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Old 02-07-2017, 03:42 PM
Antipas Antipas is offline
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Is there are open discussion area on the forum?

Hello. I come from an Apostolic background and I still hold to the Apostolic belief in absolutely one God. Yet in my spiritual walk I've come to believe many things that Apostolics don't traditionally believe. Sometimes I enjoy discussing those things with individuals here who are also from an Apostolic background. Sometimes the feedback gives me food for thought. However, I did receive an infraction a while back for promoting what is considered by the admins to be "false doctrine". I apologize and I do enjoy my membership here, but I don't want to break any rules. Is there a place on this forum wherein one can freely discuss various doctrines, ideas, or understandings that might be off the beaten path without violating any of the forum rules? If not, I'll keep whatever beliefs and ideas I have private and only comment or participate in topics that do not delve into those areas of difference.

Respectfully submitted,

Antipas
  #2  
Old 02-08-2017, 12:28 AM
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Amanah Amanah is offline
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Re: Is there are open discussion area on the forum

I take it from your avatar that you believe all religions lead to God, are you Unitarian?
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Old 02-08-2017, 08:41 AM
Antipas Antipas is offline
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Re: Is there are open discussion area on the forum

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Originally Posted by Amanah View Post
I take it from your avatar that you believe all religions lead to God, are you Unitarian?
I do not believe that all religions lead to God. Only a genuine personal experience with God can "save" a person. This experience is often received through various means throughout all religions. But being "religious", regardless of religion, doesn't automatically equate to knowing God.

I believe that there is a single transcendent divine reality uniting all things. Therefore, truth can be found in all religions - while at the same time all religions also contain a degree of mistranslation and human influence. Spiritual truth can be known. But the seeker has to see beyond the natural.

I'm not officially Unitarian but I've been involved in the Church of the Larger Fellowship.
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Old 02-08-2017, 01:48 AM
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votivesoul votivesoul is offline
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Re: Is there are open discussion area on the forum

Quote:
Originally Posted by Antipas View Post
Hello. I come from an Apostolic background and I still hold to the Apostolic belief in absolutely one God. Yet in my spiritual walk I've come to believe many things that Apostolics don't traditionally believe. Sometimes I enjoy discussing those things with individuals here who are also from an Apostolic background. Sometimes the feedback gives me food for thought. However, I did receive an infraction a while back for promoting what is considered by the admins to be "false doctrine". I apologize and I do enjoy my membership here, but I don't want to break any rules. Is there a place on this forum wherein one can freely discuss various doctrines, ideas, or understandings that might be off the beaten path without violating any of the forum rules? If not, I'll keep whatever beliefs and ideas I have private and only comment or participate in topics that do not delve into those areas of difference.

Respectfully submitted,

Antipas
Currently, the right place is in the Debate Section, under General Debate. Any ideas "off the beaten path" would need to start with you and your own thread(s). It would not be right to bring those ideas into someone else's thread, unless they are specifically asked for.
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  #5  
Old 02-08-2017, 08:47 AM
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Amanah Amanah is offline
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Re: Is there are open discussion area on the forum

Do you believe the divine is that which is beyond name form and gender, residing within the heart of every human and is realized thru meditation? are you a Neo Platonist?
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Old 02-08-2017, 08:57 AM
Antipas Antipas is offline
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Re: Is there are open discussion area on the forum

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Do you believe the divine is that which is beyond name form and gender, residing within the heart of every human and is realized thru meditation? are you a Neo Platonist?
I do believe that "God" is beyond name, form, and gender. I do not believe that "God" is offended by any name we might call him. The divine is spirit. As far as the divine residing in the heart of every man, only in that our spirit originated from the divine, like the spraying mist of the sea as its waves crash upon the shore. We see this in the story of Adam when God breathes upon him and he becomes a living soul. All things "live" because God has breathed upon them. Life itself originated from the very spirit of the divine. And to the divine it will one day return.

Experiencing the divine reality can be reached through meditation. But certainly that isn't the only way to realize this reality. Prayer, contemplation, ritual, yoga, ecstatic experiences, child birth, and yes, even making love - all can lead to experiencing the divine reality.

Last edited by Antipas; 02-08-2017 at 09:02 AM.
  #7  
Old 02-08-2017, 09:02 AM
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Amanah Amanah is offline
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Re: Is there are open discussion area on the forum

but then disobedience brought a separation between Man and God, original sin, what do you believe about original sin?
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Old 02-08-2017, 09:23 AM
Antipas Antipas is offline
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Re: Is there are open discussion area on the forum

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but then disobedience brought a separation between Man and God, original sin, what do you believe about original sin?
Now we are in the realm of sacred myth. I do not believe that the story of Adam and Eve is literal history. I believe it is a spiritual myth that describes man and man’s relationship with God. Adam and Eve represent us all. We’ve all experienced spiritual innocence and chosen to “sin”, or respond to ego over spirit, seeking knowledge and selfish gain through desire. Therefore, in Adam, we all die. Because Adam represents us all.

I believe that the separation from God that we experience is an illusion caused by sin. Sin, ego, desire, self…. these have alienated us from experiencing the divine reality in that we become riddled with guilt and regret, filling us with the notion that we are unworthy. The separation is in our minds. God continues to be ever present and filling all things. On account of sin (whatever a religion might call it) we cannot perceive the divine reality. It is like we have closed our eyes to the divine truth of God’s existence, goodness, love, and mercy. Once we get beyond sin, ego, desire, self we can begin to once more enjoy the oneness with God that was intended from eternity. The story of Jesus reveals God's self-sacrificing love and the call for us to embrace love over law. That is the primary contribution of the Christian faith for all mankind. Every faith has a focus that contributes to man as a whole. Christianity's contribution is self-sacrificing love. Judaism contributes law & justice and how God desires this among nations. Buddhism is wisdom and the truth that reincarnation is not the rule. Hinduism is karma, reminds of diversity within the single divine essence, and speaks of reincarnation. Islam contributes monotheism. Nature religion contributes oneness with the earth and respect for nature, the very world from which we were created. Etc., etc.

I'm not sure if that answered your question or not.

Last edited by Antipas; 02-08-2017 at 09:41 AM.
  #9  
Old 02-08-2017, 07:50 PM
Birddog Birddog is offline
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Re: Is there are open discussion area on the forum

Quote:
Originally Posted by Antipas View Post
Now we are in the realm of sacred myth. I do not believe that the story of Adam and Eve is literal history. I believe it is a spiritual myth that describes man and man’s relationship with God. Adam and Eve represent us all. We’ve all experienced spiritual innocence and chosen to “sin”, or respond to ego over spirit, seeking knowledge and selfish gain through desire. Therefore, in Adam, we all die. Because Adam represents us all.

I believe that the separation from God that we experience is an illusion caused by sin. Sin, ego, desire, self…. these have alienated us from experiencing the divine reality in that we become riddled with guilt and regret, filling us with the notion that we are unworthy. The separation is in our minds. God continues to be ever present and filling all things. On account of sin (whatever a religion might call it) we cannot perceive the divine reality. It is like we have closed our eyes to the divine truth of God’s existence, goodness, love, and mercy. Once we get beyond sin, ego, desire, self we can begin to once more enjoy the oneness with God that was intended from eternity. The story of Jesus reveals God's self-sacrificing love and the call for us to embrace love over law. That is the primary contribution of the Christian faith for all mankind. Every faith has a focus that contributes to man as a whole. Christianity's contribution is self-sacrificing love. Judaism contributes law & justice and how God desires this among nations. Buddhism is wisdom and the truth that reincarnation is not the rule. Hinduism is karma, reminds of diversity within the single divine essence, and speaks of reincarnation. Islam contributes monotheism. Nature religion contributes oneness with the earth and respect for nature, the very world from which we were created. Etc., etc.

I'm not sure if that answered your question or not.
Dear friend, you do realize that if you are right then no harm is done but if you are wrong you lose your soul?

Just curious.
  #10  
Old 02-08-2017, 10:22 AM
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Amanah Amanah is offline
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Re: Is there are open discussion area on the forum

Your beliefs remind me of the teachings of Joseph Campbell. Did you at one time attend an Apostolic Church?
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