Question

[n2thelight]

I've been on this forum 4 almost 20 years, talked and debated almost everything in scripture ,so the question to the question is, has anyone changed your mind on your thoughts?

What I've learned since being here is that I sail my own ship , and also that I may have an influence on new members which is why judgement starts at the pulpit .

I'm by know means a preacher I just share my thoughts ,just remember you alone will stand before our Father

 

[Lifelong_sinner]

I've been on this forum 4 almost 20 years, talked and debated almost everything in scripture ,so the question to the question is, has anyone changed your mind on your thoughts?

What I've learned since being here is that I sail my own ship , and also that I may have an influence on new members which is why judgement starts at the pulpit .

I'm by know means a preacher I just share my thoughts ,just remember you alone will stand before our Father

1. this forum has been around that long????? I am surprised to be honest.
2. No one has changed my mind on this particular forum. This place is the first for me where every denomination and belief are all responding together. I find VERY few to have a similar view as i do on christianity on this forum. I dont think its bad to study theological questions, i think its part of people working out their salvation.
At this point, as a presbyterian, i know if i have a question, i would either read the Westminster confessions, or text my preacher. I think one of the problems with a lot of these issues is that so many on here dont have their own confessions to help them understand key topics. If i want to understand what the Trinity is, i simply look up the WCF chapter 2. Many on here are missing that.
3. Im a calvinist. Most have me on ignore.
4. We all will stand before God one day, and i cant think of a scarier situation for myself.

 

[Lambano]

I've been on this forum 4 almost 20 years, talked and debated almost everything in scripture ,so the question to the question is, has anyone changed your mind on your thoughts?

I haven't been on CB for very long, but I've been participating in Christian forums since, lessee, 2003.

I learned that I can't see the Bible the way I used to. These interminable arguments about Trinitarianism vs. Unitarianism, Arminianism vs. Calvinism, et. al. - their adherents all base their arguments on scripture. Scripture interpreted through certain lenses, prioritizing some verses over others... Doctrine may be important, but trusting the Jesus to whom the Bible points is sine qua non. "You search the scriptures thinking that in them you have eternal life..."

I may have softened my understanding of Penal Substitutionary Atonement, or at least see it as Christ's identification with us in our sins, as we try to live lives that identify with His life, in the hope of sharing His resurrection.

There is one other issue I may change my mind on, but I have good reasons to keep the details to myself.

I learned I don't have to convince anybody that I'm right. It's not my job to be the heresy hunter. (And to quote an old Scotsman I once knew, "Nobody loves the (blasphemous profanity redacted) Quality Control Engineer!") I just say what I want to say and leave it at that. Most of the time.

 

[Ronald David Bruno]

I haven't been on CB for very long, but I've been participating in Christian forums since, lessee, 2003.

I learned that I can't see the Bible the way I used to. These interminable arguments about Trinitarianism vs. Unitarianism, Arminianism vs. Calvinism, et. al. - their adherents all base their arguments on scripture. Scripture interpreted through certain lenses, prioritizing some verses over others... Doctrine may be important, but trusting the Jesus to whom the Bible points is sine qua non. "You search the scriptures thinking that in them you have eternal life..."

I may have softened my understanding of Penal Substitutionary Atonement, or at least see it as Christ's identification with us in our sins, as we try to live lives that identify with His life, in the hope of sharing His resurrection.

There is one other issue I may change my mind on, but I have good reasons to keep the details to myself.

I learned I don't have to convince anybody that I'm right. It's not my job to be the heresy hunter. (And to quote an old Scotsman I once knew, "Nobody loves the (blasphemous profanity redacted) Quality Control Engineer!") I just say what I want to say and leave it at that. Most of the time.

Actually, I would prefer a quality control theologian with credentials, one from each school of thought. But truly, Pastors with a Phd in theology don't have time to deal with online fantom people who disguise themselves and hide behind the screen. We vaguely get to know eachother. You really have to brake bread and commune in real time, face to face to get to know someone, unless they are truly honest. We have people that cut and paste and pretend to have all this knowledge. But get them in a room face to face and they would probably stumble. We got a new guy quoting theologians and exegeting entire passages as if he did the work himself. At first I was impressed, then he was confronted and caught. Pastors prefer to deal with up close and personal relationships within their congregations. Maybe we have this mixed bag of loners and rebels who dance to their own tune because they don't fit into a congregation. Yet, they feel they have a voice, they know the way and by golly, they will be heard. Yeah, I have come across some prideful ones, who can't admit when they are wrong. Maybe they think the same of me? I'm sure of it! With some, we go round and round on the treadmill leading nowhere and waste a lot of time. It would be easier if everyone posted their theological school of thought up front on their profile/ Avatar, so that we know where they are coming from. It would save a lot of time. I actually have a list of who is who on the side: Catholic, Non-Trinitarians, JWs, Legalists, SDA stressing always to keep the Sabbath, Pre-Tribbers, Post-Tribbers, Amillennialists/Preterists, etc.

 

[marks]

I've been on this forum 4 almost 20 years, talked and debated almost everything in scripture ,so the question to the question is, has anyone changed your mind on your thoughts?

What I've learned since being here is that I sail my own ship , and also that I may have an influence on new members which is why judgement starts at the pulpit .

I'm by know means a preacher I just share my thoughts ,just remember you alone will stand before our Father

I've learned and grown and changed some of my views as a result of participating in online forums.

Much love!

 

[ScottA]

I've been on this forum 4 almost 20 years, talked and debated almost everything in scripture ,so the question to the question is, has anyone changed your mind on your thoughts?

What I've learned since being here is that I sail my own ship , and also that I may have an influence on new members which is why judgement starts at the pulpit .

I'm by know means a preacher I just share my thoughts ,just remember you alone will stand before our Father

History (and of course God) shows us guilty.

I mean, that's the point--this is God making manifest (I am) out of what we are to the core, before the Judgement. Only some make a change when looking at their own image cast into the world. Thank God for the poor in spirit! Most are a lynch mob.

So...enough with such encouragement--I should think that with the advent of "all truth" promised to us during these times, many would change from their participation in but denial and tenancy to crucify those who are sent, to saying, "Ah ha!"...which of course we only hear when one climbs out of the deepest of pits and gladly takes that first cup of water from Christ. Then it's off to our own corner clutching our free gift as if we were all thieves on our crosses beside Christ. Oh, gosh, I wasn't going to do that!

Anyway, truthfully, I suspect that just as Israel, God's chosen came to crucify Christ and receive a type of blindness until we all have had our day in the sun...we too will disappoint and enter into a similar blindness--and have already.

And that is my witness.

 

[Ronald David Bruno]

I've learned and grown and changed some of my views as a result of participating in online forums.

Much love!

We have to grow. These conversations forces us to study the scriptures lots and if we don't learn from someone else, we learn from the Holy Spirit. We are a work in progress!

 

[marks]

We have to grow. These conversations forces us to study the scriptures lots and if we don't learn from someone else, we learn from the Holy Spirit. We are a work in progress!

As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend. It just happens when we are together!

Much love!

 

[n2thelight]

We have to grow. These conversations forces us to study the scriptures lots and if we don't learn from someone else, we learn from the Holy Spirit. We are a work in progress!

So how do we stay to what's true to us , I mean between the rapture and eternal torment who or who does not worship Mary ,guess what I'm trying to say is somebody ain't right on these forums , it's one extreme to another .How do we lift each other in Christ yet at the same time tare each other down .

I mean can you see someone who like don't believe ,came onto this forum or any others , to me they would be like ,dang they don't even know what they be talking about

So to answer my own question, nobody has changed my mind . Which also makes me feel that I've waisted my time here , and then I say if even one person came to Christ from what I've done here, I'm good.

Another question within the OP , What are we here on these forums for?

 

[Lifelong_sinner]

So how do we stay to what's true to us , I mean between the rapture and eternal torment who or who does not worship Mary ,guess what I'm trying to say is somebody ain't right on these forums , it's one extreme to another .How do we lift each other in Christ yet at the same time tare each other down .

I mean can you see someone who like don't believe ,came onto this forum or any others , to me they would be like ,dang they don't even know what they be talking about

So to answer my own question, nobody has changed my mind . Which also makes me feel that I've waisted my time here , and then I say if even one person came to Christ from what I've done here, I'm good.

Another question within the OP , What are we here on these forums for?

what you’re really asking is what do we have to know in order to be saved?
Can a Unitarian deny the Trinity and still be saved? Is baby baptism Biblical? These are the kinds of questions theologians have argued about for centuries. Im a presbyterian. Do i think you have to be presbyterian to be saved? No! Theres catholics, methodist, baptist, lutheran, all sorts of different christian denominations that are up in Heaven. No one denomination holds the only set of keys to Heaven.

When i first joined this forum, i already belonged to other forums. I think the people and how well you get along with the people determine if you like that forum. This particular forum is a place where i go just for small talk mostly. Are there smart people here? Absolutely. But i find the way this forum is organized doesnt lead to anything positive. Its only arguing for the most part. For me, if i want to learn something, i goto the reformed forums.

I would never go to a catholic church service, and by that same thought, i wouldnt ask catholics how they feel about calvinism. Theres never gonna be an agreement on every doctrine as we all have a bias. But i will say my preacher told me something once that took me back a bit, pertaining to baby baptism. He said he believed 100% that it was Biblical and that on judgement day, if asked by God, he would explain to Him why he believed in it. I thought that was bold. Yet on here, we seem to have no problem taking that same attitude towards others who disagree with us.

 

[n2thelight]

what you’re really asking is what do we have to know in order to be saved?

No , that's not my question ,what I wanna know is ,as a Christian forum ,why do we scream at each other

 

[Lifelong_sinner]

Because, all our beliefs are slightly different. Who’s right? Who’s wrong? God only knows. What i do know, is when i go to a reformed forum, i dont see the screaming there as you see on here. Why? We all have very similar beliefs there. We’re more agreeable as a result. This forum, its truly the wild west.

 

[Bob Estey]

I've been on this forum 4 almost 20 years, talked and debated almost everything in scripture ,so the question to the question is, has anyone changed your mind on your thoughts?

What I've learned since being here is that I sail my own ship , and also that I may have an influence on new members which is why judgement starts at the pulpit .

I'm by know means a preacher I just share my thoughts ,just remember you alone will stand before our Father

Years ago the Lord led me to repent of sins I was committing, and my life was transformed. No one here has convinced me to un-repent.

 

[dev553344]

I've asked questions and got answers. So I would say to some degree that the forum has changed my mind on some issues. But in the end I got a broad spectrum of answers and had to decide what I believed.

 

[Lambano]

What i do know, is when i go to a reformed forum, i dont see the screaming there as you see on here. Why? We all have very similar beliefs there.

Well, yeah, if everybody believes the same thing, of course that cuts down on the arguing. Without diversity of opinion, you don’t have much of a discussion forum.

Instead, I would ask why the arguments get so emotional? Why do we take disagreement personally?

This is why we old farts were taught you don’t talk about politics and religion in polite company.

 

[Brakelite]

Because, all our beliefs are slightly different. Who’s right? Who’s wrong? God only knows. What i do know, is when i go to a reformed forum, i dont see the screaming there as you see on here. Why? We all have very similar beliefs there. We’re more agreeable as a result. This forum, its truly the wild west.

People who are all locked into the same error will get along just fine. Not saying reform theology is error, but it's inevitable that birds of a feather flock together and as a result less friction.
Yep, there's friction here. And numerous perspectives and opinions and certainly it is impossible that everyone can be right. I am perplexed at times that within Christianity there are whole churches that are deep thinkers and serious students of scripture. They have some excellent insights into many biblical topics and doctrines. And it is so with many here. We should take advantage of that and learn. Everyone has something to offer. But why am I perplexed? Because those same churches, while having insight and real good understanding into some things, are quite blind regarding other matters which to most are obvious. And I think that revelation has a part to play in that. A major part. Spiritual truth comes by way of Revelation from God through the holy Spirit. We can offer truth all day long, but if the holy Spirit doesn't want am individual to know that specifics truth yet, God Himself will blind and deafen him.
KJV John 16:12-14
12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. 13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. 14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

There are things which we share now with this forum that not all will see yet, but may do so in time to come. None of us should stop sharing. And none of us should stop listening. That 'ignore' feature is self defeating.

 

[Lambano]

Another question within the OP , What are we here on these forums for?

This is a great question.

Over the years, I've seen:

• Guys who think they have The Answer and want a platform for their own idiosyncratic theological ideas
• People with an axe to grind; often a single-issue
• People who are lonely for fellowship, often who, whatever reason, can't attend or can't fit into a face-to-face church
• People seeking answers to spiritual questions
• Feel free to add additional categories

I'm not sure which category I'm in. I originally came here to resume a feud from a previous forum (see bullet 2). I then got caught up in caring about other people (bullet 3, though I fit in just fine in my local church). Many times I've thought that it would be healthier if I did leave.

 

[Lifelong_sinner]

This is a great question.

Over the years, I've seen:

• Guys who think they have The Answer and want a platform for their own idiosyncratic theological ideas
• People with an axe to grind; often a single-issue
• People who are lonely for fellowship, often who, whatever reason, can't attend or can't fit into a face-to-face church
• People seeking answers to spiritual questions
• Feel free to add additional categories

I'm not sure which category I'm in. I originally came here to resume a feud from a previous forum (see bullet 2). I then got caught up in caring about other people (bullet 3, though I fit in just fine in my local church). Many times I've thought that it would be healthier if I did leave.

i have to wonder what your feud was about. You dont seem the type to hold a grudge.

i have thought the same thing as you about leaving this forum. I do get tired of the constant back and forth, and i am reminded of a feud between paul and barnabas concerning mark in Acts 15:36.
Sometimes we do need a break, and for me, i find going to the reformed forums helps remove any grudges.

 

[bbyrd009]

As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend. It just happens when we are together!

Much love!

giving a man a fish is not teaching a man to fish i guess

 

[Lambano]

i have to wonder what your feud was about. You dont seem the type to hold a grudge.

I found out pretty quickly that my lust for battle was gone. Maybe time has mellowed me (or at least lowered my testosterone levels). Maybe I feel more secure in my beliefs now. Or maybe, just maybe, the Holy Spirit is doing His work on my heart. I don't know which.

@marks once said something that struck me as very profound:

"In my experience people hear love more than they hear truth."

Or maybe they need to hear love before they can hear truth.