Quote Originally Posted by JunkYard
I have something that very few have, but it's not because I am favored over you or anyone else; I merely wanted what I knew I was without. It wasn't until I gained that which I was without, until I realized that all mankind is "lost". Sounds a bit condescending perhaps, but only because 'you' perceive it to be.

I'm no better than you, Hardcore, when we claim to be better than others, we become high minded, boastful, self-righteous, and overly prideful. This in turn creates a great conflict within us, and often times, damages the spirit of those we view as being less than ourselves. Every single person is an extension of God; we are what we were made to be.
You don't have to be "better" than someone to be condescending. All you need is a perceived advantage. that perceived advantage would be salvation.

Quote Originally Posted by JunkYard
Listen, God views us all in the same light and His love is offered to all mankind. The difference is that those who embrace, and abide in Godâ??s love, allow that love to guide them. Through that love, they become better able to free themselves from the forces that harm them inwardly. We should therefore, accept one another equally, keeping in mind that we all partake in the human experience, and that all are sinners. Absolute perfection is beyond any of us; we all fall short of his glory.
I don't believe in sin. And I don't accept others equally. I see no reason to. I generally love people, but if you do things that I'd consider immoral, then you don't deserve my love. But, to those people, they don't care for my love in the first place.

Quote Originally Posted by JunkYard
By understanding this truth, we allow ourselves to have empathy, as well as compassion towards those who are bound in the ways of darkness. We come to realizes that they are simply unaware of the freedom that comes from embracing the love, or spirit of God. When we do this, we become better able to forgive and accept no matter where others are in life, and no matter how much we feel weâ??ve been wronged. We also become better able to forgive ourselves when we slip and do wrong to others, as we all do.
I rarely feel wronged, so I guess I don't see this need for forgiving others at all costs, because I rarely have to forgive anyone in the first place. I've surrounded myself with people (by chance, are mostly agnostics and atheists, oddly enough) who are good, we don't need God to be civil toward one another. We care for each other because we care for each other, not because we're enlightened by an outside source.

Quote Originally Posted by JunkYard
We wrestle against our own human natures, and the human nature of others. We wrestle against the spiritual forces of darkness that have rule and authority over us naturally. We wrestle against the powers that bind mankind in spirit. We wrestle against anger, bitterness, un-forgiveness, greed, lust, contempt, jealousy, envy, pride , fear, and every other spiritual force that destroys the inner man. These are the very roots of sin, through which every act against our Lord, ourselves, and our neighbors are committed.
Who is this 'we' that you describe? these feelings are things that I can honestly say I rarely feel. A fear of heights, maybe, but that's about it. I don't wrestle with any of that, ever. I can honestly say that I get mad about once every two years, have never felt jealousy, I'm decently humble (except when describing my humbleness), I don't lust.... This list of things you describe is nearly alien to me. I understand why some people can feel them, but it just doesn't happen to me. So I fail to see why I need God to rid myself of any of these feelings when i don't get them.

Quote Originally Posted by JunkYard
Once you realize the freedom and the finding, you want others to experience it as well. Only with a pure love from the Father can we acheive this state of peace.


Junk


p.s sorry bout the length, bro.
I have freedom. I want others to experience a life with only good emotions, as i do, they don't need God to do it either, they just have to realize that these emotions do no good.

And don't worry about the length of the post, it's only scripture that I dread reading, unless it's with my family. they've earned the time that i spend reading scripture with them. So while I don't agree with it, or even some of the messages, I enjoy reading with them. Much of my family desperately want me to believe, so seeing me read the bible puts a smile on their face, which makes me happy in turn.
Hardcore Newbie Reviewed by Hardcore Newbie on . A path to faith with science Some people don't think that faith and science are compatible. This is to demonstrate that is not the case and that science plays a part in helping to confirm God's existence and reveal his divine nature. This is to demonstrate one path to God. There is contained within both evidence for God's existence and attributes from the nature of the physical universe, and also evidence from direct communication from God and mankind. Finding out whether God exists or not is not just for philosophers Rating: 5