It's glorious good news, but it can be a little scary at the same time if you've never heard of it before, and if you're coming from a Church background that emphasizes eternal damnation/separation/destruction. Since the glorious news of God's boundless love that's overcoming every heart through Jesus Christ is a tad on the scary side for religious people when they first start to hear about it, which of you are totally committed to totally scaring the Hell out of someone by this Halloween?
God in us and through us works out our own salvation with fear and trembling. :laughing7:
Quote from: martincisneros on September 08, 2008, 06:05:41 AM
It's glorious good news, but it can be a little scary at the same time if you've never heard of it before, and if you're coming from a Church background that emphasizes eternal damnation/separation/destruction. Since the glorious news of God's boundless love that's overcoming every heart through Jesus Christ is a tad on the scary side for religious people when they first start to hear about it, which of you are totally committed to totally scaring the Hell out of someone by this Halloween?
Scary? More like a terrifying adventure! Fear mixed with hope leading to the truth outside the teachings of men. Then slowly, your eyes open to the love of God for His children, and you begin to see a much stronger hope. Then it starts to really open up as you see the bias of scripture in the "translations." Translations that emphasize doctrine instead of the actual scriptures. Then comes the word studies into "Aion." You start to see blatant changes in the meaning of this word and it's adjective by the theologians. As actual usage of the word in the classical writings in the first century are ignored in order to support a more better understanding of "eternity", specifically for the use of the theologians themselves. Then come the anger, yes, anger. Not hate, but a deep frustration at how this could be allowed to continued since people actually know better. Then comes the greatest enemy of them all, Tradition! You start to tell other of what great news you have found, and they look at you and think...You poor fool! and say, Don't you know you can go to hell for believing that! Ok, it's only just a little scary. :laughing7:
Paul
It is scary for them personally if they sense within themselves an inkling to believe. Then it is an issue of being decieved. If there is no inkling to believe it, they are scared for you.
I made the mistake recently of telling someone I didn't believe in hell. I was caught like a deer in head lights. I couldn't even remember the famous Timothy verse...God is the savior of all men, especially those who believe. It was pretty ugly, but to be honest I am so thankful for the experience. I realize that I do believe it hell, it just isn't what people think it is nor does it last forever. When you throw out the bomb "I don't believe in hell", then churched people hear that their is no justice, and I can see that now. I'm sure I'm on someone's prayer list now.
"Justice".
Think of everyone as children. innocent.
Making our way through this jungle called earth....we start out as children, innocent, loving. The further along we go in this world, the world starts to tear down that innocence. The jungle becomes thick. We have to make our way through it. The murderer wasn't born killing. The abuser wasn't born abusing. They were once, innocent children. Something happened to them along their path that stole their innocence. See others as being trapped inside of something they do not wish to be trapped in. Some are able to pull themselves out of it and go on to become strong, loving people. Others aren't so lucky. Others remain trapped in a vicious cycle of self-hatred and abusive actions.
See others as being "Forgiven" by God... and you too can forgive and love them. Why are we here? To learn that LOVE is the most powerful thing in the universe. God is LOVE. GOD is the most powerful thing in the universe! If God is for us, (ALL OF US) why can we not forgive...? One day we will all be as little children again, innocent and full of love. See each other as our future selves, loving, as brothers and sisters. This life is not the real life. Love begets love. Hate begets hate. Choose love. Dwell not so much on "justice" but dwell on love and forgiveness. We all just want to be surrounded by love. That is what unites us... we all just want love. We all just want... God.
peace.
Quote from: sparrow on September 08, 2008, 06:20:55 PM
"Justice".
Think of everyone as children. innocent.
Making our way through this jungle called earth....we start out as children, innocent, loving. The further along we go in this world, the world starts to tear down that innocence. The jungle becomes thick. We have to make our way through it. The murderer wasn't born killing. The abuser wasn't born abusing. They were once, innocent children. Something happened to them along their path that stole their innocence. See others as being trapped inside of something they do not wish to be trapped in. Some are able to pull themselves out of it and go on to become strong, loving people. Others aren't so lucky. Others remain trapped in a vicious cycle of self-hatred and abusive actions.
See others as being "Forgiven" by God... and you too can forgive and love them. Why are we here? To learn that LOVE is the most powerful thing in the universe. God is LOVE. GOD is the most powerful thing in the universe! If God is for us, (ALL OF US) why can we not forgive...? One day we will all be as little children again, innocent and full of love. See each other as our future selves, loving, as brothers and sisters. This life is not the real life. Love begets love. Hate begets hate. Choose love. Dwell not so much on "justice" but dwell on love and forgiveness. We all just want to be surrounded by love. That is what unites us... we all just want love. We all just want... God.
peace.
:goodpost:
Quote from: Pierac on September 08, 2008, 08:20:39 AM
Then slowly, your eyes open to the love of God for His children, and you begin to see a much stronger hope. Then it starts to really open up as you see the bias of scripture in the "translations." Translations that emphasize doctrine instead of the actual scriptures. Then comes the word studies into "Aion." You start to see blatant changes in the meanijavascript:void(0);ng of this word and it's adjective by the theologians. As actual usage of the word in the classical writings in the first century are ignored in order to support a more better understanding of "eternity", specifically for the use of the theologians themselves. Then come the anger, yes, anger. Not hate, but a deep frustration at how this could be allowed to continued since people actually know better. Then comes tjavascript:void(0);he greatest enemy of them all, Tradition! You start to tell other of what great news you have found, and they look at you and think...You poor fool! and say, Don't you know you can go to hell for believing that! Ok, it's only just a little scary. :laughing7:
Paul[/color]
Yeah!! :thumbsup: You hit it right on the head. For me, it began with a study of
Gehenna. I seem to remember decades ago seeing in my NIV study Bible that hell was translated from Gehenna. I didn't think much of it at the time - but here Jesus is talking about a real place, but it's on the earth! Of course Gehenna is only one piece in the hell/judgment picture, but being reminded that hell is Gehenna helped me on my journey.
Is it scary? :mshock: Yes, when I learned about UR, I started questioning everything I had ever learned about God, the Bible, salvation, etc. I wondered if I would ever find faith again. It's a little scary that I no longer have a nicely outlined doctrinal statement that I can refer to any time I have a doubt or question. It can also be scary when I think "What if I'm wrong?" :omg: And I have just about no one to talk to about this new found hope. I'm praying that the Lord would allow me to share my faith in a God who never fails.
For me, I can't see how people don't just jump up and down with joy when they hear about this. I mean, at first I was at least a little skeptical, but after seeing evidence after evidence and God showing me how much He actually loves us, I pretty much accepted it (while still having trouble with some Scriptures, but I still have that problem).
It was more like a "Are you serious? Why have I never heard this before?" moment for me.
So, with the big supercollider experiment tomorrow, who's ready to go out and ask everyone "Do you know where you'd spend eternity if you were suddenly smashed into a singularity by a man-made black hole in the coming weeks??"