Terry Sampson
Well-Known Member
re: #1. I'm almost sorry that you think so, but if you think I'm a curmudgeon, wait till you skate through RF for a couple of weeks. You'll find me to be one of the nicest ol' farts around here.
- You don't strike me as a happy or pleasant person Terry.
- None of my post was about my beliefs.
- You made it an issue and
- now you are calling me names?
re: #2. I find it odd that you think none of your posts was "about your beliefs", to wit:
- The first sentence of your OP is:
-
Paul abused Scripture by taking passages out of context and giving them meanings that were never intended!
- If that's not one of your beliefs, what is it? A fact? LOL!
- Regarding that "whatever it is", unless you were intentionally playing the Devil's Advocate, it sure seems anti-Paul-inian to me.
- Are you objecting to my characterization of you as an anti-Paul-inian?
-
- Your self-description as an "Ebionite" appears every time you post a message.
-
- In my post #15,
What's an Ebionite in 2019? Have you been raised from the dead? - And in your post #16, you responded:
The truth is I don't belong to any organized religion. My spiritual beliefs match more with the ancient Ebionites (but not fully by any means) than with any other religious sect so I say it simply to explain what angle I am coming from.- If that's not a statement of belief what is?
-
- Expounding on the Ebionite beliefs, which you yourself say that your spiritual beliefs match to some degree, in your post #18, you post:
-
1. Ebionites -- The First Christians
The earliest Christians were commonly called Ebionites, meaning "the Poor."
In G. Uhlhorn, "Ebionites," A Religious Encyclopaedia or Dictionary of Biblical, Historical, Doctrinal, and Practical Theology (3rd ed.) (edited by Philip Schaff) Vol. II at pages 684–685 [see PDF at this link], we read:
Ebionites. This designation was at first like 'Nazarenes,' a common name for all Christians, as Epiphanius (d. 403) testifies (Adv. Har. xxix.1) It is derived from the Hebrew Ebion, "poor," and was not given, as Origen supposes, for their low view of Christ. Id. at 684.
Over one hundred years later, in about 180 AD, Irenaeus -- a Bishop from Gaul (now known as France) -- clearly describes those who persisted in the designation as Ebionites rejected Paul and followed the Law, relying upon Matthew's Gospel. In Against the Heresies, 1.26 Irenaeus says:
"Those who are called Ebionites agree that the world was made by God; but their opinions with respect to the Lord are similar to those of Cerinthus and Carpocrates. They use the Gospel according to Matthew only, and repudiate the Apostle Paul, maintaining that he was an apostate from the law. As to the prophetical writings, they endeavor to expound them in a somewhat singular manner: they practice circumcision, persevere in the observance of those customs which are enjoined by the law, and are so Judaic in their style of life, that they even adore Jerusalem as if it were the house of God." (Against Heresies 1.26.)
-
- So, forgive or not, IMO, you have--contrary to your claim that none of your posts was about your beliefs--repeatedly draped more than one of your posts in your beliefs.
re: #4. You object to me calling you names? Hmmm,
- Are you an anti-Paul-inian or not? If you aren't, please disabuse me of the belief that you are.by assuring me that you're not, and I'll beg your forgiveness publicly.
- Are you a "fake-Jew" or not?
- If you are a genetic descendant of Jews, forgive me for thinking and saying that you're not. The fact that you self-identified as an Ebionite led me to believe that you're not, because my limited experience here in RF is that there aren't that many bona fide real Jews around here but there are a hell of a lot of wanna-be trying to pass themselves off as "nearer-to-HaShem than Moses" Jews.
- If you're not a genetic descendant of Jews, are you a convert to Judaism or a citizen of Israel?
- If you're not a genetic descendant of Jews nor a convert to Judaism nor a citizen of Israel, then you're a "fake-Jew", i.e. a Gentile wearing verbal makeup trying to one-up real Jews and Christians alike.