Celtic,
Thank you! Of course, my church is going through it's own throes of pain at the moment. There are a group of American Southern Churches and African Churches of the Episcopal/Anglican denomination who are threatening to cause a schism within the church because of the ordination of gays/lesbians and the election of a woman as a bishop. It will be interesting to watch it as it plays out.

I try to live my beliefs rather than defend them. Although as you can see from my rather long-winded reply to New Leaf, I do explain my beliefs from time to time. I try to look for the good in all and work for a common ground based in love. Am I always successful? No. I'm a work in progress! :-))

As my children (and many others) taught me -- people believe what they see you do over what you say you do.

In spirit,

More questions...>
Jesus, himself, said his death and resurrection were to establish the final covenant... without his death (a necessary step to reconcile us to God), there would be no resurrection. His life, death and resurrection are the very essence of Christianity. It's hard to accept a "take what you like and leave the rest"... we can't do that as far as the laws of the land are concerned, and not be penalized... so how can we when it comes to Christianity, a name given to those who believe the Christian creed and live to follow the teachings of Jesus? He knew he was dying for our sins.

can't find the question gimster just a statment about chirstianity....

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It's hard to accept a "take what you like and leave the rest"...

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it may be hard to accept it to your mind and within your belife system....but obviouslie not to caseys mind or within her belife system. How dose she or her church beliving as she/it dose impact on your belifes, weer dose it take anything from your belifes....Perhapps the only thing is that it's simplie not the way you view it....but please allow her her belifes with dignitie and the respect she deserves...

Wars have been consitent through-out time over who's god is right..countless have diead in war ....and then their was the refermation...How manie millions died in that becouse they wouldn't leave their original religion? Would you leave yours becouse some bigger magority said you had to?

manmade laws and god made laws are miles apart, theirs no comparison between them allthough its a claver example.

casiey statment "take what you like and leave the rest"... Is a sigh of respect for those that don't think like she dose and a statement that leaves it up to the reader to accept or not....no weer dose she claim to be right or to be the only way or command that you have to belive as she dose....

can't we all belive what we need to belive in the end. A few post back you said something like "your responcibilitie was to spread the word and leave it at that"...

so pleas can it be left like that as so manie of us belive very diffrent things....this post was started and about what do you think of about god not about christianity...that was the original intent when you posted. Why if someone opens up and talkes about their belife without anyone else being attacked why should they in turn be holed over coals becouse it dosent fit with what you personalie belive....

i am sure that post or statment hit some kind of nerve and is emotive for you...is that not down to you to sort out for yourself....i having a totalie diffrent reaction to it.

So who is right, perhapps we both are...or none of us.

god bless

Casey, if I've come across other than questioning, please forgive me. As a matter of fact, if I've come across as anything but wanting to learn how someone else comes to a way of thinking, forgive me. I've read and reread my post and can't see where I might have worded it differently and not made matters worse. EEEEEEgads... I'm out of this discussion .

Gimster, I haven't posted (I have my religious issues) but I have read. You set the ground rules and I hope you do stay here. It is a HOT topic and I have enjoyed reading the posts. I don't see any real conflict here - just differences of opinions.

Do what you need to do, but just for the record, I have enjoyed the thoughts I have been reading. You picked a touchy subject and I think you are very brave to have posted a topic like this.

Its a strange dicotomy that those of us who are Christians have been taught that sacrifice is so important in the act of Love. So much so that we, many of us, have laid down our lives and have been martyred for the freedoms of those who oppose our beliefs to practice freely.

While we fiercely hold to the belief that all should have the right of free worship, we also are due respect for our commission to spread the truth to every nation, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

I think we have all stated our beliefs and we are free to do that due to the sons and daughters whose parents grieve their loss in battle after battle.

Jesus said that in the last day, "Every knee shall bow and Every tongue confess, that Christ is Lord to the Glory of God the Father.

Satan believes the Bible as much as any evengelist, priest or preacher. He knows it is true. So, to borrow from its teachings and to take what you want like it is a Spiritual Smorgasbord, is ludicrus. There is only one way to a Holy God and that is through the shed blood of his son Jesus Christ.

I understand that is the true litmus test and always has been and always will be until the end of time. We shall see on the last day of time who was right. and Right IS soooooo important to your soul.

Satan believes the Bible as much as any evengelist, priest or preacherEND QUOTE......thanks for the warrning i be carefull of listening to the hate or fear based quotes.

So much so that we, many of us, have laid down our lives and have been martyred for the freedoms of those who oppose our beliefs to practice freely. END QUOTE as well as the reformation their was also the inquisition...so those opposed have also oppressed..to the tune of millions of deaths.

Every knee shall bow and Every tongue confess, that Christ is Lord to the Glory of God the Father. END QUOTE..if he said tha,t their a lot of ground to make up as only one thired of world are christion. If its when we diea you refairing to then again what off the remainding two thirds of world belife systems and religions?....heers hoping no more inquisitions while on earth we all should have learned something from the first one....refermation was one christion fighting agenst another...becouse they belived ther "version" of christianity to be right. so their have been martyers on both sides according to which original side you belong too.

what is it with christianity and this almost world dominasion attitude.(the muslims get slated plenty for their similare type belife)...in this day and age can people not be left to decide for themself what happens to...THEIR SOUL can we not all express ourselfs heer without the same repeating message being bleated over and over again. I can't count how manie time i have read that same quote from you ..

dose this ever end....will it ever end

CASIES statment "take what you like and leave the rest"...had nuthin untoward in it. She an adult woman who knows her own mind and juding by the manner of her post lives a spiritual way....i sure she know how important the soul is and since its her soul it be good if she be left with her own ideas about it.....She did say she seldom defends her attitud but occasionalie explanes it...now i know why its occasionalie

gimster if you were trulie making a question around what is christianity and not laying down the law as to what should be classed as christianity in relashion to christ and his death then i appoligise to you. That was the exact question that i asked casie in the first place. i interpreated your answere to what she said after that question was asked and answered as a contridiction to her fundemental belifes. Again if that was wrongly interprited i appoligise.

ANNO just out of curiosity can i aske why you don't havent said about your belifes...do you not want to expose yourself and then be in a postion to have then riddiculed or being told that you are wrong or be left hurt or dissolosiond if their is no acceptance of them....Or are they just so personal to you that you whish to keep them private??? pm if you whish

its been a while since the first page but so we all rember including me heers the original "safty" points that we agreed to before enterring this sharring and experincing each others world and belifes as their own....it was good idea then should be good idea even now

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Rules of discussion:
No ugly debating about who is right and who is wrong.
This is meant to be a discussion for discovery and affirmation.
No proselytizing or preaching.

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so if this turnes into another excuse to answere with the same retoric then i gess youll have the last word as i wont continue with it or watch anyother person being drawen in give a view then have it shot down or told its wrong becouse xyz is the truth...thats not a discussion its an attempt at dominence