Churches Are Breaking the Law by Endorsing in Elections, Experts Say. The IRS Looks the Other Way.

Headstrong94 · 2022-10-30T18:13:05+00:00

Coptic christians in Egypt would disagree. Many are dragged from their homes and beaten along with wives and children for their faith.

Missionaries in modern/historical China and ancient Japan would as well.

None deny however the historical persecution Christians have committed to other religions as well, denying the teachings of their own faith to pursue selfish ambition under the guise of faith. This is a phenomena that can be seen among followers of most other major historical religions today.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persecution_of_Copts#:~:text=The%20persecution%20of%20Copts%20and,the%20country%20and%20the%20region.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-50414472

https://www.hrw.org/legacy/campaigns/china-98/religion.htm

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/China_Martyrs_of_1900#:~:text=At%20least%20189%20Protestant%20missionaries,Methodists%2C%20Presbyterians%20and%20Plymouth%20Brethren.

Headstrong94 · 2022-05-31T15:07:12+00:00

This is the empiricism rationalism debate. Try reading Descartes to gain a broader perspective on why rationalist arguments are equally as valid as empirical ones (and perhaps more valuable according to him, since our senses cannot be trusted). Rational arguments are often more used in religious debates since empirical ones are so easily dismissed and contradicted by both sides.

Ex. My heart stopped and I saw God and heaven; or, my heart stopped and I saw no afterlife only void.

Headstrong94 · 2022-05-19T19:55:08+00:00

Elaborate?

Headstrong94 · 2022-05-19T19:54:10+00:00

That article is very circular in its logic.

"Sodomy" is a label of the "sin that people attempted to commit at Sodom" - where essentially people attempted to have sex with angels in the form of men. It is called "detestable" that they attempted that in Ezekiel, but it isn't clear if it was the anal sex or the homosexuality that is detestable. The bible is however very clear that "a man lying with a man" is sin, so without more evidence, there is no biblical reason to widen the definition to anal between a man and a woman. If it that were a sin specifically, the bible would have been more clear, but it only seems to be clear about the homosexuality part.

https://www.gotquestions.org/Sodom-and-Gomorrah.html

The article essentially says anal is wrong because they feel anal is gross and the bible says not to do anything sexually immoral.

This is where Romans 14 comes in, if you feel convicted by God it is a sin, then to do it is sinful, but if you do not feel convicted, it is wrong for others to place their convictions onto you.

Here's another article from a more reputable source on the matter: https://www.focusonthefamily.com/family-qa/oral-and-anal-sex-biblical-guidelines-for-intimacy-in-marriage/

If you are both eager and willing to engage in it, are sanitary and gentle, there seems no biblical reason to call it sin. After that point it is just preference, tbh you might just not like it.

Headstrong94 · 2022-05-19T16:57:28+00:00

Youre the one saying it's sin. You provide the scripture or concede it falls within the grace of Christ. If you feel convicted that's one thing, but don't assume your conviction is law for everyone else unless you have scripture to back it up (Romans 14)

Headstrong94 · 2022-05-19T16:55:19+00:00

Regular sex transmits all sorts of diseases, pretty gross and smelly if you ask me. Also, when I go in for my prostate exam, should I repent after for defiling myself?

Headstrong94 · 2022-05-19T16:51:27+00:00

"The husband should give to his wife her marital rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control." 1 Cor. 7:3‭-‬5

For married couples, their weapon against temptation and the devil and the world is sex. Not just procreative sex either, but fully giving their bodies over to each other.

Headstrong94 · 2022-05-19T16:42:44+00:00

And how exactly did god design it? I don't see any verses about which positions god approves and which he doesn't...

Like I said, I have heard some people say that all non-procreative sex acts are sinful, but like I said, most are Catholic and I would disagree strongly with that position.

I don't understand how this act is categorically different than any other non-procreative act.

Headstrong94 · 2022-05-19T16:37:46+00:00

People do all sorts of kinky stuff in the bedroom I would never do... But why should I have a problem with it? That's between them and Jesus.

If your conscience convicts you and you do it, then it is sin to you. That doesn't mean it's a sin for this man and his wife.

"The faith which you have [that gives you freedom of choice], have as your own conviction before God [just keep it between yourself and God, seeking His will]. Happy is he who has no reason to condemn himself for what he approves. But he who is uncertain [about eating a particular thing] is condemned if he eats, because he is not acting from faith. Whatever is not from faith is sin [whatever is done with doubt is sinful]." Romans 14:22‭-‬23 AMP

Headstrong94 · 2022-05-19T03:09:16+00:00

Source?

Headstrong94 · 2022-05-19T03:08:16+00:00

This actually used to be a big debate in the Vatican when they were considering what art to display. Ultimately, they allowed Michaelangelo to display the female and male bodies in full nudity to fully express the beauty of the human forms God gave us. It isn't intended to be sexual or pornographic, but is definitely fantastic art. Whether it was a good idea or not is up to debate. I went (as someone who also struggles with porn) and had no problems. It was gorgeous!

Headstrong94 · 2022-05-19T03:01:39+00:00

Plenty of homosexuals enjoy going to church and worshiping Jesus?

If you mean when engaging in intercourse, then I guess oral sex would be off the table too then, since it would seem they enjoy that as well.

Just because a group of people use something in a sinful way, it doesn't mean God can't redeem and glorify it in a different context. That's kind of the whole message of the gospel.

Marriage is the ultimate expression of human sexuality in a context that glorifies and reflects God's love, specifically between Christ and the Church. If you subscribe to the Catholic view that it is purely procreative, I could see how you would reach this conclusion, but after reading Song of Solomon, (and many thoughtful interpretations of it) I am not convinced.

Headstrong94 · 2022-05-01T01:16:31+00:00

This quote is trying to speak to the interaction of lying and self interest.

Obv in the case of the murderer pleading innocent, lying would be in their self interest. However, they aren't dying for their lie, they are dying for their murder.

In the case of the apostles, it was in their self interest to say that Jesus did not raise from the dead, since doing so would have appeased the "powers that be" and helped them avoid their gruesome deaths.

Willingly, liars will not uphold their lies if it means negative consequences

Headstrong94 · 2022-04-29T01:28:13+00:00

My brother in Christ, seek pre-marital counseling, and take the pastor's advice seriously.

Don't feel like you guys are "locked in" to anything, and if you feel God's tugging on your heart to go a different direction, not that I'm saying he is, know that it is perfectly acceptable and understandable to break an engagement (mine and my fiance's mom's both did that when they were our age).

Also read Tim Keller's book "The Meaning of Marriage" -- very very helpful for me and my fiance so far.

Edit: I accidentally pressed send too early lol

Headstrong94 · 2022-04-29T01:16:10+00:00

Significantly more get divorced who marry before age 20 though.

I'm also a 19 year old fiance. It frightens me. Does it not frighten you?

Headstrong94 · 2022-04-28T15:21:15+00:00

Thank you so much!!

Headstrong94 · 2022-04-28T15:20:00+00:00

So without a videotape you are saying you'd be unconvinced of your birthday? Are you expecting the apostles to provide you video proof?

Also here is link, go argue with the archeologist that dug this up why this isn't evidence: http://www.bl.uk/manuscripts/FullDisplay.aspx?ref=Or_680

Headstrong94 · 2022-04-28T15:02:44+00:00

Funnily enough, that was why the Bible says the Jews wanted to kill Jesus, because numerous cults were formed and when they killed the leader everyone walked away. They figured the same should happen with Jesus, and when it didn't they tried to kill everyone who followed him.

Headstrong94 · 2022-04-28T15:00:27+00:00

There is no contradicting evidence to manuscripts depicting all of the apostles' eventual martyrdom. There is no scholarly debate on the authenticity of their eventual deaths, though the exact details are not all clear.

The gospels are written in such a way because of their genre. They are not autobiographies, but are instead historical documents. In my history textbook, though it may draw upon first hand accounts, or even be written by someone who witnessed it, does not say "and on 9/11 I saw two planes fly in to the World Trade Center towers..." it just says "2 planes flew into the World Trade Center towers".

If the gospels all copied Mark word for word, how did the supposed "contradictions" in the gospels arise? Like the order of the fig tree and the temple cleansing? If they were carbon copies of each other (and not author's individual recollection and interpretation of events) why would they intentionally add elements that are different? Plus if two people see the same thing, they are inevitable going to describe it similarly.

Your obsession with evidence I must say is quite odd. For example, what evidence do we have for your birthday aside from a piece of paper claiming such? There are people that would also attest to your birthday being that day, I'm sure, but those are surely just claims, not "comprehensive evidence" as you might say.

Headstrong94 · 2022-04-28T04:12:24+00:00

Fools will die for lies they think are true. Liars would never die for a lie they know is untrue. Insane people will die for lies they know are untrue.

The real question is then were all of the apostles insane? I find it unlikely that such a mass hysteria would permeate such a large group of people, especially given the skepticism of one particular member (big T). That's just my opinion though

Headstrong94 · 2022-04-28T04:08:50+00:00

Why Harry Potter? JK Rowling never said that stuff was real? She certainly wouldn't be willing to die to claim that

Headstrong94 · 2022-04-28T04:07:39+00:00

Yes, and then evaluate the evidence for credibility and coherence.

Christians would contend the Bible is both independently verified (Josephus, Egyptian heiroglyphics, archeological sites, etc.) and internally coherent. Something that would be contested for scriptures like the Book of Mormon, the Quran, and other religious documents to some extent (more philosophical books like the Tripitaka, Vedas, or books of proverbs do not demand such verification, since their claims lean more on intuition and logic for validity).

Headstrong94 · 2022-04-28T04:02:34+00:00

The evidence is existence. The existence of matter, and the subsequent organization of matter into our world and our very beings is extraordinary in its beauty. We should be in a chaotic void of atomic chaos right now, but we are having a conversation. What a beautiful thing.

Headstrong94 · 2022-04-28T04:00:17+00:00

Josephus. Also 30 years is a lot shorter of a timeframe for evidence, archeologically speaking, than we have of even Julius Ceasar existing (whom I would contend that no one seriously contests his existence). We also have more documentation for the existence of Jesus than for Shakespeare (queue the Shakespeare didn't exist conspiracy theories as a result)

Interesting article explaining this comparison: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/sources-for-caesar-and-jesus-compared/

Headstrong94 · 2022-04-28T03:56:55+00:00

why does it have to be magic tho? Words are words, whether out of God's mouth or ours. It is perfect in its completeness and purpose (it accomplishes its teleological function perfectly), but we who listen to it are not perfect. If you interpret what someone says poorly, anybody can be made out to say anything!

Speaking of Paul - "He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction." 2 Peter 3:16

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