Mr. CTFuzzy,

Again, you have a great sense of humor and sincerity and although I try real hard to address the issues in the pen and not the comments by the authors, your humor and wit is too irresistible to refrain from chiming in today.

So with your permission, I'd like to take a shot at the "love" question:

In defining love, the world’s definition is summoned up in “it’s what I feel”. The subject matter, again by the world’s definition, it is always focused on “I”. However, by God’s definition -- love is sacrifice, which loosely means “you are always greater than I”.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He GAVE His only SON, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

John 15: 13 13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends.
Now laying down one’s life can also mean "you before me", and not exclusive and the literal dying for a friend. [Like giving up a day of driving your Ford off-road to be with a sick friend. In other terms, putting yourself last.]

1 John 4: 19 19 We love Him because He first loved us.

Many more biblical examples but three points should be enough to define the direction. So the answer is yes, it is opposite.

Hope this helps.

[Here's an interesting example. Have you ever bought someone you "love" a birthday card, and open up to see the inside verse say something like... Happy birthday..hope you have a great day because you make ME feel so good... with cards like that -- isn't the focus really on the giver's feelings and satisfaction?]

And forgive me for laughing at the Cyclops comment, but is that what the C stands for??? Sorry!!!





[Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by Permission. All rights reserved.]

 

Then you have my sincere apology hydrosmith. i did not intend my comment as a wise crack - but as a sincere question. I was simply awestruck by your apparent failure to recognize (or acknowledge?) that scientific explanations have in fact been uncovered to explain these examples you used of God's wonders.

Quote:

I trust my alarm clock to get me up because it is a tangible item that is mechanical in nature. Faith it will work, is built on TANGIBLE EVIDENCE and PROVEN HISTORY.

The point was that if you can put faith into a thing you don't understand then why not expand on that a bit and try to think about our existence as not being an accident or an anomaly in the universe.

And my point is that I understand the alarm clock and how it works - that is part of the foundation my trust is built on.

Quote:

Oh, and faith, when fact could be had, is NOT usually a good thing either.

This is true when faith is not in GOD.

I have zero ammunition to rebuke this with - so I won't even try. But I must ask; why the exception for God?

Quote:

So far in NONE of these threads has a shred of TANGIBLE PROOF either way been uncovered.

If your heart is open and you seek him Jesus promised you can find him. As I alluded to in a previous post it is a choice that will have an affect on eternity.

Now, here is something I can conceptually agree with. It is my opinion that IF the 'biblical God' exists, he lives in the heart of the true believers.

Oh, and that "affect on eternity" part? That is a two way street I am inclined to think.

Could "Hell" be where those folks that passes on living life to the very boundaries get to sit around and reminisce about what they missed - for eternity?

. . given my run of . . run ins, on this thread please allow me to take just a second to (re) stress here that I am NOT attempting to disparage or belittle ANYONE'S beliefs. I am trying to ask intellegent questions out of the mainstream line of thinking for the purpose of expanding *my own personal* understanding.

Wow. I guess I just said I am using you for a "whipping boy" in so many words !!YIKES!!

. . . I think I'll just shut up for a few minutes and listen to what you have to say. OK?

 

DRRanger,

first; no offense taken in any way for having a chuckle on me, or my "name". Heck, I get a kick out of it myself.

On a more serious note. well, a little more anyway:

THANK YOU DRRanger. This is the kind of answer(s) I was looking for exactly.

Man, you are worth your weight in Leprechaun gold!

. . but I'll have to chew on the concept(s) you presented a little more before I am ready to argue about it.

Sorry - I suspect that disappoints a few folks


P.S. The "ctfuzzy" is an abbreviation for "Captain Fuzzy".

~or~

Captain Fluffy, Frizzy, Furry, Fussy, . . .

 

Waxy I read that whole dang thing took me forever I agree with him, without seeing any pictures of course, but I still maintain my belief in the thousand years in a day theory....

 

Agree with who?

Pics can be had at www.bible.ca

Waxy

 

agree with the author of the long report, the scientist, do not remember his name and do not feel like researching, the one who said he was not tryin to argue creationism/evolution, just diprove the man prints

 

Whewwwww,

I was giving you the benefit of the doubt, and you deserved it!

I don't want you could take that wrong, so what I meant is I thought you would see things logically despite your strong beliefs, and realize that the two can be compatible, you did.

Waxy

 

Now there is a Kodak Moment!!

 

HAHA......

 

Then you have my sincere apology hydrosmith.

And my point is that I understand the alarm clock and how it works - that is part of the foundation my trust is built on.

Apology accepted. I am generally a forgiving person and like to be so. You're cool with me. That alarm clock will go on the fritz oneday and it might be in the middle of the night.

I have zero ammunition to rebuke this with - so I won't even try. But I must ask; why the exception for God?

Because GOD won't fail you but people or things man-made eventually will. God knows your heart and what will be the best for you. How he knows this I am not the one to tell you.


Oh, and that "affect on eternity" part? That is a two way street I am inclined to think.

Could "Hell" be where those folks that passes on living life to the very boundaries get to sit around and reminisce about what they missed - for eternity?[/QUOTE]

Sadly this is true. Non-believers get to spend eternity with the evil-one they chose. From what I know he is not so nice to people. I mourn everyone who does not choose God because I will never see them and I will know they chose suffering instead of life in heaven. I wish it were not this way but it is.

I am trying to ask intellegent questions out of the mainstream line of thinking for the purpose of expanding *my own personal* understanding.[/QUOTE]

You are on the right track here. You can have a personal relationship with God.

 

Uuuummm, , , er, , , it occurred to me that I might should point out that I was referring to you two agreeing on something, AND Waxy being . . . (oh no) . . . magnanimous.

Frizzy.
('cause the winds blowin his hair as he runs for cover!)

 

I think I may be on the verge of figuring it out.

Or at least reaching my own conclusion until "more evidence" is presented one way or another (change an "absolute truth"?).

At this point I would like to share one thing with you:

"I am absolutely convinced that God Almighty is as real to you as night and day."

The "ammunition" I have been using in my argument thus far has been Logic and Rationality. Without abandoning that I must conclude that as you are clearly not insane - or even a blithering idiot - the fact that he is real to you requires I give credence to your belief.


It really aggravates me when that happens !

 

Or as we say in Alaska, a Kodiak moment.

 

Fuzzy, you ain't goin mooshy on me are ya?

 

Heck no. I'm lullin 'em into a false sense of security!

I call it psycobable warfare.