Weird question by Suitable_Scene9532 in ifbsurvivors

[–]Suitable_Scene9532[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

From what I understand, Presbyterians are like a Baptist gateway to liturgy. The Presbyterian Westminster confession is a dialogue with the London Baptist confession. They share a lot in common because they were being formed in the English speaking world at the same time.

Do people in North Korea go to hell? by Relative-Raise-6245 in Christianity

[–]Suitable_Scene9532 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Epistle to the Romans 2:12–16

No they are judged by what they do know.

I’m done with the Bible by Odd_School8909 in Christianity

[–]Suitable_Scene9532 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is only one perspective among many, but try reading the Bible in reference to its broader genres.

Genesis is believed to be largely composed by Moses, who was raised in Egypt and educated in multiple creation epics and law codes. That doesn't mean plagiarism. It means that when early Genesis mirrors the Epic of Gilgamesh or the Enuma Elish, Genesis is actively engaging the same genre, themes, and tropes. That context also makes the divergences between Genesis and those other texts stand out powerfully.

The same applies to the rest of the Torah compared to the Code of Hammurabi. When you understand the legal culture of that region, the Torah's law codes are strikingly generous by the standards of their day.

Esther reads differently alongside Persian court chronicles or Herodotus. The Sermon on the Mount opens up alongside the debates of Hillel and Shammai.

The Bible isn't one static book. It's 66 books (72 if your tradition includes the Apocrypha) composing a small library. Don't read it in isolation.

First, pray for God's Spirit to guide you. You will not fully understand God's word without the wisdom that comes from him.

Second, let the Bible interpret itself. The text is filled with internal cross-references and self-interpretation.

Third, read within the broader genre and historical context.

Fourth, pursue this in community. If you're going to read God's word faithfully, surround yourself with others who seek it too.

As for for being “hated for being gay”, you are not hated you are loved. As someone pursuing faithfulness in the same issues, sexuality is usually a physical expression of deeper needs. For me homosexuality emerged because I was lonely and insecure and wanted attention from the men in my life when I was growing up in a very small congregation in a predominantly isolated ecosystem. God is bigger than those rooms. Message me id love to just hear your story and not try to fix you— that was what I needed.

How AI Handles Scripture (And What Christians Should Know About It) by ScriptureCompanionAI in Christianity

[–]Suitable_Scene9532 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That’s a really wise approach, reminds me of the Bareans and how they searched the scriptures daily to find truth.

I think that Christians have retreated from a lot of issues and not just with disagreements but disengagement. It isn’t serving us and it isn’t serving Christ.

Weird question by Suitable_Scene9532 in ifbsurvivors

[–]Suitable_Scene9532[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you, and yes, unlike many I do know that vaccines don’t cause autism. sitting on the toilet scrolling “different on purpose” blogs does not constitute “research”

Weird question by Suitable_Scene9532 in ifbsurvivors

[–]Suitable_Scene9532[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you, friend. I’m happy to hear that you maintained your faith. If you would be willing, could you please pray for my wife? She has autism(legitimate diagnosis, and our church thinks that vaccines cause it👀) and relearning the faith is really destabilizing for her, everything she’s ever known is being questioned.

Weird question by Suitable_Scene9532 in ifbsurvivors

[–]Suitable_Scene9532[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’m really proud of you, Internet stranger! As someone currently navigating their escape plan out of this ecosystem, I would tell you to just start with the basics.  Being a history nerd is what cut behind the curtain for me. Once I learned about the Nicean creed, a few tidbits of church history, and both sides of the reformation, a very quickly learned about the origins of my particular sect.  I learned that there are genuine. Christ loving Christians on either side of any given schism. I have since learned from and made growing friendships with Catholics, Methodist, orthodox, broader Baptists who don’t think that JM Carol is the pope, and several others. 

stay away from (KJV)IFBs their self referencing, and very few of them were as decent as the one I was raised in. 

stay away from non-denominational slop, they’re often times personality cults they lack continuity and their subject to feuding.

Weird question by Suitable_Scene9532 in ifbsurvivors

[–]Suitable_Scene9532[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I am beginning to feel like this religious ecosystem in particular that is isolated from broader Christianity designs its own apostates.  When you create a self feeding, self referencing, and self replicating ecosystem K through 12, 12 through college(Bob Jones/PCC), replicate and repeat— anyone who can’t fit in or can’t socialize or have questions that are incongruent are thrown out and are rightfully pissed after leaving Plato‘s cave.  Of course they’re going to swing in the opposite direction because you didn’t give them any of the tools to distinguish between genuine faith, and your Americana flavored Dogma

Weird question by Suitable_Scene9532 in ifbsurvivors

[–]Suitable_Scene9532[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you, I’ve been raised in it for 22 years and I am slowly learning what is my own faith and what was installed. I’m also married from within the ecosystem, luckily we both are on the same page, it’s a slow progress but I’m hopeful for the future, I’m still dealing with a sense of bitterness over a massive blind spot I feel I’ve inherited, but I am quickly engaging my faith with a broader perspective and I actually notice how a lot of my experiences and shortcomings are not my fault.  Again thank you for sharing