The Bible Is an Outdated Relic

I've memorized scripture that I've written down in the past, but failed to repeat it on a daily basis long enough to embed it in my long-term memory, and then subsequently forgotten where I filed it away, making it impossible for me to go straight to it at a later date.

I found a few of these scriptures yesterday when I was searching for my sketch pads so that I might continue developing the cartoon characters I was working on over a year ago, and figured that this would be a good place for me to retype them so that I'd have them somewhere that I couldn't lose them (hopefully).

I'm going to start with the topic of pride. But, I think I'll also put some of the members above on ignore, because I'm finding that the space they take up with, what to me, are some rather silly entries, is making in difficult for me to locate the posts I wish to revisit.


PRIDE

God hates pride and arrogance. Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord. Be assured, he will not go unpunished. Haughty eyes and a proud heart—the lamp of the wicked—are sin. So, let another praise you and not your own mouth; a stranger and not your own lips. Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day might bring. The Lord tears down the house of the proud. It is better to be of lowly spirit with the poor than to divide the spoil with the proud. Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. Before destruction, a man’s heart is haughty, but humility comes before honor. When pride comes, then comes disgrace. But with the humble is wisdom. One’s pride will bring him low, but he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor.

Daniel 5:18-21 …the Most High God granted sovereignty, grandeur, glory and majestyto [King] Nebuchadnezzar... Because of the grandeur God bestowed on him, all the nations and peoples of every language dreaded and feared him. Those the king wanted to put to death, he put to death; those he wanted to spare, he spared; those he wanted to promote, he promoted; and those he wanted to humble, he humbled. But when his heart became arrogant and hardened with pride, he was deposed from his royal throne and stripped of his glory. He was driven away from people and given the mind of an animal; he lived with the wild donkeys and ate grass like the ox; and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven, until he acknowledged that the Most High God is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and sets over them anyone he wishes.
 
"Teach a man to be a good citizen and you have solved the problem of life. Teach a man to be a believer and you have solved the problem of eternity." ~ Andrew Carnegie
 
expiated said:
PRIDE

God hates pride and arrogance. Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord. Be assured, he will not go unpunished. Haughty eyes and a proud heart—the lamp of the wicked—are sin. So, let another praise you and not your own mouth; a stranger and not your own lips. Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day might bring. The Lord tears down the house of the proud. It is better to be of lowly spirit with the poor than to divide the spoil with the proud. Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. Before destruction, a man’s heart is haughty, but humility comes before honor. When pride comes, then comes disgrace. But with the humble is wisdom. One’s pride will bring him low, but he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor.
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A few hours before ...
expiated said:
the system I have today, which as I already stated, DOUBLED my opening balance from the middle of May the first week I went live, and then added another 35% the second week!

Who are you? And what do I care what you have to say? I don't have a problem. I have a profitable Forex trading methodology that would probably wipe your trading skills off the map were we to have a head-to-head competition.
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ruh_roh.gif

:D
 
God hates pride and arrogance. Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord. Be assured, he will not go unpunished
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This is the bit which gets me about christian teaching.
Lets pretend the devil is real, should it get punished? Probably due to being the instigator.

Humans are victims in the situation, should they be punished?
It would be akin to punishing for example sex slaves or soldiers of war who have not been involved with war crimes.
 
JESUS

Jesus, who is God, became a man, setting aside His divide attributes—His heavenly glory, independent authority and eternal riches—in order to demonstrate for us what it means to be a servant of God.

Because the consequence of sin (of which we are all guilty) is spiritual (and in turn, physical) death, Jesus provided us with an avenue by which we might escape eternal damnation. He did so by living a sinless life, then becoming sin for us, taking our guilt upon Him while allowing Himself to be wounded and bruised for our transgressions and inequities. He suffered in our place and then died a horrible death on the cross in order to pay a debt He didn't owe, because of our owing a debt we could never pay.

He shed His holy blood so that by it, we might be washed clean of sin, making us righteous in the sight of the Father, reconciling us to a just and holy God, and presenting us to Him—holy, blameless and beyond reproach.

Having paid the price for sin, Jesus crushed the head of the devil, taking away the power of sin and death, and ascended to the right hand of the Father, where he now intercedes on our behalf.

God made creation, and it was good. But, mankind stained it with sin. However, Jesus will one day return to recreate it and bring it to the glory originally intended. When He does, He will gather together all those who chose to follow Him while living on this earth, to be with Him forever in what the Bible calls "The New Jerusalem."

Those who chose to reject Him will be thrown into a horrible place created for the devil and his demons, a place the Bible calls "The Lake of Fire," where they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
 
Those who chose to reject Him will be thrown into a horrible place created for the devil and his demons, a place the Bible calls "The Lake of Fire," where they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
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Sinners! You must listen to the snakeoil salesman in order to be saved!
Join the magic jesusfreak brigade, where with magic prayers you will get magic enlightenment.
Don't forget on your way out of church to pay your 10% tax tithe (on gross income) because when you do jesus will pay you back (on the never never).
 
I wanted cohesive.so to write a blog on the main, most important messages conveyed by the Old and New Testaments from the perspectives of the Apostle John and the Apostle Paul, but this is what it wrote instead...

Messages of the Gospels: Comparing John and Paul's Perspectives

Table of contents
  • Introduction
  • John's Perspective
  • Paul's Perspective
  • Differences between John and Paul's Perspectives
  • Comparison with the Synoptic Gospels
  • Interpretations and Applications • Conclusion
Introduction
Ah, the Gospels of John and Paul - two books that are so different yet hold such a powerful message. It's fascinating to see how two individuals saw the life of Jesus differently and how their teachings hold up even today. Understanding the message of the Gospels is vital for any reader. John focuses on the divinity of Jesus and the concept of eternal life, while Paul emphasizes the role of faith in salvation and the importance of good works. It's fascinating how their perspectives differ despite sharing a common subject. As we dive deeper into John and Paul's perspectives, we'll explore their differences, their approach to salvation, and the distinct writing styles that separate the two books. It's going to be a fascinating read!

John's Perspective
John's Perspective: The Gospel of John is often characterized as a theological document, as it focuses heavily on the divinity of Jesus. John uses symbolism and metaphors to communicate this message throughout the Gospel. For example, the opening phrase "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1) communicates that Jesus was not just a man, but the manifestation of God's own self. Additionally, John's Gospel emphasizes that eternal life is found in understanding the true nature of Jesus and believing in him. Through the concept of salvation, John encourages readers to have a personal relationship with Jesus. This message is conveyed through examples such as Jesus' conversation with the Samaritan woman, where he tells her that he is the source of living water (John 4:10-14).

Paul's Perspective
So, let's talk about Paul's perspective in the Gospels. Paul was an interesting guy - he was initially a fierce opponent of Christianity, but then had a pretty dramatic conversion experience. After that, he went on to become one of the most influential figures in the early Christian church.

One of the key differences between John and Paul is that Paul's writings are more concerned with the practical aspects of Christian living. He talks a lot about the importance of faith in salvation, but also emphasizes the importance of good works - essentially, putting your faith into action. Another big theme in Paul's writing is the idea of resurrection and the end times. He believed that Jesus' resurrection had significant implications for all of humanity, and he spent a lot of time writing about what the end of the world might look like.

So what can we learn from Paul's perspective? Well, for one thing, it's a good reminder that Christianity isn't just about believing the right things - it's also about living them out in our everyday lives. Additionally, Paul's emphasis on the end times can be a helpful reminder to live intentionally and make the most of the time we have. Overall, despite the differences between John and Paul's perspectives, both are incredibly valuable and can help us deepen our understanding of the message of the Gospels.

Differences between John and Paul's Perspectives
Differences between John and Paul's Perspectives When it comes to the Gospels, both John and Paul offer unique perspectives on Jesus' message and teachings. One of the main differences between the two perspectives is their views on the nature of Jesus. John emphasizes Jesus' divinity and eternal nature while Paul focuses on his humanity and role as a savior.

This contrasting perspective can also be seen in their approaches to salvation. John emphasizes eternal life and faith in Jesus as the key to salvation while Paul emphasizes the importance of good works and the resurrection. The contrast between faith and works is also emphasized in their writings. John tends to focus on faith as the main catalyst for salvation, whereas Paul emphasizes the importance of good works in addition to faith. In addition to their divergent views on theology, John and Paul's writing styles vary significantly. John utilizes symbolism and metaphors to craft his narratives while Paul focuses more on evangelizing through his letters.

These differences in perspectives and writing styles are best exemplified by examining specific examples from their respective works. For example, John's Gospel includes the "I am" statements, in which Jesus identifies himself using metaphors such as "I am the bread of life" and "I am the light of the world." On the other hand, Paul's letters contain clear messages and directions for the churches he founded. Ultimately, understanding and exploring the difference between John and Paul's perspectives can lead to a more nuanced and meaningful interpretation of Jesus' message.

Comparison with the Synoptic Gospels
Comparison with the Synoptic Gospels: The Synoptic Gospels, which include Matthew, Mark, and Luke, are quite different from John and Paul's perspectives. While John and Paul focus on the themes of eternal life, salvation, and the role of faith and works, the Synoptic Gospels focus on Jesus as a teacher and healer. However, there are similarities between the messages in the Synoptics and John and Paul.

All of the Gospels emphasize the importance of love, forgiveness, and living a virtuous life. Interpreting the message of the Gospels requires an understanding of the different perspectives presented in each Gospel. The Synoptic Gospels offer a unique perspective that complements John and Paul's views. Each perspective adds depth and richness to our understanding of Jesus' life and teachings.

Ultimately, the message of the Gospels is open to interpretation, and the role of our own perspectives cannot be ignored. As we read and study the Gospels, we bring our own beliefs and biases to the text. So, it is essential to approach the text with an open mind and a willingness to examine our own beliefs and assumptions.

Interpretations and Applications
Interpretations and Applications So, why should we care about the perspectives of John and Paul today? For starters, the messages they conveyed are still relevant to our lives as modern-day Christians. Whether it's John's emphasis on eternal life and salvation, or Paul's teachings on the role of faith and good works, there is much we can learn from these two apostles. But it's not just about understanding their messages - it's also important to examine our own beliefs and perspectives.

By studying the Gospels of John and Paul, we can gain a better understanding of the various ways in which people interpret and apply the Bible to their lives. This kind of self-reflection can help us to be more open-minded, empathetic, and understanding towards those who hold different beliefs than our own. Of course, interpreting and applying the messages of John and Paul is not always easy. It requires a lot of critical thinking, contemplation, and self-reflection.

However, with time and practice, we can become better at understanding and applying the insights we gain from their teachings. So whether you're looking for guidance on your own spiritual journey, or simply seeking to better understand the perspectives of others, the Gospels of John and Paul are a great place to start. With their timeless messages and valuable life lessons, they offer a wealth of wisdom and insight that is as applicable today as it was centuries ago.

Conclusion
To sum up, understanding the different perspectives of John and Paul is crucial to interpreting the messages of the Gospels. Studying both is vital for a deeper understanding. Let's keep exploring to broaden our knowledge of the Bible's complex ideas.

Considering the ideas expressed above and how I differ with a number of them led me to ask myself what I personally would identify as the main and most important messages conveyed in the Old and New Testament.

My answer was that I think the Scripture's primary message is that the human race is woefully lacking when it comes to meeting God's standards, which destines us to an eternity separated from God, who is, after all, light, love and truth; and that separation from such goodness is tantamount to spending forever in torment.

But since this is not what God wants for us, He put in place a plan of escape, which essentially comes down to having His Son live a perfect life in our place, then take our punishment upon Himself, and subsequently offer us His righteousness as a covering by positioning ourselves in Him so that when the Father looks at us, He sees his Holy Son, and therefore views us as once again acceptable to come back into fellowship with Him as part of His family.
 
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I just had Jehovah witness couple bang on my front door.
Geez that's two weeks running as a different couple were here a week ago.
Something is up, maybe they're running out of parishioners and funds and looking for new blood.
Do you think there is a messsge here, is Jesus trying to talk to me?
Should I repent?
 
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