The Six Commandments?

[TomH]

Well, see there, hugs and kisses melt my heart every time!
Do you realize Tom, that one day none of these conversations will matter or even enter our minds for the Glory we are bathed in every second??

Be careful there. I think I hear Barry singing in the background of your post.

[teddyv]

I fear you will not get your wish.
How could there possibly be anything to contend over in the presence of all Truth..?

While we are in the presence of the Truth, I certainly hope that we won't have all the answers, but still have the ability to continue to discover new things of this world and universe.

[Athanasius]

I am in total agreement that state sponsored religion is always an awful thing.
None of my remarks have advocated it, though people with a specific grudge they want to be made known seem to think I have said so.
I cannot more succinctly state what I have said - the problem is not a lack of clarity on my part but rather a lack of listening on theirs.
I am advocating freedom of expression of ones religion.
This cuts two ways. First, that no man may tell you who you must worship, and secondly, that no man may tell you there are any places on earth (schools included) where you are not free to express your religion and worship, or where you are not free to read your holy book or bow your head. I know that YOU can see what I am saying.

I have tried to point out how "freedom of religion" has taken a nasty turn into the exact opposite.
It is sort of akin to how unions began with a noble cause and have devolved into ugly bullies.

The king in the bible, the crusades - both an attempt to quell freedom of religion.
Sending a child home for his tshirt, or choice of freetime reading material - both an attempt to quell freedom of religion.
Freedom of religion must involve not being told WHO you must worship and ALSO not being told WHERE you can or can't worship. As I have said, history shows us quite plainly that it does not end with a quelling of freedom of religion in public places. There is a reason for this. It is because WE STILL EXIST. So then it devolves into no man able to worship or have a house church in his own home. Why is private worship always attacked later? Because WE EXIST.

I will stop before my face turns blue going round and round with people who just don't want to listen but only want to repeat the phrases they come in here with regardless of where the conversation turns. I will NOT become snippy or ugly. I see the same people in here becoming ugly and loveless as I saw in similar threads quite a few years ago. I wont be dragged into it because I walk by the Spirit and because I have learned satans tactics for making us ineffective in our witness.

Maybe Tom can break out the Barry Manilow again and send everyone packing. Nothing is more frightful than the threat of getting BM stuck in your head, and Tom is sneaky about it and breaks the rules by not telling you the content of the video he posts beforehand. That's really all I can say about it because of the lawsuit...

Okay. I think I'll step out now...

[awestruckchild]

Be careful there. I think I hear Barry singing in the background of your post.

Yes, I think I hear something...
is it....?
Oh, whew!
It's Barry WHITE.
THAT, I can handle!
Athanasius has left the building...
shame on you for scaring him like that!
I feeel scaaared when heee's scaared....
I feeel saaad when heee's saad...

[awestruckchild]

While we are in the presence of the Truth, I certainly hope that we won't have all the answers, but still have the ability to continue to discover new things of this world and universe.

Well now!
That is much different than contentions!
New discoveries and wonders and joys are a blessing, not a contention!

[TomH]

Ahh, now I see where the problem lies!

We apparently misinterpret things like ugly snippy comments.

So, if you're done with the childish antics, perhaps we can better us the time discussing reason why adolescents should be educated on the dangers of expressing religious sentiments in public without knowledgable adult supervision.

It usually ends up with one of the children chanting nonsensical taunts when they run out of rebuttals.

Thanks for the real life demonstration.

I rest my case.

[awestruckchild]

Ahh, now I see where the problem lies!

We apparently misinterpret things like ugly snippy comments.

So, if you're done with the childish antics, perhaps we can better us the time discussing reason why adolescents should be educated on the dangers of expressing religious sentiments in public without knowledgable adult supervision.

It usually ends up with one of the children chanting nonsensical taunts when they run out of rebuttals.

Thanks for the real life demonstration.

I rest my case.

Nope. I'll never be done with laughter and joy, or as you put it, "childish antics."
And considering some of the things I am going through lately, laughter is good.
And no, I will never agree that it is right to teach a child to quell his prayer or praise or thanks toward his God and mine just because you say there are times or places that are inappropriate for him to give thanks or have communion.
I would encourage the child to dance like David and pour out his heart in thanks at all times even despite the contempt and dour looks from his wife.
And you are most welcome for the real life demonstration.

[Sojourner55]

I really have to wonder: does the wrongness of favoring one faith over another extend to the gates of the kingdom of God? Is He the original instigator of religious intolerance? One thing is sure and certain: only those who belong to God will dwell with Him in His kingdom, and no allowances will be made for political correctness or diversity. And I'm inclined to believe that those who enter therein who were raised in paganism will be grateful for the Christian influence that saved them from eternal damnation--despite the perception of those who think that influence should be confined to the home and the church building. I'm sure glad Jesus and the Apostles didn't keep their preaching behind closed doors.

[awestruckchild]

I really have to wonder: does the wrongness of favoring one faith over another extend to the gates of the kingdom of God? Is He the original instigator of religious intolerance? One thing is sure and certain: only those who belong to God will dwell with Him in His kingdom, and no allowances will be made for political correctness or diversity. And I'm inclined to believe that those who enter therein who were raised in paganism will be grateful for the Christian influence that saved them from eternal damnation--despite the perception of those who think that influence should be confined to the home and the church building. I'm sure glad Jesus and the Apostles didn't keep their preaching behind closed doors.

Since slug isn't here, I'll do the honors...
HOOYAH!!
Yes, He is the original instigator of religious intolerance.
No one comes to the Father except through ME.
Thank you for this thread SOJ. I never even KNEW their was an idol named "freedom" until I read and began posting in here. I have been in a bit of shock for the last few hours that professing christians can place this idol above God and be deceived that God will just shrug this off, or worse, believe that He is perfectly fine with and approves of it!
I've had quite a few shocks the past few days...

[TomH]

I have all the freedom I need. Thank you very much. I have been given that freedom. It is something I hold dear, and I will not impose on the freedom of others. Seems as though others have no respect. Doing something simply because you can is hardly a reason.

John 8:36
So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

[TomH]

There is a time for everything,
****and a season for every activity under the heavens:
2*****a time to be born and a time to die,
****a time to plant and a time to uproot,
3*****a time to kill and a time to heal,
****a time to tear down and a time to build,
4*****a time to weep and a time to laugh,
****a time to mourn and a time to dance,
5*****a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
****a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
6*****a time to search and a time to give up,
****a time to keep and a time to throw away,
7*****a time to tear and a time to mend,


****a time to be silent and a time to speak,


8*****a time to love and a time to hate,
****a time for war and a time for peace.

[awestruckchild]

And hence a time to worship God and a time to refrain from worshiping Him and insisting others do the same...?

[awestruckchild]

I have all the freedom I need. Thank you very much. I have been given that freedom. It is something I hold dear, and I will not impose on the freedom of others. Seems as though others have no respect. Doing something simply because you can is hardly a reason.

We don't praise and worship Him simply because we can. We do so because we MUST. We could try to refrain I suppose, but then you would have to crack down on the stones that would break out in praise!

[TomH]

We don't praise and worship Him simply because we can. We do so because we MUST. We could try to refrain I suppose, but then you would have to crack down on the stones that would break out in praise!

If you worship God because you feel you must, then you're missing something.

[Vhayes]

Perhaps you have searched for the stories with the same impatience and lack of thoughtful attention with which you hastily read others posts and so this is why you could not find them?

Perhaps if you instructed me with a flippin' LINK - I could join in the conversation.

You seem to have the "answers" while I seem, at least in your mind, to have a "grudge". So please - give me the answer... provide a link.