Ask Angellous about his beliefs (Christianity)

[BrandonE]

I thought that maxim was a pithy and intelligent interpretation of Scripture. God does what she wants. Perhaps she will be just and save us all, or have mercy and send a few to eternal judgement. Whatever God does, I am sure that God will remain righteous.

It seems to me that a defining characteristic of the God of the Bible is that God can do anything that God wants and still be worthy of worship, righteous, and just = even if by rational human standards what God has done is unjust, inhumane, and perhaps even evil. The genocide of Canaan, the killing of innocent people in Sodom, the Flood, and perhaps the death of the woman and husband in Acts are excellent examples. Sending people to an eternal hell would also fit here, but that is perhaps an exclusively western view of God.

Interesting view. If I may follow up, given that you hold this view, that as you pointed out, has been called "enshrined agnosticism" by a fellow member of your faith, why precisely do you hold onto this faith? What is your personal motivation to follow a god that may be "righteous" by divine standards, but seems capricious at best by human standards?

BTW, I know an excellent place for hard-line rhetoric... Besides, if I were mindlessly mainline I would have entitled the thread

Angellous Mindlessly Regurgitates Mainline Christian Proof-texts

Thanks for visiting... please come again.

I'd use the smiley that is laughing uproariously if I could find it. Grr... Oh, wait... :biglaugh:

I don't get your allusion to a place for hard-line rhetoric, but as I'm really not interested in such, I'll not inquire further, thanks.

 

[angellous_evangellous]

Interesting view. If I may follow up, given that you hold this view, that as you pointed out, has been called "enshrined agnosticism" by a fellow member of your faith, why precisely do you hold onto this faith? What is your personal motivation to follow a god that may be "righteous" by divine standards, but seems capricious at best by human standards?

I simply pretend that my friend never said that and merrily go on my way.

I don't get your allusion to a place for hard-line rhetoric, but as I'm really not interested in such, I'll not inquire further, thanks.

You have my practice down pat.

 

[angellous_evangellous]

Bump~

 

[robtex]

Bump~

Do you accept the notion of the trinity and if so, what is the Holy spirit to you? Of the versions of the bible you read which ones stood out more than others and of the books associated with Christianty that are not canon which ones if any, stood out to you and why?

 

[angellous_evangellous]

Do you accept the notion of the trinity and if so, what is the Holy spirit to you?

I am a card-carrying Trinitarian. In my opinion, the Trinity is the defining Christian doctrine because it gives clarity and meaning to the cross event, the resurrection of Christ and the Church, and the Eucharist. Without the Trinity, there is no Christianity.

The Holy Spirit is the person of God who sustains creation and indwells the Church. It is exeedingly difficult to express the role of the Holy Spirit without previously accepting Trinitarian dogma as a presupposition. The Holy Spirit is One God with Jesus Christ and the Father, and has a distinct sustaining role in the world and creative role in the Church.

I better stop while I'm ahead.

Of the versions of the bible you read which ones stood out more than others

The English Standard version is my favorite. Most reliable IMO.

and of the books associated with Christianty that are not canon which ones if any, stood out to you and why?

Seriously, everything that I've read that is associated with early Christianity stands out for one reason or another.

I've read all of the apostolic writings - most in Greek. I have the least appreciation for Justin Martyr. Personally, I think that the guy was a complete moron. I've gotten in trouble for some of the things that I've written and said about him.

I love the apostolic writings because they are a window into the early church - we can see the concerns, organization, and nature of the earliest churches in their writings. To me, that's absolutely fascinating.

 

[zombieharlot]

As the majority of posts on this thread took place before I was a member, forgive me if I ask any repeat questions.

Do you believe fallen angels had sexual relations with humans?

Did Beelzebub possess Jesus Christ?

 

[angellous_evangellous]

Do you believe fallen angels had sexual relations with humans?

No comment. Next Question.

EDIT: Just kidding.

*in his best Bill Clinton voice*

No, I don't think that fallen angels had sexual relations with women.

Did Beelzebub possess Jesus Christ?

I don't think that the NT comes close to implying that Jesus was ever possessed in any way by Satan or any other creature/demon. Paul says that Jesus became sin to conquer sin in sinful flesh, but Satan is not sin.

I really think that the NT is clear on this issue.

 

[zombieharlot]

No comment. Next Question.

EDIT: Just kidding.

*in his best Bill Clinton voice*

No, I don't think that fallen angels had sexual relations with women.




I don't think that the NT comes close to implying that Jesus was ever possessed in any way by Satan or any other creature/demon. Paul says that Jesus became sin to conquer sin in sinful flesh, but Satan is not sin.

I really think that the NT is clear on this issue.

I see you found the "edit" button before I took offense.

The Bible says that God knew me before I was even conceived in the whomb. Does this not imply predestination of any kind?

 

[angellous_evangellous]

I see you found the "edit" button before I took offense.

The Bible says that God knew me before I was even conceived in the whomb. Does this not imply predestination of any kind?

It depends on whether or not you think that in order for God to know you, that God has to predestine your character.

I have an old friend who thinks that if God knows the actual outcome of every choice that you make, God actually makes the choice for you = predestination without freewill.

I think that God can do whatever God wants to do. In the Bible, God pre-ordains some things and is suprised by other things. It's a mix.

Perhaps due to God's power, God is able to know the future while sustaining freewill.

The answer to your question is simply: No.

 

[lunamoth]

Dear AE,

I would like to read one great book in Christian History. Other than the Bible, what book would you recommend?

Thank you,
lunamoth

 

[zombieharlot]

Just curious to see if you know a little trivia.

What is the only book in the Bible that does not mention God's name?

 

[angellous_evangellous]

Dear AE,

I would like to read one great book in Christian History. Other than the Bible, what book would you recommend?

Thank you,
lunamoth

Chrisitan history is a very broad topic. We've been around for 2000 years and in hundreds of cultures all over the world.

For history of the earliest churches, I study Bauer's Orthodoxy and Heresy. http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~humm/Resources/Bauer/

I also like Udo Schnelle's work on Paul in The Apostle Paul and his History and Theology of New Testament Writings.

I enjoy pretty much all of Earle Ellis' work, especially The Making of the NT Documents and Christ and the Future and Paul's Use of the OT.

For the relationship between Paul and the classics, I use Abraham Malherbe Paul and the Popular Philosophers and The NT and Classics (not sure offhand if that title is exact).

I also adore Troels Engberg-Pederson's Paul and the Stoics and Beyond the Great Divide and just about everything else.

Koester's History is also quite useful, but there are no footnotes.:cover:

 

[angellous_evangellous]

Just curious to see if you know a little trivia.

What is the only book in the Bible that does not mention God's name?

That's an easy one - Ruth.

It's one of my favorite books in the Hebrew bible.

 

[zombieharlot]

That's an easy one - Ruth.

It's one of my favorite books in the Hebrew bible.

You mean, this whole time that I thought it was Esther, I've been wrong!?!

 

[zombieharlot]

If I'm in hell, but cofess that Jesus is Lord, can I still make it to heaven? I'm curious because that happened during the three days between Jesus' death and resurrection, didn't it?

 

[angellous_evangellous]

You mean, this whole time that I thought it was Esther, I've been wrong!?!

Women's names are so hard to remember...

 

[angellous_evangellous]

If I'm in hell, but cofess that Jesus is Lord, can I still make it to heaven? I'm curious because that happened during the three days between Jesus' death and resurrection, didn't it?

Honestly, I don't have a clue what the verse means about Jesus going down into hell and what exactly he did there. I don't think that it means that anyone in hell will have opportunity to repent. In my opinion, if you wind up in hell, that's the end of it.

But God can do what God wants, and if he descides to redeem anyone in hell, no one will have any right to protest. It's up to God who he sends to hell and who he chooses to redeem.

 

[evearael]

What is your opinion on Genesis 5:24?

 

[angellous_evangellous]

What is your opinion on Genesis 5:24?

21When Enoch had lived 65 years, he fathered Methuselah. 22Enoch walked with God[b] after he fathered Methuselah 300 years and had other sons and daughters. 23Thus all the days of Enoch were 365 years. 24Enoch walked with God, and he was not,[c] for God took him.

I don't have an opinion on this verse.

Some Jewish writers during Jesus' time wrote pseudipigraphal apocalyptic literature in the name of Enoch. That is, they wrote stories from Enoch's point of view = stuff that Enoch saw in heaven. It's pretty interesting stuff. It provides background into Jesus as the Son of Man in the NT as well as the Christian confession concerning Jesus as one who descended from heaven and ascended into heaven.

Do I think that there actually was an Enoch who literally was mysteriously taken by God - I have no clue, but I'm inclined to treat it like a myth.

footnotes:

1st Book of Enoch
2nd Book of Enoch
3rd Book of Enoch

 

[angellous_evangellous]

Bumping in the spirit of the current popularity of "ask anything" threads.