flesh and drinking of the blood?

None of this ritual makes sense in today's modern enlightened world.

JB

Partaking in communion for me is a proclamation of faith. A ceremony remembering what Christ did for us and will continue until his return. Don't you find it ritualistic reading tarot cards? Some claim to read the future by throwing animal intestines on the ground and seeing the future in that. Some toss bones into a circle to read their future. Christians, although some do, are not to predict the future. I try to not waste too much time on the letter of the law. I prefer to spend my time in a personal relationship with God and I find happiness in that. You find happiness in what you do. We are all shown what we need to see when he needs us to see it, I am just happy being an unbalanced individual trying to lead a balanced life. laugh flowerforyou flowerforyou





Zapchaser's photo
Sun 03/30/08 06:20 PM
Zap exits slowly doing the chicken dance...... laugh

no photo
Sun 03/30/08 06:30 PM

Zap exits slowly doing the chicken dance...... laugh


:wink:

Thanks again,Zapchaser.....
for bringing some life and laugher to the board.flowerforyou

no photo
Sun 03/30/08 06:35 PM
Jeannie.....and others.....here's that " Bird Story" , that I promised to share awhile back.

It's a Beautiful Christmas story...but its never too late to share it again.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


" The Man and the Birds "
by Paul Harvey



The man to whom I'm going to introduce you was not a scrooge, he was a kind decent, mostly good man. Generous to his family, upright in his dealings with other men. But he just didn't believe all that incarnation stuff which the churches proclaim at Christmas Time. It just didn't make sense and he was too honest to pretend otherwise. He just couldn't swallow the Jesus Story, about God coming to Earth as a man.

"I'm truly sorry to distress you," he told his wife, "but I'm not going with you to church this Christmas Eve." He said he'd feel like a hypocrite. That he'd much rather just stay at home, but that he would wait up for them. And so he stayed and they went to the midnight service.

Shortly after the family drove away in the car, snow began to fall. He went to the window to watch the flurries getting heavier and heavier and then went back to his fireside chair and began to read his newspaper. Minutes later he was startled by a thudding sound...Then another, and then another. Sort of a thump or a thud...At first he thought someone must be throwing snowballs against his living room window. But when he went to the front door to investigate he found a flock of birds huddled miserably in the snow. They'd been caught in the storm and, in a desperate search for shelter, had tried to fly through his large landscape window.

Well, he couldn't let the poor creatures lie there and freeze, so he remembered the barn where his children stabled their pony. That would provide a warm shelter, if he could direct the birds to it. Quickly he put on a coat, galoshes, tramped through the deepening snow to the barn. He opened the doors wide and turned on a light, but the birds did not come in. He figured food would entice them in. So he hurried back to the house, fetched bread crumbs, sprinkled them on the snow, making a trail to the yellow-lighted wide open doorway of the stable. But to his dismay, the birds ignored the bread crumbs, and continued to flap around helplessly in the snow. He tried catching them...He tried shooing them into the barn by walking around them waving his arms...Instead, they scattered in every direction, except into the warm, lighted barn.

And then, he realized that they were afraid of him. To them, he reasoned, I am a strange and terrifying creature. If only I could think of some way to let them know that they can trust me...That I am not trying to hurt them, but to help them. But how? Because any move he made tended to frighten them, confuse them. They just would not follow. They would not be led or shooed because they feared him.

"If only I could be a bird," he thought to himself, "and mingle with them and speak their language. Then I could tell them not to be afraid. Then I could show them the way to safe, warm...to the safe warm barn. But I would have to be one of them so they could see, and hear and understand." At that moment the church bells began to ring. The sound reached his ears above the sounds of the wind. And he stood there listening to the bells - Adeste Fidelis - listening to the bells pealing the glad tidings of Christmas. And he sank to his knees in the snow.


(The audio for this story is available at oldradiofun.com )


Merry Christmas


Tyny® home page
flowerforyou flowerforyou flowerforyou










no photo
Sun 03/30/08 06:49 PM
Partaking in communion for me is a proclamation of faith. A ceremony remembering what Christ did for us and will continue until his return.


A ritual, yes I understand that, but if you are like me, and believe that the story of the crucified savior is a myth, then the ritual has little meaning.

I am looking for a logical reason why.. a blood sacrifice would atone for "sins." And to whom or what is the sacrifice made? Why was it necessary? That is my question.

Don't you find it ritualistic reading tarot cards? Some claim to read the future by throwing animal intestines on the ground and seeing the future in that. Some toss bones into a circle to read their future. Christians, although some do, are not to predict the future.


The idea that a person is "predicting the future" is a fallacy. The Tarot Cards do not predict the future, they indicate the energies of the present moment. The present moment is the only thing that actually exists. It is connected to events happening at that time and may indicate possible outcome, but that is only a prediction, many of which come true only because the energies and attitudes are not changed. (Most people don't take advice, if they receive it.)

I always tell people that the Tarot Cards don't read the future, they only reflect the energy of the moment.

It is not a ritual. It is like looking to the sky to see if it might rain that evening. If there are thunderclouds gathering, then the prediction for rain may be concluded. It is a reading of signs.




I try to not waste too much time on the letter of the law. I prefer to spend my time in a personal relationship with God and I find happiness in that. You find happiness in what you do. We are all shown what we need to see when he needs us to see it, I am just happy being an unbalanced individual trying to lead a balanced life.


Balance is good.... flowerforyou


iamgeorgiagirl's photo
Sun 03/30/08 07:05 PM

Jeannie.....and others.....here's that " Bird Story" , that I promised to share awhile back.

It's a Beautiful Christmas story...but its never too late to share it again.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


" The Man and the Birds "
by Paul Harvey



The man to whom I'm going to introduce you was not a scrooge, he was a kind decent, mostly good man. Generous to his family, upright in his dealings with other men. But he just didn't believe all that incarnation stuff which the churches proclaim at Christmas Time. It just didn't make sense and he was too honest to pretend otherwise. He just couldn't swallow the Jesus Story, about God coming to Earth as a man.

"I'm truly sorry to distress you," he told his wife, "but I'm not going with you to church this Christmas Eve." He said he'd feel like a hypocrite. That he'd much rather just stay at home, but that he would wait up for them. And so he stayed and they went to the midnight service.

Shortly after the family drove away in the car, snow began to fall. He went to the window to watch the flurries getting heavier and heavier and then went back to his fireside chair and began to read his newspaper. Minutes later he was startled by a thudding sound...Then another, and then another. Sort of a thump or a thud...At first he thought someone must be throwing snowballs against his living room window. But when he went to the front door to investigate he found a flock of birds huddled miserably in the snow. They'd been caught in the storm and, in a desperate search for shelter, had tried to fly through his large landscape window.

Well, he couldn't let the poor creatures lie there and freeze, so he remembered the barn where his children stabled their pony. That would provide a warm shelter, if he could direct the birds to it. Quickly he put on a coat, galoshes, tramped through the deepening snow to the barn. He opened the doors wide and turned on a light, but the birds did not come in. He figured food would entice them in. So he hurried back to the house, fetched bread crumbs, sprinkled them on the snow, making a trail to the yellow-lighted wide open doorway of the stable. But to his dismay, the birds ignored the bread crumbs, and continued to flap around helplessly in the snow. He tried catching them...He tried shooing them into the barn by walking around them waving his arms...Instead, they scattered in every direction, except into the warm, lighted barn.

And then, he realized that they were afraid of him. To them, he reasoned, I am a strange and terrifying creature. If only I could think of some way to let them know that they can trust me...That I am not trying to hurt them, but to help them. But how? Because any move he made tended to frighten them, confuse them. They just would not follow. They would not be led or shooed because they feared him.

"If only I could be a bird," he thought to himself, "and mingle with them and speak their language. Then I could tell them not to be afraid. Then I could show them the way to safe, warm...to the safe warm barn. But I would have to be one of them so they could see, and hear and understand." At that moment the church bells began to ring. The sound reached his ears above the sounds of the wind. And he stood there listening to the bells - Adeste Fidelis - listening to the bells pealing the glad tidings of Christmas. And he sank to his knees in the snow.


(The audio for this story is available at oldradiofun.com )


Merry Christmas


Tyny® home page
flowerforyou flowerforyou flowerforyou

Cool story

Lordling's photo
Sun 03/30/08 07:06 PM
There is no interdiction by God. There are interdictions by spiritual entities (including man) - good, bad, neutral, self-serving, etc.,etc..
Everyone knows that minions do all the work.

The most popular use of the term "God's will!", is when something comes to pass despite fervent prayers in opposition, or when something so disastrous occurs that it causes the religious to question their faith - it's like a "faith failsafe".

For the largest part, it's "free will" here on Earth, except for the minions playing games.

no photo
Sun 03/30/08 07:15 PM
Edited by Jeanniebean on Sun 03/30/08 07:36 PM
Morningsong,

I have read the Bible and with all honesty, the answer I am looking for is not in there.

I just want you to know that I did read the article you posted completely and carefully, looking for the answer to my question.

It was not there either.

About the blood atonement:
The closest thing I read about that was that "It has always been done this way.."

Example:


"From the time when our foreparents in the Garden of Eden were told to make skins with which to cover themselves, unto this day, there has never been ONE SINGLE CASE of atonement for sin without the shedding of blood."

And:

"The sacrifice of Cain was rejected while the sacrifice of Abel was acceptable to the Lord. "


Who is this "Lord" and why would he demand a blood sacrifice?

(I am not so sure this is the God that I "worship." )

The only thing that makes any sense is that there were two opposing groups of Gods and one demanded a sacrifice for some reason... or else.

There is another myth of a dragon who demanded the sacrifice of a virgin in order to stop Its raids on villages.

This dragon... why did It need a sacrifice? Did it eat the girl?

Of course it is a myth, but then so is the story(s) of the savior Gods. OMHO.

Yet I know there is reason behind these myths and that they have a place in the information that is truth. I am looking for that place where that puzzle piece fits.

JB


Zapchaser's photo
Sun 03/30/08 07:17 PM

Partaking in communion for me is a proclamation of faith. A ceremony remembering what Christ did for us and will continue until his return.


A ritual, yes I understand that, but if you are like me, and believe that the story of the crucified savior is a myth, then the ritual has little meaning.

I am looking for a logical reason why.. a blood sacrifice would atone for "sins." And to whom or what is the sacrifice made? Why was it necessary? That is my question.

Don't you find it ritualistic reading tarot cards? Some claim to read the future by throwing animal intestines on the ground and seeing the future in that. Some toss bones into a circle to read their future. Christians, although some do, are not to predict the future.


The idea that a person is "predicting the future" is a fallacy. The Tarot Cards do not predict the future, they indicate the energies of the present moment. The present moment is the only thing that actually exists. It is connected to events happening at that time and may indicate possible outcome, but that is only a prediction, many of which come true only because the energies and attitudes are not changed. (Most people don't take advice, if they receive it.)

I always tell people that the Tarot Cards don't read the future, they only reflect the energy of the moment.

It is not a ritual. It is like looking to the sky to see if it might rain that evening. If there are thunderclouds gathering, then the prediction for rain may be concluded. It is a reading of signs.




I try to not waste too much time on the letter of the law. I prefer to spend my time in a personal relationship with God and I find happiness in that. You find happiness in what you do. We are all shown what we need to see when he needs us to see it, I am just happy being an unbalanced individual trying to lead a balanced life.


Balance is good.... flowerforyou



Thanks! I find all of what you said very interesting. I enjoy hearing other's views very much. flowerforyou Concerning the blood sacrifice thing as I understand it animals were sacrificed for the atonement of one's sins and Christ was the last blood sacrifice as His death on the cross was the final atonement for the sins of man. Man, I don't like paraphrasing scripture! Okay all you who want to rip me to shreds..... have at it. sad bigsmile

Zapchaser's photo
Sun 03/30/08 07:19 PM


Zap exits slowly doing the chicken dance...... laugh


:wink:

Thanks again,Zapchaser.....
for bringing some life and laugher to the board.flowerforyou

Thanks morning song. I am the guy that will laugh at a funeral as the song says. laugh Life is too short to not have a good time.

feralcatlady's photo
Sun 03/30/08 07:42 PM
They both are in perfect unison.....both are of God.......so what's the question?
laugh laugh

no photo
Sun 03/30/08 09:08 PM
Edited by MorningSong on Sun 03/30/08 09:09 PM

Morningsong,

I have read the Bible and with all honesty, the answer I am looking for is not in there.

I just want you to know that I did read the article you posted completely and carefully, looking for the answer to my question.

It was not there either.

About the blood atonement:
The closest thing I read about that was that "It has always been done this way.."

Example:


"From the time when our foreparents in the Garden of Eden were told to make skins with which to cover themselves, unto this day, there has never been ONE SINGLE CASE of atonement for sin without the shedding of blood."

And:

"The sacrifice of Cain was rejected while the sacrifice of Abel was acceptable to the Lord. "


Who is this "Lord" and why would he demand a blood sacrifice?

(I am not so sure this is the God that I "worship." )

The only thing that makes any sense is that there were two opposing groups of Gods and one demanded a sacrifice for some reason... or else.

There is another myth of a dragon who demanded the sacrifice of a virgin in order to stop Its raids on villages.

This dragon... why did It need a sacrifice? Did it eat the girl?

Of course it is a myth, but then so is the story(s) of the savior Gods. OMHO.

Yet I know there is reason behind these myths and that they have a place in the information that is truth. I am looking for that place where that puzzle piece fits.

JB




Jeannie.... I love and respect your sincerity, in your search in wanting to know more.

Highly admire that about you Jeannie.. and also the fact, that you are always kind and loving towards all here .flowerforyou :heart:

Since I gather you are always open to learning more ,
Here is a link that offers loads of info :

www.anointedlinks.com

I share this particulat link , cause it offers annointed messages.
Be Blessed...and hope you enjoy flowerforyou

But also, just re-read the bible,Jeannie.... and just ask God to help make things clear.
And God will.

He loves you, Jeanne...so do I...despite our differences..even if we never see eye to eye.....flowerforyou




no photo
Sun 03/30/08 10:12 PM
Morningsong,

I appreciate your efforts, but I would like to hear your own reasons. Why do you believe in these stories and how does a blood sacrifice make sense to you personally? How do you make sense out of it, or do you?

JB


creativesoul's photo
Sun 03/30/08 10:26 PM
If Christianity helps one to feel as though they have hope, once again, then that reality is attributed to that factor which was different. The difference being the acceptance of Christ. That alone substantiates the belief in Christ within one.

Gotta crash..

G'night!

flowerforyou

no photo
Sun 03/30/08 10:28 PM
Edited by MorningSong on Sun 03/30/08 11:05 PM

Morningsong,

I appreciate your efforts, but I would like to hear your own reasons. Why do you believe in these stories and how does a blood sacrifice make sense to you personally? How do you make sense out of it, or do you?

JB





Jeannie...Faith came by hearing...and hearing...and one day Faith took affect... and I ask Jesus into my heart.

I clearly remember that evening I did ask Him in... was with my best friend Carol Cisneros, a singer at the time on the Riverwalk in San Antonio Texas....we had both just returned from a coffee house meeting ,where Jesus was being preached that nite......this was back in the 70's...and I remember how I went down later on, into the basement of that meeting house.....and all by myself that night, I got down on my knees..and asked Jesus in my heart.

Why at that particular moment ,did I make that decision and not earlier in my life..only God Knows..but I KNEW from that moment on, Jeannie.....that Jesus was REAL In my life...and my life has never ever been the same.sad sad (tears of pure joy)

He is REAL, Jeannie..
He is REAL....sad laugh
He is REAL.....sad laugh
He is REAL sad laugh
He is REALsadlaugh sadlaugh sadlaugh

And I want the whole world to know...

JESUS IS REAL!!!sad laugh sad laugh sad laugh

(those are happy tears of joy )flowerforyou