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Post by greenchili » Fri Jan 20, 2006 12:49 am

Yeah false religions, teachings, and cults are on the top of my list of "Great Lies" that satan has created to pull the wool over the worlds eyes.
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Michael
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heretics

Post by Michael » Fri Jan 20, 2006 7:05 am

Okay... I think this has gone far enough without me REALLY speaking up.

First of all, I don't particularly care for TBN myself. Seems to me it's mostly ostentatious sets, blue hair, and patting each other's backs. And there is stuff that goes on on there that I have to say bothers me, not because I think it is specifically untrue, but because I think it seems to me to lacks balance. I'm not saying that I think TBN is evil, because I don't... my personal tastes in television just run along different lines.

That said... I LIKE Kenneth Copeland. I used to like Pat Robertson a lot, but I think he has become harsh in what he says and sometimes I think it would be wise of him to keep some of his opinions to himself (although I don't know that I would say that he is necessarily wrong in being that way; if you assume that he has a prophetic ministry, and then you read the prophets in the Old Testament, he's not really being that harsh at all). I'm not a T.D. Jakes fan so much, although I have no harsh feelings toward him. So now you know roughly where I'm coming from. I used to work for Harrison House, the company that published books by Kenneth Hagin, T.D. Jakes, Kenneth Copeland, Joyce Meyer, Jesse Duplantis, and many others. I can see books on my bookshelf here at home by each of those people from where I'm sitting. I have heard each of those preachers except Hagin (whose son has a church across town) and Jakes preaching in my own church. I know my pastor, and he is famed for being one of the best Bible teachers in the world. He knows his stuff. He knows each of those people personally, and he trusts them with his pulpit. I don't know them personally, but I do know him personally, and he would NOT give them a microphone if he considered them heretical.

Charl, I don't know if it's really your job to throw around the term "heretic" anyway, as though you yourself were some high-ranking official in The Church (are you a pastor? a Bible scholar? a church board member? an official in some denomination? If you are, I apologize for any disrespect to your office). If you disagree with some of Copeland's teachings, that's perfectly fine; you are welcome to read your Bible as you see fit. But the fact is that "heretic" is a word that says something about someone else's character, and "I disagree" is something that says something about your own opinions. It would be both safer and less inflammatory if you went the "I disagree" route. Unless you are an oracle of God who is absolutely positive that you are right about everything.
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Post by js3971 » Fri Jan 20, 2006 9:54 am

charl, my comments on this board are not meant to offend you. If they did, I apologize. If they didn't, then praise God.

I didn't read through all of the posts this time through. There was someone who did say something like I would not want to be associated with the TBN. I was just offering something for someone to consider.

My point in this is, that most people usually have never read a book by one of these "heretical" teachers, seen any of their shows and actually listened to their teaching, or been to one of their churches. I'm not saying that you personally have or have not done this.

However, some people have read the books by Hank Haanegraf (forgive my misspelling) or John MacArthur or know some of the things that they have written or said about the "heretics". When a person does this, instead of finding out for themselves, that person is then taking part in hear-say. I would also say that according to scripture, they are taking part in gossip and rumors. Paul gave praise to the Berians (again forgive the spelling) because they searched his teachings out in the scriptures.

If you've listened to their teachings and have decided for yourself that is not something you want to submit yourself to, that is fine. But for you to simply call the others "heretical" because you didn't agree with them, or because Hanegraaf or Macarthur didn't agree with them, is just not a good thing.
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Re: heretics

Post by PetFCtr » Fri Jan 20, 2006 11:40 am

Michael wrote:Okay... I think this has gone far enough without me REALLY speaking up.

First of all, I don't particularly care for TBN myself. Seems to me it's mostly ostentatious sets, blue hair, and patting each other's backs. And there is stuff that goes on on there that I have to say bothers me, not because I think it is specifically untrue, but because I think it seems to me to lacks balance. I'm not saying that I think TBN is evil, because I don't... my personal tastes in television just run along different lines.

That said... I LIKE Kenneth Copeland. I used to like Pat Robertson a lot, but I think he has become harsh in what he says and sometimes I think it would be wise of him to keep some of his opinions to himself (although I don't know that I would say that he is necessarily wrong in being that way; if you assume that he has a prophetic ministry, and then you read the prophets in the Old Testament, he's not really being that harsh at all). I'm not a T.D. Jakes fan so much, although I have no harsh feelings toward him. So now you know roughly where I'm coming from. I used to work for Harrison House, the company that published books by Kenneth Hagin, T.D. Jakes, Kenneth Copeland, Joyce Meyer, Jesse Duplantis, and many others. I can see books on my bookshelf here at home by each of those people from where I'm sitting. I have heard each of those preachers except Hagin (whose son has a church across town) and Jakes preaching in my own church. I know my pastor, and he is famed for being one of the best Bible teachers in the world. He knows his stuff. He knows each of those people personally, and he trusts them with his pulpit. I don't know them personally, but I do know him personally, and he would NOT give them a microphone if he considered them heretical.

Charl, I don't know if it's really your job to throw around the term "heretic" anyway, as though you yourself were some high-ranking official in The Church (are you a pastor? a Bible scholar? a church board member? an official in some denomination? If you are, I apologize for any disrespect to your office). If you disagree with some of Copeland's teachings, that's perfectly fine; you are welcome to read your Bible as you see fit. But the fact is that "heretic" is a word that says something about someone else's character, and "I disagree" is something that says something about your own opinions. It would be both safer and less inflammatory if you went the "I disagree" route. Unless you are an oracle of God who is absolutely positive that you are right about everything.
Mike.

I happen to agree with Charl. Now I'm going to add my 2 sense. All of those authors and preacers are filth. Read your Bible then listen to them when they are at the pulpit and off. They are Word Of Faith preachers and teacher and its filth its the money and prosperitie teaching saying God grants blessings to you graded on your level of faith. God doesnt work like that. His grace and blessing are not based on our level of faith at any given time.

They all seem to think they are they're own god. Some of them healing in the name of Jesus. Then the crowd cheers for Hinn as he heals someone on stage. Those shows are a joke. Jesus doesnt heal on demand even if you say in Jesus name. What do they think they can command god to work when they want him to. NewsFlash God is in control none of these people are.

Your pastor no disrespect and I dont care how respected he is. For him to be associated with these people. I would'nt trust him as far as I can throw him. Charl doesnt need to be a scholar or pastor or preacher or expert in the Bible or high ranking member of the church, the church is corrupt anyway and is falling, something Jesus is going to happen. I'm not either I read the Bible and even what little I have read...The Gospels, Acts and some of Romans. I know those preachers and teachers are phoney.

If I was a musician I wouldnt have played on TBN. I wouldn't have wanted to be associated with them. It would've tainted me spiritually. I know Petra are not Heretics, they just made a bad choice. Based on the teaching of Jesus in my opinion of the unlevened bread teaching. You can be saying something right then be associated with a little bit of filth and your work becomes tainted.

Mike and JS you can be Word Of Faithers if you choose its your choice. You can listen to whomever you want and respect they're work all you want. satan knows how to trick and how to deceive, satan also knows the Bible and knows what buttons to push. You would do yourselves justice by seeking the truth.

I dont want to fight. I want peace. I love Jesus. I know who HE is and I know what HE did for me.

In Christ

Rich
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Post by Petra24 » Fri Jan 20, 2006 11:44 am

Jonathan said "...universalism is one of the most egregious of doctrinal errors."

Why?

"For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach because we trust in the living God, Who is the Saviour of all men, especially of those that believe" - I Tim. 4:10.

Is He or isn't He the Saviour of all men?
Can He or can't He save all men?
Will He or won't He save all men?
Will He leave the 99 to save the 1?
Can God create a rock too big for Him to move?
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Post by PetFCtr » Fri Jan 20, 2006 12:18 pm

Petra24 wrote:Jonathan said "...universalism is one of the most egregious of doctrinal errors."

Why?

"For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach because we trust in the living God, Who is the Saviour of all men, especially of those that believe" - I Tim. 4:10.

Is He or isn't He the Saviour of all men?
Can He or can't He save all men?
Will He or won't He save all men?
Will He leave the 99 to save the 1?
Can God create a rock too big for Him to move?
He saves all that accept HIM. You must believe HE is God, that he died on The Cross, and Rose.

You are not saved automatically.
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Post by Shell » Fri Jan 20, 2006 12:28 pm

It boils down to money...Things tend to get screwed up when money becomes a priority, and that's for anyone on any level. These folks just have to deal with the public more than most of the rest of us. Many (not all of course) of these people started out with a sincere desire to reach people with the Gospel and then it became about how much money they needed to bring in to keep their ministry going; their priority became their ministry and bringing in the money instead of pleasing the Lord. It's an easy trap to fall into, and none of us are above it.

As I've pointed out, we shouldn't look to these folks as having the final word. I don't agree with everything all of these people say, but I've learned something from many of them...Even if it's to be sure I'm reading the Bible for myself. :wink:

And no, you don't have to be a scholar or be a high ranking official in the church or anything to know what's right, but you'd have to be in their shoes to really know what all they have to deal with.
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Post by Petra24 » Fri Jan 20, 2006 12:29 pm

I don't think that "universalism" says that you are saved automatically.

"He saves all that accept Him". So it is what we do?

"You must believe that He is God, that He died on the Cross..." What if I had been born in the jungle of Africa and died without even hearing of the cross?

So....Is He or isn't He the Saviour of all? If not, thank God I was born in America.
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Post by Petra24 » Fri Jan 20, 2006 12:34 pm

Shell---

Great point about the money. That is sad but true. I am amazed at the "ministers" who travel to cities and are willing to spend "ministry" money to stay in $1000+ per night motel rooms, fly the entire staff to Hawaii for a meeting, etc. I seriously doubt this is what Jesus meant when He spoke of people following Him!
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Re: heretics

Post by Michael » Fri Jan 20, 2006 2:54 pm

PetFCtr wrote:I happen to agree with Charl.
I see... so you don't know what you're talking about either.
PetFCtr wrote:Now I'm going to add my 2 sense. All of those authors and preacers are filth. Read your Bible...
I do almost every single day... did this morning, in fact. Did you?
PetFCtr wrote:...then listen to them when they are at the pulpit and off.
I don't really have the honor of being around most of them when they are not preaching.
PetFCtr wrote:They are Word Of Faith preachers and teacher and its filth its the money and prosperitie teaching saying God grants blessings to you graded on your level of faith.
See, that's where you don't know what you're talking about. God has already provided all of our needs. Faith is required to reach out and take what He has provided. Just like Salvation... Jesus provided salvation to all of us... like you said in another post... but not all receive it. You've misunderstood the whole message.
PetFCtr wrote:God doesnt work like that. His grace and blessing are not based on our level of faith at any given time.
Salvation is based on faith. You have to use your faith to receive it. If you do not use the faith that God has placed in your heart to receive Salvation, you do not get it, even though God has made it available to all of us.
PetFCtr wrote:They all seem to think they are they're own god.
That is clearly your opinion, not anything like what any of the preachers I mentioned has ever said when I was listening to them.
PetFCtr wrote:Some of them healing in the name of Jesus. Then the crowd cheers for Hinn as he heals someone on stage. Those shows are a joke. Jesus doesnt heal on demand even if you say in Jesus name.
When people asked for healing, Jesus gave it. I can't think of a single time He refused. Once he told a woman that healing is bread for the "children," not "dogs" like her. She said the dogs get the scraps. He healed her. Name one time that someone came to Jesus for healing and He didn't give it?
PetFCtr wrote:What do they think they can command god to work when they want him to. NewsFlash God is in control none of these people are.
God has put principles in motion that we can make use of. Like prayer, for example. Do you believe in prayer at all? If you do, then you strangely think that you can make God do something, too. I can't shoot lightning out of my fingers, but I can plug in this computer and write you a message. I didn't make the electricity, but I know it exists and I know how to make use of it.
PetFCtr wrote:Your pastor no disrespect
Ah, I see. You're going to show my pastor some disrespect next.
PetFCtr wrote:and I dont care how respected he is.
...because your opinion as a Bible scholar means more than his. Got it.
PetFCtr wrote:For him to be associated with these people. I would'nt trust him as far as I can throw him.
He's a pretty big man; don't hurt yourself trying to throw him.
PetFCtr wrote:Charl doesnt need to be a scholar or pastor or preacher or expert in the Bible or high ranking member of the church, the church is corrupt anyway and is falling, something Jesus is going to happen.
I see... so you disrespect EVERYBODY associated with any church. NOW I see how things are shaping up here. "Heretic" is a pretty bold word to use; I would prefer to hear it declared by someone with authority within the church. At LEAST a pastor or SOMETHING. God does grant authority to people, you know.
PetFCtr wrote:I'm not either I read the Bible and even what little I have read...The Gospels, Acts and some of Romans. I know those preachers and teachers are phoney.
You haven't even read the whole New Testament? Holy smokes... HOW can you POSSIBLY have the gall to declare ANYONE a phony? You don't even know what the Word says! I've read the entire New Testament and most of the Old... even the hard parts that consist of name after unpronounceable name for chapters on end. Even the minor prophets. Even the book of Job, which will SERIOUSLY rock your world, junior. Don't try to tell ME I don't know what the Bible says.
PetFCtr wrote:If I was a musician I wouldnt have played on TBN. I wouldn't have wanted to be associated with them. It would've tainted me spiritually. I know Petra are not Heretics, they just made a bad choice. Based on the teaching of Jesus in my opinion of the unlevened bread teaching. You can be saying something right then be associated with a little bit of filth and your work becomes tainted.
I can't disagree with your logic there as far as guilt by association is concerned. Although I'm not sure I agree that playing on the wrong TV show will "taint" you by associating you with that ministry. There is such a thing as being "in not of"... that's from the Bible, book of John I believe, so you've seen that part before... the world. Assuming that TBN is worldly, a band or minister could use that pulpit to be a light in a dark place.
PetFCtr wrote:Mike and JS you can be Word Of Faithers if you choose its your choice.
I choose to follow and understand the teachings of the Bible, of course. I don't know what you think "Word Of Faithers" believe, but it is clear that you don't REALLY understand it. I don't choose to be whatever label you want to call me; I choose to read the Bible and try to understand as much of it as I can, as well as I can.
PetFCtr wrote:You can listen to whomever you want and respect they're work all you want. satan knows how to trick and how to deceive, satan also knows the Bible and knows what buttons to push.
You've already told us that you don't even know the Bible, but you certainly do know what buttons to push. Disrespecting me, my pastor, my understanding of the Word of God... those are DEFINITELY the right buttons.
PetFCtr wrote:You would do yourselves justice by seeking the truth.
I constantly seek the truth. People who know me understand that. You might do better for yourself by actually reading the Word before you argue about it. I am offended that you presume to tell me what to believe when you haven't even read the entire book of Romans.
PetFCtr wrote:I dont want to fight.
Keep your fightin' words to yourself, then. Maybe try to learn to express yourself in a way that doesn't include calling people names.
PetFCtr wrote:I want peace. I love Jesus. I know who HE is and I know what HE did for me.
Jesus is the Word. If you haven't studied His Word any better than the four Gospels, Acts and part of Romans, you don't REALLY know Who He is. It sounds to me like you've taken things that people have told you and chosen to believe them without really looking into it, which is what you accuse me of doing. Listen, man, I was Baptist until I was about eight or nine years old. I'm 35 now. That time in between I've spent searching the Bible about the things you're pooh-poohing, including some SERIOUS times of "is this all for real?" I'm not saying I believe everything that is out there. There are bad apples like Bob Tilton and the Bakkers who have twisted these types of teachings for their own purposes. There are some others, like Benny Hinn, that rub me the wrong way with their methods. There are others, like Richard Roberts, who don't always know how to say things so someone who is not "in the know" can understand what they mean. That doesn't mean that everybody who uses the word "faith" or "prosperity" or "healing" is automatically messed up.
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Post by Epyon5757 » Fri Jan 20, 2006 3:26 pm

Michael -
THANK YOU for debunking PetFCtr's response, line by line. Your opinions are most sound, and I agree with you 100% in your response.

To everyone else -
I GREW UP with a father who was (and still is) an ordained minister in the Church of the Nazarene. I was there when he graduated with his Ph.D. in biblical literature and took a position as a professor of biblical literature at Olivet Nazarene University (my father no longer teaches there). Now, I myself am certainly no biblical scholar, but I picked up a wealth of knowledge from just being around and actually discussing religious matters with my father. While I agree that there are some bad apples that claim to be "pastors" or "ministers" (since I don't watch TBN or any of the overly religious shows on TV, I will not list any names), I do take offense when people try to discredit ANYONE - minister or not - WITHOUT first researching the person that they're trying to discredit and fully analyzing what they are saying and what their intentions are.

During my undergraduate work at Olivet Nazarene University, I saw THREE professors (one biblical literature, one philosophy, and one social sciences) get FORCED out of their positions because they did not teach the "fundamental" line. These three professors were guilty of nothing more serious than encouraging students to think on their own and reach their own opinions about church, the bible, and life while still teaching the message that Jesus is the Savior. There is something massively wrong when there are people who are so stubborn and set in their opinions that they refuse to even accept the possibility that they might be wrong or that there might be a different interpretation of something that good people lose jobs and are humiliated and their names and families dragged through the mud without even being present to defend themselves.

If you haven't figured it out yet, I saw this happen to my father. I was there when the "leadership" of Olivet tried to discredit my father behind his back and without allowing him to respond to their (now proven false) charges against him, to prevent him from getting another job.

Being so stiff in your opinions as to not allow the possibility for others to change them is not in the definition of a Christian - Christ himself states that we should be accepting of others while trying to bring them to Christ. If we can accept non-Christians this easily, then, SOMEONE TELL ME, why those same Christians who accept non-believers easily for the purpose of trying to convert them CANNOT accept other Christians who have slightly different viewpoints and interpretations?

The one thing that makes all Christians the same is their belief in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
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Post by js3971 » Fri Jan 20, 2006 4:19 pm

Michael, well said. If I may ask, who is your pastor?

My pastors went to Rhema Bible College there in Tulsa when Kenneth Hagin Sr. was there. Now KH Jr. is the pastor and over the school.

I did not recieve Christ until I was 17 years old. The reason I don't say I was saved when I was 17 is becuase Jesus didn't climb back up on the cross and die again when I chose to believe him. He had already saved me. It was up to me to finally recieve him.

When I first attended church I went to a fairly charismatic United Methodist church. There aren't too many of those around. When I moved to El Paso, I didn't really care where I went to church. I saw the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saint commercials on tv and decided to go there. My Christian friends back home sent me books about the Mormons, but I had to find out for myself by reading the Word. And I did.

I then started going to a Baptist church, and for the most part liked it, and I grew in the Lord. I have been a Baptist Student Union missionary to Estonia (former soviet republic) and to Bangladesh. I have since graduated as a Theology major from Howard Payne University (a well respected southern baptist university).

But there were things in my life I knew wasn't right, and from what I knew so far, I could not get free from them. For the most part, when I'd discuss these things with Baptist pastors or those who were supposed to be in authority, what I got was condemnation, and a "you shouldn't be doing that." I was like "duh, that's why I'm coming to you for help."

Through a set of circumstances, my wife and I started going to the church we go to now. It was the last church I wanted to go to. I had read the books by Hanegraaf. Copeland, Hinn, and others "rubbed me the wrong way" too.

But I started listening to the teachings of my Pastors. I have gotten to know them. As I said earlier, they went to Rhema, the school of Kenneth Hagin, called by some the father of the word-faith movemnt. My pastors were also members of Benny Hinn's church in Orlando Florida. I can say honestly that they are more Christ-like than anyone I've ever met. When I started applying their teachings to my life, I received freedom from things I thought I'd never be free from.

It is clear from the Word, that Jesus healed people. It is also clear, to me anyway, that he has given us that authority to lay hands on people so that they can receive their healing. Scripture is clear that when Jesus died on the cross, he took our diseases and our infirmities. You might say, well I'm a Christian, and I still get sick. That is true. But just like we receive salvation through faith (we receive faith when we hear what God says about something or by reading his Word), we receive his healing through faith.

I have grown up with asthma, and have had it all my life. I'm almost too a point of not having it at all now, something medicine and doctors have never done for me. Did it happen instantly? No, it didn't. It happened over time. Last year I had some kind of pain in my back where I could almost not even walk. My pastor and another man laid hands on me and the pain instantly left and didn't come back.

I have prayed for some people and they receieved their healing. Some recieved it instantly, some over time, and some don't seem to have received it yet at all. There's some that received it, and then later that pain or sickness came back.

Jesus told us after he rose from the dead, all authority had been given to him. He then said he gave that authority to us. When he cursed the fig tree, his disciples were astonished. He said if YOU have faith, and YOU say to this mountain be moved, and YOU believe, whatever things YOU say, YOU will have.

Scripture says that without him we can do nothing. But it also says that with him (it doesn't say for him) all things are possilbe. It also says that in Christ we are more than conquerors, new creations, overcomers, the righteousness of God, etc., etc. It also says we can do all things through Christ who gives us strenght.

Jesus said he was annointed to preach the good news to the poor (if you were/are poor, what would be good news to you--that you didn't have to be poor any more), heal the blind that they might see, to heal the lame that they might walk, to heal the brokenhearted, etc, etc.

Scripture then says that this same annointing that Jesus had, has been given to us.

When God told Moses to lead the people out of Egypt, he told Moses, "I have made you a god to Pharoah". God corrected him telling him why are you crying out to me. You stretch forth YOUR hand and the sea will part.

Are we perfect. No, of course not. Are word-faith teachers perfect? Of course not. Do some of them get off? Do those who are not word-faith teachers do get off? Of course they do.

When Jesus was on earth doing his ministry, he had to have money to do it. Judas was the person in charge of the money. The land that Judas hung himself on, Judas bought with the minstry money that was given to Jesus from people. Now if this money is given as a gift, it's really nobody's business what Jesus does with that money. Everything any of have has been given to us by God, and it is nobody else's business except ours and God's what we do with it. The book of Ecclesiastes says God gives us all good things to ENJOY.

I could go on about some other stuff, but right now, I'm basically tired of typing. Have a nice day.
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Post by PetFCtr » Fri Jan 20, 2006 8:20 pm

Epyon5757 wrote:Michael -
THANK YOU for debunking PetFCtr's response, line by line. Your opinions are most sound, and I agree with you 100% in your response.
Yes he got me good didn't he. Thanks Micheal.

I dont read the Bible everyday. My life is complicated. I plan on cotinuing to read it very soon.

I have friend who has studied the Bible for many years. They were caught up in a movement that she describes as a cult, my friend calls it the Messy movement. My has researched the authors and the preachers and teachers mentioned and came to the conclusion they're teachings were unbiblical. I get alot of information from my friend.

What happens when you find a website like the one I stated at the begining of this thread that actually quotes right out of book the person has wrote gives chapter and or page number. I mean thats not opinion when you get it right out of the person writtings.

There are times when I dont know what to believe or what to think..I pray for Jesus's direction often.

In Christ

Rich
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Post by js3971 » Fri Jan 20, 2006 8:30 pm

PetCFR, don't condemn yourself or anyone else for what you believe or don't believe. Search the things out for yourself, but always take everything back to the Word. Let the Word be your final authority. And do exactly what you said, ask Jesus and the Holy Spirit to help you. Holy Spirit is called our helper, and he's also called our teacher, and our comforter.
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Post by Epyon5757 » Sat Jan 21, 2006 2:02 pm

PetFCtr wrote: What happens when you find a website like the one I stated at the begining of this thread that actually quotes right out of book the person has wrote gives chapter and or page number. I mean thats not opinion when you get it right out of the person writtings.
PetFCtr (or Rich),
Part of the problem when you read quotes referencing something, particularly a belief of some sort, is that, even with chapter and page number, it is possible to "doctor" the source so that it says or implies something (a belief, an opinion) that was not intended by the author. This is why I don't trust websites when I do research. If someone quotes something from a specific book, even if they post an entire paragraph, without the remainder of the text it is much more likely that the paragraph is taken out of context with how the author wrote it.
For example, if somewhere in the Bible (THIS IS JUST AN EXAMPLE), a passage or verse says "and he touched her in order that she may be healed, and this was witnessed by many," (REMEMBER, JUST AN EXAMPLE, ANY CORRELATION TO THE BIBLE IS NOT INTENDED AS I DO NOT REMEMBER IF A PASSAGE LIKE THIS ACTUALLY EXISTS ANYWHERE),
someone could quote JUST the section "he touched her" in an article and claim that the person doing the touching had...certain types of problems or was not of good moral standing. But when taken in context with the entire verse or passage, the statement "he touched her" in the example above makes perfect sense.
This problem arises in many reviews of every type. It is entirely possible that the "quotes" from Josh McDowell's books in the link you posted at the beginning of this thread take on an entirely different meaning when you read the entire book or the entire chapter of that book.
In any case, that is not necessarily a website that I would trust for information on religious figures or opinions. The best option is to get involved in a bible study at a church (any church) and come to your own conclusions about what you will take as true and false. No one can make that decision for you. You may also want to consider going to a library and checking out Josh McDowell's books, and read them. Reading the entire books will most likely put the "quotes" from that article in a much different light than the author of the website puts them in in his smear article - and that is all that it is - a smear site.
I know several good "church people" - pastors, professors, deacons, etcetera. I myself am not a minister or an expert of the bible, but I'm sure if you wanted some help in what to believe, these people would be glad to point you to some reliable sources and interpretations...but none of them will tell you (ever) what to believe...and I'm sure that there are many people on this board alone who would be glad to lend their support to you in this regard as well.
js3971 is also right. The bible should be your final authority...but remember, everyone will interpret it differently. That is why you must study and decide how you will believe. The only thing that Christians can agree on is that Christ died for their sins.
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