I believe that 90% of today's problems stem from a lack of morality.
I feel like I'm an alien by being honest, admitting fault, being kind, being faithful, and telling the truth. I think all those morals are going extinct......
For the life of me and until I die, I will never understand how someone can just take something that doesn't belong to them.

My biggest religious one is "there's gonna be a lot of good people in hell".
Preacher says it all the time and I have a hard time with that.

Women have no business using the men's room at work. They argue that there's more of us, so we should be allowed to use the men's, if its empty (school). Why should I have to stand outside of the men's room when a woman is using it because there's another woman in the women's already? Is her 'need' more worthy than mine? Know your place and stay there.

Do you not think there will be "good people" in hell?

To keep from typing a 600 page book (which Lord knows I'm prone to do), AUstan's post is "similar" to how I after 25+ years in a Southern Baptist church, with a father-in-law who's a Southern Baptist preacher, being myself an ordained deacon in a Southern Baptist church, and an adult small group teacher (heck, we ran about 60 in class, which was basically a small church within a church), I finally had to admit I'm not "Southern Baptist". Either I had to admit that this whole thing was a fairy tale, or something else was the truth. I say the Holy Spirit had been pulling at me for years, and I finally couldn't resist anymore. My pride wouldn't let me admit it publicly, because I knew it would likely mean I'd have to give up what I had. Southern Baptist "Arminian" theology required more theological gymnastics (blind, uneducated faith) than I could resolve, I am Reformed (Calvinistic) and now it all makes fine sense. Oddly, I'm viewed as worse than reprobate in a Southern Baptist church because of this. I think a lesbian woman could be a SB preacher before a Calvinist could. We visited the largest Southern Baptist church in Calhoun Co about a year ago (they have about 5,000 members) and the preacher had a full on temper-tantrum rant from the pulpit about this "evil filth that is growing in popularity" (Reformed theology). As usual, it had absolutely NOTHING to do with the text he was supposed to be preaching from. My two foundational breakdowns with SB theology center around "total depravity" and "active agency". I believe man is born TOTALLY spiritually dead, not just a little spiritually sick. Dead men don't "decide" to follow Jesus (man is not the active agent). The Holy Spirit pursues and gives life to dead men (HE is the active agent). I can't reconcile almost any other theology without those two things being true. And moreso than splitting hairs over these things, I could likely be happy in a Southern Baptist church if they wouldn't do this dumb "invitation" after every sermon, and wouldn't use dumb terminology like "give your heart to Jesus" or "decide to follow Jesus". Nasty, nasty stuff that has filled the pews with false converts for the last 75+ years (which is why 80% or more of those folks can't be found in fellowship anymore). Genuine converts DO NOT...repeat, DO NOT...walk away. Unless, that is, they were the active agent who "decided" to white-knuckle try this Jesus thing, that ultimately they couldn't do. Not because it's hard, but because the heart is desperately wicked and deceitful above all things, they just don't want to. But if the Spirit was the active agent, if He came in to me and regenerated me, and HE is the promised seal that is keeping me (the perfecter of my salvation), then I won't/can't walk away.

Dang, ikillbux, where have you been? There has always been a strong Calvinist presence in the SBC and it has done nothing but grow over the past 2 decades. Ever hear of AL Mohler? David Platt? Much of the SBC leadership is made up of full 5 pointers, and nothing in the BFM would limit Calvinist theology.

There are certainly churches and pastors that don't embrace all 5 points, but there are many that do. A pure Arminian theology would not agree with the BFM, and I've never known a pastor who taught it. I can agree with a lot of Calvinist ideas, but as long as 1John2:2 is in the Bible I will never believe them all. Getting a limited atonement out of that passage requires a lot more theological gymnastics than I can stomach.

Do you not think there will be "good people" in hell?

Hard for me to think that if we are to be judged based on our deeds, that god won't find a way to bring good people to heaven. I completely understand why they're supposed to be there (from not being saved), but I struggle with it. I know that idea is counter to Christianity, but that's kinda what this thread is about.

There are those that believe some folks will get to heaven with the flames of hell licking at the behinds. They also believe there are different levels of Heaven. Some will dine with Christ while others won't. I personally believe you either get to heaven or you don't based upon John 3:16 and Mark 12:31 and anyone arriving in Heaven has full membership with all the rewards.

I know, and you and I could volley back and forth about many of these verses. 1 John 2:2 isn't hard for me, because using contextual measures (who was the audience, and what point was John trying to make to them based on the argument at hand with the worldview of the listeners??) I don't see John as teaching the intent of the atonement, but he was still banging home that salvation was not just for JEWS, but also the Gentiles (this was always a sticking point, right?). Simply, it's just as plausible that all he meant was "HEY!!!...Jesus is the exclusive atonement for all people groups, not just the Jews". So 1 John 2:2 merely tells us there is only one way of salvation. If anyone will be redeemed, he will be redeemed through Jesus..."all" was not how many folks, but what kind of folks. I think a good cross-reference is 1 Tim 2:1-4

It's similar to John 3:16..."For God SO loved the world...". Most read that as an emphasizer of how much He loved the world, but I think based on the point trying to be made, and based on the actual original language, it's more like our modern day vernacular when we say "Do it like so", as in this is how He loved the world. It might be better understood to read it like, "For God loved the world in this way (like so): That He gave his only son.." Again, as seemed to be the case from Genesis to Revelation, the battle was always for the full sufficiency and supremacy of Christ ALONE and exclusively.

You are right--this thread is about counter ideas.

IF it were true that "we are judged based on our deeds" then it is probable that good people who weren't saved would indeed be in heaven.

But the Truth is that we are not eternally judged based on our deeds (works), we are first judged on our hearts---in our hearts are we in relationship with Christ? Do we trust/believe in Christ? Is Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior? That heart condition and relationship with Christ (Christ alone, through Faith alone by Grace alone) is the essence of salvation/damnation, not works (deeds)--The Gospel Message. Because of our circumcision of the heart that takes place when we have that saving relationship with Christ, our lives will change and the good deeds, attitudes, love, mercy and good works will naturally happen because of 1A. Our heart change and 1B. Our obedience to Christ because we love Him.

Struggling is natural...I've been there on some things and still today I have questions on certain matters of faith. From my perspective, when we are in a close personal relationship with Christ we become able to really understand the True and basic Gospel Message at a very deep level---God has this wonderful way of opening our hearts and eyes on who, what, when, why, & how things work.

Exceptions: The Bible speaks in Romans about the hearts of men and their actions who have never heard of God or Christ and do not know the Biblical message of the Gospel---God in His wisdom has a special way of dealing with them. Still heart based, but different than what we know about salvation.

1. I don't have a problem with gay marriage. I don't think its right. I don't understand it. Queers creap me out. but its not my job to tell someone how to live there life. Besides Its more of a financial status to them.

2. I don't care about peoples political view and i am not going to treat anyone differently based on it. This goes for actors as well I am not going to "boycott" a movie because there is an actor who doesn't agree with my political stance. if i want to watch a movie I'm going to watch the movie.

3. I didn't have a problem with Collin Kaepernick Sitting down for the National Anthem. Its a free country if he wants to sit his sorry ass down let him do it. In fact i think i was more upset that people made such a big deal about it than anything it bothers me that We thought this was a big issue. There where a lot more important things going on at the time.

4. Baseball is fun to play but boring to watch

5. NASCAR sucks unless you are actual at the race.

6. Budwieser is a good beer

>>>I know, and you and I could volley back and forth about many of these verses. 1 John 2:2 isn't hard for me, because using contextual measures (who was the audience, and what point was John trying to make to them based on the argument at hand with the worldview of the listeners??) I don't see John as teaching the intent of the atonement, but he was still banging home that salvation was not just for JEWS, but also the Gentiles (this was always a sticking point, right?). Simply, it's just as plausible that all he meant was "HEY!!!...Jesus is the exclusive atonement for all people groups, not just the Jews". So 1 John 2:2 merely tells us there is only one way of salvation. If anyone will be redeemed, he will be redeemed through Jesus..."all" was not how many folks, but what kind of folks. I think a good cross-reference is 1 Tim 2:1-4

It's similar to John 3:16..."For God SO loved the world...". Most read that as an emphasizer of how much He loved the world, but I think based on the point trying to be made, and based on the actual original language, it's more like our modern day vernacular when we say "Do it like so", as in this is how He loved the world. It might be better understood to read it like, "For God loved the world in this way (like so): That He gave his only son.." Again, as seemed to be the case from Genesis to Revelation, the battle was always for the full sufficiency and supremacy of Christ ALONE and exclusively. <<<

I think that is a pretty good example of "theological gymnastics" to get all of that from this simple verse that presents a very clear idea:

1 John 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.


I'm just messing with you and will drop it. I learned long ago that an argument with a Calvinist is utter futility.

Have a nice day!

TULIP TULIP TULIP!!!'

Remember! When boxing try not to let the other guy's glove touch your face...


...Because you never know where that glove has been.

You're right! Love ya, PCP!

Same advice for prostate exams.

I agree with the last statement to some degree. I believe there are many places on this planet that are far beyond carrying capacity and eventually something will come along that will thin out the population in said areas. I hate to even think such things because I know that it will be a very dark time if that ever comes to fruition.

I also believe the markets have never corrected from the housing market crash in 2008 and possibly even from the 2001 downturn. I believe we are sitting on a highly inflated bubble that if/when it pops, will bring a very widespread economic depression. I believe it will be catastrophic in terms of what it will mean for the mass populous of the industrialized world. The duration of said calamity is to be determined by the powers that be. Hope I'm wrong about that one.

I'm a Christian who wasn't raised in church or taught to believe anything and have found that most folks in church barely know any scripture and can hardly back up their beliefs with scripture but are ready to tell you exactly what they don't believe.
I've found that scripture requires research and study to come to a good understanding of it and I will never just take anyones word for it because I have encountered more than a few charlatans over the years.

.

If u are right we all go in a hole in the ground and turn into worm food but...

What if u are wrong ?
That is a pretty big gamble to take .You said u were a thinker able to use rationale and reason so I'd like to hear ur response .

Yea I agree. I don't think dinosaurs and humans were walking around together. Someone said earlier that they thought that when God made the Earth he put dinosaur bones in the ground. I'd never heard of that position on the issue and to be frank it seems kinda silly to think dinosaurs were never flesh and bone walking around, just bones in the ground.