Protestantism

» Brian Tubbs - Brian's Blog On Amputees

In response to Brian's Blog On Amputees posted by HeadZenCards:

My blog posts were queued up in advance, Ollie. I wrote most of them last week and put them in the queue. I have not had time THIS WEEK however (except for a few brief intervals) to debate in the discussion forums.

» Brian Tubbs - Being So Superior

In response to Being So Superior posted by pink101:

Well said, Pink. Well said!

» Brian Tubbs - Arrogance

Oliver, I'm sorry but I think you're being really arrogant in your standard of proof here. You're basically saying - no, strike that, you ARE saying....that the "LORD GOD" will have to prove Himself on YOUR terms! You refuse to even consider Him on HIS terms.

What if God doesn't WANT to restore limbs on amputees? You may not like that. I wouldn't like it, if I lost a limb. But that says NOTHING concerning God's existence.

If a person asks Donald Trump for a million dollars - and Trump (who is very capable of giving it) refuses to give the money. That says NOTHING about Donald Trump's existence.

(I understand there are OTHER 'proofs' of Trump's existence. We can watch re-runs of "The Apprentice" for instance. But my point stands. Because frankly I would say there are other 'proofs' for God's existence).

I've laid out several arguments in previous articles, Oliver, for the existence of God. I believe that monotheism is a far more plausible explanation for the existence and design of the universe, for instance, than atheism. You disagree. Okay. Fine. But your disagreement doesn't make you right and me wrong.

It's a valid point to ask why God hasn't restored limbs. I accept that as a valid question - one worthy of consideration. But it is NOT - repeat NOT - proof that God doesn't exist. Surely, even YOU can see that.

» HeadZenCards - Arrogance

In response to Arrogance posted by BrianTubbs:

Well, then, Brian, that Jesus was a pretty ARROGANT fellow.

May we bow our heads and pray that Jesus Christ will prove Himself on His own terms?

Jesus Christ, the one and only resurrected begotten Son of the LORD GOD (in the prevailing Christian way of thinking in the good old USA) said:

Matt. 7:7 ASK, and it SHALL BE GIVEN YOU; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

7:8 For EVERY ONE that ASKETH RECEIVETH; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

Jesus said he WOULD REGROW LIMBS IF ASKED.

Why do you refuse to believe in Jesus' promise and instead stoop to calling me names? You're not playing nice.

-- posted by HeadZenCards

» Brian Tubbs - Arrogance

In response to Arrogance posted by HeadZenCards:

You are taking Jesus' quote out of context, Ollie, and you know it. Prayer isn't about asking God for anything you want - for whatever motive you want - and then claiming it by faith. I realize there are some TV evangelists that say this - and some health-and-wealth mega-church leaders that imply it. But that's NOT what the Bible teaches. I can't kneel down, ask in faith for a big-screen TV, and expect it to show up this evening at my house. And then if it doesn't, say: "Well, I guess Jesus isn't real."

Oliver, if you want to be an atheist - all the power to you, man. I'm not forcing my beliefs on you. But please don't misrepresent the Bible or God or Jesus in an effort to somehow argue that it's all fiction. THAT is being unfair and dishonest.

» HeadZenCards - Out of Context?

Brian, it is a dishonest tactic to infer that I misrepresent the Bible when all that I am doing is quoting it. Shame on you.
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Of COURSE, you do not have the power to pray to Jesus and expect any concrete results.
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What is a believer in plain talking to think?
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Outrageous claims need to be tested, Brian. The idea that Jesus will give whatever the person who prays to him wants is an obvious lie.
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You say that I am taking Jesus' quote out of context.
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What is the context of Matt. 5 to Matt. 7, Brian? Jesus is preaching to the MULTITUDES.
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Jesus uses the phrase "every one". The verse is simple and unambiguous.
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His statement was obviously false. And that was not the only time Jesus is supposed to have said something like that.
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The only sane thing to do is to reject what fails after you test it to your own satisfaction.
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Benjamin Franklin said that the definition of insanity is to do the same thing over and over (like pray to Jesus) and expect different results.
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If advising sanity is "forcing" my beliefs on you, then may I suggest that you may be too sensitive to be on the battlefield of ideas. You may be more comfortable if you retreat from it to a safer place where you can just "have faith".

-- posted by HeadZenCards

» pink101 - Arrogance

In response to Arrogance posted by BrianTubbs:
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But that's NOT what the Bible teaches.
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You had to know I would jump on this one.
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What DOES the Bible teach? Yesterday, I checked out a new car and the salesman told me he had been a minister and only had this job for about a year. He ministered in a Bible church in a town of about 50,000 counting the county area. During our conversation, he had an opportunity to say that he believed what the Bible teaches. I wondered what every other religious denomination believes about their doctrines.
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Teaching, I've heard, is more something about absorbing rather than it is about disseminating. The responsibility is on the student.
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-- posted by pink101

» HeadZenCards - Arrogance

In response to Arrogance posted by pink101:

And any student of the Bible DARE NOT actually read the words in it and think they know what they mean! That's something for the priesthood to determine and you risk their damnation if you tempt them by telling them what the words in the Bible are!

This is the PROTESTANT site. It was the CATHOLICS who, before the printing press was invented, kept the Bible in a gilded cage, only to be brought out and read by the priest.

-- posted by HeadZenCards

» jlthomp - Out of Context?

In response to Out of Context? posted by HeadZenCards:

I hope you don't mind if a newbie jumps in here. There are no "sides" to this issue, just truth and untruth. I'm as guilty as you or Brian of using the Bible dishonestly, of picking and choosing a verse here or there to prove a point. The only one not guilty of that is Jesus, because he wrote the Book. Any extraction of scripture, to the exclusion of the balance, is risking error. Some may get lucky and pick a few verses that actually do properly represent truth, but neither they, nor I, nor anyone else in the cosmos can make that judgment with complete authority.

That is not to say the Bible has no value to mankind because mere mortals aren't qualified to interpret it. God has the power to serve up his truth through his word to anyone with a heart open to it. And he often does that. One will not find such a person bragging on his own, personal truth, but that person will say little--and change much. That "fruit of the Spirit" is the one reliable indicator of ones grasp of truth.

We can argue 'til we're blue-in-the-face, or 'til the air's blue, and we won't convince anyone of something they've already decided is false. That's why I don't debate. I'm always happy to participate in a spirited discussion, but it ends when sarcasm, intimidation, name-calling or anger enters.

You see, Brian, I too am phobic about confrontation.

-- posted by jlthomp

» Migisi - Arrogance

In response to Arrogance posted by BrianTubbs:
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Prayer isn't about asking God for anything you want - for whatever motive you want - and then claiming it by faith. .... But that's NOT what the Bible teaches.
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Sure, the Bible teaches this. Jesus said ...
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Matthew 21:22 - "If you believe, YOU WILL RECEIVE WHATEVER YOU ASK FOR in prayer." ('Whatever' includes world peace, an end to war, and a big-screen TV.)
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Mark 11:24 - "Therefore I tell you, WHATEVER you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours."
(There's that 'whatever' again.)
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Matthew 7:7 - "ASK AND IT WILL BE GIVEN TO YOU; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you."
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Matthew 7:8 and Luke 11:10 - "For EVERYONE WHO ASKS RECEIVES; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." (Note 'everyone'. Not just Christians?)
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Matthew 7:11 - "If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven GIVE GOOD GIFTS TO THOSE WHO ASK HIM!" (Jesus' Father gives good gifts too.)
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Matthew 18:19 - "Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about ANYTHING you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. (Get your wife to agree to the big screen TV.)
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Luke 11:9 (and repeated in Lk 11:10) - "So I say to you: ASK AND IT WILL BE GIVEN TO YOU; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you."
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John 14:13 - "And I will do WHATEVER you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father."
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John 14:14 - "You may ask me for ANYTHING in my name, and I will do it."
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John 15:7 - "If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask WHATEVER you wish, and it will be given you."
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John 15:16 - "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit-fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you WHATEVER you ask in my name." (Weren't you chosen, Bri?)
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John 16:23 - "In that day you will no longer ask me anything. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you WHATEVER you ask in my name."
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John 16:24 - "Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. ASK [for anything] AND YOU WILL RECEIVE, and your joy will be complete.
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Don't you believe the Bible? Don't you believe Jesus said these things?

-- posted by Migisi