Follow the Bible

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   glendoncabaposted 13 years ago

   Anyone here doing this huge international project being promoted this year by the Adventist world church?  You would know what I mean immediately?  Today is Bible Day and I'm rushing back to church to participate.

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      chukra Gposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      so to how many life did you made better changes???

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         Pearldiverposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         Yes..Yes..Yes... The Bumble Town 7DA Church is really busy atm. So much to do before December 2012.

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            glendoncabaposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            
            
            So this forum is dominated by antiChristianists. 
            
            I'll just post link again to the international initiative.
            
            http://www.followthebiblesda.com/about- … bible.html
            
            Read for yourself and see what I was talking about.

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         glendoncabaposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         My first church is my family, and i usually begin by blessing and trying to make the world a better place for my family. I don't usually count my good deeds but today (the day of the original post) I helped and encouraged many persons directly and indirectly, I even attended a funeral.
         
         Not the answer you want? 
         
         The bible is a book with a message that has changed people for the better, so the international promotion of it is an effort to encourage godly living.
         
         See this link for the initiative:
         http://www.followthebiblesda.com/about- … bible.html

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            chukra Gposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            you are wrong your first family must be the earth/universe, you started your answer with confusionssssssssssssss. and you decreased your family  size to a size of a church

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               mohitmisraposted 13 years agoin reply to this

               Very nice Chukra

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                  chukra Gposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                  thank you Dear Mohitmisra

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                     glendoncabaposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                     Chukra is confused because he appears to have a small problem with the English language.
                     All his comments on this thread so far would suggest that he doesn't understand:
                     
                     1.  The value of knowledge to the spiritual life.  The promotion of bible is not confusion.  bible a source of knowledge.
                     2.  The importance of loving those around you before making big claims about loving or helping world.
                     3.  Seek to understand before you argue and judge.
                     
                     
                     To answer your question very directly:
                     
                     I just try to love people and do what is right.  I don't count my good works.  Then I leave judgement to God.
                     
                     I will still insist that doing good begins with those around you.
                     
                     I share the following poem, Abou Ben Adhem by James Henry Leigh Hunt, to help you understand my point:
                     
                     
                     Abou Ben Adhem (may his tribe increase!)
                     Awoke one night from a deep dream of peace,
                     And saw, within the moonlight in his room,
                     Making it rich, and like a lily in bloom,
                     An angel writing in a book of gold:—
                     Exceeding peace had made Ben Adhem bold,
                     And to the Presence in the room he said
                     "What writest thou?"—The vision raised its head,
                     And with a look made of all sweet accord,
                     Answered "The names of those who love the Lord."
                     "And is mine one?" said Abou. "Nay, not so,"
                     Replied the angel. Abou spoke more low,
                     But cheerly still, and said "I pray thee, then,
                     Write me as one that loves his fellow men."
                     
                     The angel wrote, and vanished. The next night
                     It came again with a great wakening light,
                     And showed the names whom love of God had blessed,
                     And lo! Ben Adhem's name led all the rest.

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                  glendoncabaposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                  English is not your first language perhaps so I will not mock your lack of understanding of my statement.  You ask for how I helped the universe. 
                  
                  answer, a flower must bloom where it is planted.  Yes I'm a child of universe but my immediate environment is my family. So I diverted you from church organisation to first spiritual responsibility as priest of my household.   
                  
                  with the absentee fathers so prevalent in western culture, any self-respecting philosopher or spiritual person would commend a man who begins with his first contact, his family. 
                  
                  but again a typical attitude of religious forum, jump to judgement before you understand the depth of the answer.
                  
                  Chukra, first love our neighbour before we can claim to love the world.  and first neighbourly contact is family.
                  
                  Keep it real man.  How change world, one person at a time.  How love the world?  Begin with those beside you.

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                     mohitmisraposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                     Do you appreciate all spiritual books and not only the Holy Bible?

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                        glendoncabaposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                        I will answer your question if you respond to my corrections of Chukra's assumptions.  We can't keep jumping all over the place.

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                           mohitmisraposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                           with the absentee fathers so prevalent in western culture, any self-respecting philosopher or spiritual person would commend a man who begins with his first contact, his family.
                           
                           Where did you learn this philosophy?
                           You are restricting yourself , all is you , all of humanity is you and not just your immediate family, that become ego and attachment.
                           Read about the Buddha or Guru Nanak.

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                              glendoncabaposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                              I embrace all humanity as my family, but when i wake up in the morning I begin with love my neighbour.
                              
                              The Christian bible has a wonderful story of Good Samaritan which teaches that my neighbour is anyone in need. 
                              
                              So at the transcendental level i am one with the universe.  At the physical level I must eat, drink, go to the toilet, bathe etc.  that does not make me less of a spiritual person.  In same way I have a duty to see to the welfare of people in need. 
                              
                              Give to overseas charity.  even to astronauts if you like.  But it is so much more practical and realistic to heal and love and bloom in your immediate neighbourhood.
                              
                              I mean, I would not want to boast but i belong to a large international church which operates one of the largest charities internationally.  Yet my response to Chukra would be vain if i were to say that.  My response must be, I begin at home in my effort to heal the world.

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                                 mohitmisraposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                                 No probs keep up the good work. Chukra has a good heart and he only meant well.

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                                    glendoncabaposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                                    Much of it is language difference plus the basic propositional differences between Christianity and Eastern religions.  We just need to slow down and listen to each other, so at least we know what we disagree on
                                    
                                    Now that we have put that one behind us I will try to answer your question.  You know the answer. 
                                    
                                    Holy bible is Scriptures of my religion.  I have looked at material from other books but not read them cover to cover.  Bible itself is a treasure, a gem.  Christ is way, truth, life.
                                    
                                    I would love to explore material from Zoroaster etc.
                                    
                                    I have a very basic knowledge of content of major world religions.  More than basic really.

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                                       mohitmisraposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                                       Thank you
                                       
                                       They are all very similar from the Holy Vedas, Holy Gathas, Patanjalis Yoga Sutras, Bhagwat Gita, Buddha Sutras, Holy Bible, Holy Quran and Holy Guru Granth Sahib.
                                       
                                       Since you appreciate truth you will enjoy these works as well and see the similarities in all of them.
                                       
                                       All these holy books give man knowledge upto enlightenment and after enlightenment and there is something unique about every master or masterpiece which helps one get a better understanding of god, life and death.

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                                          glendoncabaposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                                          I appreciate that there are gems of truth scattered all over.  As you are well aware, the Christian gospel calls all nations to the Christ of Calvary.  So that leaves us with a philosophical predicament:  if Christ is the only way what about the other teachers and religions?  The answer is in the Bible.

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                     chukra Gposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                     Chukra, first love our neighbour before we can claim to love the world.  and first neighbourly contact is family.------- so can i love the god within me first and the rest later starts with my neighbour as u said. you are a good person indeed. i understand all of you but not all of you understand me

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                        glendoncabaposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                        Cool.
                        
                        You know though that we should now begin a long discussion on what you mean by love the god within.  I know what u mean but we Christians believe that man is creature, and God is Creator.

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                           chukra Gposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                           we should know ourselves first, try to answer this question. Who are the real me? what is making me living,oxygen? which source is brought LIFE to me? i am giving you some clue the source is ONE, the soul within you is mine and it is the true, and the soul within jesus is mine too.

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      video lostposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      From several multi flavoured Bibles which one is the right to follow ???

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         glendoncabaposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         Click the link to the site and find out for yourself.

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   shinujohn2010posted 13 years ago

   Bibles give great advices to keep people away from doing sins

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      glendoncabaposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      With a picture like that how do you keep the hubbers form sinning.

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         earnestshubposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         And instructions to kill people to make others believe is a part of your "book of love" but some disobeyed.
         
           They did not destroy the peoples as the LORD had commanded them, but mingled with the nations and imitated their ways.   (Psalms 106:34-35 NAB)

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            glendoncabaposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            Earnest what r your views on death sentence?

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               earnestshubposted 13 years agoin reply to this

               I am dead set against it. So many have died who were innocent of any crime. Killing others to appease our own self hate is no solution.
               
               The answer is always the same. Incarcerate then educate.
               
               Most child molesters were molested themselves, most people who are violent have been bought up with it as a part of their poverty and lack of support from those who do not care and would rather blame.
               A belief in a god does not make people better, just more arrogant with a belief that they can kill, because that is what the bible recommends.

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                  glendoncabaposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                  1.  surprised you ignored my tongue in cheek comment about sexy pic to shinujohn2010. 
                  
                  2.  seriously now, the whole OT theology of israel called to exterminate nations can only be understood in terms of people being given chance again and again until a death sentence is passed.  The bible teaches that death itself is result of sin.
                  As I have said elsewhere, at a personal level i recoil at bloodshed, I am reluctant to squish a roach.  Yet love must permit both mercy and judgement.  One view is that sin is self-destructive. 
                  
                  3.  I agree with you that religious people can be very bloodthirsty.  Communism was atheistic and engaged in wars as well.  Even invaded Afghanistan too.
                  
                  4.  there is some troublesome research coming out of atheistic camp that secular societies are more civil, more balanced.  That is something to take seriously.  I would want to look at research design etc.

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   Mishaposted 13 years ago

   Would you stop bumping your thread please?

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      glendoncabaposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Sorry Misha, I don't understand your statement.  Please explain.  I have been responding to others.  What do you mean by bumping?

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         Mishaposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         you spaced your responses so thread would stay on the top page all the time.

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            glendoncabaposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            You don't mean that, right.
            
            Man, you dont know me.
            
            You just taught me something.  If I had figured out computer stuff like this I would probably be a rich man. 
            
            Why such an interesting assumption?  Read my profile, I'm new to online geekdom.  On learning curve when it comes to SEO.  As soon as I learn something i write a hub about it eg google keyword tool, backlinking on SheToldMe.com, etc. 
            
            You just taught me something.  But it sounds difficult and manipulative.  One would need a software to do that in a systematic way.  You mean that people can plan to promote their internet profile by posting to forums at regular intervals in such a way that their thread is always at top of list?
            
            When do they sleep? 
            
            I do not need to lie.  What you observed is purely coincidental.
            Put it this way, I'm too simple to lie about something like that.  Simple as in both childish and childlike. 

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   earnestshubposted 13 years ago

   I would doubt that this is substantive. atheist or not, people are still what they are, and although I may like to believe that, I have strong doubts.
   
   I have no doubts however that many have been put to death that are innocent, but innocent or not, no death penalty for me.
   We have removed it in Australia.
   
   Even if someone were to kill a member of my family, you would not find me screaming for blood.

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      glendoncabaposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Even a pacifist like me will concede that sin and sinners are doomed to death unless a way is found.  That way, accordiing to the bible, is the free grace offered by jesus.

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      glendoncabaposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      From another article by the well researched Ian Boyne.  These are points we believers have to examine with great concern.  Here is link for full article:
      
      http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/ … ocus3.html
      
      Below is just a portion:
      
      "The growth of Islamic fanaticism and terrorism; the danger of militant Islam to democracy and peace and the 9/11 experience have served to reinforce the view that religion is bad for society. In addition, the New Atheists are buttressed by scientific evidence which seems to prove that religion is harmful to sociological and psychological health.
      
      The facts
      
      An international survey of 23,000 persons in 17 democracies shows that "in general, higher rates of belief in and worship of a creator correlate with high rates of homicide, juvenile and early mortality STD-infection rates, teen pregnancy and abortion in the prosperous democracies". (See Gregory Paul's article in Vol. 7, 2005 issue of The Journal of Religion and Health).
      
      Secular Europe scores higher on a number of indices of social health than the more religious United States. Japan, which is a highly secularised society, is far more peaceful and sociologically healthy than religious America.
      
      Says Gregory in his Journal of Religion and Society essay: "The United States is almost always the most dysfunctional of the democracies, sometimes spectacularly so. No democracy is known to have combined strong religiosity and popular denial of evolution with high rates of societal health. The US is the least efficient Western nation in terms of converting wealth into cultural and physical health". And a religion is a major factor say the militant atheists."

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   earnestshubposted 13 years ago

   Well I think that is just plain wrong.
   
   No god, no sin, just mankind living out the human condition.
   
   Who decides who dies? The law? the bible? It matters not. We as humans must look at what started the crime.
   
   Most times it is abuse they have suffered that makes people behave badly. how can you condemn someone who has no way to behave otherwise?
   
   If we want to stop crime, we need to stop the crime of abusing members of society and then blaming them for the outcome first.
   
   If a kid is watching his family go without food, he will sell drugs to feed them, and so would I. That is good morality in my view.
   
   Society takes the line of least resistance, not the process that would bring about real change, and the blaming that goes on in religion disgusts me deeply.
   
   My great great grandfather was sent to the Colonies for stealing a rabbit trap to feed his starving kids.
   
   My father taught me to be honest, but I never felt my great grandfather was anything but a real man. He fed his kids.

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   earnestshubposted 13 years ago

   Here it is!
   
     If a man still prophesies, his parents, father and mother, shall say to him, "You shall not live, because you have spoken a lie in the name of the Lord." When he prophesies, his parents, father and mother, shall thrust him through.   (Zechariah 13:3 NAB)
   
   Nice!

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      glendoncabaposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      context dear boy is everything.
      
      I was going to say that the grace of God will make final decision.
      
      this passage you are quoting has a messianic and eschatological cleansing of land from impurity context.

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         earnestshubposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         
         
         I doubt you can explain away the hundreds if not thousands of similar hate passages, by claiming that they were in reference to the destiny of mankind or to do with the promise of deliverance, and even if you did what difference does that make?
         Why would any entity with real knowledge have to explain with hate and fear as the motivator? Makes no sense at all.
         
         Only ignorance is motivated by fear.

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            glendoncabaposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            The Bible is its best defence.  Read it from beginning to end to get the whole story.  dont let the tough passages of the wrath of God against sinners discourage you.  Even earthly judges must pass tough sentences.

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   earnestshubposted 13 years ago

   I have read it and the Quoran extensively.
   You can't be serious!
   How can you say that. The bible condemns itself as does the Quoran, and it takes "special" reading to try and make it say other than it does, not the other way around!

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   glendoncabaposted 13 years ago

   Earnest if you dont believe thee is such a thing as sin then you live in a perfect universe. 
   
   I will move to Australia then.
   
   Human existence is a struggle between good and evil, and the Bible tells a story of hope.  The story ends with overcomers.

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      earnestshubposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      No I do not live in a perfect universe, I just have no use for "sin"
      Sin implies a belief in a god. I have no such belief.
      
      Good and bad, right and wrong are concepts I have no difficulty with.
      Threats made by any entity are taken with a grain of salt.
      
      I am not in need of threats, nor do they frighten me in to believing. .

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         glendoncabaposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         Since there is a possibility of there being a God you may just want to take another look at bible, the full story, which has a happy ending BTW.

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   earnestshubposted 13 years ago

   You know, there may be a way for you to believe in a god, but having studied the religious tomes, no tiny little neurotic god for me.
   
   I suggest that no sane person would ever believe in a god that is full of hate for his own creation, and blames mankind for fucking up the DNA unless they were indoctrinates at an early age. I was, but it did not stick.
   Logic and common sense prevailed!

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      glendoncabaposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      OUCH!  Must we swear.

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         earnestshubposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         Sorry, the word has never bothered me.

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