An excuse can be found for the man who had an affair because his wife wouldn't sleep with him.
An excuse can be found for the woman who hates her neighbor because her neighbor is rude.
An excuse can be found for the drunkard who drinks because he is depressed.
An excuse can be found for the man who hates his father because his father was abusive.
An excuse can be found for the woman who takes the Lord's name in vain because she is frightened.
An excuse can be found for the poor man to covet his wealthy neighbor's possessions.
An excuse can be found for the person who lies to prevent his family from being humiliated.
The presence of excuses doesn't mean the unrighteous act will be excused by God.
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"God, send me anywhere, only go with me. Lay any burden on me, only sustain me. And sever any tie in my heart except the tie that binds my heart to Yours."
--David Livingstone
"To see no being, not God’s or any, but you also go thither,
To see no possession but you may possess it—enjoying all without labor or purchase—
abstracting the feast, yet not abstracting one particle of it;…."
--Walt Whitman, Leaves of Grass, Song of the Open Road
The thread is asking if we should steal food rather than starve. It is a Christian forum. We believe in God around here. So what do we answer?
What was your point in saying that God allows people to starve? You never said what it was, so we consider your statement in regards to the implications the thread is asking us on a Christian, God-believing forum. You seemed to imply that despite the fact God exists, people who believe in God need to know that God allows people to starve. All we can surmise by that is that you may be inferring christians should not expect God to supply food when they starve since He already is known to have allowed people to starve.
So..... should we resort to that or believe God instead? There is the counter argument that those who believe can believe that God can feed a person who seeks him need not consider stealing. So I aksed you where the bible showed believers starving.
Again, why else did you make that statement on a christian forum? I guess you could have simply not implied anything, but just said stuff happens. But I suspect you had a reason for your statement, which could have caused me to ask how on earth does your statement have anything to do with the thread?
I can understand your frustration. I remember experiencing it myself! It's difficult to formulate answers that are consistent with both the Bible and reality. The Bible makes assertions. Reality is what it is. One can choose to reconcile them, in any way one can, or to recognize them and accept them for what they are.
Recall my original assertion:
Here's an indisputable fact: God does not always provide food for those who need it.
Say what you like about my motivation for stating it, but: is it true? Well, of course it is true. Nobody can deny it. What they might try to deny is that God doesn't always provide food for believers. I think you would claim that. The Bible seems to claim that (aside from Baron's explanation that it is merely a generality, which is another way of explaining the exceptions that I hadn't thought of ). But, if you do stand by it, and if you are right, then we have no choice but to conclude that everyone who has ever died of starvation, throughout history, was an unbeliever. Do you agree?
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Hebrews 13:23 Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty
An excuse can be found for the man who had an affair because his wife wouldn't sleep with him.
An excuse can be found for the woman who hates her neighbor because her neighbor is rude.
An excuse can be found for the drunkard who drinks because he is depressed.
An excuse can be found for the man who hates his father because his father was abusive.
An excuse can be found for the woman who takes the Lord's name in vain because she is frightened.
An excuse can be found for the poor man to covet his wealthy neighbor's possessions.
An excuse can be found for the person who lies to prevent his family from being humiliated.
The presence of excuses doesn't mean the unrighteous act will be excused by God.
Really where does the Scripture say that? I actually made reference to Scripture. I would like to see your Scripture reference for that long list of nonsense that you posted because your argument is not just weak but failing to the point of ridiculous.
Proverbs 6:30
Excuses might be found for a thief
who steals because he is starving.
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"Beware lest you lose the substance by grasping at the shadow." ~Aesop
Really where does the Scripture say that? I actually made reference to Scripture. I would like to see your Scripture reference for that long list of nonsense that you posted because your argument is not just weak but failing to the point of ridiculous.
Proverbs 6:30
Excuses might be found for a thief
who steals because he is starving.
Definitely have one for the drunkard...
Proverbs 31:6 Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts. Proverbs 31:7 Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.
Regardless, my post was more about pointing out that your conclusion about the scripture is wrong. The fact that "excuses might be found" doesn't necessarily lead us to believe that their behavior is excused, or endorsed by God. I'm just a simpleton, Baron. If scripture says "Thou shalt not", I tend to believe I'm supposed to obey it.
But hey, if you're going to be snarky on Christmas Eve, I'll talk to you later. Go have some eggnog and cookies and come back when you feel like being a nice guy.
__________________
"God, send me anywhere, only go with me. Lay any burden on me, only sustain me. And sever any tie in my heart except the tie that binds my heart to Yours."
--David Livingstone
"To see no being, not God’s or any, but you also go thither,
To see no possession but you may possess it—enjoying all without labor or purchase—
abstracting the feast, yet not abstracting one particle of it;…."
--Walt Whitman, Leaves of Grass, Song of the Open Road
I believe that God also gives us brains in our head and scriptures to show principles that work for us when laws do not. For example, Jesus disciples picked corn on the Sabbath and Jesus healed a man's withered hand on the Sabbath. These things were against the law and yet Jesus said that man was not made for the Sabbath but the Sabbath was made for man.
Thou shalt not steal is a law made for the benefit of man and not for the destruction of man. Therefore, when it comes to starving, I believe it would be God's will that we trust in His PRINCIPLES enough to know that he is FOR us and not against us. Therefore, I believe that this is not a sin in this situation.....provided you aren't stealing from your neighbor who is in the same boat.
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Those who say it cannot be done should not interrupt the people doing it. ~Chinese Proverb
When I was young and clever, I wanted to change the world. Now that I am older and wiser, I strive to change myself. ~
An excuse can be found for the man who had an affair because his wife wouldn't sleep with him.
An excuse can be found for the woman who hates her neighbor because her neighbor is rude.
An excuse can be found for the drunkard who drinks because he is depressed.
An excuse can be found for the man who hates his father because his father was abusive.
An excuse can be found for the woman who takes the Lord's name in vain because she is frightened.
An excuse can be found for the poor man to covet his wealthy neighbor's possessions.
An excuse can be found for the person who lies to prevent his family from being humiliated.
The presence of excuses doesn't mean the unrighteous act will be excused by God.
I am not looking for excuses to break God's law. I am looking for the mercy of God in such circumstances....as I said the sabbath was made for man and not man for the sabbath.
__________________
Those who say it cannot be done should not interrupt the people doing it. ~Chinese Proverb
When I was young and clever, I wanted to change the world. Now that I am older and wiser, I strive to change myself. ~
I am not looking for excuses to break God's law. I am looking for the mercy of God in such circumstances....as I said the sabbath was made for man and not man for the sabbath.
I can agree with that statement...sort of. However, "thou shalt not commit adultery" is right in there with the same set of laws, so what would be the circumstance in which it would be okay to break that one?
I know you're not looking for excuses, and I'm not looking to be judgmental.
__________________
"God, send me anywhere, only go with me. Lay any burden on me, only sustain me. And sever any tie in my heart except the tie that binds my heart to Yours."
--David Livingstone
"To see no being, not God’s or any, but you also go thither,
To see no possession but you may possess it—enjoying all without labor or purchase—
abstracting the feast, yet not abstracting one particle of it;…."
--Walt Whitman, Leaves of Grass, Song of the Open Road
Proverbs 31:6 Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts. Proverbs 31:7 Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.
Regardless, my post was more about pointing out that your conclusion about the scripture is wrong. The fact that "excuses might be found" doesn't necessarily lead us to believe that their behavior is excused, or endorsed by God. I'm just a simpleton, Baron. If scripture says "Thou shalt not", I tend to believe I'm supposed to obey it.
But hey, if you're going to be snarky on Christmas Eve, I'll talk to you later. Go have some eggnog and cookies and come back when you feel like being a nice guy.
Snarky? Maybe you should have some wine. And yet you deny the wisdom of the very verse you posted.
Does the Bible tell you it is always wrong to lie?
__________________
"Beware lest you lose the substance by grasping at the shadow." ~Aesop
I can agree with that statement...sort of. However, "thou shalt not commit adultery" is right in there with the same set of laws, so what would be the circumstance in which it would be okay to break that one?
I know you're not looking for excuses, and I'm not looking to be judgmental.
Um....well, if you were forced by your Dad to marry your pimp when you were 16 and wanted to divorce him and marry another, I think the principle about these things would apply.
__________________
Those who say it cannot be done should not interrupt the people doing it. ~Chinese Proverb
When I was young and clever, I wanted to change the world. Now that I am older and wiser, I strive to change myself. ~
). But, if you do stand by it, and if you are right, then we have no choice but to conclude that everyone who has ever died of starvation, throughout history, was an unbeliever. Do you agree?
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