Y'know, I'm (more or less) on y'all's side here--but I also see how we make, or at least cause, people like this...not sure I could illuminate it in less than several pages, but our internal (trinny, uni)(pre-post) yack, also coming from a 'democracy,' are quite unsettling to many, even in the Christian faith.
Y'know, I'm (more or less) on y'all's side here--but I also see how we make, or at least cause, people like this...not sure I could illuminate it in less than several pages, but our internal (trinny, uni)(pre-post) yack, also coming from a 'democracy,' are quite unsettling to many, even in the Christian faith.
Yes, it is pretty much inevitable that this happens. The Bible practically demands it. 1) It can be interpreted in a zillion ways, and is. 2) It promises miraculous powers. 3) It predicts abuse of such powers, and faking those powers. 4) It offers no practical help in knowing when such displays are real or fake. 5) It demands that people do just that -- even without such help or guidance. (Asking a spirit if it confesses that Jesus is come in the flesh doesn't help. At all.)
It shouldn't surprise anyone when Berts show up, or Jim Joneses, or Richard Gazowkis. Or when people who think they get it better than others exercise their faith and children die because of it.
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Hebrews 13:23 Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty
My main question was the same. Who IS this guy????
Bro. Yates, to answer your question... I first read postings by this person who came on the forum and his screen name was Bert Caring about a year or so ago. You can do a search on the board to see all the posts that he came up with under that screen name if you are so inclined. Many of us tried to interact with him, unsuccessfully. He has all the answers, is the only one saved, and casts judgment on anyone who tries to interact with him. Mostly now I just read his posts and chuckle, because it amazes me how diligently he keeps coming back here with new screen names. But, once you've read a few of his posts, you can recognize him, and even with a new screen name, by his very first post under his new screen name, you know it is Bert...
Yes, it is pretty much inevitable that this happens. The Bible practically demands it. 1) It can be interpreted in a zillion ways, and is. 2) It promises miraculous powers. 3) It predicts abuse of such powers, and faking those powers. 4) It offers no practical help in knowing when such displays are real or fake. 5) It demands that people do just that -- even without such help or guidance. (Asking a spirit if it confesses that Jesus is come in the flesh doesn't help. At all.)
It shouldn't surprise anyone when Berts show up, or Jim Joneses, or Richard Gazowkis. Or when people who think they get it better than others exercise their faith and children die because of it.
I agree with everything down to 4), where you go off the rails, imo--but one must first experience being on the rails here, I guess...Timmy, no one should let others interpret Scripture for them, imo--no, not imo; they just shouldn't. Reading and studying Scripture would preclude you from saying...well, 4) on down...
Wadr, it is always those (Homers) that never read Scripture who are able to confidently claim "there is no help there." One may tell whether any 'displays' (which should be your first clue) are 'real or fake' by their fruit. But I understand what you mean; my sister, for instance, manages to get it done in what I would term a very 'religious' manner, that does not work for me, and in fact I now find kind of ridiculous. I don't fault her, however; this is just not my way.
Congratulations for seeing through the faults of the modern-day church, when others might find fault elsewhere; but this doesn't mean that God or Scripture is wrong. Maybe they should just be reading a little more Scripture, too. But don't become like Homer, if you know what's good for you--
Notice that no demands have been made upon you in this manner, either--you are not dead from it. It sounds as if you have accepted someone else's definition of what a Christian should be able to do--I would toss all that yack in the trash, and start over.
"Asking a spirit if it confesses that Jesus is come in the flesh doesn't help. At all..."
Ha--doesn't help you.
It is also helpful to remember that we all get different gifts, and others might do some spiritual things better, or worse, than you. You might also be looked down upon by some of these Christians, because they do not understand this. So what.
"Asking a spirit if it confesses that Jesus is come in the flesh doesn't help. At all..."
Ha--doesn't help you.
It is also helpful to remember that we all get different gifts, and others might do some spiritual things better, or worse, than you. You might also be looked down upon by some of these Christians, because they do not understand this. So what.
OK, I have to admit: it helps anyone who thinks it helps. In a way. It may not actually detect an evil spirit, but if you think it does, and act accordingly, well, what can I say? No harm done, I suppose. Well. Usually.
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Hebrews 13:23 Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty
OK, I have to admit: it helps anyone who thinks it helps. In a way. It may not actually detect an evil spirit, but if you think it does, and act accordingly, well, what can I say? No harm done, I suppose. Well. Usually.
Well, in my apprenticeship with 'testing spirits,' I had a quite different experience, and can still vividly recollect the many times the spirit in question agreed that Christ was Lord--and the one time where it did not. The silence was eerie, and I was frankly not quite prepared for it.
However, I did not have the impediments that you have in this area. Trust that I have plenty of my own, however
Well, in my apprenticeship with 'testing spirits,' I had a quite different experience, and can still vividly recollect the many times the spirit in question agreed that Christ was Lord--and the one time where it did not. The silence was eerie, and I was frankly not quite prepared for it.
However, I did not have the impediments that you have in this area. Trust that I have plenty of my own, however
What impediments do I have in this area?
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Hebrews 13:23 Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty
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