Update XXI: "Scientific Facts Are Not Hard And Fast Rules."

[King]

What I am telling you is from the Bible. 

No it's not.

[Starbucks Union Thug HokeyPuck]

I believe what I believe.  There's no need in criticizing me for it.  What I am telling you is from the Bible.  It's not from the Catholic Church (who's teachings are not always correct).  My views come from the Bible and a lifetime of great men and women of God teaching me.  We cannot earn salvation.  No one can.  Salvation instead is a free gift.  This forum doesn't understand the concept of grace, apparently.  I could never do anything to earn my salvation.  I can only get to heaven through Jesus Christ (John 14:6).  No one can ever hope to earn their salvation.  If they base their attempt to reach God on their own works, then they will be sadly mistaken and disappointed when they leave this earth.  Everyone has to come to salvation through Jesus Christ alone.  Ephesians 2:8-9 says "For it is by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works lest anyone should boast."  This specifically says that we cannot earn our own salvation.  Since we know the Bible is 100% inerrant and infallible, this is the spoken word of God and thus no one can question the validity of any of the content of the 66 books of the Bible.

Anyway, I don't feel like discussing it any further.  You all refuse to see my point of view and instead are intent on bashing me over the head for my beliefs.

HockeyDude!  Religion isn't bad!  It's all just swell.  You're just a big meanie!

[IceSpear]

So Hitler and Kony will be in heaven, while Gandhi will be going straight to hell. Gotta love American evangelicalism.

[Joe Biden 2020]

So Hitler and Kony will be in heaven, while Gandhi will be going straight to hell. Gotta love American evangelicalism.

Hitler and Kony were not Christians either.  They are a little hot under the collar themselves.

[Joe Biden 2020]

So you worked for Dell eh?

Okay, not for the entire year, but I was hired on by Dell after 9 months only to be let go due to a downsizing.

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

So Hitler and Kony will be in heaven, while Gandhi will be going straight to hell. Gotta love American evangelicalism.

Hitler and Kony were not Christians either.  They are a little hot under the collar themselves.

This is invoking moral actions, no?

[King]

So Hitler and Kony will be in heaven, while Gandhi will be going straight to hell. Gotta love American evangelicalism.

Hitler and Kony were not Christians either.  They are a little hot under the collar themselves.

Kony is definitely a Christian. Hitler used it disingenuously to score allies, but Kony is definitely a Christian and you can expect to see him in Heaven in your worldview.

[IceSpear]

So Hitler and Kony will be in heaven, while Gandhi will be going straight to hell. Gotta love American evangelicalism.

Hitler and Kony were not Christians either.  They are a little hot under the collar themselves.

I'm pretty sure Kony accepted Jesus into his heart, and was therefore "saved". Isn't that how it works?

[Joe Republic]

As a Catholic, there's a pretty good shot Mother Teresa is in Hell too.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Hitler hated Christianity and is quoted as once calling it a "Jew religion" though ironically he seemed to have respect for Islam which is closer to Judaism in observance and practice.

Kony and the LRA are syncretic with lots of animist beliefs and are not orthodox Christian (note capitalization) by any means.

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

I believe what I believe.  There's no need in criticizing me for it.  What I am telling you is from the Bible.  It's not from the Catholic Church (who's teachings are not always correct).  My views come from the Bible and a lifetime of great men and women of God teaching me.  We cannot earn salvation.  No one can.  Salvation instead is a free gift.  This forum doesn't understand the concept of grace, apparently.  I could never do anything to earn my salvation.  I can only get to heaven through Jesus Christ (John 14:6).  No one can ever hope to earn their salvation.  If they base their attempt to reach God on their own works, then they will be sadly mistaken and disappointed when they leave this earth.  Everyone has to come to salvation through Jesus Christ alone.  Ephesians 2:8-9 says "For it is by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works lest anyone should boast."  This specifically says that we cannot earn our own salvation.  Since we know the Bible is 100% inerrant and infallible, this is the spoken word of God and thus no one can question the validity of any of the content of the 66 books of the Bible.

Anyway, I don't feel like discussing it any further.  You all refuse to see my point of view and instead are intent on bashing me over the head for my beliefs.

So, you're some young earth creationist freak that thinks the world was created in six days and has only existed for 6k years. Good to know.

(For the record, I accept the scientific age of the earth/universe,  and believe the big bang/evolution happened with god's help.)

[7,052,770]

It may not be possible to contrive a more false statement than "Everyone deserves Hell."

Why would you believe such a despicable thing, Bushie? I deserve to go to Heaven and so do you. And so does everyone. We are all just products of our genetic makeup and environment.

Even Hitler's sins don't warrant eternal punishment. Thousands of years, sure, who knows, but not an infinite amount of time.

[memphis]

Since we know the Bible is 100% inerrant and infallible...

[Joe Biden 2020]

I believe what I believe.  There's no need in criticizing me for it.  What I am telling you is from the Bible.  It's not from the Catholic Church (who's teachings are not always correct).  My views come from the Bible and a lifetime of great men and women of God teaching me.  We cannot earn salvation.  No one can.  Salvation instead is a free gift.  This forum doesn't understand the concept of grace, apparently.  I could never do anything to earn my salvation.  I can only get to heaven through Jesus Christ (John 14:6).  No one can ever hope to earn their salvation.  If they base their attempt to reach God on their own works, then they will be sadly mistaken and disappointed when they leave this earth.  Everyone has to come to salvation through Jesus Christ alone.  Ephesians 2:8-9 says "For it is by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works lest anyone should boast."  This specifically says that we cannot earn our own salvation.  Since we know the Bible is 100% inerrant and infallible, this is the spoken word of God and thus no one can question the validity of any of the content of the 66 books of the Bible.

Anyway, I don't feel like discussing it any further.  You all refuse to see my point of view and instead are intent on bashing me over the head for my beliefs.

So, you're some young earth creationist freak that thinks the world was created in six days and has only existed for 6k years. Good to know.

(For the record, I accept the scientific age of the earth/universe,  and believe the big bang/evolution happened with god's help.)

I am not a YEC.  I disagree with many of my Southern Baptist friends and family on this theory.  I believe that each of the six days occurred over thousands to millions of years.  I do not discount the fossils or the dinosaurs.  I believe those events and eras actually happened.  What I don't believe is that the world evolved from nothing.  If it did, it had a catalyst.  That catalyst is God Himself.  I do not believe in evolution, but I do not believe that the earth is only 6,000-7,000 years old.  I believe that man has only been around for that long, but the earth as a whole was around for millions of years before Adam and Eve ever showed up.

[Joe Biden 2020]

In other news:

They have apparently raised the snowfall predictions for the Tulsa metro.  We have now been placed under a Winter Storm Warning until Noon tomorrow with the possibility of 3-5 inches of snow from what I gather.  It says the dividing line is Hwy 412/I-244 between 1-3" to the south and 3-6" to the north.  I live close enough to the Hwy 412 line to be in the 3-4, maybe 5" of snow.  This is an upgrade than even the 0600 news this morning.  Good thing I've now got all the groceries I need to spend a couple of days inside.  Here comes Winter Storm Octavia.

[Lief 🗽]

David Koresh was definitely a Christian, based on my understanding of Branch Davidianism. As is Joseph Kony; even if he has some unorthodox beliefs, he still, presumably, accepts Jesus or whatever.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Our Dear Friend was recognized nationally

[Joe Republic]

http://hrsbstaff.ednet.ns.ca/waymac/African%20Canadian%20Studies/Unit%202%20About%20Africa/00human_evolution.htm

So if Adam and Eve were just slotted into the last of these stages, what exactly happened to all the previous stages?

[Joe Biden 2020]

David Koresh was definitely a Christian, based on my understanding of Branch Davidianism. As is Joseph Kony; even if he has some unorthodox beliefs, he still, presumably, accepts Jesus or whatever.

I highly doubt either men were Christians.  It's certainly possible, because I don't know the true nature of their hearts, but from what I know about them, I seriously doubt it.  If the mentioned dictator that started all this discussion was that brutal, then I have to seriously question his conversion.  It is possible for him to have been saved AFTER the heinous massacres, but if he was saved BEFORE the massacres, I highly doubt he would have committed the crimes because true salvation brings about a change of heart and a change of direction in life.  I quoted Ephesians 2:8-9 earlier.  Ephesians 2:10 says "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."  This verse says that while works does not bring about salvation itself, salvation causes good works.  Good works are proof that we have been saved, but is not salvation itself.  No one is out of the reach of God's grace.  The Holy Spirit's urging on their lives may become duller and duller to the point it has no effect or cannot be heard by the person continuing to harden their heart and continually rejecting or "pushing back" the wooing of the Holy Spirit, but they are never completely out of reach until they die.  Once a person breathes his last on earth, their window of opportunity for salvation is closed permanently and their fate is sealed.

[Associate Justice PiT]

It may not be possible to contrive a more false statement than "Everyone deserves Hell."

Why would you believe such a despicable thing, Bushie? I deserve to go to Heaven and so do you. And so does everyone. We are all just products of our genetic makeup and environment.

Even Hitler's sins don't warrant eternal punishment. Thousands of years, sure, who knows, but not an infinite amount of time.

     Bushie is a modern-day Jonathan Edwards.

[Starbucks Union Thug HokeyPuck]

David Koresh was definitely a Christian, based on my understanding of Branch Davidianism. As is Joseph Kony; even if he has some unorthodox beliefs, he still, presumably, accepts Jesus or whatever.

I highly doubt either men were Christians.  It's certainly possible, because I don't know the true nature of their hearts, but from what I know about them, I seriously doubt it.  If the mentioned dictator that started all this discussion was that brutal, then I have to seriously question his conversion.  It is possible for him to have been saved AFTER the heinous massacres, but if he was saved BEFORE the massacres, I highly doubt he would have committed the crimes because true salvation brings about a change of heart and a change of direction in life.  I quoted Ephesians 2:8-9 earlier.  Ephesians 2:10 says "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."  This verse says that while works does not bring about salvation itself, salvation causes good works.  Good works are proof that we have been saved, but is not salvation itself.  No one is out of the reach of God's grace.  The Holy Spirit's urging on their lives may become duller and duller to the point it has no effect or cannot be heard by the person continuing to harden their heart and continually rejecting or "pushing back" the wooing of the Holy Spirit, but they are never completely out of reach until they die.  Once a person breathes his last on earth, their window of opportunity for salvation is closed permanently and their fate is sealed.

Ok... So ACTUAL Christians can't be bad people because Jesus.  Oh dear...

[King]

Bushie, do sins matter or not? You say they don't be then disqualify certain famous sinners for their sins.

[Lief 🗽]

Yeah, the impression I'm getting from this is that sins don't matter for Bushie but they matter for everyone else.

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

I believe what I believe.  There's no need in criticizing me for it.  What I am telling you is from the Bible.  It's not from the Catholic Church (who's teachings are not always correct).  My views come from the Bible and a lifetime of great men and women of God teaching me.  We cannot earn salvation.  No one can.  Salvation instead is a free gift.  This forum doesn't understand the concept of grace, apparently.  I could never do anything to earn my salvation.  I can only get to heaven through Jesus Christ (John 14:6).  No one can ever hope to earn their salvation.  If they base their attempt to reach God on their own works, then they will be sadly mistaken and disappointed when they leave this earth.  Everyone has to come to salvation through Jesus Christ alone.  Ephesians 2:8-9 says "For it is by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works lest anyone should boast."  This specifically says that we cannot earn our own salvation.  Since we know the Bible is 100% inerrant and infallible, this is the spoken word of God and thus no one can question the validity of any of the content of the 66 books of the Bible.

Anyway, I don't feel like discussing it any further.  You all refuse to see my point of view and instead are intent on bashing me over the head for my beliefs.

Tough.

We don't know anything, you believe it. Big difference. Big. Huge.

You're the ones judging who the real Christians are. Based on a literal interpretation of the book written by hundreds of people, over a thousand years, ordered and re-ordered by committees, edited, translated, re-re-re-translated.

See why people have issues with blind adherence without even a basic critical eye.

Believing there is an infallible being? That's a stretch, but OK, but believe a book written in that process is also infallible? Give me a break. If sticking your head in the sand, 'knowing' you're right 'cause you are, claiming abuse etc etc is what your faith is built on? I think that's another set of life choices you need to re-assess. BTW - have you ever, ever, considered reading about contexualising the Bible to understand why we say these things to you? It's OK, the pitchfork wielding villagers don't need to know.

[Хahar 🤔]

Well here's the facts: There are plenty of high level IT workers who wear band shirts and sports jerseys with torn jeans to work and make six figures. And if you want to avoid people getting high, that is definitely NOT your field either, it's more of a question of if people are at least waiting until they get home to get high or are secretly doing it at work as well.

I'm not denying that there are people like this, but both my parents' careers are in this field and I've worked in it as well and that hasn't been my experience at all. There tends to be a large population of foreign-born workers at every office; while they dress casually for work, they are generally conservative in their lifestyle, and that sets the tone for the rest of the office. It might be different in more Internet- and consumer-oriented businesses, but in general Silicon Valley does not look like Silicon Valley.