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| Post Number: 31
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Self-Banished 
Group: Members
Posts: 22535
Joined: Feb. 2006
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Posted on: Feb. 10 2016,6:07 pm |
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Here, try this one
http://youtu.be/5lvU-DislkI
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 Remember boys and girls,
Don’t be a Dick …
Or a “Wayne” 
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| Post Number: 32
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| Post Number: 33
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stardust14
Group: Members
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Joined: Nov. 2014
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Posted on: Feb. 11 2016,2:37 am |
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To date there is no physical evidence of a person called Jesus of Nazareth. More elusive than gravitational waves. The PBS documentary "The First Christians" does well in explaining the intricacies, politics, internal divisions of early Christianity, the many reasons why early followers of Jesus finally split from Judaism, how pagan Rome culture influenced Christian culture(and still does). Many modern Christian holidays and ritual are in fact remnants of past pagan ritual.
Modern Christianity is a highly edited version of early Christianity, most ancient text being discarded due to power and politics over the ages. Most Christians today ingest well processed white Holsum bread religion.
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| Post Number: 34
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grassman
Group: Members
Posts: 3858
Joined: Mar. 2006
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Posted on: Feb. 11 2016,5:53 am |
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You are right, some of the church has strayed away from the truth of the Bible. I think they have watered it down to accommodate what the people want to hear. The direction of the world and it's wants don't mix with the truth in the Bible. It was already there once, didn't end well.
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git er done!
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| Post Number: 35
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grassman
Group: Members
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Joined: Mar. 2006
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Posted on: Feb. 11 2016,11:45 am |
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Peyton Manning Shares the Shocking Reason Why He Loves Jesus, Drinks Beer, & Won’t Pray to Win
“I don’t think God really cares about who wins football games…”
Peyton Manning drinks Budweiser, doesn’t point to God after scoring a touchdown, and never prays to win a football game.
He’s also a Christian (stay with me here).
Manning accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior at the age of thirteen, and since then, his faith has been his number one priority. He grew up in a Bible-believing home, and he tries to be the best man he can be…but there’s an important reason why you don’t really hear much about that side of him.
He would rather his actions outshine his words.
Often times, we squish Christianity into this little box of do’s and don’t‘s, stuffing an infinite God into the puny confines of our own minds. We think we know what following Christ looks like, but in his book Manning that Peyton co-wrote with his dad Archie, Peyton reveals how his Christian walk may not look the same as anyone else’s—but it is no greater, and no lesser.
And this is exactly what he means…
Transcript via Minding the Truth:
“Like my dad, I make it a point when I speak to groups to talk about priorities, and when it’s schoolkids, I rank those priorities as: faith, family, and education, then football. For me generally it had always been the big four: faith, family, friends, and football. And I tell all of them that as important as football is to me, it can never be higher than fourth. My faith has been number one since I was thirteen years old and heard from the pulpit on a Sunday morning in New Orleans a simple question: “If you died today, are you one hundred percent sure you’d go to heaven?” Cooper was there and Eli [Peyton’s two brothers] but it didn’t hit them at the time the way it did me. It was a big church, and I felt very small, but my heart was pounding. The minister invited those who would like that assurance through Jesus Christ to raise their hands, and I did. Then he invited us to come forward, to take a stand, and my heart really started pounding. And from where we sat, it looked like a mile to the front.
But I got up and did it. And I committed my life to Christ, and that faith has been most important to me ever since. Some players get more vocal about it—the Reggie Whites, for example—and some point to Heaven after scoring a touchdown and praise God after games. I have no problem with that. But I don’t do it, and don’t think it makes me any less a Christian. I just want my actions to speak louder, and I don’t want to be more of a target for criticism than I already am. Somebody sees you drinking a beer, which I do, and they think, “Hmmmm, Peyton says he’s this, that, or the other, and there he is drinking alcohol. What’s that all about?”
Christians drink beer. So do non-Christians. Christians also make mistakes, just as non-Christians do. My faith doesn’t make me perfect, it makes me forgiven, and provides me the assurance I looked for half my life ago. I think God answered our prayers with Cooper, and that was a test of our faith. But I also think I’ve been blessed—having so little go wrong in my life, and being given so much. I pray every night, sometimes long prayers about a lot of things and a lot of people, but I don’t talk about it or brag about it because that’s between God and me, and I’m no better than anybody else in God’s sight.
But I consider myself fortunate to be able to go to Him for guidance, and I hope (and pray) I don’t do too many things that displease Him before I get to Heaven myself. I believe, too, that life is much better and freer when you’re committed to God in that way. I find being with others whose faith is the same has made me stronger. J.C. Watts and Steve Largent, for example. They’re both in Congress now. We had voluntary pregame chapel at Tennessee, and I attend chapel every Sunday with players on the team in Indianapolis. I have spoken to church youth groups, and at Christian high schools. And then simply as a Christian, and not as good a one as I’d like to be.
How do I justify football in the context of “love your enemy?” I say to kids, well, football is most definitely a “collision sport,” and I can’t deny it jars your teeth and at the extreme can break your bones. But I’ve never seen it as a “violent game,” there are rules to prevent that, and I know I don’t have to hate anybody on the other side to play as hard as I can within the rules. I think you’d have to get inside my head to appreciate it, but I do love football. And, yes, I’d play it for nothing if that was the only way, even now when I’m no longer a child. I find no contradiction in football and my faith.
Ah, but do I “pray for victory?” No, except as a generic thing. I pray to keep both teams injury free, and personally, that I use whatever talent I have to the best of my ability. But I don’t think God really cares about who wins football games, except as winning might influence the character of some person or group. Besides. If the Colts were playing the Cowboys and I prayed for the Colts and Troy Aikman prayed for the Cowboys, wouldn’t that make it a standoff?
I do feel this way about it. Dad says it can take twenty years to make a reputation, and five minutes to ruin it. I want my reputation to be able to make it through whatever five-minute crises I run into. And I’m a lot more comfortable knowing where my help is.” (Manning, pp. 362-364)
  
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git er done!
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| Post Number: 36
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stardust14
Group: Members
Posts: 337
Joined: Nov. 2014
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Posted on: Feb. 11 2016,1:11 pm |
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Tried your link but nothing there. Telling in itself.
Because some folks question paths taken by various religions does not necessarily mean a condemnation of faith and religion; or that the great leap to atheism is the only alternative. Religious scholars and theologians refine, strengthen their faith through research and questions. When two words "I believe" are the sole basis of an individual's religious life, with little or misconstrued information to base his/her belief...in my eyes that is weak faith. Ufology comes to mind.
Another related point. The meme you present misrepresents both atheism and science. I've noticed over time this site has ZERO interest in science, outside a few politically charged science issues, which in itself says volumes of book-burning AL culture. The Dark Ages yet haunt us.
Breeze-bot is the perfect example. Claiming deep religious belief while denying the world and its inhabitants as if it were an illusion. There's more personal egotism there than any religious faith.
Lashing out at science is a sign of weakness and doubt. Many of the great scientists of past were deeply religious. They sought knowledge to enhance their religious beliefs. We are in their debt.
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| Post Number: 37
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Rosalind_Swenson
Group: Members
Posts: 1527
Joined: May 2011
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Posted on: Feb. 11 2016,1:24 pm |
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(stardust14 @ Feb. 11 2016,2:37 am)
QUOTE To date there is no physical evidence of a person called Jesus of Nazareth. More elusive than gravitational waves. The PBS documentary "The First Christians" does well in explaining the intricacies, politics, internal divisions of early Christianity, the many reasons why early followers of Jesus finally split from Judaism, how pagan Rome culture influenced Christian culture(and still does). Many modern Christian holidays and ritual are in fact remnants of past pagan ritual.
Modern Christianity is a highly edited version of early Christianity, most ancient text being discarded due to power and politics over the ages. Most Christians today ingest well processed white Holsum bread religion.
I read a few years back that some guy planned on going through all the old texts he'd be able to have access to and he was going to write the bible again as they were originally written, because of the watering down and editing. I can't find anything on it anymore, I would have liked to see that happen.
I'm not christian, but I like the teachings. There are similar teachings all over the place, from Buddhism to Ozzy lyrics  . I like them all.
Grassman:
QUOTE I think they have watered it down to accommodate what the people want to hear.
From my experience, the only bible teaching too many christians want to hear or live by is that belief in Jesus is their free ticket into heaven.
EDITED
Stardust, you wrote your comment while I was writing mine.
QUOTE Because some folks question paths taken by various religions does not necessarily mean a condemnation of faith and religion; or that the great leap to atheism is the only alternative. Religious scholars and theologians refine, strengthen their faith through research and questions. When two words "I believe" are the sole basis of an individual's religious life, with little or misconstrued information to base his/her belief...in my eyes that is weak faith. Ufology comes to mind.
Completely agree.
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And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
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| Post Number: 38
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stardust14
Group: Members
Posts: 337
Joined: Nov. 2014
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Posted on: Feb. 11 2016,1:49 pm |
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The Gnostic and Thomas Gospels run contrary in many ways to the teachings of Paul and others. There's a flavor of Eastern religious thought--introspection, individualism.
There were concerted efforts to wipe out Gnosticism and other branches of Christianity, sometimes in rivers of blood. Centralizing religion as we do in the West is its downfall. Buddhism accepts science while Western religions reject.
Hundreds of newly found ancient texts are yet being transcribed. Can't wait.
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| Post Number: 39
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grassman
Group: Members
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Joined: Mar. 2006
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Posted on: Feb. 11 2016,1:58 pm |
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(Rosalind_Swenson @ Feb. 11 2016,1:24 pm)
QUOTE Grassman: QUOTE I think they have watered it down to accommodate what the people want to hear. From my experience, the only bible teaching too many christians want to hear or live by is that belief in Jesus is their free ticket into heaven.
That is what I am talking about. Too many figure that they can do as they want and say I believe in Jesus and that is the way. No, you have to at least try to walk the walk so to speak. None are perfect Christians, there is only one. We must try and be as Jesus is. The saying "what would Jesus do" sort of comes from that. Remember, God is good, all the time!
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git er done!
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| Post Number: 40
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Rosalind_Swenson
Group: Members
Posts: 1527
Joined: May 2011
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Posted on: Feb. 12 2016,8:26 am |
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(stardust14 @ Feb. 11 2016,1:49 pm)
QUOTE The Gnostic and Thomas Gospels run contrary in many ways to the teachings of Paul and others. There's a flavor of Eastern religious thought--introspection, individualism.
There were concerted efforts to wipe out Gnosticism and other branches of Christianity, sometimes in rivers of blood. Centralizing religion as we do in the West is its downfall. Buddhism accepts science while Western religions reject.
Hundreds of newly found ancient texts are yet being transcribed. Can't wait.
I've read most, if not all but one, of the Dead Sea Scrolls and Nag Hammadi texts that have been published. Been awhile and now you have me wanting to read them again. The only one I know for sure I haven't read is the Gospel of Thomas, since it starts out like this:
QUOTE These are the hidden words that the living Jesus spoke,
and that Didymos Judas Thomas wrote down. And He said:
"Whoever finds the meaning of these words will not taste death."
I'm worried that I'll find the meaning of those words!! I'm not one of the people who desires to live forever, so I'm not reading it....just in case!
Which newly found ancients texts are you referring to? I searched and I did find a couple of different things (very exciting!).
Grassman:
QUOTE That is what I am talking about. Too many figure that they can do as they want and say I believe in Jesus and that is the way. No, you have to at least try to walk the walk so to speak. None are perfect Christians, there is only one. We must try and be as Jesus is. The saying "what would Jesus do" sort of comes from that. Remember, God is good, all the time!
If all christians actually tried to be more like Jesus, so would most of everyone else. The world would be completely different...different in a big beautiful way.
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And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
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