I believe Satan has brain washed most Christians/people.

[JoStories]

Yes. Anywhere else I have looked so far not only has far more job opportunities for me (in other words, jobs that I can mentally tolerate, which does not include factory, retail, or food service) that allow me to develop and apply my skills, they pay better as well. In some areas I can easily make more than 3-times the amount of what I could expect to make here. I'd be lucky to make $10 an hour here, but in other places $30 an hour or more isn't hard to find. I am planning on celebrating my 29th birthday in a new city, preferable Seattle since they have the best job market in America, and because Western Washington is far more liberal than Indiana (beings a transwoman, my chances of employment will be far greater there than if I stay here).

Is it really a choice though when God knows we will sin, when he allowed a sinful nature to pass from Adam and Eve to offspring, and while he kept the temptation in front of us knowing we would succumb to that temptation?

Shadow, just so you know, the northeast is not too bad either. We are very accepting, at least around here and the wages are pretty good too. But having traveled as much as I have, the northwest is another great choice. I am not trans sugar but I am Bi and no one here gives a merde. Its just accepted, KWIM?? Food for thought...

 

[rusra02]

I agree and more importantly the Bible reveals that " the one called Devil and Satan, ...is misleading the entire inhabited earth." (Revelation 12:9)​

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Shadow, just so you know, the northeast is not too bad either. We are very accepting, at least around here and the wages are pretty good too. But having traveled as much as I have, the northwest is another great choice. I am not trans sugar but I am Bi and no one here gives a merde. Its just accepted, KWIM?? Food for thought...

I have to admit, Stephen King and the pictures my philosophy teacher (who just moved back there) has been posting on her facebook have made Maine seem very appealing.

 

[Paranoid Android]

Your parents don't sound very nice or loving and may not deserve any honor, but to be filled with hatred toward them only harms you. I think forgiveness, even when others don't deserve it brings freedom from the past and for the future. One thing I have experienced in my own life is that such freeing forgiveness is very difficult or even sometimes impossible without the power of God's grace.

So you think I should forgive my grandfather for having raped me countless times? No. I don't think so. Move beyond the trauma, yes. Beyond an advocate for other survivors, you betcha. But forgive a lecherous creep? No. Do you think I should have forgiven the man who dumped his comatose wife at the ER with mold growing on bedsores that went beyond the bone or should I have reported his pathetic arse and sent the SOB to jail? I could recount this kind of story ad nauseum but I won't because they make me weep to this day. Forgive this type of person or crime? Never.[/QUOTE]


Yup. That's why I will never forgive Squares.

 

[Awoon]

I believe the people who fostered the Reformation, brought a teaching from Satan, and made people believe it was from God.


Those people made people believe that it took God almost sixteen hundred years to bring people the true Gospel.


All those people did was to misunderstand Paul’s writings. The writings that are very plain and tell people that if they sin they will never go to Heaven, are discounted as if they are speaking to others, not those who believe what the Reformers said.


Yes I believe those people were brain washed by the devi


(1 Corinthians 6:9-19) “You know perfectly well that people who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God: people of immoral lives, idolaters, adulterers, catamites, sodomites, thieves, usurers, drunkards, slanders and swindlers will never inherit the kingdom of God.”


(1 Corinthians 5:11) “What I wrote was that you should not associate with a brother Christian who is leading an immoral life, or is a usurer, or idolatrous, or a slanderer, or a drunkard or is dishonest; you should not even eat a meal with people like that.”

The Kingdom of God is Heaven on Earth now. Followers of Jesus (Christians) are supposed to demonstrate it. They don't, so no Devil is needed to be blamed.

 

[JoStories]

I have to admit, Stephen King and the pictures my philosophy teacher (who just moved back there) has been posting on her facebook have made Maine seem very appealing.

Its beautiful here Shadow. The summer rarely has days over 90. The fall has all the wonderful colors. The spring, my favorite, is that special color of green that just lifts my spirits. Winter is my hardest season, despite having been skiing since I was 3. And of course, driving in all that bloody snow and ice!! But it truly is lovely here. The wages are good, although right now we have an idiot for governor. Best areas are around the Portland area or maybe Augusta or Bangor, depending on what you do. Those are the biggest cities. Others are MUCH smaller and Portland is only about the size of a rather large town. But I think you would love it here. King, btw, is kind of a *******. Arrogant and all that. We do have the Bushes who live here and of course, Patrick Dempsey (Mr. Hottie himself!), and Anna Kendrick...also lovely. Tons more including lobster at 4.99 a lb.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

King, btw, is kind of a *******. Arrogant and all that.

With his coke use, that doesn't surprise me.

 

[JoStories]

With his coke use, that doesn't surprise me.

No, and that man that accidentally hit him about 2 decades ago in Fryeburg was harassed by King and his lawyers so much, he killed himself. King may write sort of well, as does his son (who is a better writer) but he is really an arse.

 

[InChrist]

Your parents don't sound very nice or loving and may not deserve any honor, but to be filled with hatred toward them only harms you. I think forgiveness, even when others don't deserve it brings freedom from the past and for the future. One thing I have experienced in my own life is that such freeing forgiveness is very difficult or even sometimes impossible without the power of God's grace.

So you think I should forgive my grandfather for having raped me countless times? No. I don't think so. Move beyond the trauma, yes. Beyond an advocate for other survivors, you betcha. But forgive a lecherous creep? No. Do you think I should have forgiven the man who dumped his comatose wife at the ER with mold growing on bedsores that went beyond the bone or should I have reported his pathetic arse and sent the SOB to jail? I could recount this kind of story ad nauseum but I won't because they make me weep to this day. Forgive this type of person or crime? Never.[/QUOTE]

I am truly sorry to hear what your grandfather did to you and how your childhood was stolen from you by his sinful, twisted lust;

I believe there is a vast difference between forgiveness and condoning the deplorable behaviors you mentioned above. They are not one and the same and crimes such as these should be reported and never tolerated. Yet, I see forgiveness differently. First, I will say that I think it is humanly impossible to forgive someone who has really hurt or harmed you. I think it is a work of God in one's heart and mind and because it is a supernatural work, it brings freedom from the bitterness and pain of the harmful event(s). For the Christian, this is the power of Christ living through us accomplishing such forgiveness.

I have a very close friend which I have known my entire life since our moms shared a hospital room when we were born. Neither of us were Christians while growing up, yet we both later were saved by Jesus. It was several years later that she shared how her father had sexually molested her throughout her childhood. She confronted him and brought it out in the open, she did not condone or ignore his wrong behavior, she did not ever trust him alone with her own children ...but she did forgive him.
I have another friend of of over fifteen years who had basically the same experience with her father.

I don't think forgiveness means sweeping awful things away as if they never occurred, not dealing with them in the appropriate way, or allowing the perpetrator to get off without facing consequences. I do think forgiveness has the powerful effect of setting the victim free from bitterness and hate and then of being a reality check to the one whose selfish, perverted behavior was so harmful and damaging to another, in these cases their own daughters. Both of these fathers came to the point of truly being broken and sorry, repenting of their sins and seeking forgiveness from their daughters and Jesus the Savior.

 

[JoStories]

So you think I should forgive my grandfather for having raped me countless times? No. I don't think so. Move beyond the trauma, yes. Beyond an advocate for other survivors, you betcha. But forgive a lecherous creep? No. Do you think I should have forgiven the man who dumped his comatose wife at the ER with mold growing on bedsores that went beyond the bone or should I have reported his pathetic arse and sent the SOB to jail? I could recount this kind of story ad nauseum but I won't because they make me weep to this day. Forgive this type of person or crime? Never.

I am truly sorry to hear what your grandfather did to you and how your childhood was stolen from you by his sinful, twisted lust;

I believe there is a vast difference between forgiveness and condoning the deplorable behaviors you mentioned above. They are not one and the same and crimes such as these should be reported and never tolerated. Yet, I see forgiveness differently. First, I will say that I think it is humanly impossible to forgive someone who has really hurt or harmed you. I think it is a work of God in one's heart and mind and because it is a supernatural work, it brings freedom from the bitterness and pain of the harmful event(s). For the Christian, this is the power of Christ living through us accomplishing such forgiveness.

I have a very close friend which I have known my entire life since our moms shared a hospital room when we were born. Neither of us were Christians while growing up, yet we both later were saved by Jesus. It was several years later that she shared how her father had sexually molested her throughout her childhood. She confronted him and brought it out in the open, she did not condone or ignore his wrong behavior, she did not ever trust him alone with her own children ...but she did forgive him.
I have another friend of of over fifteen years who had basically the same experience with her father.

I don't think forgiveness means sweeping awful things away as if they never occurred, not dealing with them in the appropriate way, or allowing the perpetrator to get off without facing consequences. I do think forgiveness has the powerful effect of setting the victim free from bitterness and hate and then of being a reality check to the one whose selfish, perverted behavior was so harmful and damaging to another, in these cases their own daughters. Both of these fathers came to the point of truly being broken and sorry, repenting of their sins and seeking forgiveness from their daughters and Jesus the Savior.[/QUOTE]
I see things like this very differently from you. My childhood was not stolen. It was hard but it helped prepare me for when my daughter was raped. To be strong for her when she needed me the most. Forgiveness was never a part of the repair of our souls.

 

[Muffled]

Why would he need to brainwash me when he gave me the Keys to my freedom and I gladly accepted?
God was oppressive, and I was required to think a certain way.
Lucifer freed me of the oppression, and I have been able to gain vast wealths of knowledge since then.
We don't keep in touch much these days, but he did give me the kindling to get the Flames Within burning, and today those flames are raging.

John 8:34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Every one that committeth sin is the bondservant of sin.

 

[Muffled]

You probably need to read back through the history of what posts I was replying to and what those, in turn, were in response to. I was basically commenting on someone else's explanation of their life/religion story. Not even close to mine.

And here's where I blow your mind. I have basically lived a nearly "charmed" life, of a sort, and yet I am not a believer. Nor do I dip my cup into many of the sins you'd sit there and say were of "the darker side". I was raised by good parents, who I love dearly. I have a wife and 3 children, any of whom I would die for without hesitation if the need arose. I rarely drink, hate the club/strip/gambling scene, laugh at peer pressure, have what I consider to be a strong sense of justice, I'm a vegan for ethical reasons over health, and I am in good health - have been to the doctor for super-minor (ridiculously minor, honestly) issues maybe 3 times in the past 20 years, I don't believe that I have ever truly suffered throughout my life, to be honest - holding a stark understanding that someone else has always had it worse than I ever have. Not saying I haven't made mistakes, done the wrong thing from time to time in my life - but I am no detriment to society by any stretch of the imagination. In all seriousness I have emotionally hurt 2 people for sure that I can think of, and have never intentionally hurt anyone physically - well... that's discounting my brother because, hey, we're brothers, and also discounting a very few times I felt I had to act in self-defense.

If God exists, and all the rules that people have come up with and written down do, indeed, apply in His eyes, then I'll accept my fate - whatever He deems necessary. I take full responsibility for my beliefs, or lack thereof - and as of yet, I have found myself unable to be moved or swayed by any testimony, or any supposed "show" of power. The realm of the religious and spiritual is lost on me, entirely, and I couldn't care much less about that. And before you go smirking to yourself and snidely point out that I am here on a "religious" forum, which you might say puts me in the shoes of one "seeking" - that's garbage. I am here for the same reasons as anyone here. Putting my word out and trying to make people question a bit more - hoping that some might come to understand some of the things that I feel I understand. In a way it is perhaps a quest for validation - I'm not here to save anyone, but to search the nooks and crannies of ideas and philosophies to make sure I've rooted everything out that needs rooting out in order to prove to myself that the way I think is the correct one.

I believe I was like that myself before receiving Jesus. My mother was mystified that I as a good person needed to do that.
Mat. 7:26 And every one that heareth these words of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand:
27 and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and smote upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall thereof.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

John 8:34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Every one that committeth sin is the bondservant of sin.

That is a logical flaw: if everyone, including Christians, continue to sin, then how can they be freed from the bonds of sin? (Romans 6:18) However, they are still bound to God. And, of course, every tyrant always claims their subjects are better off under their rule of tyranny.

 

[sojourner]

For one thing along with the Catholic Church they on the most part taught that killing in a war was OK.

But the Crusades were, somehow, different...

 

[Muffled]

That is a logical flaw: if everyone, including Christians, continue to sin, then how can they be freed from the bonds of sin? (Romans 6:18) However, they are still bound to God. And, of course, every tyrant always claims their subjects are better off under their rule of tyranny.

I believe If a person continues to sin then Jesus is not really his Lord. I believe I am better off.

 

[sojourner]

I believe If a person continues to sin then Jesus is not really his Lord. I believe I am better off.

Everyone "continues to sin." Everyone. It's part of the human condition to exercise free will. That's why the church has Confession as a sacrament.

 

[jeager106]

So you think I should forgive my grandfather for having raped me countless times? No. I don't think so. Move beyond the trauma, yes. Beyond an advocate for other survivors, you betcha. But forgive a lecherous creep? No. Do you think I should have forgiven the man who dumped his comatose wife at the ER with mold growing on bedsores that went beyond the bone or should I have reported his pathetic arse and sent the SOB to jail? I could recount this kind of story ad nauseum but I won't because they make me weep to this day. Forgive this type of person or crime? Never.

I am truly sorry to hear what your grandfather did to you and how your childhood was stolen from you by his sinful, twisted lust;

I believe there is a vast difference between forgiveness and condoning the deplorable behaviors you mentioned above. They are not one and the same and crimes such as these should be reported and never tolerated. Yet, I see forgiveness differently. First, I will say that I think it is humanly impossible to forgive someone who has really hurt or harmed you. I think it is a work of God in one's heart and mind and because it is a supernatural work, it brings freedom from the bitterness and pain of the harmful event(s). For the Christian, this is the power of Christ living through us accomplishing such forgiveness.

I have a very close friend which I have known my entire life since our moms shared a hospital room when we were born. Neither of us were Christians while growing up, yet we both later were saved by Jesus. It was several years later that she shared how her father had sexually molested her throughout her childhood. She confronted him and brought it out in the open, she did not condone or ignore his wrong behavior, she did not ever trust him alone with her own children ...but she did forgive him.
I have another friend of of over fifteen years who had basically the same experience with her father.

I don't think forgiveness means sweeping awful things away as if they never occurred, not dealing with them in the appropriate way, or allowing the perpetrator to get off without facing consequences. I do think forgiveness has the powerful effect of setting the victim free from bitterness and hate and then of being a reality check to the one whose selfish, perverted behavior was so harmful and damaging to another, in these cases their own daughters. Both of these fathers came to the point of truly being broken and sorry, repenting of their sins and seeking forgiveness from their daughters and Jesus the Savior.[/QUOTE]

Remember an important component in forgiveness.
Forgiveness isn't for the offender, it's for YOU!
It frees you from the bondage of the past and the acts of
that evil man.
Your forgiving him does nothing for HIM, but everything for you.
If he is still alive you need not, should not, associate with the creep
nor treat him other than the pedophile he is.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

I believe If a person continues to sin then Jesus is not really his Lord. I believe I am better off.

Show me such a person, and I will show you a liar.

 

[sojourner]

Show me such a person, and I will show you a liar.

"I haven't sinned since I met my wife, Morgan Fairchild, whom I've slept with." -- things a Habitual Liar might say

 

[sojourner]

Well, He is not interactng so well, given the various and mutually contradicting version of God we observe and have observed throughout history.

Ciao

- viole

How so? God is as varied as the people who who perceive God.