The purpose of this thread is to provide a place to discuss favorite ideas from scriptures. One poster in another thread made a comment surrounding the tendency for believers to form denominations based on their particular affinity to one idea or another- and he made a good observation in this. That's the core of denominational difference. I hold to this idea, while you hold to that... and each of us of course present scriptural argument to support our ideas and confront theirs. This thread contains no denominational bias. I don't care if you are Catholic, Baptist, Mormon, Muslim or Jew. I just don't care.
Let's look at beliefs for what they really are-- they are ideas. Concepts you accept. Sometimes containing even concepts you don't really understand, but you accept. --Sometimes people accept certain ideas not recognizing the unintended consequences of those beliefs. This thread is intended to be an open discussion of ideas like that-- what we believe and what it then means. It's not designed to be a proving ground for who is right and who is wrong, rather it will be a laboratory where we dissect beliefs to better understand the substance of them, what makes them what they are, and what that then means... how that understanding informs and shapes our beliefs. It's an effort to embrace a logical, well-founded faith in Christ.
We can make a list of such ideas and if necessary spin out threads like the one discussing Mary and Joseph's "coming together" (uniting in marriage) when he takes her as his wife before they "come together" (cohabit) and they begin living together as newly married couples do. If anyone has new ideas that haven't already been addressed in that thread-- add them to the list here.
Another sacred cow surrounds the humanity of the baby they had. I've heard some here argue emphatically that Jesus was not human. He was something more like super-human, only appearing to be a man. We can look at that. If you believe that, your beliefs have certain repercussions. A hot button issue is the belief in the trinity-- a topic considered out of bounds, so beyond this mention here we'll carefully avoid discussing it in this thread to abide by Forum wishes. It's just too upsetting for some to discuss. Some hold it so tightly and some oppose it so strongly. I could argue that for those reasons it should be discussed, but it won't be here. How about 'the rapture?' For some it's a deal-breaker belief-- You must believe it, while others dismiss it. -But there have to be a few dozen rapture discussions already. I'd like to look at bigger, more foundational ideas.
If anyone has an idea they'd like to raise, the floor is open. Otherwise-- I'll dive into something from my own heart.
Let's look at beliefs for what they really are-- they are ideas. Concepts you accept. Sometimes containing even concepts you don't really understand, but you accept. --Sometimes people accept certain ideas not recognizing the unintended consequences of those beliefs. This thread is intended to be an open discussion of ideas like that-- what we believe and what it then means. It's not designed to be a proving ground for who is right and who is wrong, rather it will be a laboratory where we dissect beliefs to better understand the substance of them, what makes them what they are, and what that then means... how that understanding informs and shapes our beliefs. It's an effort to embrace a logical, well-founded faith in Christ.
We can make a list of such ideas and if necessary spin out threads like the one discussing Mary and Joseph's "coming together" (uniting in marriage) when he takes her as his wife before they "come together" (cohabit) and they begin living together as newly married couples do. If anyone has new ideas that haven't already been addressed in that thread-- add them to the list here.
Another sacred cow surrounds the humanity of the baby they had. I've heard some here argue emphatically that Jesus was not human. He was something more like super-human, only appearing to be a man. We can look at that. If you believe that, your beliefs have certain repercussions. A hot button issue is the belief in the trinity-- a topic considered out of bounds, so beyond this mention here we'll carefully avoid discussing it in this thread to abide by Forum wishes. It's just too upsetting for some to discuss. Some hold it so tightly and some oppose it so strongly. I could argue that for those reasons it should be discussed, but it won't be here. How about 'the rapture?' For some it's a deal-breaker belief-- You must believe it, while others dismiss it. -But there have to be a few dozen rapture discussions already. I'd like to look at bigger, more foundational ideas.
If anyone has an idea they'd like to raise, the floor is open. Otherwise-- I'll dive into something from my own heart.