The Bottom Line

[_Themis]

Again, it isn't about trying - it is about doing. Don't whine about trying. Either be a believer and follower of God - or do not. For some reason you think you can fool God. God knows who and what you are. So, don't pretend to be something you aren't and say you "tried" to believe. It isn't and never will be about trying. It is ONLY about what you are. Either, you are a humble, patient, follower of God - or you are not. You have to decide which you are.

In other words, in order for it to work for me I have to decide to already believe it before I even ask, is that right? Why, then, should I even bother to ask?

And please stop accusing me of trying to fool God! That was never my intent! My intent was to do my darndest to insure that I was not fooling myself (which I very strongly suspect that you have done to yourself).

by the way, doing something intentional necessarily implies trying, despite what a fictional character in a science fiction movie says. You obviously can't do anything intentional without trying to do it. If something is certain to work, there is no real difference between trying to do it and actually doing it. Please stop splitting hairs (or grasping at straws).

Tobin is unfortunately very judgmental. He doesn't see that others see him coming off as hypocritical for giving advice he was never willing to do, and then assume since you are not a believer now that you never sought God.

[Guest]

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[_jo1952]

Actually it can matter, and can affect people in ways you may not realize. That love matters does not entail other things do not matter.

It is mankind who makes the determination of what matters to mankind. That is man's doing; not God's. It is not important to Him whether a person in the flesh has things mixed up. He is concerned about our spirit; it is our spirit He loves. The physical body is a temporary shell for our spirit. You are speaking at a temporal level; I am speaking at a spiritual level.

Not sure why you are getting on me for what everyone here, including you, are doing. I have noticed you discussions with people like nipper, etc.

LittleNipper does not know what I believe until I tell him what I believe. He and I have just recently begun to communicate with each other; whereas you and I already know where we stand on the issue of the flood.

Ultimately what DOES matter is our love for one another which determines whether or not we truly love God. In fact, for those who do not believe in God, if they truly love others, then as far as God is concerned, that person also loves Him. For those who claim to love God but do not love others, then their claim to love God is a lie. Also, if we have done to even the least of mankind, we have also done it to God. However, I do recognize that it can take years and years to finally get to this simple Truth because mankind loves to argue. So, we will argue over the things that aren't as important as the two great commandments. At the end of the day, however, the two great commandments are the most important ones.

This does not mean that I will not discuss my beliefs about what the Holy Ghost has revealed to me - which includes interpretations of scripture which do not agree with others. However, once I have been through the exercise of presenting what I believe along with the scriptures to support it, I try not to get into discussions that will drag on ad nauseum by repeating over and over again what I have already presented. I am happy to explain my beliefs to a poster. If a different poster comes along discussing the same subject, I will engage that person as well. I try to avoid bringing up the same issues with the same posters, though. I admit I will still get sucked into a discussion with the same poster; but I really am trying to avoid doing that.

Blessings,

jo

[Guest]

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[_jo1952]

Apparently you don't include communicating with someone of my status. No no , that's fine you just go run wild with your horses in your avatar. And Ill try and come up with an avatar.

Hiya Mktavish!

I like your sense of humor!! I see that you did come up with an avatar! by the way, I actually do have three horses; this avatar happens to capture their correct colors.

Blessings,

jo

[_Drifting]

Again, pretending to be dedicated, no matter what, and looking at where you are clearly means that you had NO such dedication. You believe this is foolish and you are not following the Lord. And I'm not fooling myself at all. I know absolutely you are mistaken and you will die and see and speak with God. That will happen and I hope you remember I told you EXACTLY what is going to happen because you can not avoid it.

There is a world of difference between those who are successful in life that have true dedication and determination - and those that simply try and who don't apply themselves. They rarely succeed at very much at all.

Tobin, am I correct in saying that you were not applying yourself correctly, nor showing any kind of dedication or effort towards seeking and following God, when God Himself appeared to you?

Yoooo hooooo......bumpage for the Tobmeister...

[_PrickKicker]

Can someone explain to me this bump business?

[_Drifting]

Can someone explain to me this bump business?

If someone has 'inadvertently' forgotten or missed answering a question or post to them one 'bumps' it by quoting it causing it to be promoted to the most recent post on the thread.

For posters such as bcspace, subgenius, gdemetz, Tobin etc more than one 'bump' may be required...

[_Gunnar]

And Tobin, Subgenius, et al still have not provided a sensible or persuasive answer to the question of how anyone can infallibly or even reliably determine that one's own "spiritual Insight" is more likely to be from God than a product of our own imagination, or more reliable than that of others whose "spiritual insights" conflict with ours.

If human reasoning and judgement were truly infallible, we would never need to ask God about anything, but if one is going to insist that human reasoning and judgement is so fallible, that we have no hope of arriving at or understanding the truth without an appeal to divine authority or inspiration, it is illogical to then turn around and insist that any of us can infallibly judge whether some prompting or insight is really from God--especially in the light of the still unrefuted and undeniable fact that there are so many mutually contradictory belief systems, all of which claim divine authority. It is as obvious as the Sun shining at high noon on a mid-summer day that the vast majority of those who sincerely claim divine confirmation of their beliefs are mistaken. Like it or not, there is simply no honest or reasonable way to avoid that conclusion!

Unless our convictions have something else going for them besides the mere claim or belief that God told us so, it is both unreasonable and dishonest to conclude that they must be correct!

[_Gunnar]

Tobin is unfortunately very judgmental. He doesn't see that others see him coming off as hypocritical for giving advice he was never willing to do, and then assume since you are not a believer now that you never sought God.

Sadly, but obviously true.