the steps of saul...
 

He was a great persecuter of christians. On his way to damascus he was converted. Remember that he was the pharisee of the pharisee's.

And should have read pauls plea to the romans.

Atheists tried to discredit him. But when they followed his jpurney through the middle east they became converted. There is a book by a 19th or 18th century writer who went down that path to discredit christianity, but they failed, they became christian, Because pauls writngs were irrefutable...evidence was found to refute the scripture.


So this thread will be about the book of romans...in all my damage. As you see im not a saint. Im not a scholar. Nor do i know how to spell right as you can see.

Bible study any one? Leave your partisanship out of here. Is all i ask. there is no dems or repubs...You are welcome to attend.

If you can't read the name of the forum it is you who should walk in Saul's footsteps. Real cute, Romans, you're a fart a minute.:p

I know a woman was raised in a Baptist family, her father was a real fire and brimstone minister as was her grandfather and great grandfather. She followed in their footsteps, Master of Divinity, Ordained Minister, the whole nine yards.

Then, one day, she met, fell in love with and married a man outside her race (And faith, he is white and Jewish.) and learned the hard way just how forgiving and loving Christians really are. (As in---Not at all.)

It didn't destroy her faith entirely, but it changed her a lot. She no longer goes to church and hangs out with "the holy roller hypocrites" as she calls them. Ever. And when she encounters pushy, holier than thou Christians......YIKES!!!!! When politicians try to mix their politics and Christianity---DOUBLE YIKES!!!

Dave

Ok, Budget, I'll take the bait...
Let me preface this by saying it has been years since I have read a bible so I can not discuss specific scripture. But, I can discuss opinion and facts.
I respect your right to believe in any god you want. Your right to pray any prayer, your right to idolize any perceived saint, disciple, or angel you see fit.
Having said all that, I simply don't believe in a god and I don't subscribe to any particular religion, not even atheism.
But that is not the only difference between you and I.
The other difference is that I am content to hold my beliefs close without the need to convert others. You, and other religious zealots, insist others must believe the same as you, always trying to convert the non believer, and i find that to be very disrespectful to my rights to believe as I do.
.......with all due respect.

Budgie you want to read the Bible? Here is an assignment for you;

Matthew 6: 1 - 22

Barbara and others I don't know with absolute certainty if Jesus was the son of God, nor do I conceive of God as the bearded man in Michelangelo's painting. That said I do believe that what Jesus taught makes a great deal of sense as a way of life. Much as I believe there are many others who proposed sensible concepts from Socrates to Byron.

However, being human I do not always live up to those concepts, but I do try.

Excellent post, as usual, my friend.:)

Jesus was a revolutionary. He rejected the status quo. He taught about the corrupting influence of wealth. He admonished us about our responsibility to care for the less fortunate. He associated with outcasts. He taught about overcoming ethnic boundaries. He praised the peacemakers.

And He provided free health care. ;)

Regards,

D-Ray

Must be why conservatives are trying to rewrite the Bible?;)

My sentiments exactly. While I'm somewhere along the agnostic>atheist>don't give a sh!t continuum, I have a deep abiding interest in world religions though I don't believe in any and don't necessarily agree that they are collectively a force for good. Interesting stuff though.

The religions as institutions are no force for good, just for their own survival. The honest practitioners are another story.