I dont think were gonna see stem cell research

[Guest KathleenMarie27]

This is a seriously strange thread lol. I am enjoying it for some reason. The second coming lol

[JJ]

I find it ironic that one of the definitions of blasphemy in Websters is "the act of claiming the attributes of deity '

So if someone is claiming to speak for God to further their agenda for instance they are guilty of blasphemy as well.

Do you know that when I was a child in Texas preachers actually preached against integration and civil rights using bible passages they found that could be made to sound like segregation was the natural order decreed by God?-In two different mainstream denominations that I personally heard (And was deeply offended by even as a child). That in my book is blasphemy. And stupid but they had sincerely convinced themselves it was so. What is stupid is not the bible but the ways in which it has sometimes been twisted to suit the agendas of men. So much evil and harm has been done in the name of a religion based on love and tolerance at it's heart by people who used it as a weapon against others.

Johnny

[VickySGV]

I hate to do it to you Jay, but in my branch of Christianity, a gospel is better than an apocalypse, and this is the Gospel according to Luke--- 17: 20/21

^{Once Jesus was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God was coming, and he answered, "The kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed; nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There it is!’ For, in fact, the kingdom of God is among you."}

[JJ]

http://www.ask.com/wiki/List_of_dates_predicted_for_apocalyptic_events

Jay I am not going to harp on any themes but thought you might like to know that you are not alone in predicting that the end is near-if you want just the Christian take on it skip the Roman part-or even begin with the Pope's prediction in the year 1000. Been going on a quite awhile now. And some very famous people have shared your presentiments over the centuries too.

Johnny

[Guest KathleenMarie27]

Will there be a vicky secrets in heaven? I ask because if im going to be made perfect I will need different undies...:-p

[Guest Jay Smooth]

Well I already know God is coming unexpectetly but he is coming back sooner than ou think an again the signs are all their

[Sakura]

I have read the bible . It is an awsome fictional read , with magic and zombies and kinds of crazy crap in it. It is the only book i have ever read that if read one way it can be inspirational and if read another way can be a complete horror story.

Mathew 24:36 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven nor the Son but only the Father."

I think you need to read your bible a little more closely. and stop worrying about things that if your religion is correct only your deity knows.

[Guest Jay Smooth]

I already know that scriptiure I do go to church, Again signs are all their

[Guest KathleenMarie27]

Jay it seems you are thriving on this. Is there an underlying theme here?

[Guest Jay Smooth]

Either way, Again some of you haven't read he bible

[Carolyn Marie]

Either way, Again some of you haven't read he bible

Jay, you are simply repeating yourself, at this point. If you have nothing else constructive to say on this topic, you will not be allowed to continue in this vein. Others have already pointed out that you seem to enjoy this back and forth. Enough, already.

Carolyn Marie

[Guest KathleenMarie27]

Jay just a side note. I have read the bible along with other holy books. Let me ask you what do you have to say about the secret revelations imparted to thomas and mary mag in the coptic nag hammandi about the second coming and how it differs from johns take

[VickySGV]

No fair Kathleen, the Coptic / Gnostic writings were never put in the orthodox Bible and would not be allowed as reading in a good Christian home for people of high school age in middle US. The Athanasian Canon which took center stage at the Council of Nicea almost DID NOT use the Johanine Apocalypse aka Revelation. There were the ones you mention on the tables there in Nicea, but real humans finally decided that now that Nero was dead, they could use the one they did. The 666 has been determined to be an anagram for the name of Nero. (Or an emperor of his caliber.) It was a truly last minute decision to put Revelation in the canon, and for years not all area churches did have it as part of their canon. I have also read most of the translated writings of Nag Hamadi and they are fascinating. They are however college level reading, and thus asking a high schooler from a strict Christian family is a bit unfair.

All of the books you mention are very much part of the Christian history and important documents in the development of the Church, but they add dimensions that can be confusing for many people who cannot or will not do the thinking needed, and thus take on a literalistic approach that binds them solidly.

[Guest LizMarie]

You know, so many "fundamentalist" Christians are ignorant of their own history that it's frightening.

For example, did you know that the church was sanctioning and performing same sex marriages in the first century AD? Yet today the radical right wing religious zealots seek to destroy GLBT persons. One of these zealots, a pastor named Scott Lively, is even going to face trial for crimes against humanity for helping write the anti-GLBT laws in Russia and Uganda. At the same time, real Christians try to reach out to and minister to their GLBT brothers and sisters and are ridiculed by these same zealots.

My final comment about all this "end times" stuff is that my youngest son went through believing this stuff years ago. Part of his basis was the writings of Josh McDowell, the infamously wrong Christian author who has been writing books (and getting rich) predicting the end times "soon" since the 1970s. I pointed out to my son how many titles McDowell has written with specific dates in them that have failed and he became uncomfortable. I then asked him what the Old Testament rule was for a false prophet - one who made a prophecy that failed, and my son became a bit paler. Finally, I asked him why he was listening to a man who had been nothing but wrong for 40 years? It was then that he set aside the notion that these "must" be the "end times". My youngest son still has a fascination with survivalism that stems from this period but keeping your home well stocked and armed on the Gulf Coast, given the frequency of hurricanes, isn't anything unusual, at least not for Texas.

[Guest thevaliantx]

This whole thread felt like an elaborate attempt to condemn the very folks that a particular individual claims to be supportive of. Wolf in sheep's clothing.

Having said that, I'm interested in reading books (in English) that were not included in the Bible, or that as Kathleen suggested, have slightly different takes on GOD's WORD.

[Charlize]

Valiant, you might want to post in the introduction forum as well to better get to know folks. Welcome to the playground!

Hugs,

Charlize

[Guest thevaliantx]

Socializing is a weak point of mine. And being that my wife knows about my GID, but probably wouldn't be keen on seeing anything that I had to say about the matter, should she go lurking here, I'm not sure what I could say that would be of enough substance to be worth reading by anyone here.

[Charlize]

You can contribute as much or as little as you wish. We sometimes need to vent so do if the urge comes.

Hugs,

Charlie

[VickySGV]

Having said that, I'm interested in reading books (in English) that were not included in the Bible, or that as Kathleen suggested, have slightly different takes on GOD's WORD.

Take a look for the series of works by Bart D. Ehrman, a professor of religion at Chapel Hill University in North Carolina. Easy to read for non theologians.