Can God be "the bigger person" when it comes to non-believers?

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Macfistowannabe said:
I could've changed my avatar for your sake if you wanted... Or at least inverted the colors. I might even do that anyhow.

I needed a change...its not really how I am feeling anymore....

It looks better on you!:wink:
 
Thanks bud. :D

Although I did change it to black and white. It looks a little less glamourous, but it's more supportive for me when I debate over Hollywood millionaires. To get back on topic...

Thank God for a band like U2.
 
Ah! Thanks for the Avatar change! :up: Much less confusing now. ;)

I am HORRIFIED to see that I spelled John Lennon's name wrong. Me! The BEATLEMANE!!! :tsk:

OK, back to the topic....NBC, there you go with the scripture again! LOL! But what do you actually DO in all this light other than feeling loved...? Or is it like you are in a permanent drugged state....lying there feeling blissful?? I want to know!
 
Mrs. Edge said:
OK, back to the topic....NBC, there you go with the scripture again! LOL! But what do you actually DO in all this light other than feeling loved...? Or is it like you are in a permanent drugged state....lying there feeling blissful?? I want to know!

I wouldn't characterize it as being drugged, or lying in a blissful state. It appears that we are fully functioning, walking, talking people in perfect bodies. We praise, worship and sing to God.

All I can suggest is to think of your favorite thing to do, then realize that it would be boring/unsatisfying when compared to heaven.

Anyone giving you more detail (outside of Scripture) is trying to sell you something.
 
nbcrusader said:



Anyone giving you more detail (outside of Scripture) is trying to sell you something.

Does this mean all these books we find in Christian book stores are useless?

Or are you speaking specifically about books that are suppose to suppliment such as the book of Mormon, etc?

If so, what exactly is wrong with any of these if they don't contradict anything in the scripture and don't claim other laws or gods?
 
BonoVoxSupastar said:
Does this mean all these books we find in Christian book stores are useless?

I'm not sure why we always go to the extreme here. There may be some "worth" in a book if it can point you to the places in Scripture that speak of Heaven.
 
Or there can be texts too that reflect on Scripture, ethics, or relationship with God that can be helpful. The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran is a great example.
 
nbcrusader said:


I'm not sure why we always go to the extreme here. There may be some "worth" in a book if it can point you to the places in Scripture that speak of Heaven.

Sorry I didn't mean to come off as making fun of your comment, I was seriously curious. I do know people who invalidate all books except the Bible so I was curious.
 
BonoVoxSupastar said:
Sorry I didn't mean to come off as making fun of your comment, I was seriously curious. I do know people who invalidate all books except the Bible so I was curious.

Fair enough. It can be hard to balance between books that help lead you to Scripture and books that take Scripture and lead you away to an author's own interpretation.
 
nbcrusader said:

Anyone giving you more detail (outside of Scripture) is trying to sell you something.

I think people that are hitting other people over the head with Scripture (no, not you) are also trying to sell you something.
 
BonoVoxSupastar said:


Does this mean all these books we find in Christian book stores are useless?

Or are you speaking specifically about books that are suppose to suppliment such as the book of Mormon, etc?

If so, what exactly is wrong with any of these if they don't contradict anything in the scripture and don't claim other laws or gods?
While scripture is probably overemphasized by me at times, I don't mean to say that we shouldn't promote a positive subculture for believers. Christian books are GREAT when you find a subject matter of interest and relate it to your faith. On another level, we should still watch out for false prophets - especially people who want to recreate God.
 
anitram said:


I think people that are hitting other people over the head with Scripture (no, not you) are also trying to sell you something.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think what NBC was trying to say is that we shouldn't take worldly images of what Heaven is like if we really don't know all the details, like eating all the chips you want without getting fat, or the place filled with loose virgins, and such. I understand you may be Catholic, but a few points are made in The Bible about what Heaven will be like. None of us really know ALL THE DETAILS. I think that's what NBC's point was.
 
I understand what he was saying.

I was just commenting that people who want to shove Scripture down your throat are selling you something as well - I was more referring to your TV preachers and so on. I'm not sure why you brought Catholicism into it at all.
 
anitram said:
I understand what he was saying.

I was just commenting that people who want to shove Scripture down your throat are selling you something as well - I was more referring to your TV preachers and so on. I'm not sure why you brought Catholicism into it at all.
I didn't mean it to be offensive in any way, but we have discussed how scripture isn't the final authority for Catholics.
 
blueyedpoet said:
Quote:

Actually, if you read your Bible again you'll notice that he didn't see Jesus which is why he did not believe. It wasn't until Jesus did appear in front of Thomas, that Thomas did believe. Jesus did not appear angry or upset at all either. Perhaps this is an answer to the original question. Though it should be noted that we have all agreed that God is in no way human like. Some believe he took the form of a human with Jesus.
Here's a proposition: There is the notion that God is love among many believers in some sort of God. Let's assume that originally when humanity was very early in it's existance it had a deep connection with the natural world. Think of amerindians (natives) and magnify their spiritualization. The book of Genesis talks about Adam and Eve walking with God in the evenings. As a metaphor that serves quiet well the picture i'm trying to paint. Humanity was very close to the spirit because humanity was so close to nature - the flow and energy of life. After a while though humans began to segregate, the idea of power spread, greed infilitrated thought, and suddenly the extra special relationship between nature and the human divided. The great energy of life is also described as love. Because it is love it did not give up. From time to time love has strongly been concentrated in individuals to help the rest of humanity reunite with this force of love and energy. Finding heaven is when one reconnects with this force. A heaven in the afterlife, if it exists, would just be extra icing on the cake.
So with this in mind, perhaps that patient in ER found peace and heaven at last in the end. By just awknowledging and being aware of the presence he found peace, and so we could say that God - so to speak - was a greater person.

that is such a beautiful thought right there. it totally takes me back to "the great divorce" and "pilgrim's regress" again. and i think you are pretty much right on in your line of thought here.

the only things that maybe i would disagree with you on are these two issues: 1.the "segregation", i would argue, is not what caused the sin, but in actuality, the sin caused the segregation. and 2. that "after life" is the only place where Heaven can take place. in our lives we are so seperated from God, because of our sin that we can't be reunited. only after death can this occur.
 
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