In the Beginning was THE WORD

[Budman37]

Hello.
I am 42 and was raised in a "religious" background...I have heard many people say that to believe in God you must be religious. That if you don't believe in Christ and are not born again you will burn in hell. Quite a scare tactic don't you think....I have been studying God's scriptures for the past 10 years fairly regularily.. The first few years I also listened to the Religious community and believed what They told me...As the years went on I prayed that God show me the Truth. I know that the things God has taught me in His Scriptures are Truth... So what's the difference, well it's both complicated and easy... Many claim that the new testament of the Bible is the only thing you need to know Just be saved is what many say and teach..This isn't what Christ taught when He was on this earth...You must remeber that when Christ was alive in the flesh there was no New Testament as a matter of fact Christ taught the Old Testament. He stated that no one should change a jot or tittle from the scriptures... For a person to fully understand the Bible they must go back and study the original Text in either hebrew for the old testament or Greek for the New testament..Why you may ask..Well alot has to do that when the scriptures are translated into another language it looses it's true meaning. In the original 1st edition of the King James Translation the scholars new this and included a warning to all who study to not just read it but Study( (this warning was taken out by the church)..The Bible also states this that one should Study to show themselves approved. It makes sense if you think about it...If someone wanteds to learn about any topic thy need to do more then just read a book. They need to study in order to understand....If you gave a first grader a college book on say Chemistry and said read this..Do you think they would understand fully all about Chemistry??This is how the Bible is theres more then just reading to fully understand..Unfortunetly many of the Churches don't teach God's Word they teach traditions of men..A thing Jesus said to never do...So why do they do this??because they think they know what there teaching but they are mearly just passing on what some man told them was the truth ,Not God...
I will give you an example: In the church and the english translation it states one must be born again to enter into the kingdom of God...John 3:3 So we get all these preachers doing altar calls telling everyone to just make a desision to be born again spiritually and you will go to heaven....However when you study the greek you will see that the correct translation is One must be Born from above Not again...Meaning that you must be born into the flesh to receive the ability to enter the kingdom of Heaven. Now that makes sense, and agrees with the old testament. In genesis chapter 6 it tells us that some of Gods children came from heaven to earth without being born of a women and did some bad things...These children cannot enter the kingdom of Heaven. I know this all seems kinda hard to swallow but it will make sense if you strart to study the entire Scriptures correctly dividing the word of God....I myself only know of one church to study the bible correctly..Heres the link www.shepherdschapel.com. Give it a try it might clear up some confusion for you....I'm just trying to point anyone who cares in the right direction..It's up to you to decide whats wrong or right..Thats why we are hear. To be born innocent of things that has happened and prepare us for the things that will happen...To believe and seek God can not be found in a tradition of man or a religion..It can only be found in God's Word and that's reality not religion...

Budman37 Reviewed by Budman37 on 08-26-2006. In the Beginning was THE WORD Hello. I am 42 and was raised in a "religious" background...I have heard many people say that to believe in God you must be religious. That if you don't believe in Christ and are not born again you will burn in hell. Quite a scare tactic don't you think....I have been studying God's scriptures for the past 10 years fairly regularily.. The first few years I also listened to the Religious community and believed what They told me...As the years went on I prayed that God show me the Truth. I Rating: 5

[Hamlet]

An honest and straightforward approach for sure. At least you're trying to get at the truth of it all. But the problem lies in the assumption that the Old Testament is "God's Word". Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence as Carl Sagan once said...and all rationale points to other conclusions.

You're perfectly welcome to your beliefs in my book; just as long as they aren't forced on me through laws, Government or Education. Unfortunately we're ass deep in problems, prohibitions and wars because religious practitioners can't keep their practices to themselves.

[Budman37]

I would never force anyone to believe me.....It's your choice!!! I have studied enough to know the old Testament is true...Take the prophesies for one...If a person today could predict the future and be 25% right the world would go crazy over that person...The old testament prophecies are 100% true, some have not come to pass yet but they will... I mean think about it 66 books of the bible written over a large period of time and it all goes together Thats impossible with any man derived book...There will come a day when everyone will know the truth, up until then Good Luck trying to figure it out without Gods help....Everything we learn no matter what the topis is learned through a book and study...Doesn't it make sense God would give us the resources to learn about Him the same way.....The world seems to go crazy if one person says one thing and it comes to pass..why do you think that despite all the prophesies of just Christ birth alone that where fortold are dismissed???? Because there are spiritual forces downplaying Gods word so people dont even consider it....And even thats been written that it would be that way in the scriptures....This world is sooooo deceived but thats ok there will be a time when all will be able to learn the truth and it ain't to far away...
:thumbsup:

[kuulbns]

I was also raised in "The Church" and have studied hard to understand all I was taught. Pastor Arnold Murrey however, I have a difficult time with. He is judgemental and derisive. I much prefer Bishop T.D. Jakes and Joyce Meyers for practical daily teaching. Best to You, Kuu

[Hamlet]

hhhmm, yeah...prophesies. I haven't seen a good Prophet yet. Ever notice how prophecies are all 'and thus, verily verily, forsoothe the dragon shall raise its brow to the seven hills, etc, etc.. always mixed with vagueness and a threat and dare not to not believe it. I'm pretty sure there are very good reasons for that.

People are killing each other every day thinking they're fullfilling some prophesy. Maybe we're just scared shitless of an unknown future--I dunno; so we'll even accept the image of some gastly prophesy and do our damnest to fulfill it, rather than accepting the future for what it is--an unknown-and try to make the best of it.

I take it back...H.G. Wells was a pretty good prophet.

[Budman37]

Like I said its tough to know whose telling the truth these days..the good news is there will be a time for truth to be learned and everyone will have a fair chance ... It doesnt matter much...Remember some of this stuff and perhaps you'll find that good prophet your looking for..

[Budman37]

All men seem to judge..I like pastor murruys teaching its right on as far as scipture goes ..I now he tends to be judgemental especially when he talks against pot but putting that aside jakes and that lady also teach some pretty judgemental ideas and they aren't teachings solid scriptures just there ideas and how they interpret the bible...They teach of a rapture, thats a lie from the pit of hell. they also teach you decide if your going to heaven. Gods word teaches God alone decidesRemember the verse But Lord we taught in your name and healed in your name...God looks at them and says Get away from me You dont know me....Thats not something I want to here...It's best to study the word correctly after all isn't JHesus the word of God made flesh????
:thumbsup:

[kuulbns]

hmmmm,... well personally I believe in the rapture and tribulation. I guess we'll all find out the truth eventually. All I can do is try hard to be the best person I'm capable of, and I fail at that regularly.

[Hamlet]

Looking for? I'm avoiding them like the plague....lol

Go looking for a prophet and the next thing ya know you're drinking poison koolade in a compound somewhere.

[Oneironaut]

I would never force anyone to believe me.....It's your choice!!! I have studied enough to know the old Testament is true...

Hahahaha, the Old Testament is true? You mean, man was formed from dirt, woman was formed from man's rib, plants existed before the sun did, selling your daughter into slavery is A-OK, it is obligatory to stone homosexual men to death, and the reason we have different languages is because we tried to build a giant tower and God thought it was too close to comfort? What's your evidence that this is nothing but another one of the thousands of mythologies invented by pre-scientific tribes who didn't know better?

Take the prophesies for one...If a person today could predict the future and be 25% right the world would go crazy over that person...The old testament prophecies are 100% true, some have not come to pass yet but they will...

Hahaha, so-called "psychics" use the same trick buddy. They make a whole lot of predictions, and claim they are all true. If something in them has happened, whoopee, score one point for the psychic, but if one hasn't happened, oh that one will happen eventually but we all have to wait.

Sorry but that kind of reasoning proves nothing.

I mean think about it 66 books of the bible written over a large period of time and it all goes together Thats impossible with any man derived book...

Yeah, people couldn't possibly write stories that kind of deal with the same stuff. I mean, that's impossible. Only a divine being could have come up with such gems of wisdom as "slaughter animals so God can enjoy the pleasant odor", "wives should submit unquestioningly to their husbands", "stone to death anybody who works on the Sabbath" and "it's not okay to eat shellfish for some reason".

There will come a day when everyone will know the truth, up until then Good Luck trying to figure it out without Gods help....Everything we learn no matter what the topis is learned through a book and study...

Umm, no, the people who write those books have to learn their information somewhere. We learn things ultimately by experiencing reality and subjecting our observations to logical scrutiny and experimentation. If God wants me to believe in him and his infinite wisdom, he can give me some clearer evidence than some weird sexist pro-slavery documents written in Ancient Hebrew of which we don't have the original copies.

Doesn't it make sense God would give us the resources to learn about Him the same way.....The world seems to go crazy if one person says one thing and it comes to pass..why do you think that despite all the prophesies of just Christ birth alone that where fortold are dismissed???? Because there are spiritual forces downplaying Gods word so people dont even consider it....And even thats been written that it would be that way in the scriptures....This world is sooooo deceived but thats ok there will be a time when all will be able to learn the truth and it ain't to far away...
:thumbsup:

We can learn the truth now. We separate truths from falsities by applying logic and reason to our observations of reality. And when we apply basic logic and reason to our observations about God (namely the complete and total lack of any objective observations at all) we come to the unmistakable conclusion that there is exactly as much evidence for God as there is for the Tooth Fairy.