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Without using biblical and any other holy scriptures, I base my definition off of personal experience both my experience and those my family and friends even tell me. I find that what we read in books are not the same as what we hear from people. I can read about Martin Luther King and his "I have a dream" speach but nothing beats actually talking to or even being there when he made it in front of hundreds.
I can't talk to people in any holy text nor can I talk to people in those text who have literally witnessed their god. All I can do is go off of what believers today; and, you see how varried their definitions are.
That's not the point of holy text. In such texts you will always find some kind of rules and regulations that are fit for human society. These rules and regs, do not, all of a sudden prove that God exists. They are there to re-condition the conditioned human, so that the human being can become self-realised. It is from that perspective one can comprehend God.
There aren't varied definitions of God, the definition of God is vast. But we can comprehend who and what God is, in relation to us. That is the first step.
While they're not precisely synonyms to me, they end up being interchangeable because of the nature of my theology.
"Spirit" to me describes the essence and nature of a thing, including its tangible and intangible qualities. All things have a definable essence or nature... or have a spirit.
"Gods" to me describes the things I deem worthy of worship.
Because there is nothing I deem unworthy of worship, I deify everything. And as everything has a definable essence or nature, all spirits are gods and all gods have a spirit. So... yeah. Pretty much synonymous.
I dont understand the relation to my post. Some of us cannot comprehend something that is non existant.
That is like telling to comprehend space. If there were no molecules, atoms, air...just nothing, I have no way to describe that but "lack of".
To me, you are trying to get me and many of us to understand the nature of that space. It doesnt work. Definitions are based on people. The fact doesnt change based on our experiences.
Yet you assert that it is non existent. Or did you mean that which you cannot see?
Tell me something that you didn't learn from others, that you worked out all by yours
No. Something that does not exist.
janardena said:Tell me something that you didn't learn from others, that you worked out all by yourself
What do you mean by that question? I dont care for indirect statements. Makes me answer questions that may not relate to the meaning behind it. Wastes time.
Neither can we have any notion, at all, of something that does not exist.
So how have you come to understand that that concept does not exist?
What has your mind defined without the input of definitions from others?
Seeing as you see cannot accept definitions based on other people (as opposed to yourself).
Just process of elimination. Based on a lot of things.
What do you mean? If someone says a spirit is X who am I to judge him if I disagreed?
I have no clue what youre saying I did wrong. I just know I have an opinion and try to understand others.
I believe we should examine the claims of those who claim to be Christian so we are not misled by "false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ." (2 Corinthians 11:13) It is not disrespectful at all, IMO, to compare the claims of professed Christians with what Jesus Christ actually taught and practiced. Jesus Christ told us to "Be on the watch for the false prophets who come to you in sheep’s covering, but inside they are ravenous wolves. By their fruits you will recognize them. Never do people gather grapes from thorns or figs from thistles, do they? Likewise, every good tree produces fine fruit, but every rotten tree produces worthless fruit." (Matthew 7:15-17) The works of many professed Christians show they are not following the Christ, as Jesus said would happen. (Matthew 7:21-23) I believe true Christians are unified in their beliefs and practices, and are an international brotherhood that are identified by the sincere love they have among themselves.I see people in the bible the same as people today who believe in it. Since I do not practice Christianity, I trust that believers (yourself included) are telling what is true to the best of their knowledge as well as people in scripture.
Separating yourself from people in scripture and saying that some of the believers can be unreliable just tells me your opinion that I cannot trust believers. It also gives me the impression that if someone tells me they are Christian, maybe I should question their claim. That is completely disrespectful. If you and half the other generation together say you are Christian, who am I to judge? That, and there are so many different opinions (or beliefs) about what Christianity is, that to say anyone has a fact or a truth is completely illogical.
Unless everyone says one thing in unison, I can only judge what they say is true from their point of view if they tell me their point of view. I read scripture and know people in scripture's point of view, that does not tell me yours.
Unless your point of view IS scripture; then you'd have to explain your point not just post a verse (not saying you didn't just in general for all Christians)
Please read this in full.
I believe we should examine the claims of those who claim to be Christian so we are not misled by "false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ." (2 Corinthians 11:13) It is not disrespectful at all, IMO, to compare the claims of professed Christians with what Jesus Christ actually taught and practiced. Jesus Christ told us to "Be on the watch for the false prophets who come to you in sheep’s covering, but inside they are ravenous wolves. By their fruits you will recognize them. Never do people gather grapes from thorns or figs from thistles, do they? Likewise, every good tree produces fine fruit, but every rotten tree produces worthless fruit." (Matthew 7:15-17) The works of many professed Christians show they are not following the Christ, as Jesus said would happen. (Matthew 7:21-23) I believe true Christians are unified in their beliefs and practices, and are an international brotherhood that are identified by the sincere love thhey have among themselves.