Religion

[jester321]

If you knew of the return of the son of God;

And all things being possible;

Would you just wait for it to happen?

Work toward delaying the blessed event?

Prepare and rush it into existence?

[Tazz]

Prepare and rush it into existence. Why would I want to put it off or wait? Although I will say that my heart isn't right and I NEED to get that right.

[knuckledragger]

Personally, I don't think ol Jesus is coming back anytime soon. For the past 2000 years people have tried to anticipate his "return" and I just don't see it happening. People tend to read too much into things. The Bible just simply cant be trusted. It was written by man, and man has tampered with it. I believe Jesus to be a MAN and nothing more. If God wants to send him back to destroy the world, so be it. But I believe the world will end by God's own hand. Sometimes the best way to find your own answer, is to look inside yourself and ask yourself what you TRULY believe in. And not what some book or some "holy man" tells you.

[jester321]

What I see inside myself, are you kidding?

I've spent eight years in therapy trying to find ways to cope with the things that run through my head.

The World holds my personal views as; "Um, right, take the medicine now."

But my question was more geared toward which choice would you opt for?

[dogman]

can a man of real faith, strong christian beliefs, be involved in any type of law enforcement?
sometimes at work, you here some one say"is that the christian attitude"
do you ever feel guilty? is it JUST a job we do or is it a LIFE we live.

[jester321]

Yes, dogman I believe one can.
Christian attitude is about love, and respect for me. I love my family so I will provide for them. I respect most of my co-workers, and the law so I will uphold them.
Render unto Cesar that which is Cesar's', but bring unto the Lord your heart.

If everyone would follow the ten commandments think how quickly we might need a new line of work.

[there6768]

Tazz
I would like to comment on the "Falwell Confidential" if I may. First I have to agree with Knuckle that the Bible has been tampered with way to much by man. However, the tampering has been through so many different interpretations. They cannot all be right. Unlike Knuckle, I believe the bible as it stands can be trusted. If man would just apply audience relevance when reading the bible it would make more sense to the reader. The trouble with people like Falwell they interpret the scriptures using the New York Times.

Also like Knuckle I believe God in his on time and in his own way will bring a end to this world. I am an evangelical Christian, but I am not looking for a rapture to take me away or 7 years of tribulation to follow that. How can I not believe that? Well I cannot find anywhere in the bible where it says that God will take his church out and then will bring 7 years tribulation ,etc., etc. I challenge anyone to find it. I know all the verses of those who believe that use, but they are just their interpretations of what those scriptures actually say.

Always apply audience relevance.Who was the writer writing to and what was his message to THEM. Can that message apply today? By all means. But just remember that it was meant for them and we can apply it today. It other words, it worked then and it will work now. But don't take prophecy meant for them and advance it 2000 years and say it is for us.

As to Falwell saying that Israel's coming a nation in 1948 was fulfilling of prophesy, and proof that Jews are still “God’s Chosen People is another case of trying to “make” the scriptures say what you want. The most common scripture used to make this point is Ezekiel 36-37. In these chapters Ezekiel said the Israel would return to their land. Then in chapter 38, Ezekiel said that the Messiah would come and establish the new Covenant. This prophecy was given to Ezekiel during the Babylonian captivity, foretelling that the Jews would be going home after about 70 years in Babylon. History and the Bible tells us that this happen long before 1948.They returned around 515BC, and the Messiah did come and gave us a new covenant. Of course, those who stick to the 1948 date like to say that the first return was only a partial fulfillment of those prophecies. However, I can’t seem to find anything in the Bible about a partial fulfillment.

Then in 70 AD the nation of Israel was all but wiped off the earth. What few remained were scattered and inter-mixed with the peoples of many countries. So thorough was the mixing that there is no Jewish Race today. See the Encyclopedia Brittanica (1973) vol. 12, page 1054. Israel’s own, Encyclopedia Judaica Jerusalem (1971), Vol. 3, page 50.
Also, see Encyclopedia Americana (1986), Vol. 16, page 71, Collier’s Encyclopedia (1977), Vol. 13, page 573.

So, who were the people that returned to the land in 1948, and who populate it today?
People of the Jewish faith, which has nothing to do with race. In fact the largest majority of them are Ashkenazim Jews, (European Jews), which is to say that their ancestry goes back to Japheth and not Shem, the ancestor of Abraham. In other words not of Israel, Jacob, etc. The Ashkenazim’s had adopted the Judaistic religion somewhere around 740 AD.

Falwell didn't call the Jews God's chosen in this article, but he has many times, so I want to answer who then are the chosen people of God?

Spiritual Israel, (Christians), It past from the nation of Israel to spiritual Israel because of disobedience. To be his chosen was always conditional, despite what many claim. Keeping the covenant was a requirement to remain his chosen. Consider these two verses. Isaiah 65:15, “And ye shall leave your name for a curse unto my chosen: for the Lord GOD shall slay thee, and call his servants by another name, and Matthew 21:43, “Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.”

The remnant of Israel were saved through Jesus Christ. Those Jews that rejected Jesus were cut off. They then could be grafted back into Spiritual Israel, by accepting Jesus only. Read Romans.

I will comment on Ishmael later after I get the heat for this article.

[jester321]

there6768;

Thank-you, your response was insightful, and not overbearing or opinionated. It also appears supported in fact and well documented. As far as heat, thank-you. ;D

[Tazz]

You won't get any heat from me. As I have said many times, I am certainly not a Bible scholar by any stretch of the imagination. I just don't happen to believe what most people believe.

I do believe in the rapture and the second coming. There is alot of stuff in the Bible that completely confuses me. I have to do some research on my own to learn anything. I don't necessarily believe everything I find but I don't debunk it either.

Revelation is a prime example. John wrote Revelation while he was in captivity on the island of Patmos. It supposedly was written in code so that his captors would not understand it. Some of that book is literal and some of it is symbolic. Sometimes I cannot tell the difference.

As much as I love reading the Bible, I leave it sometimes with a headache!

I posted the letter from Jerry Falwell because I felt others might find it an interesting read.

Ezekiel 38 and 39 also foretell much!

[there6768]

Thanks Jester, Tazz
Tazz, I believe we have some common ground.

[Tazz]

Perhaps our common ground could be one that we both could learn from. Seems I forget more than I retain! DUH

[jester321]

Putting in for OIC then TAZZ? ;D

[Tazz]

In order to be an OIC, I think it would be necessary to at least have a little bit of a clue SOMETIMES! ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

[jester321]

Why is that I know some OIC's who wouldn't get it unless it came from the Warden in a memo.


I am by know means comparing you to them Mam.


All you have to have is faith, right?

[Tazz]

Faith will get anyone through just about anything............even being an OIC!