Cherry Pickers Anonymous

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GaryA

Truth, Honesty, Love, Courage
Aug 10, 2019
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#61
Can you share some examples of the scriptures that are most frequently cherry picked?
A discussion of that long list would take way-too-many posts - I don't believe it belongs in this thread - too much of a derail.

If you really want to pose the question for discussion, go start a thread dedicated to only that.
 

GaryA

Truth, Honesty, Love, Courage
Aug 10, 2019
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#62
Okay I hear you. Do let me know if you find anyone spinning their wheels. I'll be happy to try to help them.
Go look into a mirror.

You are spinning your wheels.

Will you try to help yourself?

Or, will you humble yourself and let God help you?

Your attitude is boastful.

It needs correction.

(by you and God)
 

Nehemiah6

Senior Member
Jul 18, 2017
24,471
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#64
Can you share some examples of the scriptures that are most frequently cherry picked?
Here's a good one (Mt 24:31): And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

There are many who mistakenly apply this to the Rapture when it is actually about the Second Coming of Christ and the gathering of believing Israel -- "the elect" -- to the land of Israel. The Rapture had already taken place at least 7 years before this.

 

GaryA

Truth, Honesty, Love, Courage
Aug 10, 2019
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#65
So, what’s the purpose of this thread?
More than anything else, it (the OP) is a lament about the current/recent "flood" of [[relatively] new] people on here who seem to go out of their way to put forth every imaginable strange messed-up totally-wrong interpretation of scripture that they can possibly come up with while absolutely refusing to consider for even one microsecond (it seems) what multiple other people - who are in agreement - are telling them.

People - some of whom say they are new Christians - telling those of us who have studied the scriptures for decades - that we are all simply wrong (when we are in agreement) - and that whatever-off-the-wall out-in-left-field thing they have come up with is the absolute truth of Almighty God - and that there is no possibility of them being wrong...

And then - some of them change or "upgrade" their interpretation to some other off-the-wall out-in-left-field thing a week later...

:poop:

:rolleyes:

:(
 

GaryA

Truth, Honesty, Love, Courage
Aug 10, 2019
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#66
Here's a good one (Mt 24:31): And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

There are many who mistakenly apply this to the Rapture when it is actually about the Second Coming of Christ and the gathering of believing Israel -- "the elect" -- to the land of Israel. The Rapture had already taken place at least 7 years before this.
Please don't start discussions/debates/arguments/etc. of specific examples ... it will keep the thread derailed in perpetuity...

Go start another thread.
 

CS1

Well-known member
May 23, 2012
12,350
4,063
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#67
A new name for this website?

The largest assembly of its kind in one place?

A group that does not realize that they have a problem?

I have never in my life seen so many people in one place who seemed absolutely "bent" on interpreting the scriptures to say anything but what they actually say.

It is sad. :(

It truly is. :cry:

SMH :rolleyes:
I think what is, is some are just upset others will not agree with the position of a text or passage the same as you do. Then wants to have a thread that shows one's inability to accept people's disagreement with your understanding. maybe your ability to teach is not there. maybe or you are wrong :)
 

GaryA

Truth, Honesty, Love, Courage
Aug 10, 2019
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#68
I think what is, is some are just upset others will not agree with the position of a text or passage the same as you do. Then wants to have a thread that shows one's inability to accept people's disagreement with your understanding. maybe your ability to teach is not there. maybe or you are wrong :)
Maybe it would have helped if you had read post #65 before posting this...?
 
Mar 4, 2020
8,614
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#69
Go look into a mirror.

You are spinning your wheels.

Will you try to help yourself?

Or, will you humble yourself and let God help you?

Your attitude is boastful.

It needs correction.

(by you and God)
I had a feeling you would respond like that. So let’s do this right here right now. You have your chance where I will humbly listen to what you’re saying. Tell me what I’m doing wrong exactly and I’ll mention your name to God in my prayers and ask if I should do what you say. Then if the answer is yes I’ll follow your instructions. I’m ready when you are.
 

GaryA

Truth, Honesty, Love, Courage
Aug 10, 2019
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#70
What do y'all think we should do when life gives you picked cherries? make ice cream?
Only if the cherries that have been picked have not been made rotten because of how they were picked... ;)





However...





Properly picked cherries are a nice addition to good homemade ice cream. (y)
 

Mem

Senior Member
Sep 23, 2014
5,947
1,691
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#71
Only if the cherries that have been picked have not been made rotten because of how they were picked... ;)





However...





Properly picked cherries are a nice addition to good homemade ice cream. (y)
Good point, contaminated ice cream is awful no matter where the cherries came from. :(
 

GaryA

Truth, Honesty, Love, Courage
Aug 10, 2019
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#72
I had a feeling you would respond like that. So let’s do this right here right now. You have your chance where I will humbly listen to what you’re saying. Tell me what I’m doing wrong exactly and I’ll mention your name to God in my prayers and ask if I should do what you say. Then if the answer is yes I’ll follow your instructions. I’m ready when you are.
I don't want you to listen to me - I want you to listen to God.

If you will do that - properly, with the right attitude towards His Word - then - God will give you the knowledge and understanding you need to make a proper interpretation of any particular verse or passage of scripture.

It may or may not involve anything I have written. What is important is letting God lead you to the answer you seek.

This has nothing to do with me - it is about you letting God teach you what you need to know instead of trying to use "man's wisdom" to obtain a proper interpretation.
 
Mar 4, 2020
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#74
I don't want you to listen to me - I want you to listen to God.

If you will do that - properly, with the right attitude towards His Word - then - God will give you the knowledge and understanding you need to make a proper interpretation of any particular verse or passage of scripture.

It may or may not involve anything I have written. What is important is letting God lead you to the answer you seek.

This has nothing to do with me - it is about you letting God teach you what you need to know instead of trying to use "man's wisdom" to obtain a proper interpretation.
I believe God told me “Yes you should listen to Gary, but My words are not from Gary. Remember the Christian faith of forgiveness of sins is by faith in Jesus Christ’s glorious sacrifice. Repent of your selfish pride and return to glory. Gary has spoken truthfully.”
 

GaryA

Truth, Honesty, Love, Courage
Aug 10, 2019
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#76
... - it is about you letting God teach you what you need to know instead of trying to use "man's wisdom" to obtain a proper interpretation.
( To all: )

Because, if you try to use "man's wisdom" to obtain a proper interptetation - you will instead "conjure up" (yes, I used this phrase on purpose to make a point) a bad interpretation - every * single * time...

You must approach it properly, or you will only end up with error.

God is very serious about how you approach His Word.

And, He knows the heart - you cannot fool Him.

If you are sincere, He will help you.

If you are not, you will only be "a fool in his folly" - trying to understand "at a human level" what you cannot understand without help from God.

All of you who are putting forth "willy-nilly" half-baked pseudo-amusements for interpretations of scripture - just remember - it will "come again" - on Judgment Day.

If "every idle word that you speak" will be judged, how sure should you be about what you believe before you try to teach it to someone else?

If what you put forth leads another astray (especially, seriously) - have you decided what excuse you are going to tell God later?

I am not saying that you should not bring up or present what you believe in a discussion.

I am saying that those who put forth "declared truth" had better know what they are talking about - or - they should put down the shovel they are digging themselves into a hole with...
 

GaryA

Truth, Honesty, Love, Courage
Aug 10, 2019
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#77
Since someone asked for an example, they got one. Who made you monitor?
It's my thread.

Remember the Golden Rule - what if it was your thread and you did not want it "trashed" with endless off-topic argument?

And - no - "discussions" of specific examples do not fall within the context of the thread topic.
 

Live4Him3

Jesus is Lord
May 19, 2022
1,383
639
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#78
And, the point is - sometimes it is "just too easy" for someone to post based on what is very clear in their own mind - yet convey insufficient information in their post(s) to help others see it as clearly as they do.
This is something that I honestly consider every time that I post. My posts tend to be thorough, others might say long-winded, but my intention is always to hopefully bring people to at least a place of understanding what I'm saying, even if they ultimately don't agree with it.

My "teaching style", if I can call it that, is basically based upon something that Jesus said at the end of his parable of the sower, namely this:

"But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty." (Matthew 13:23)

Again, my emphasis is always on the "and understands it" part.

That said, with many people here and elsewhere, the real issue isn't a lack of understanding.

I'll just leave it at that.
 

GaryA

Truth, Honesty, Love, Courage
Aug 10, 2019
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#79
This is something that I honestly consider every time that I post.
I always try to keep it in mind as well.

Others have the right to agree or disagree; however, if I have not conveyed what I am thinking well-enough - then, it really doesn't help the conversation at all... (It only creates or adds confusion.)

That said, with many people here and elsewhere, the real issue isn't a lack of understanding.

I'll just leave it at that.
I understand - but, that is another issue... ;)