Help me understand being religious

[breakingcontact]

Bought me a KJV NT today!

 

[jrbfishn]

For everything there is an opposite,
Good and evil
Beautiful and ugly
Love and hatred
Unfortunate that you can not have one without the other.


from a non-recovering coffeeholic

 

[jrbfishn]

Congrats,,,, for real


from a non-recovering coffeeholic

 

[robertc1024]

I haven't ever said it anywhere, but here goes:
I grew up in a Baptist church in the '60's. Made up my mind in the '80's to trust Jesus. Taught bible-school, was ordained as a deacon in the '90's. Loved it, until the news came out that MY preacher was f'king his secretary. I lost all hope and have never recovered. The millstone around his neck couldn't have be a more fitting punishment. My faith in established religion is essentially in irreparable condition. I've supported things like Young Life - love those people, but getting back to a normal church, It will take a lot.

 

[breakingcontact]

I haven't ever said it anywhere, but here goes:
I grew up in a Baptist church in the '60's. Made up my mind in the '80's to trust Jesus. Taught bible-school, was ordained as a deacon in the '90's. Loved it, until the news came out that MY preacher was f'king his secretary. I lost all hope and have never recovered. The millstone around his neck couldn't have be a more fitting punishment. My faith in established religion is essentially in irreparable condition. I've supported things like Young Life - love those people, but getting back to a normal church, It will take a lot.

Sorry to hear that. Its nothing new. Jesus was always putting his followers on blast and Paul himself would beat himself up about why he couldn't stop sinning.

 

[breakingcontact]

Dang... That precludes me from reading it. I do all my serious reading on the toilet!

Wonder if a phone app counts?

 

[breakingcontact]

Congrats,,,, for real


from a non-recovering coffeeholic

Who me? Im cool with many different translations (but not all).

Im going to bust it out at work and read a few verses throughout the day.

 

[vmax]

I haven't ever said it anywhere, but here goes:
I grew up in a Baptist church in the '60's. Made up my mind in the '80's to trust Jesus. Taught bible-school, was ordained as a deacon in the '90's. Loved it, until the news came out that MY preacher was f'king his secretary. I lost all hope and have never recovered. The millstone around his neck couldn't have be a more fitting punishment. My faith in established religion is essentially in irreparable condition. I've supported things like Young Life - love those people, but getting back to a normal church, It will take a lot.

if you are being judged for not serving Him, after you knew better, are you going to point to the pastor, say its all his fault, and hope that gets you off the hook? I think you know that won't fly.

 

[matefrio]

Bought me a KJV NT today!

Now all you need is the writings of the people that lived in the Americas and modern day prophets.

 

[Eli]

Loved it, until the news came out that MY preacher was f'king his secretary. I lost all hope and have never recovered. The millstone around his neck couldn't have be a more fitting punishment. My faith in established religion is essentially in irreparable condition.

I'll tell you something my people learned long ago. There is the Yetzer HaTov - The Good Inclination - and the Yetzer HaRa - The Evil Inclination. Those that work on being good people, and lives the ways of the Yetzer HaTov, oftentimes have the strongest Yetzer HaRa. A Tzadik, or truly righteous person, is one that has mastered resisting the temptation of the Yetzer HaRa.
I don't live my life to please other men, I live my life to serve G-d. Koheleth (Ecclesiastes) 12:13-14; The sum of the matter, when all has been considered: Fear G-d and keep His commandments, for that is man's whole duty. For G-d will judge every deed - even everything hidden - whether good or evil.

Eli

 

[robertc1024]

if you are being judged for not serving Him, after you knew better, are you going to point to the pastor, say its all his fault, and hope that gets you off the hook? I think you know that won't fly.

You are exactly right - wallowing in my own mud. I know I'm wrong, It's hard, hard, hard to get out of.

 

[Vaquero]

Eli. Why do you refer to the creator as G-d?

Robert, I fully understand. I'm still hyper critical of those who are called to serve, yet serve their own interests above others.
Same scenario, not the secretary though.

 

[Eli]

Eli. Why do you refer to the creator as G-d?

Judaism 101: The Name of G-d

Eli

 

[Vaquero]

Judaism 101: The Name of G-d

Eli

Hmmm. Thanks.

 

[TheDan]

Wonder if a phone app counts?

From what I understand is if it has the name of god in it, then it does. There was some brouhaha not too long ago about a Koran app. People were upset that it could be deleted and they inferred that to being the same as destroying the written word. I've never heard of Christians having the same taboo. That Jesus fellow was way more laid back than his contemporaries

Now all you need is the writings of the people that lived in the Americas and modern day prophets.

I've got to say that I really like Mormons. They have great work ethics, good family, and are always very nice and polite yet they know how to stand up for themselves as well. Several of my family members are Mormon as well. They all look at me like an alien from another planet tho because I don't follow along

 

[itchin]

Yep. I imagine they talk about me like they do others when I'm around. Can't count how many times I've heard " so n so is going to hell".

 

[breakingcontact]

From what I understand is if it has the name of god in it, then it does. There was some brouhaha not too long ago about a Koran app. People were upset that it could be deleted and they inferred that to being the same as destroying the written word. I've never heard of Christians having the same taboo. That Jesus fellow was way more laid back than his contemporaries


I've got to say that I really like Mormons. They have great work ethics, good family, and are always very nice and polite yet they know how to stand up for themselves as well. Several of my family members are Mormon as well. They all look at me like an alien from another planet tho because I don't follow along

I met a good many Mormons in the Army.

Jesus was a radical. I dont like the sanitized version that is often portrayed.

He was teaching his elders when he was a child, hanging out with hookers and lepers and putting EVERYONE around him on full blast!

 

[Mexican_Hippie]

Jesus was killed by big government!

Gotta get a t shirt with that on it.

 

[atticus finch]

I haven't ever said it anywhere, but here goes:
I grew up in a Baptist church in the '60's. Made up my mind in the '80's to trust Jesus. Taught bible-school, was ordained as a deacon in the '90's. Loved it, until the news came out that MY preacher was f'king his secretary. I lost all hope and have never recovered. The millstone around his neck couldn't have be a more fitting punishment. My faith in established religion is essentially in irreparable condition. I've supported things like Young Life - love those people, but getting back to a normal church, It will take a lot.

I can understand how you feel and how it affects your viewpoint. I went through something similar although for different reasons. If I may suggest, go read my post about viewing church through the lense of the failures of it's adherents, rather than it's tenets. Maybe that might be something for you to consider.

 

[atticus finch]

Jesus was killed by big government!

Gotta get a t shirt with that on it.

Technically that might be correct given Pontias Pilates choices, truthfully I'd say the failure of human character is what got him killed. The Pharisees wanted him dead, the question is why? Because of what Jesus exposed them as being, hypocrites.
Even Herod, if my memory serves me correctly, didn't give a damn about him & basically told him "get out of here, you're a delusional fool". It was the Pharisees who really hated Jesus.