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Willie-T

Banned
Feb 7, 2015
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Justin Martyr (A.D. 100-165) made this clear defense in behalf of free will:
"We have learned from the prophets, and we hold it to be true, that punishments, chastisements, and rewards are rendered according to the merit of each man’s actions. Otherwise, if all things happen by fate, then nothing is in our own power. For if it be predestined that one man be good and another man evil, then the first is not deserving of praise or the other to be blamed. Unless humans have the power of avoiding evil and choosing good by free choice, they are not accountable for their actions— whatever they may be."

Do you realize that if you are a Calvinist, or say that God is in control of all that happens, then you have no right to say one single word against Terrorists, Homosexuals, Pedophiles, Thieves, Murderers or anyone else who (by your beliefs) is only doing what they are destined to do?

I think that is more than interesting.
 
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Hold that thought...it's a good one!

this kind of thinking destroys any reason to pray and basically makes humans a little lower than...a rock
 
I know

no wonder the psych wards are full....:p

I worked in one for years, and Religion was the #1 thing many of them focused upon. We have systematically destroyed the minds of millions of people with religion.
 
Do you realize that if you are a Calvinist, or say that God is in control of all that happens, then you have no right to say one single word against Terrorists, Homosexuals, Pedophiles, Thieves, Murderers or anyone else who (by your beliefs) is only doing what they are destined to do?

I think that is more than interesting.
It is actually a non sequitur.
 
Well, if one says God is controlling everything then anyone who speaks either for or
against anything is doing so because God is yanking their strings to do so... right?
 
Well, if one says God is controlling everything then anyone who speaks either for or
against anything is doing so because God is yanking their strings to do so... right?

He, he. That's good! I guess you have a point there. LOL
 
I worked in one for years, and Religion was the #1 thing many of them focused upon. We have systematically destroyed the minds of millions of people with religion.

oh really? ouch I don't think I could take that

religion is a system..the Bible speaks of world 'systems' in a negative way; it would make sense that freedom is reduced to a system of control

actual freedom can be a frightening thing to some more than others

we should be freer as Christians than we are...interesting cause I was really praying about this very thing this morning..we count way too much on the opinions and judgements of others and they don't do anything good for us when God says the opposite. It's a fear based system (religion) IMO
 
oh really? ouch I don't think I could take that

religion is a system..the Bible speaks of world 'systems' in a negative way; it would make sense that freedom is reduced to a system of control

actual freedom can be a frightening thing to some more than others

we should be freer as Christians than we are...interesting cause I was really praying about this very thing this morning..we count way too much on the opinions and judgements of others and they don't do anything good for us when God says the opposite. It's a fear based system (religion) IMO

Yes, I think the true understanding and acceptance that it is me, myself, who decides, day-by-day how to live a God-pleasing life in the things I choose to do... rather than convincing myself I am accepted because I follow a list of rules..... is absolutely terrifying to some people. It seems to be more responsibility than they can handle.

I think the list is "milk", and personal responsibility is the "meat" of Christianity.
 
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yes

might have something to do with work out your own salvation with trembling and fear

with fear in the correct sense of reverence of God

right at this moment, for me, I think I just want the last of the religious robes off

they need a dry cleaning anyway ;)