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K

Kerry

Guest
#581
#581
penknight said:
This thread is STILL going on? Come on guys, we put up a good fight but it's time to stop now. Those guys aren't gonna budge no matter what we say. We're just wasting our time with them, and I know you guys can sense the same thing. But if you really want to continue then knock yourselves out.
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Winston Churchill's speech to a graduating class consisted of this. He walked up to the podium and said " never give up, never ever give up" then sat back down.
 
penknight

penknight

Senior Member
#582
Jan 6, 2014
811
26
28
#582
Kerry said:
Winston Churchill's speech to a graduating class consisted of this. He walked up to the podium and said " never give up, never ever give up" then sat back down.
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Yes, we should NEVER EVER give up. But you should know the kind the people you address. We are to be wise as serpents, and this includes knowing when something is futile. What do you think that these guys will do with all theories/knowledge/advice we've given them? Do you think that they'll just reflect deeply on them? Does the way theyre answering really sound like will take what we saying to heart?
 
K

Kerry

Guest
#583
#583
penknight said:
Yes, we should NEVER EVER give up. But you should know the kind the people you address. We are to be wise as serpents, and this includes knowing when something is futile. What do you think that these guys will do with all theories/knowledge/advice we've given them? Do you think that they'll just reflect deeply on them? Does the way theyre answering really sound like will take what we saying to heart?
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I get what your saying and I have been there. But, the word is seed and needs watering to grow. Let your conversation be seasoned with salt. When they have had enough salt they get thirsty. I know how hard is. But I would rather keep trying.
 
penknight

penknight

Senior Member
#584
Jan 6, 2014
811
26
28
#584
Kerry said:
I get what your saying and I have been there. But, the word is seed and needs watering to grow. Let your conversation be seasoned with salt. When they have had enough salt they get thirsty. I know how hard is. But I would rather keep trying.

I respect that. Give it your best shot then.
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S

Sirk

Guest
#585
#585
penknight said:
Yes, we should NEVER EVER give up. But you should know the kind the people you address. We are to be wise as serpents, and this includes knowing when something is futile. What do you think that these guys will do with all theories/knowledge/advice we've given them? Do you think that they'll just reflect deeply on them? Does the way theyre answering really sound like will take what we saying to heart?
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Life will inevitably get hard.....
 
A

AgeofKnowledge

Guest
#586
#586
God will accept their conditional surrender offering guarantees of forgiveness and His love, peace, joy, etc... with safe passage from the enemy (e.g. devil, demons, etc...) into the spiritual dimension(s) of heaven upon the death of their mortal body.


penknight said:
This thread is STILL going on? Come on guys, we put up a good fight but it's time to stop now. Those guys aren't gonna budge no matter what we say. We're just wasting our time with them, and I know you guys can sense the same thing. But if you really want to continue then knock yourselves out.
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A

AgeofKnowledge

Guest
#588
#588
I think part of the problem is the shell that forms around the inner person from being lied to and hurt so often in this world. How many books promised so much and never delivered. How many people made promises and then broke them even becoming abusive and hurtful. How many companies promised so much and then reneged after hiring and eventually let the person go. How many colleges promised the world and then left the person in deep debt sans-promise. I could go on and on. People have been lied to so often in so many ways most are not even conscious of the effect all that misrepresentation they've experienced has had on their person.

We literally (not even figuratively) swim through an ocean of lies during our brief time here. Then it's over and we stand in the presence of God who never misrepresented anything to us even though others did so in His name.

I don't have all the answers but I know that.


penknight said:
Yes, we should NEVER EVER give up. But you should know the kind the people you address. We are to be wise as serpents, and this includes knowing when something is futile. What do you think that these guys will do with all theories/knowledge/advice we've given them? Do you think that they'll just reflect deeply on them? Does the way theyre answering really sound like will take what we saying to heart?
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nl

nl

Senior Member
#589
Jun 26, 2011
933
22
18
#589
Cycel said:
William Dever, in Did God have a Wife? argues that prior to the Babylonian exile Israel was polytheistic. He has come to this view largely through archeological findings, and his thesis – while once controversial – has gathered a large following.
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This doesn't seem controversial to me.

Rachel stole the idols of her father, Laban (Genesis 31:19).

Israelites made and worshiped a golden calf while Moses had been up on the mountain receiving the Ten Commandments (Exodus 32).

Idolatry was a problem during the period of the Judges and during the History of 1 and 2 Kings leading up to the Babylonian Captivity. Israelite prophets also addressed the problem of idolatry before the Babylonian Captivity.
 
doseofreality

doseofreality

Banned
#590
Dec 9, 2013
753
5
0
#590
penknight said:
Yes, we should NEVER EVER give up. But you should know the kind the people you address. We are to be wise as serpents, and this includes knowing when something is futile. What do you think that these guys will do with all theories/knowledge/advice we've given them? Do you think that they'll just reflect deeply on them? Does the way theyre answering really sound like will take what we saying to heart?
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Not sure what you are expecting from me.

I do try to take what you say seriously, and sometimes I do "reflect deeply" on them. I simply come to a different conclusion.

I think you may have a hard time accepting this because you are so convinced the bible is the word of God. And in that case I am simply not seeking after God enough so that He opens my heart to come to the right conclusion.
 
penknight

penknight

Senior Member
#592
Jan 6, 2014
811
26
28
#592
doseofreality said:
Not sure what you are expecting from me.

I do try to take what you say seriously, and sometimes I do "reflect deeply" on them. I simply come to a different conclusion.

I think you may have a hard time accepting this because you are so convinced the bible is the word of God. And in that case I am simply not seeking after God enough so that He opens my heart to come to the right conclusion.
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You've already cut yourself off from Jesus, once you done that there's no going back. So why? You're not looking to be convinced so WHY ARE YOU HERE!? Don't give that garbage about wanting to know why we believe what we believe, it doesn't make sense at all! Do you want I from you? I want you to leave! It,'s not because I hate you or anything like, its just that you have no real purpose for being here, and if you say you do then read my posts again. I know I risk being banned from this site by saying this stuff and I hope that doesn't happen, but I had to say this.
 
A

AgeofKnowledge

Guest
#593
#593
That's a bold statement penknight. I know people who loved God as children, fell into the deceived state of the atheist railing against Christians, and then through one means or another repented and were restored.

Here's one of them: A Land Unknown: Hell's Dominion A true Near Death Experience FULL LENGHT - YouTube

It's not your responsibility to fix them. You are not God. Relax and let God be God. Learn patience and understand that tragically this may be the closest to God some of them ever get. If the discussion continues to trouble you, then you may wish not to participate in it. It's OK.


penknight said:
You've already cut yourself off from Jesus, once you done that there's no going back. So why? You're not looking to be convinced so WHY ARE YOU HERE!? Don't give that garbage about wanting to know why we believe what we believe, it doesn't make sense at all! Do you want I from you? I want you to leave! It,'s not because I hate you or anything like, its just that you have no real purpose for being here, and if you say you do then read my posts again. I know I risk being banned from this site by saying this stuff and I hope that doesn't happen, but I had to say this.
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J

Jda016

Guest
#594
#594
penknight said:
You've already cut yourself off from Jesus, once you done that there's no going back. So why? You're not looking to be convinced so WHY ARE YOU HERE!? Don't give that garbage about wanting to know why we believe what we believe, it doesn't make sense at all! Do you want I from you? I want you to leave! It,'s not because I hate you or anything like, its just that you have no real purpose for being here, and if you say you do then read my posts again. I know I risk being banned from this site by saying this stuff and I hope that doesn't happen, but I had to say this.
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I came to the same place of frustration as you have. I saw that my reasoning was so sound and it frustrated me so much that someone else didn't see it the same way. But then I felt God leading me to a place of prayer. We have no idea how powerful prayer is when we cry out to God for the someone's soul to be saved. Let your heart be drawn here and cry out that God would remove the stony ground from others that they might receive the truth.

Love and prayer is more powerful than any intellectual reasoning. Let the Holy Spirit direct you in prayer and he will guide you. In fact, this whole discussion that you have had could be leading up to God prompting you to pray.
 
doseofreality

doseofreality

Banned
#595
Dec 9, 2013
753
5
0
#595
penknight said:
You've already cut yourself off from Jesus, once you done that there's no going back. So why? You're not looking to be convinced so WHY ARE YOU HERE!? Don't give that garbage about wanting to know why we believe what we believe, it doesn't make sense at all! Do you want I from you? I want you to leave! It,'s not because I hate you or anything like, its just that you have no real purpose for being here, and if you say you do then read my posts again. I know I risk being banned from this site by saying this stuff and I hope that doesn't happen, but I had to say this.
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"I've cut myself off from Jesus, there is no going back" .... so much for unconditional love

No I am not looking to be convinced, nor is anybody looking to be convinced of something they don't agree with.
You can still convince me, people can change their mind even when that is not their intent.

"WHY ARE YOU HERE"
To make you frustrated apparently :)
I am partly here looking to question your beliefs to see if christians can provide good reasons to justify their belief.
I am mainly here in posts playing "devils advocate" as the devil i guess.
I try not to start any controversial threads, nor do i actively try to de-convert anyone.

I hope you are not banned, you certainly have the right to say your opinion.
Is there a way for you to block me so you do not see my posts?

anyway i wish you well, but unless i am banned I do not intend to leave.
 
J

Jda016

Guest
#596
#596
doseofreality said:
Not sure what you are expecting from me.

I do try to take what you say seriously, and sometimes I do "reflect deeply" on them. I simply come to a different conclusion.

I think you may have a hard time accepting this because you are so convinced the bible is the word of God. And in that case I am simply not seeking after God enough so that He opens my heart to come to the right conclusion.
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You are on my heart often Dose. God has given me a love for you and I see a good heart that just hasn't yet met Jesus.
I pray for you continually and I ask The Lord to remove the scales from your eyes, even as he did for Paul, who later went on to write most of the New Testament. :)

I have faith that God is going to do something in your life and sometimes I even see you as a preacher. :)
 
S

Spokenpassage

Guest
#597
#597
Jda016 said:
You are on my heart often Dose. God has given me a love for you and I see a bad heart that just hasn't yet met Jesus.
I pray for you continually and I ask The Lord to remove the scales from your eyes, even as he did for Paul, who later went on to write most of the New Testament. :)

I have faith that God is going to do something in your life and sometimes I even see you as a preacher. :)
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I know right?? I mean I see God using Dose in amazing way, for the glory of God. He might not believe us, but man..God loves that man. :)
 
doseofreality

doseofreality

Banned
#598
Dec 9, 2013
753
5
0
#598
Jda016 said:
You are on my heart often Dose. God has given me a love for you and I see a good heart that just hasn't yet met Jesus.
I pray for you continually and I ask The Lord to remove the scales from your eyes, even as he did for Paul, who later went on to write most of the New Testament. :)

I have faith that God is going to do something in your life and sometimes I even see you as a preacher. :)
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My father went to seminary, I think thats the closest I will ever get to being a preacher.

Haha but you never know
 
pickles

pickles

Senior Member
#599
Apr 20, 2009
14,479
182
63
#599
doseofreality said:
"I've cut myself off from Jesus, there is no going back" .... so much for unconditional love

No I am not looking to be convinced, nor is anybody looking to be convinced of something they don't agree with.
You can still convince me, people can change their mind even when that is not their intent.

"WHY ARE YOU HERE"
To make you frustrated apparently :)
I am partly here looking to question your beliefs to see if christians can provide good reasons to justify their belief.
I am mainly here in posts playing "devils advocate" as the devil i guess.
I try not to start any controversial threads, nor do i actively try to de-convert anyone.

I hope you are not banned, you certainly have the right to say your opinion.
Is there a way for you to block me so you do not see my posts?

anyway i wish you well, but unless i am banned I do not intend to leave.
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I do understand why you are here, probably more than you understand yourself. :)
But the thing is?
You can ask and recieve many answers, but all will be imperfect, simply because you keep looking to people, flesh, and we all will fail in giving you the perfect.
The way to the perfect answer is only by faith in Jesus. l
Athough I have known times and many who were humbled to the point of faith for answers. :)
I do hope you keep asking the questions you ask, for God is faithful, even when we are not, and will willingly give you the answers you seek.
The real question you may need to ask your self?
Will you be willing to receive the answers when given? :)
I hope and pray you will find the truth you seek, and will know it when it is given. :)

God bless
pickles
 
Brother_Don

Brother_Don

Banned
#600
Jul 27, 2011
1,622
89
0
#600
satan hates you. he has despised and detested you from the very foundation of the world. From the moment he was kicked out of paradise and saw Adam and Eve strolling with the Almighty Creator in the garden that used to be his, he has made it his work to destroy, terrify, and keep people from developing a relationship with the Father.
 
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