What is the point of a forum if you cannot speak?

[Peterlag]

I attended a United Methodist Church for a year. One day the pastor and I were talking and he asked why I had ceased being a trinitarian. He listened patiently as I briefly recounted my story. When I was finished he told me, “You have a good biblical basis for being non-trinitarian but it all comes down to whether or not we believe the church got it right.”

He was speaking about the church decisions and decrees in the 4th and 5th centuries. I’ve since come across this same sentiment expressed by other trinitarians.

I asked the Methodist pastor what he thought about the Christians who lived before those decisions and decrees were made; non-trinitarian Christians. He replied, “God only knows. It’s best to leave such matters in God’s hands.” I thought that was a very good answer, but the pastor wasn’t finished. He added, “But we know things which they didn’t know.” I think that’s a good answer, too.

The Apostles taught that once born again you will receive Christ within, the spirit, that becomes our new nature. They then walked in that new life and with it produced the power of that spirit which is the power of God. Your church that you speak of killed the spirit and the Christ by making them something that is not even real. And that left the world walking in their old sinful nature without knowing the Scriptures or the power of God.

 

[Matthias]

The Apostles taught that once born again you will receive Christ within, the spirit, that becomes our new nature. They then walked in that new life and with it produced the power of that spirit which is the power of God. Your church that you speak of killed the spirit and the Christ by making them something that is not even real. And that left the world walking in their old sinful nature without knowing the Scriptures or the power of God.

The pastor was being tactful. He was trying to recover me, to rescue me, to save me, to bring me back into the trinitarian fold. I was convinced then, and I remain convinced now, that he was acting with good intentions and with what he truly believed was in my best interest. It was more than what the pastor of the Southern Baptist Church I was raised in did.

 

[Mr E]

I hope a lot of theses guys that I have talked to over the years including the folks who have deleted me right off their Forums will someday ask the Lord why he could not have found someone to help show them the truth. I hope then they will be sent to me and that I would have a memory of them. What will probably happen is that nobody will care once they get there including me.

So you can rub their noses in it? What a hope.

Rather self-aggrandizing, no?

I detest censorship and I don’t think any Mods should ever edit or delete posts apart from clear violations related to obscenity, profanity or personal attacks. I firmly believe that there should be consequences for ‘bad behavior’ but the enforcement process should be as transparent as possible.

When a forum tries to dictate “acceptable” beliefs and doctrinal positions?

It’s the beginning of a death spiral. When you have to start inventing and adding new rules, you’ve let “rules” overtake what should have been established as “principles”.

Rules are designed to punish bad behavior. Principles guide good behavior.

The promotion of good principles limits the need for the enforcement of rules.

There are no winners with rules. They only benefit the Rulers. Ask those folks on the Left who are now leaving Twitter en masse. They loved the rules when they were strictly enforced only against those they disagreed with. Once they became evenly applied, they came to hate those same rules. They simply didn’t want others to have the same right to speak that they themselves enjoyed. Not only the right to speak “their truth” (their beliefs) but also the power to silence anyone who didn’t feel the same way.

Folks will leave this place too, when only certain beliefs are considered acceptable (orthodox). When moderators take it upon themselves to determine what folks must believe and promote and ‘not speak against’ instead of simply “moderating the behavior” of members, it’s doom.

 

[Peterlag]

The pastor was being tactful. He was trying to recover me, to rescue me, to save me, to bring me back into the trinitarian fold. I was convinced then, and I remain convinced now, that he was acting with good intentions and with what he truly believed was in my best interest. It was more than what the pastor of the Southern Baptist Church I was raise

So you can rub their noses in it? What a hope.

Rather self-aggrandizing, no?

I detest censorship and I don’t think any Mods should ever edit or delete posts apart from clear violations related to obscenity, profanity or personal attacks. I firmly believe that there should be consequences for ‘bad behavior’ but the enforcement process should be as transparent as possible.

When a forum tries to dictate “acceptable” beliefs and doctrinal positions?

It’s the beginning of a death spiral. When you have to start inventing and adding new rules, you’ve let “rules” overtake what should have been established as “principles”.

Rules are designed to punish bad behavior. Principles guide good behavior.

The promotion of good principles limits the need for the enforcement of rules.

There are no winners with rules. They only benefit the Rulers. Ask those folks on the Left who are now leaving Twitter en masse. They loved the rules when they were strictly enforced only against those they disagreed with. Once they became evenly applied, they came to hate those same rules. They simply didn’t want others to have the same right to speak that they themselves enjoyed. Not only the right to speak “their truth” (their beliefs) but also the power to silence anyone who didn’t feel the same way.

Folks will leave this place too, when only certain beliefs are considered acceptable (orthodox). When moderators take it upon themselves to determine what folks must believe and promote and ‘not speak against’ instead of simply “moderating the behavior” of members, it’s doom.

To rub their noses in it was not my first thought. It appears to have been yours. I'm all about truth now and in the future.

 

[Matthias]

I'm all about truth now and in the future.

So say all Christians, trinitarian and non-trinitarian alike. Can we at least acknowledge and agree on that much?

 

[Peterlag]

So say all Christians, trinitarian and non-trinitarian alike. Can we at least acknowledge and agree on that much?

When the Lord returns. Those who have the spirit of Christ will go with him. Those good, loving, forgiving, good natured human beings will not go with him.

 

[Matthias]

When the Lord returns. Those who have the spirit of Christ will go with him. Those good, loving, forgiving, good natured human beings will not go with him.

There are charlatans in Christianity. I’ve yet to meet one on Christianity Board.

 

[Charlie24]

No doubt sir, but what happens to the majority according to Jesus. One has to meet the requirements of salvation to receive it Charlie. And the Bible gives us those requirements.

If you have read Paul's letters, how he was given the revelation of the New Covenant by Christ, you would know that requirement is faith.

But you don't believe Paul when he says that Grace is not given to him who works for it, but to him who doesn't work for it but believes, to him is granted the righteousness by Grace through faith.

Most of you who work for their salvation don't realize that salvation is instant, it takes place the very second you place faith in the finished work of Christ.

It's a total perversion of Scripture to teach that we must work for salvation! Salvation has never been by works from the beginning of man!

But man feels he has to earn it in some way, and that is where Grace ends, and their is no salvation! It's simply not Grace when one is working for it.

 

[Wrangler]

The issue is not free speech but attacks on fundamental Bible doctrines.

LOL Those in error, tend to resort to censorship. Free speech is the means by which fundamentals of all kinds - not just religious - are tested and either verified or discarded.

I recall an exchange with Albert Einstein and a reported who stated several dozens of German scientists came out against the validity of his General Theory of Relativity. Einstein famously responded that if the General Theory of Relativity was wrong, it would only take 1. Imagine that?

 

[Charlie24]

LOL Those in error, tend to resort to censorship. Free speech is the means by which fundamentals of all kinds - not just religious - are tested and either verified or discarded.

I recall an exchange with Albert Einstein and a reported who stated several dozens of German scientists came out against the validity of his General Theory of Relativity. Einstein famously responded that if the General Theory of Relativity was wrong, it would only take 1. Imagine that?

Since we are having difficulties with a certain faith that most don't consider to be Christians, why doesn't that faith request a forum for themselves? it seems to me the same arguments arise time and time again from a handful here who deny the foundations in which Christianity is founded.

Have your free speech among one another with your beliefs, not with us who can't agree with your constant denials of basic biblical principles!

 

[Peterlag]

There are charlatans in Christianity. I’ve yet to meet one on Christianity Board.

I have to rewrite this because my pen got ahead of my brain and I did not write what I was thinking. So I will rewrite it correctly here and then you can comment on it again if you would like to do so.

When the Lord returns. Those who have the spirit of Christ will go with him. Those who do not have the spirit of Christ will not go with him. Those who are good, loving, forgiving, good natured human beings will not matter to him. They either will have the spirit or they will not.

 

[Charlie24]

I have to rewrite this because my pen got ahead of my brain and I did not write what I was thinking. So I will rewrite it correctly here and then you can comment on it again if you would like to do so.

When the Lord returns. Those who have the spirit of Christ will go with him. Those who do not have the spirit of Christ will not go with him. Those who are good, loving, forgiving, good natured human beings will not matter to him. They either will have the spirit or they will not.

How does one go about getting that Spirit? Please use the Scripture to back up your response, Peterlag.

 

[Aunty Jane]

Since we are having difficulties with a certain faith that most don't consider to be Christians, why doesn't that faith request a forum for themselves? it seems to me the same arguments arise time and time again from a handful here who deny the foundations in which Christianity is founded.

It isn’t only one faith that denies the trinity...there are several here. And according to Jesus, it is not the majority who have the truth...it is a hated and persecuted minority....so where does that leave those who find confidence in numbers? (Matthew 7:13-14; John 15:18-21)

What if the “foundations” upon which your “Christianity” is based was founded by liars and apostates of the 4th century? Jesus foretold that this would happen...are you a victim?

Have your free speech among one another with your beliefs, not with us who can't agree with your constant denials of basic biblical principles!

Jesus did not command us to take our message out to those who believe as we do...that was the whole point of Jesus telling his disciples to go out into the world to preach his message. (Matthew 28:19-20)

The ones to whom his disciples were initially sent, were those who purported to worship the same God.
Christ’s greatest enemies were his own people! They hated him enough to want him dead...why? Because he told them things that they did not want to hear, and exposed their religious leaders as hypocritical frauds.....those who listened to the self-righteous religious leaders, ended up cursing themselves with Christ’s blood, when he was sent to save them. (Matthew 27:25)

Step back and see the big picture. Nothing is as it seems.....the devil has no new tricks.

 

[Charlie24]

It isn’t only one faith that denies the trinity...there are several here. And according to Jesus, it is not the majority who have the truth...it is a hated and persecuted minority....so where does that leave those who find confidence in numbers? (Matthew 7:13-14; John 15:18-21)

What if the “foundations” upon which your “Christianity” is based was founded by liars and apostates of the 4th century? Jesus foretold that this would happen...are you a victim?

Jesus did not command us to take our message out to those who believe as we do...that was the whole point of Jesus telling his disciples to go out into the world to preach his message. (Matthew 28:19-20)

The ones to whom his disciples were initially sent, were those who purported to worship the same God.
Christ’s greatest enemies were his own people! They hated him enough to want him dead...why? Because he told them things that they did not want to hear, and exposed their religious leaders as hypocritical frauds.....those who listened to the self-righteous religious leaders, ended up cursing themselves with Christ’s blood, when he was sent to save them. (Matthew 27:25)

Step back and see the big picture. Nothing is as it seems.....the devil has no new tricks.

I'm an Independent Baptist. So I'll know who I'm talking to, what is your denomination?

 

[Matthias]

Nicene Christianity fell on its own sword - committed “theolicide” (a word I’m coining), vanquished / silenced at the hands of its adherents - on Christianity Board. Another casualty, it appears to me, of wokeism.

I’ve never been on a Christian board where that has happened. This is uncharted territory for me.

 

[Peterlag]

How does one go about getting that Spirit? Please use the Scripture to back up your response, Peterlag.

For me it started when I was a teenager and someone showed me a verse from a book written to Christians. But that verse was not written for the already born again. It was written for the unsaved found in a book written to Christians. Image that.

Romans 10:9-10

 

[Wrangler]

It isn’t only one faith that denies the trinity...there are several here. And according to Jesus, it is not the majority who have the truth...it is a hated and persecuted minority....so where does that leave those who find confidence in numbers? (Matthew 7:13-14; John 15:18-21)

Brilliant!

 

[Charlie24]

For me it started when I was a teenager and someone showed me a verse from a book written to Christians. But that verse was not written for the already born again. It was written for the unsaved found in a book written to Christians. Image that.

Romans 10:9-10

If salvation comes from the heart through confession of faith in Christ, then you know you are saved, right?

And you also know that you have the indwelling Holy Spirit as Paul said in Eph. 1:13, right?

 

[Jane_Doe22]

Writing this as a non-Trinitarian myself: I’m not here to prostlize others. Neither do I want to be constantly proselytized at. Other people have the right to believe as they do, as do I.

If a person can’t accept that and fellowship with those that do believe differently, then I just got to wonder what that person is doing on an interfaith forum.

 

[ThePuffyBlob]

I will comment on that too. It's there website and they have the right to manage it the way they see fit. I have a website and advertise on Facebook. I too delete a whole bunch of stuff that I feel is not supporting my beliefs.

true on that
but if you are a christian you shouldn't be the same as the common folks
as a christian you should also consider the word of God and not the standard of this world
and the standard is the website is yours you can do anything you want with it