Comments on: Christianity is Confusing http://de-conversion.com/2008/01/03/the-declaration-of-faith/ Resources for skeptical, de-converting, or former Christians...... Fri, 25 May 2012 12:39:52 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: Joe http://de-conversion.com/2008/01/03/the-declaration-of-faith/#comment-40636 Thu, 21 Jan 2010 22:39:18 +0000 http://de-conversion.com/2008/01/03/the-declaration-of-faith/#comment-40636 DSimon—
:) You’re right–I meant to say I’ve done a lot of reading.

]]> By: DSimon http://de-conversion.com/2008/01/03/the-declaration-of-faith/#comment-40635 Thu, 21 Jan 2010 22:35:42 +0000 http://de-conversion.com/2008/01/03/the-declaration-of-faith/#comment-40635

I have investigated all viewpoints.

I know you don’t mean this as categorically as it sounds, but regardless I must say that that amount of investigation must’ve taken you quite a while. :-)

]]> By: Joe http://de-conversion.com/2008/01/03/the-declaration-of-faith/#comment-40634 Thu, 21 Jan 2010 20:46:29 +0000 http://de-conversion.com/2008/01/03/the-declaration-of-faith/#comment-40634 Quester—

I have investigated all viewpoints. I offered it fully realizing that most here do not believe, but hsd noticed you do quite a bit of reading not only of scientific literature, but biblical as well, so though it might interest you.

]]> By: Quester http://de-conversion.com/2008/01/03/the-declaration-of-faith/#comment-40633 Thu, 21 Jan 2010 19:28:48 +0000 http://de-conversion.com/2008/01/03/the-declaration-of-faith/#comment-40633 I haven’t, Joe, and I might.

I don’t know which interpretation you have taken on salvation:

1) exclusive: only those who x are saved.
2) inclusive: all people, no matter if they x or not, are saved by y.
3) pluralistic: all people are saved through z, though through our limited nature in this life, we might view z as one or more of a-y, demanding that we aa-zz.

But I wonder, whichever point of view you’ve chosen, if you’ve investigated the biblical and theological “proofs” for the other two viewpoints?

]]> By: BigHouse http://de-conversion.com/2008/01/03/the-declaration-of-faith/#comment-40631 Thu, 21 Jan 2010 16:29:14 +0000 http://de-conversion.com/2008/01/03/the-declaration-of-faith/#comment-40631 Even as a kid I could never understand using the Bible to support the Bible’s authority. That’s when good ole “because I said so” from parents and pastors etc came in to keep me in line. Thankfully one eventually grows up.

]]> By: Ubi Dubium http://de-conversion.com/2008/01/03/the-declaration-of-faith/#comment-40626 Thu, 21 Jan 2010 01:19:55 +0000 http://de-conversion.com/2008/01/03/the-declaration-of-faith/#comment-40626 Gee. One part of a primitive book of superstition is valid because of some other part of the same primitive book. Sorry, not buying it. Did you also know that the Harry Potter books are completely true, using the same reasoning?

]]> By: Joe http://de-conversion.com/2008/01/03/the-declaration-of-faith/#comment-40625 Wed, 20 Jan 2010 22:42:22 +0000 http://de-conversion.com/2008/01/03/the-declaration-of-faith/#comment-40625 I have a tendency to forget things that haven’t happened yet, so excuse the silence, it usually means I’m getting ahead of myself.

]]> By: BigHouse http://de-conversion.com/2008/01/03/the-declaration-of-faith/#comment-40624 Wed, 20 Jan 2010 20:36:23 +0000 http://de-conversion.com/2008/01/03/the-declaration-of-faith/#comment-40624 Quester, reminds me of the line: “Other than the ending, Mrs. Lincoln, how’d you like the play?”

]]> By: Joe http://de-conversion.com/2008/01/03/the-declaration-of-faith/#comment-40623 Wed, 20 Jan 2010 20:12:06 +0000 http://de-conversion.com/2008/01/03/the-declaration-of-faith/#comment-40623 Quester—

Have you ever read anything by William Bridge? He wrote in the 1600′s and was a Puritan. Puritans always get a rap as being “witch burners”, but that was one colony that turned into a lunatic fringe. A lot of the Puritans were very kind decent people, and many very intelligent writers came out of them.

I mention him because he states that “scripture answers scripture”–for example, one verse may say you belong to Christ “if ye continue….” Bridge points out this verse is “answered” by “who WILL confirm to you until the end…”

In other words the one verse APPEARS to state that it is all up to us to “continue”—this verse is from man’s point of view—-but the “answer” is from God’s point of view “he WILL keep you until the end”. Once I saw that the Bible became a very different book to me. I just wanted to point that out since you were talking about ignoring certain scriptures etc.

If you get a chance pick up one of his books some time.

]]> By: Quester http://de-conversion.com/2008/01/03/the-declaration-of-faith/#comment-40622 Wed, 20 Jan 2010 18:01:59 +0000 http://de-conversion.com/2008/01/03/the-declaration-of-faith/#comment-40622 Only if you ignore the verses that support the idea of salvation as an unconditional gift, Big House. If you ignore the verses that show salvation has strings attached, you can be a universalist! It all depends on which bits of scripture you ignore.

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