OK, that is your choice. My position is, because the testimonies of the many witnesses to God are coherent, cohesive and corroborative over several millennia, that they are indeed credible. But more than their indications that God exists is the consistent story of meaning for our existence in...
When it comes to religious issues, I subscribe to Coherence theory within epistemology. It is really the only method that works when evaluating truth claims concerning God. Foundation theory doesn't work for the simple reason that usually there are no empirical evidences for reference. So...
What you say is a very nice bit of sophistry. Conflicting ideologies have been able to coexist in this country because of the constitution. Now that the government has all but destroyed the constitution and has polarized the populace by its all invasive methods and controls, there is very...
Personally, I find a contradiction in the two phrases: "[loves] his fellow man" and "[those fellowmen] being suppressed (and enslaved by religion)". Love is far from being indicated in the presence of the real emotion of contempt. The assumption is that people of faith are being suppressed...
Since you are dismissing the Bible as not coming to us from God through many prophets, while at the same time, providing us with information on what God's purposes are... Are you claiming to be a prophet? Did God tell you these things? For me, the Bible is a collection of books from many...
OK...if you insist (exclamation mark !) :)... except that good and evil must be defined in terms of God's laws. It is the law that is the basis for comparison and not just good and evil in isolation. Without reference to God's eternally objective moral laws, good and evil become subjective to...
I think it depends on a particular perspective. If one considers (as I do) that we are eternal beings (as in... not created) with the potential for making choices, then no, God did not create evil. Evil in this case exists in the "potential" choices of beings that have always existed which...
Why would anyone assume that God would protect people from the vicissitudes of life when the people themselves do not behave in such a way that their actions do not invite calamity? Shall God protect when His commandments are not kept? If anyone wishes to know how God interacts with His...
I consider original text and authorized translations to be authentic.
I give revelation more credibility than some academician without a clue as to the meaning or purpose of the gospel.
I have studied at college thank you and consider what most universities teach as socialist propaganda.
OK, the reason I asked is that I am trying to understand where you are coming from. It seems a little inconsistent to me for you to quote from the New Testament in support of the notion that the Torah; or rather adherence to the Torah is all that is required of someone. For another thing when...
I'm a bit confused about where you arfe coming from. Are you a Messianic Jew? Do I understand correctly that the name "Moshiach" means "the anointed one", and that has reference to the Messiah? The word "Messiah" is Hebrew meaning the same thing as the Greek word "Christ". Both words mean...
Our terminology is a little bit different. "Separating" a sin from the sinner sounds appropriate. I usually use the term or rather, the phrase: " saved from sin" to differentiate it from saving a sinner being "in their sin", which is not possible. It is not possible to save someone "in their...
Again, if one restricts one's perspective to the Torah, what you say may appear to have some credibility. However, from a Christian perspective and with other references to draw upon, baptism is about making and keeping a covenant made with Jesus Christ for the cleansing of one's personal sins...
Being limited in your question to the Torah, I have no more answer for you than what I already gave. Other writings and revelations give me to understand that baptism is and always has been a requirement. The Pearl of Great Price, revealed through Joseph Smith, says that Adam was baptized.
I take it then that you do not consider the Bible as authentic and prefer Josephus' writings over it. That is your choice. I happen to believe the Biblical record and here is some of what it says:
John 1:15: "John bare witness of him, [Jesus Christ] and cried, saying, This was he of whom I...
It absolutely is symbolic, but it is also one's signature to the covenant that is being made. You are making a covenant (signing a contract) by this act. The covenant is that Christ promises to saves us on condition of our repentance and the keeping of His commandments to the end of our lives.