Lusting after him or her in your heart

[Jainarayan]

Treaty of Tripoli.

Thank you. I love pulling that one out.

 

[Faithofchristian]

Declaration of independence is simply rhetoric. It has no legal standing. The Constitution is the thing that counts and it does not express any inspiration or subservience to any God.

Are you absolutely sure about that?

 

[Jainarayan]

That all men are created equal by the creator God.

Whose God? Does it specify or call God by a particular name? Y'know, we Hindus use the word 'God' too, capitalized no less!

 

[Jainarayan]

Are you absolutely sure about that?

Yes. Prove otherwise.

 

[sayak83]

Are you absolutely sure about that?

Yes.

 

[DavidFirth]

No problem.


There is no mention of any god(s) in the Constitution. I've always been impressed by the fact that the US Constitution is the first (and possibly only) explicitly secular constitution of any country in the world.

Some skeptics today like to argue that the founding fathers purposefully left God out of the Constitution. They say that a "Godless Constitution" was the intended design of the document---and they're wrong.

First of all, the authors of the Constitution not only mention God, they even mention that Jesus is God. They do this in the ratification clause. This was done "in the Year of Our Lord" 1787.

But some skeptics object. Yet law professor John Eidsmoe, author of the book, Christianity and the Constitution, notes in response to their objection: "Saying this [ratification] clause is not really part of the Constitution is like saying the attestation clause is not part of a will."

God and the Constitution

 

[A Vestigial Mote]

2. The Holy Spirit reveals truth to the believer. Of course I know you don't believe this one. Nevertheless, the Spirit has revealed the truth that is Jesus Christ to me.

Just being completely honest here... I have never read a single word of yours made in support of your religious beliefs that I have found to be even slightly compelling. If God has revealed all of this "truth" to you, shouldn't its value be fairly evident to anyone reading? Considering that I do not find your words of much value (again, just being honest, I know these words are probably inflammatory for you, but it is 100% truth I am responding with here), what does that say about the OBJECTIVE quality of the message? Is it just me who is to blame for not finding/seeing the value?

 

[Nakosis]

Well, you seem to want to oversimplify things. With the melange, hodgepodge of a great variety of philosophies and beliefs, how can you ever call any one country Christian? The US is a cesspool of murder, drugs, atheism, homosexuality, adultery, and in no way may be named Christian. If you then take some countries that are predominantly Catholic, do you really think they act the Christian towards each other! Catholic Mexico has violence and drug problems like few other countries.

I don't know how this would keep a country from being predominantly Christian, Didn't Jesus hang out with whores?

 

[Nakosis]

Opinion noted and rejected. There is 100% evidence for the Spirit in the life of the believer. If there isn't then the person is not a believer.

So no actual evidence, something that could be validated by an objective 3rd party then.

The subconscious mind is quite capable of providing a religious experience to support your beliefs. So Holy Spirit or subconscious mind, you can't really tell the difference because you're not really conscious of what your subconscious mind is doing.

That's why being able to have what you experience be objectively validated is important.

 

[Brickjectivity]

Hi. I'm new here. My first post I wanted to discuss the subject of something that seems taboo to talk about : - pornography. The Messiah constantly referred to the generation he was apart of as an 'adulterous generation' but I would venture to say that the generation we are living in is far worst thanks to the rise of pornography especially through the internet and telivision. So I have a question. Why do so few predominantly Chr-stian countries do *nothing* about it?

We do not have Biblical marriage in modern times. We have some other arrangement that we call marriage. Marriages in the Bible are contractual. Today they are not contractual. Also when Jesus says he lives in an adulterous generation he's not talking about marital infidelity. It is the type of adultery that various prophets refer to. For example if you promise to be a Christian, but you behave like you are your own person then you are committing spiritual adultery.

And I'm not just referring to porn sites, I'm referring to any site which harbors content of a sexualised nature. Matthew 5:28 and Romans 13:14 clearly forbids us to watch these things and it seems clear to me that unless we as a nation can turn away from this epidemic, we as a nation will be judged for it.

Jesus is speaking exclusively to Jews in Matthew. Paul is not. These are two different conversations, but notice that Paul is not happy unless you are constantly working. He says you must clothe yourself with the Lord Jesus Christ. Are you going to make that a law? If laws can accomplish it then go ahead and try, but your efforts are counterproductive. You will find that it creates nothing but hypocrisy as people try to pretend to be whatever the law demands, and you will embarrass the laws and find yourself having to retract them just like with the prohibition act.

I was reading Ezekiel 7 - 17 today and it was heart rending, especially Ezekiel 16:30. We as human beings are permitted to lust after none other but our spouses. If we have fallen short, then surely we must repent.

Your micro-focus on this one sin is noted. You cannot focus on one thing, and you cannot legislate righteousness. Laws are supposed to be minimal to prevent general looting and rampaging. They can't make you a Christian.

 

[RedDragon94]

Why do so few predominantly Chr-stian countries do *nothing* about it?

It's not their job to. It's the job of the Church to tackle sin issues, not the state.

 

[DavidFirth]

So no actual evidence, something that could be validated by an objective 3rd party then.

The subconscious mind is quite capable of providing a religious experience to support your beliefs. So Holy Spirit or subconscious mind, you can't really tell the difference because you're not really conscious of what your subconscious mind is doing.

That's why being able to have what you experience be objectively validated is important.

That's the thing. See John 3:16-18. You either believe or you don't. If you don't verses 17 and 18 apply. Believers don't want any "3rd party" validation. We believe God, not men.

 

[DavidFirth]

Just being completely honest here... I have never read a single word of yours made in support of your religious beliefs that I have found to be even slightly compelling. If God has revealed all of this "truth" to you, shouldn't its value be fairly evident to anyone reading? Considering that I do not find your words of much value (again, just being honest, I know these words are probably inflammatory for you, but it is 100% truth I am responding with here), what does that say about the OBJECTIVE quality of the message? Is it just me who is to blame for not finding/seeing the value?

I am nothing but Jesus is everything. Without faith in Him you cannot believe. The Spirit reveals truth.

Jeremiah 29:13
You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

 

[QuestioningMind]

I'm talking about believers in Jesus as described in John 3. I'm not talking about religion.

Not much difference between believers in silly mythologies. They all tend to delude themselves into thinking their particular book of myths in the word of God. The morons who flew planes into buildings convinced themselves that their beliefs were reality, just like you have convinced yourself that your beliefs are reality.

 

[Grandliseur]

I don't know how this would keep a country from being predominantly Christian, Didn't Jesus hang out with whores?

A Christian country would have to display what it means to be Christian to each other, live pure lives as much as imperfect man can, showing the poor the care they need to survive and have food and shelter, even basic medical attention, make sure that murderers and unrepentant serious criminals were executed without wasting social resources, but making sure that they were guilty and not framed by corrupt police who go around robbing the innocent, killing the innocent.

I am not sure about how all countries would fit into those qualities. Personally, the Scandinavian countries try, but still they do not quite fit the label of the above.

 

[Jeremiah Ames]

The documents forming our government mention god because some of the people who wrote them were theist. Others were not. \that's the extent of it.

Exactly.
It would have gone against the founders desires to form a Christian nation. The goal was to liberate individuals to be free to make their own personal decisions for their lives.

 

[Jeremiah Ames]

Our country was formed as a white libertarian nation, where the white man was given the right to choose his own destiny.
That includes freedom to choose what you believe and what religion you follow. Sadly, it took well over a century to extend that freedom to women and much much longer for non white men.
And today, unfortunately, many people still try to govern what others should determine is correct for their own lives. At no time in our history has this been a nation that Jesus would be proud of, in my opinion.
Grandliseur mentioned Scandinavian countries. I have to agree, that their model is far closer to a Jesus-like nation than ours.
Take care of the needy, the sick, the elderly.
Accept people for who they are.
Our nation moves farther from these principles as time goes on.

 

[Tmac]

Hi. I'm new here. My first post I wanted to discuss the subject of something that seems taboo to talk about : - pornography. The Messiah constantly referred to the generation he was apart of as an 'adulterous generation' but I would venture to say that the generation we are living in is far worst thanks to the rise of pornography especially through the internet and telivision. So I have a question. Why do so few predominantly Chr-stian countries do *nothing* about it? And I'm not just referring to porn sites, I'm referring to any site which harbors content of a sexualised nature. Matthew 5:28 and Romans 13:14 clearly forbids us to watch these things and it seems clear to me that unless we as a nation can turn away from this epidemic, we as a nation will be judged for it.

I was reading Ezekiel 7 - 17 today and it was heart rending, especially Ezekiel 16:30. We as human beings are permitted to lust after none other but our spouses. If we have fallen short, then surely we must repent.

Are you being tempted? Did you know that nature didn't really have faith that we were smart to survive so it put a signal within each male to remind it that procreation was imperative, I'm not sure about the interval is but its pretty constant, so the less you are aware with what is going on within you, you might think its you that brings it up.

 

[A Vestigial Mote]

I am nothing but Jesus is everything. Without faith in Him you cannot believe. The Spirit reveals truth.

Jeremiah 29:13
You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

Perhaps I didn't state my point clearly enough. The assumption you make is that you are led by "The Word" or by God, or by Jesus to go out and spread this knowledge you say you have, to help others "see the light," and accept your version of "the truth." That is the goal, isn't it? If the message is so crystal clear, so important, and so undeniable in your eyes, and you have THE SUPPORT OF GOD HIMSELF, more powerful than any other being in the universe - then why is your message not more compelling? Why doesn't the support from God manifest in brilliant and amazing and utterly profound things being thought and said by you? Shouldn't He want to help you in your quest? Isn't that what so many Christians profess? Isn't it said thousands of times over by thousands of people that "You have no excuse, you do know the truth, I am telling it to you right now." - that you are the witnesses for God, and you the ones to whom he has entrusted the salvation of the rest of the world - because God doesn't show up himself, and people point this out to the Christian, and the Christian claims to be there in front of those people on God's behalf. And yet there is nothing compelling in what they have to say. They quote a book that they also tell you to read, and proclaim that the answers will come. I have read the book, and while it may contain some choice words and concepts, Christian's ideas themselves have nothing more going for them, and it is terribly obvious in their attempts to "witness".

"So far as I can remember, there is not one word in the Gospels in praise of intelligence." - Bertrand Russel

 

[Jeremiah Ames]

Perhaps I didn't state my point clearly enough. The assumption you make is that you are led by "The Word" or by God, or by Jesus to go out and spread this knowledge you say you have, to help others "see the light," and accept your version of "the truth." That is the goal, isn't it? If the message is so crystal clear, so important, and so undeniable in your eyes, and you have THE SUPPORT OF GOD HIMSELF, more powerful than any other being in the universe - then why is your message not more compelling? Why doesn't the support from God manifest in brilliant and amazing and utterly profound things being thought and said by you? Shouldn't He want to help you in your quest? Isn't that what so many Christians profess? Isn't it said thousands of times over by thousands of people that "You have no excuse, you do know the truth, I am telling it to you right now." - that you are the witnesses for God, and you the ones to whom he has entrusted the salvation of the rest of the world - because God doesn't show up himself, and people point this out to the Christian, and the Christian claims to be there in front of those people on God's behalf. And yet there is nothing compelling in what they have to say. They quote a book that they also tell you to read, and proclaim that the answers will come. I have read the book, and while it may contain some choice words and concepts, Christian's ideas themselves have nothing more going for them, and it is terribly obvious in their attempts to "witness".

"So far as I can remember, there is not one word in the Gospels in praise of intelligence." - Bertrand Russel

From my experience: The churches (buildings made by people) have many people in them who like to tell others what they need to do. Due to the subtle and not so subtle means employed by the churches many members feel a duty to evangelize everyone they see, and many if not most are unequipped, nor have the desire to do so. This army of aggressive evangelicals turns off the ones they are trying to win over.

In 1 Peter 3:15, Peter says "But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give a reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,"