A non productive forum......

@chaney3 said
You lost your right to lecture Christians about anything, on the day you abandoned your faith and kicked Jesus to the curb.

I think everyone here has the right to make what they will of the stuff galveston75 posted in his OP.

@chaney3 said
Please start a thread about atheists lecturing other atheists.

If you think there'd be something interesting to discuss on such a thread, you should start it.

@galveston75 said
I've been away for a couple weeks now mostly because of work. So I thought I'd stay away and not even look at this forum until work slowed down some because I wanted to try and look back here, which is today, and see what I've been in the middle of.
Yes there are a couple here that are trying to live up to the standards of a Christian as is outlined in the Bible. Jesus ...[text shortened]... ones who call themselves Christians, let all your life, "every aspect" of it prove that you are....

If Jesus were alive today, I'm pretty sure he would speak out against the modern-day equivalent of the Sadducees and the Pharisees. Now, who do you suppose those would be?

The hidebound, dogmatic quoters of scripture.

He would speak out against churchianity.

He would say to one who had kept the ten commandments and still not found eternal life, "Love God, and love thy neighbor as thyself."

So, why are you here, starting a non-productive thread and moaning about all the apostates who populate these forums?

@galveston75 said
I've been away for a couple weeks now mostly because of work. So I thought I'd stay away and not even look at this forum until work slowed down some because I wanted to try and look back here, which is today, and see what I've been in the middle of.
Yes there are a couple here that are trying to live up to the standards of a Christian as is outlined in the Bible. Jesus ...[text shortened]... ones who call themselves Christians, let all your life, "every aspect" of it prove that you are....

I’ve read your post a couple of times to try and see past the thick blanket of hypocrisy and pious handwringing, but I cannot.

You have spent years and years here deriding other posters for their beliefs, sneering at other Christians for being suboptimal due to them not being a member of your religious cult. You have bullied members of your own church, @beauroberts is the example, for going off message, you have defended bullying and the covering up of child sex abuse in your cult, you have stood by Robbie Carrobie as he abused members of this forum calling dissenters such as myself some of the most horrible names one Christian can say to another and you have repeated flounced off the forum in fits of righteous indignation when you have been caught lying, for example your infamous use of caring a sick relative to avoid scrutiny in a debate remember the “Forum Etiquette” thread?

So when I read this sanctimonious dump from you, once again deriding the members of this community I don’t really feel any empathy, just a mild nausea.

@galveston75 said
I've been away for a couple weeks now mostly because of work. So I thought I'd stay away and not even look at this forum until work slowed down some because I wanted to try and look back here, which is today, and see what I've been in the middle of.
Yes there are a couple here that are trying to live up to the standards of a Christian as is outlined in the Bible. Jesus ...[text shortened]... ones who call themselves Christians, let all your life, "every aspect" of it prove that you are....

"I know some here are not Christian and sadly it is because they once were.
No wonder with things that are said here. ((((((( And I too have been guilty of that.)))))))
And no wonder some here do nothing but condemn the Christians, the bible and God."

Perhaps my comment about myself was missed? Yes I have been guilty of this thing I'm also condemning of others. As I said at the beginning of this thread with the time I did not post here and then looked at what is going on with all the attacks, it is a terrible thing to see and yes I am as guilty and it's something I am embarrassed about.
I am truly sorry to all here that I've offended...........

@galveston75 said
"I know some here are not Christian and sadly it is because they once were.
No wonder with things that are said here. ((((((( And I too have been guilty of that.)))))))
And no wonder some here do nothing but condemn the Christians, the bible and God."

Perhaps my comment about myself was missed? Yes I have been guilty of this thing I'm also condemning of others. As ...[text shortened]... it's something I am embarrassed about.
I am truly sorry to all here that I've offended...........

Sounds like you have a guilty conscience about something. Why not just speak about yourself if that is what is bothering you instead of condemning everyone on the forum.

@Soothfast

In their daily life, in both heart and mind, Christians are supposed to strive to be as like to Christ as they can possibly be.

Did you notice that sometime Christ had arguments with people he was trying to reach with the truth ?

So yeah, if Christ were alive today, I am absolutely certain he would spend all his time engaged in flame wars and pissing matches with nonbelievers in a backwater discussion forum on an Internet chess site.

Case in point. See now if I say to you "Friend, Christ IS alive today. He rose from the dead and is available yet in a wonderful and mysterious way. The last Adam became a life giving Spirit", perhaps you or someone else standing around listening will negate this. Then we have some lively discussion.

You ask too much to expect disciples of Jesus to all retreat to their closests while you announce to the world "If Jesus were alive today ..."

Makes total sense!

Makes sense to me that we go into all the world and preach the gospel.
Some of us like to talk over the Internet about our faith and experience with Jesus.

@galveston75 said
"I know some here are not Christian and sadly it is because they once were.
No wonder with things that are said here. ((((((( And I too have been guilty of that.)))))))
And no wonder some here do nothing but condemn the Christians, the bible and God."

Perhaps my comment about myself was missed? Yes I have been guilty of this thing I'm also condemning of others. As ...[text shortened]... it's something I am embarrassed about.
I am truly sorry to all here that I've offended...........

I was never offended by you, but I’ll accept your apology as credit for the future.

@galveston75 said
I am truly sorry to all here that I've offended...........

I have never once been offended by anything to have said, never. I am interested only in the analysis of the antics of the religious and non religious posters in this forum. Your antics are of interest.

So I do not invite nor do I require any flimsy backhanded apology. There is no animosity from me to you, merely an occasional challenging exchange about what is written in here by you.

This bleary-eyed moping by you now in this thread comes across to me as more of your victim playmaking to be completely frank. Next week you’ll be dissing me for something I’ve said to someone. Just play the game with the cards you’ve been dealt with integrity and contend for your own truth with sincerity.

Best.

@divegeester said
I have never once been offended by anything to have said, never. I am interested only in the analysis of the antics of the religious and non religious posters in this forum. Your antics are of interest.

So I do not invite nor do I require any flimsy backhanded apology. There is no animosity from me to you, merely an occasional challenging exchange about what is writte ...[text shortened]... the cards you’ve been dealt with integrity and contend for your own truth with sincerity.

Best.

The man is a drama queen. Clearly he has some personal issues and had he come out and said so many here would be sympathetic to his problems. But instead he attacks everyone else, who by the way are not offended by his words.

@sonship

Did you notice that sometime Christ had arguments with people he was trying to reach with the truth ?

Sure. Because he was, as you say, trying to reach them. And still, the general idea is that Christians should strive to emulate Christ in their daily life; but, being mere mortal sinners, they can never truly accomplish this task at all times. Nonetheless they must try, and in failing they find themselves arguing with Christ.

But look around here. You've got "Christians" spending all their time, seemingly, trolling the forums calling people "morons," and calling women getting abortions "whores," and threatening physical violence against others. Okay, I admit, I picked an easy target there: Chaney3. But many others are nearly as bad.

These individuals have to ask themselves: Is this behavior that Christ would exhibit, were he alive today? No? Then why are you doing it? Is it possibly because you don't really believe in the teachings of Christ after all? Maybe you've "kicked Jesus to the curb," and only mouth the precepts of Christianity based on years of conditioning and self-delusion?

I acknowledge that you're more earnest in your dealings, Sonship. Nonetheless the Internet is not, I think, the ideal tool for "reaching" people spiritually. People coming to this place are not looking for spiritual rebirth; they're looking for either a fight or to hold forth on their steadfast convictions, and so your words are largely wasted (except perhaps when you're bantering with like-minded fellows). Your only hope is that a lurker might be moved a little by your arguments.

@divegeester

This bleary-eyed moping by you now in this thread comes across to me as more of your victim playmaking to be completely frank. Next week you’ll be dissing me for something I’ve said to someone. Just play the game with the cards you’ve been dealt with integrity and contend for your own truth with sincerity.

It is possible for people to change, regardless of religion (or lack thereof). Perhaps Galveston is making a heartfelt spiritual course correction, as we all sometimes do. Or perhaps he is merely seeking attention. We cannot know. The rancor on this forum tends to bring out the worst in many.

@soothfast said
@divegeester

This bleary-eyed moping by you now in this thread comes across to me as more of your victim playmaking to be completely frank. Next week you’ll be dissing me for something I’ve said to someone. Just play the game with the cards you’ve been dealt with integrity and contend for your own truth with sincerity.

It is possible for people to change ...[text shortened]... seeking attention. We cannot know. The rancor on this forum tends to bring out the worst in many.

I will be one of the first, if not the first, poster to welcome any sincere positive change from our resident Jehovah’s Witness. This thread idea by him does not represent such a phenomena in my opinion.

@Soothfast

and so your words are largely wasted (except perhaps when you're bantering with like-minded fellows).

I don't see mutual building up as "bantering". Speaking with like minded or near like minded believers is very beneficial. This is fellowship often and is mutually edifying. Even in disagreement there may be some building up of one another's faith. This mutuality of speaking spiritually with Christian on Christian is a win win activity of building up one another's faith. Or it should aim to be thus.

It is also balancing and tempering, causing one or another to consider how she or he puts something. And it causes one to reconsider the accuracy of their understanding of the Lord, His word and the way.

@sonship said
@Soothfast
It is also balancing and tempering, causing one or another to consider how she or he puts something. And it causes one to reconsider the accuracy of their understanding of the Lord, His word and the way.

What one significant Christian belief of yours have you “reconsidered the accuracy of your understanding of the Lord his word and the way” as a result of your interactions here on this forum?