USNationalist

I have also heard that one theory is that Christ went and taught to the dead durring the 3 days he was dead himself. But I guess there would still be people out there who never heard of him after that. So I guess the God knowing how things would have gone down is probably a more accurate guess. I would say that it in no way implies predestination. An analogy I have coined (though that doesnt mean it is original, I am sure someone else thought of it before me) is that we are the authors of our lives, and God is just the reader. He can flip to the last page and find out we died at 48 from a heart attack, but that doesn't mean he ordered that event. So then he can read through our whole life, knowing we will die at that set time- but not being responsible for it himself, he will just be able to see what choices we made that led up to it.

Just like to throw out there that people need to brush up on the "judge not" nonsense that is constantly thrown around. The idea that Christians are not supposed to judge one another is absolutely ludicrous. I am of the Protestant persuasion, I do not believe that being affiliated with the Mormon church is in anyway cause for "damnation". My guess would be that a larger % of Catholics are going to fall short then Mormons. I could go into all that in detail if I felt inclined... at the moment I do not. From what I gather (at least as I can remember) the Mormon doctrines say that the previous model Christians (like me) would predominately find themselves in the 2nd rung of heaven (the Terrestrial I believe) due to their faith and service in Christs name, but unable to reach the top level (Celestial?) due to not accepting the full revelation.

My head hurts, so I haven't read through this thread, so maybe my questions been answered already... Do the Mormons have a "Oneness" theology (like many Pentecostal Protestants do) or do you consider yourselves more "Trinitarian"? I have my own thoughts on the nature of the 3 Gods and their relation to one another, and from what I remember of the Mormon teachings I think it may be more closely aligned to the Mormon interpretation of the "Holy Trio" then the traditional Protestant views.

My guess is God would give you some time to think about it inside the belly of a whale...

I do not recall Christ ever calling anyone into a specific position. Being chosen by God to be the key Cog in some great change God is going to bring about (like Jonah, Moses, Abraham, David, etc) is one thing when it comes to calling. But for the rest of us, I do not believe that God has any desire to take an active interest in the ordering of our lives (I have strong Deist tendencies). To believe and fulfill our own share of the great commission is the extent of anyones calling.

I do not believe in callings. I believe each individual is called to do as much as they will in what ever fashion they choose. And it is up to each of us to take that as far as we desire.

Right now I am majoring in Liberal arts... because I am not sure whether to get a degree in business or writing. I need a bachelors in something so that I can get into the seminary I want. It is my intention to go into the ministry for the Covenant Church.

My first thought was along the line of what Travler pointed out. But I guess it would depend on to what extent "hatred" is routed out. If the only testing of faith comes from ourselves and person struggles, I think it could still lead to a point where hate for others is generated. For instance, someone becoming defensive and hateful against the church for exercising church discipline. But then also i guess if hatred is gone it will have an effect on free will. And that kind of ruins the whole life game.

Those are quite some rules there strawberry. heh. You weren't a moderator last time i was here, been a while. Whats new with me... not much. Working part time, going to school full time.

Been a while, just saying hello to everyone. Out of curiosity, are there any Mormons out there that do not support Mitt Romney?

Im sure she did... liar.

You all said far to much for me to be willing to read. What i believe the "trinity" to be is 3 very seperate individuals who together are God. I believe that they are "one" in the exact same sense that husband and wife become "one".

What you do is mold your life style to fit your new servents. Buy your husband a monical and start drinking alot of tea.

<<Hey kid~ you just blew it! Your mac and cheese dinner just went out the window!>> ....damn I apologize... must have just been crickets i was hearin.

Whats that people? I think i can hear the worlds tiniest violen playing in the distance. *bah dum chish*

9 I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral persons— 10not at all meaning the immoral of this world, or the greedy and robbers, or idolaters, since you would then need to go out of the world. 11But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother or sister who is sexually immoral or greedy, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or robber. Do not even eat with such a one. 12For what have I to do with judging those outside? Is it not those who are inside that you are to judge? 13God will judge those outside. ‘Drive out the wicked person from among you.’ -1 Corinthians 5:9-13

a total copout ripped from the scriptures of the bible.

hello lindy. I dont know how long i will be around... we will see. I was begging to wonder if you still came around here.

<<Unbelievers have rejected the truth...does that mean we should alter the truth to suit the unbelievers?>> -i dont know how you even came up with that. The truth stays the same. They don't know it- so they don't know what they are doing is wrong. It is not our place to judge them. Christians are free to judge one another- because none of them have an excuse for sin. But as far as the unsaved go- its Gods place and his alone to pass judgement on their actions.

So... all of your posts were to long for me to want to read. So let me give you the skinny on salvation. Its really sort of a math problem... We are saved by grace alone... So the grace is the only thing that saves us. But the only way we get the grace is with faith. So, Grace X Faith = Salvation. Only thing is, Faith without works is dead. If you have no works- you have Dead Faith- which equals zero. Grace X Dead Faith = Zero Salvation. With works you have Faith which equals one.... which equals salvation. Your faith does not contribute any numerical value to your salvation, Grace has the same numerical value as Salvation (Grace = Salvation). So... Grace X Faith = Salvation Grace X Dead Faith = Zero Salvation Consider yourselves enlightend. heh

....i messed up. I picked the most preferable one. heh.

<<The Church will never recognize gay marriage>> -it's a shame to. Seeing as how its a violation of Pauls teachings in Corinthians 5:9-13 -Holding unbelievers accountable to our standards is unchristian.

<<And marriage is an eternal unit, continuing beyond the grave. Isn't it a wonderful plan? You needn't be alone throughout eternity.>> -...why would you be alone throughtout eternity? The relationship between husband an wife is disolved in death. There is no longer father and son, mother and daughter, or any other such relation. They were nothing but linkings of the flesh which is now dead and gone. Just one big happy spiritual "family" awaits you after death.

ari- Marrige exsists for one reason only. To keep each other from sexual immorality. It is a mortal union that ends at death (im protestant)- You do belong to each other- you are no longer your own person. You become ONE flesh. You can cause other people to sin- which is a sin for you. Not to say if you hold out and your husband sleeps withsomeone else he didn't sin- because he did- but you are also guilty of sin. Married people should "bump uglies" as often as either wants it- thats what marrige exsists for.

The church should lose its tax free exemption. What the pastor did was illeagle. He has all the free speach he wants- but as a tax emept institution it is illeagle to "campain" for politics- one side or the other. There are there for church- not political brain washings from a pastor. He can say whatever he wants when he isn't on the pulpit. Pushka- I dont know abut international crime rates. But (and i lost the exact numbers) Florida recently passed right to carry laws and has been encourageing gun ownership. Their violent crime rate went down 20% while the national average went up 12%. (again i lost where i read it from, so i cant remember the span of years).