A question of honesty

Originally posted by FMF
This just seems to be criticism of him for not being a Jehovah's Witness. Surely you accept that Christians can be Christians with necessarily being Jehovah's Witnesses?

Don't think I ever said that did I? No.

Other then him saying he is a Christian, what does he do or say or practice everyday in his life and shares that with us that makes you think he is?

Has he ever spoke good upbuilding things and promote Jesus's teachings of love?
Has he shown love and forgiveness to anyone here at RHP and want to teach just as Jesus did?
Does he practice the "fruitages of the spirit" the bible says a Christian must do from his heart to others?

My opinion and that's all it is, just my opinion, is no. I've never seen it ever from him.

But really I don't care what he does or says or throws at any of us. I don't have to defend my belief or my God and certainly not going to fall into his trap and games anymore.

If you think he is what you think he is that's fine. But you could do better.....

Originally posted by galveston75
Other then him saying he is a Christian, what does he do or say or practice everyday in his life and shares that with us that makes you think he is?

I happen to know him very well personally. So I know full well that he is a Christian. I can also see how this is demonstrated quite clearly here on this forum week in week out. I know how important his Christian faith is to him and I know it infuses his life and his marriage and the way that he interacts with people in his everyday life, including me. And I see evidence to support this here on this web site all the time. He may sometimes get what he sees as mistaken ideologues and pontificators a bit bent out of shape, but that's no reason to smear him as 'not a Christian'. If pugnacity and sharp words can somehow eliminate one's Christian identity, then very few of the vocal Christians in this 'arena of discussion and disagreement' are in the clear, including sharp-tongued and pugnacious Christian religionists such as yourself and robbie carrobie.

Originally posted by galveston75
Has he ever spoke good upbuilding things and promote Jesus's teachings of love?

Yes. Frequently. One of his bugbears is Christians whose misanthropy-on-their-sleeves and self-regarding groupist exclusiveness strike him as doing quite the opposite of "good up-building things and promote Jesus's teachings of love".

Originally posted by galveston75
Has he shown love and forgiveness to anyone here at RHP and want to teach just as Jesus did?

Yes. Frequently ~ more so than you, for example. I don't know of many regular Christian posters here who have shown the same degree of humility at the appropriate times or to have apologized for intemperate words or misunderstandings as often as he has ~ again, much more often than you have, for example. Your sense of pride and self-righteousness dwarfs his.

Originally posted by galveston75
Does he practice the "fruitages of the spirit" the bible says a Christian must do from his heart to others?

Yes, I'd say so. And frequently. If you have found yourself bent out of shape when interacting with him, maybe you should reflect upon yourself just a little. Wouldn't do any harm for you to do this, though I cannot remember you ever posting anything that was clearly a product of you reflecting on your own behaviour. I will make a point of congratulating you if you ever do.

Originally posted by galveston75
But really I don't care what he does or says or throws at any of us. I don't have to defend my belief or my God and certainly not going to fall into his trap and games anymore.

You really "don't care"?

This is one of the most vituperative and poisonous attacks on a fellow Christian that I have ever read on this forum:

I'm not back and in fact I'm supprised I've even had time to check this site this morning. My parents are doing worse, my wife has been in the hospital with emergency surgery.

But frankly the reason I will not come back is because of you "dive dude".

Yeah before you slithered in and ruined it this forum was interesting and something I looked forward to each day. But you have taken over the spiritual forum with..yes..your Christian bashing which is as dangerous as satan himself being here as your goal is nothing more then to tear down anyone that has love for their god and all the good things he stands for no matter their opinion.

Your clearly have no love for god or your fellow man. It is clear you have a deep void full of hate and of non spirituality and as a result you are like satan in trying to bring down anyone that does. You are a miserable human being and I actually feel sorry for you.

But I make it clear you have not won anything with me leaving the spiritual forum as you are only one tiny little human being with tiny little opinions. You are nothing more then a god hater knowing his days are numbered.

But...you will soon know who Jehovah is my friend. Good luck with that....

However much he may have rubbed you up the wrong way with his words, surely it is now the case ~ when it comes to 'bashing a Christian' in harness with 'really not caring', as you claim ~ that you have trumped him hands-down with the above post?

Originally posted by galveston75
If you think he is what you think he is that's fine. But you could do better.....

You think I should get rid of him and find another friend to replace him? 😉

Originally posted by FMF
Yes but it's clear he is a Christian from his postings here for many years. We know he's not a Jehovah's Witness, of course, but just because he's vocal about that and because he is unimpressed by your posting style, and says so ~ how do you get from that to him 'not being a Christian'?

You said you were a Christian at one time too. But now you say you are not a Christian. So It appears to me that you had to be lying at some time.

Originally posted by RJHinds
You said you were a Christian at one time too. But now you say you are not a Christian. So It appears to me that you had to be lying at some time.

Not so. When I was in the transition between being a Christian and not being a Christian, I was open about it and talked to many people about it in a frank and honest way. I don't see how divegeester can be described as being 'in transition' no matter how many boggle-eyed Christianity-related notions might bombard him here. And if ever he were 'in transition', I have no doubt he would be open and honest ~ and forthright ~ about it.

Originally posted by bbarr
Warmest wishes to you and your family. My thoughts are with you. I hope everything works out alright.

Ditto.

Originally posted by RJHinds
Christ taught an everlasting torment for unrepentant sinners in the Lake of Fire and Brimstone. There were a couple of threads that went into great detail on this, but you have stubbornly refused to repent and believe what Christ taught. So is it going to take you being thrown in there and experiencing everlasting torment to believe Christ?

I have reflected overnight on your claim (as a Christian) that I (as a fellow Christian) should be, in fact I "deserve to be" thrown into the lake of fire and burnt for eternity because I refuse to believe in the doctrine of eternal torture.

As you are clearly passionate about this doctrine and sincerely believe in it, I can only stand lost for words at what you are saying. To genuinely believe that another human being deserves to be burnt alive for eternity for not believing in eternal suffering must be one of the saddest indictments of the Christian faith ever posted in this forum.

And some wonder why the lost mock Christians.

Originally posted by galveston75
Don't think I ever said that did I? No.

Other then him saying he is a Christian, what does he do or say or practice everyday in his life and shares that with us that makes you think he is?

Has he ever spoke good upbuilding things and promote Jesus's teachings of love?
Has he shown love and forgiveness to anyone here at RHP and want to teach jus ...[text shortened]... s anymore.

If you think he is what you think he is that's fine. But you could do better.....

Over the years I have been forthright and transparent in my criticism of your religious organisation; we have argued, debated, cross swords and vehemently disagreed on most subjects, frequently these are multi-topic exchanges involving most of the regular contributors to this forum in threads sometimes over a thousand posts in length and in which you have been a key contributor and have at least given as many metaphorical jabs as you have taken. This is the nature of online debate - making it personal and nasty is an exercise in futility.

During those posting years my wife's life was in danger because of a combination of systemic disorders the sum of which amounted to a greater threat than their individual parts. Part of her treatment was an emergency blood transfusion. Do you (and you friend robbie carrobie) remember how you reacted when I broke my own rule and shared that personal piece of information? I'm sure you don't remember, but I do. Others can surmise.

As for my religiosity, my beliefs; I have exchanged hundreds, no thousands of posts with you and others on my perspectives. I've debated the trinity more times than I can remember stating my case as a (for want of a better word) "oneness" believer, a single entity in the Godhead. And yet you remember nothing of this either, still even now talking of me mentioning the trinity to support my claim to be a Christian, something I've never done. In fact I do not believe holding any particular doctrine, having any church membership or doing any good works denotes being Christian.

I've tried on occasions to share elements of my faith through starting threads such as "Second attempt" currently on the front page of this forum. I stand against organised corporate religion and say so, I stand against doctrines of death (such as eternal suffering) which I feel bring the gospel into disrepute, I'll defend myself against accusations if I have to and I contribute to forum topics where I feel I can. I have even helped out one or two members of this community on occasion although not for any reward or thanks.

It is regrettable to me, to see you posting such hatred and vitriol against me Galveston75 and I have stopped to consider and question whether I deserve this in some way; and despite our disagreements I honestly don't think I do. I have stated in the past, several times, that I feel genuine sympathy for the struggle you are experiencing with your parents; I never mentioned it at the time but I lost my father 5 years ago last month. There is never an easy way to deal with what we all have to come face to face with at one time or another.

I hope you return to full-time posting again where I will debate you head on as always. In the meantime I wish you and your loved ones the very best in God's grace, mercy, compassion and love.

Originally posted by divegeester
Over the years I have been forthright and transparent in my criticism of your religious organisation; we have argued, debated, cross swords and vehemently disagreed on most subjects, frequently these are multi-topic exchanges involving most of the regular contributors to this forum in threads sometimes over a thousand posts in length and in which you hav ...[text shortened]... eantime I wish you and your loved ones the very best in God's grace, mercy, compassion and love.

Thumbs up for your magnanimity. 🙂

Originally posted by divegeester
To genuinely believe that another human being deserves to be burnt alive for eternity for not believing in eternal suffering must be one of the saddest indictments of the Christian faith ever posted in this forum.

If you think the notion of eternal torture is unjust then, according to sonship, you must discard the Bible. As he said on another thread recently, "...if eternal punishment is unjust then we must discard the Bible". Apparently it's a take it or leave it deal-breaker for a Christian life in sonship's view. 🙂

Originally posted by FMF
If you think the notion of eternal torture is unjust then, according to sonship, you must discard the Bible. As he said on another thread recently, "...if eternal punishment is unjust then we must discard the Bible". Apparently it's a take it or leave it deal-breaker for a Christian life in sonship's view. 🙂

Somewhere in the bible (I forget where) a person without discipline is described as being like a city without a wall. This is a simile I've always liked but unfortunately my wall is a little low! My point is that some Christians seem to apply this analogy to their beliefs whereby the the city is the belief structure and the wall is this construct of various bricks of fear, habit, indoctrination, preciousness, self-righteousness and self-assuredness all held together with a mortar of pride.

We (Christians) should have core understanding of the basis of our spiritual relationship with Christ/God and after that be open to instruction, learning and unlearning.