I’m not perfect by any means and am working to overcome a few problems that are not insignificant, but after what I’ve learned here and through Q, if God grades on the curve, I’m on pretty damned good shape to get into heaven or atleast in adjacent community.
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You have an issue with Scripture, not me. I’m merely repeating and describing the Word of God.
Plank in the eye my friends. Plank in the eye.
Methinks that poor old Sir Cheese has a lumberyard going on, and it's tripping up his ability to actually embody the love of Christ.
But he'll tell you that he's only "repeating scripture". Kind of like them pharisees that only quoted 'scripture' to Jesus while they were in the process of rejecting him.
It’s easy to assume things about other people when you merely disagree with them quoting scripture, isn’t it? The verse on specks in the eye literally teaches us to focus on ourselves rather than others, and yet, people like yourself still use it as an excuse to focus on others. True godly men are above reproach, not beneath it.
It's easy to assume things about other people full stop. One doesn't need to quote scripture to do that.
"and yet, people like yourself still use it as an excuse to focus on others."
Says the man who is bending over backwards to imply that he's NOT doing any of that.
I dunno Cam. It seems to me that your particular malady is apparent to pretty much everyone else while you seem rather oblivious to it.
Not that many would really care, as evidenced by participation in this thread.
But as to making assumptions, I think that I am, as I suspect you are, simply drawing certain conclusions based on my (your) reading of the comments here.
What does become apparent, assumptions aside, is attitude.
It's seems unfortunate to me that you took the opportunity of this thread to elevate yourself, pronounce judgment on anyone else who even appeared to disagree with your view, and then, in an almost obnoxious manner, proceeded to lecture others here.
It's a shame, because to some extent, interaction with you in this area presents itself to me as requiring the same sort of effort plus the same lack of fruit that engaging with a troll does. Because your comments give evidence to the fact that you are not here to develop or engage in order to improve your own understanding, but rather to lecture and pronounce. The lack of humility is astonishing in one who professes to be Christian.
Of course, it's entirely possible that in reality, you are not the personality that your comments here give impression to. Internet forum commentary, after all, is extremely limited and the opportunities for miscommunication and cross-wiring abound. But again, what does manifest is attitude. Whether there is any disagreement on how we understand scripture or practice thereof is almost besides the point, because your attitude comes across in spades.
What I find a bit ironic is that to a very large extent, with some discussion I would be in a lot of agreement with your expressed interpretation/understanding of the 'hate' scripture. It's a powerful teaching, and one that is, in my opinion, not widely enough understood. People who have had to sacrifice their families, their 'lives', their communities and nations in order to follow and unite with Christ will understand it better than most.
However, your particular attitude seems to me to be so overly rigid, so doggedly self-absorbed, that it's hard to share or offer any other views or possible insights. You certainly do not appear open to any discussion other than pontification of your own view (which you have assured us by many implied comments that you think is essentially infallible).
One hopes (and I believe it is entirely possibly, if not likely) that you are more of a practicing Christian in your daily, local life than you are on this internet forum. Here, you simply sound like a ringing gong or a clanging cymbal to me.
I take some measure of comfort in the conviction that it's very unlikely that you will care HOW you sound, such that it's that much easier to simply ignore what you write from this point on.
Well, my troll work is done. I hope you find your way, which is not to assert that you aren't on the way God wants you to go, but that's about as much blessing as I can muster at the given moment.
But I misspoke above. In hindsight, after re-reading my comments here, I find real and pervasing comfort in the fact that Christ's love is above all.
So peace be to you.
It’s so sad how people use this verse to still focus on other people when the message is literally teaching the exact opposite. Don’t pretend to be beneath reproach.
*Note: repeating and describing [MY interpretation of] the Word of God.
Read the words of Jesus for yourself. No one can call themselves His disciples if they do not hate everyone in comparison to their love for him. If you think Jesus’ words are up to interpretation then you have a serious issue.
If you think that you have no responsibility to interpret in order to understand, you have essentially a pagan understanding of God. God not only gave you the responsibility to interpret all information coming to you, he also gave you the responsibility to do so.
Believers who deny this are in fact denying God, his creation and his will, all under the guise of "I do not interpret" which is the same as saying "I do not breathe".
Interpreting is an essential core element in the process of cognition. In my opinion, Jesus certainly wants us to grasp and understand the meaning of his messages to us. You cannot do that without interpreting what he is saying.
Obvious example:
Matt 18:9 "And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away."
Can you seriously believe that understanding this teaching does not require discernment, interpretation and understanding?
Some believers avoid accepting any and all responsibility for their lives and their choices by denying the very core fact that Christ calls us to understand his words, and that it's OUR responsibility to do so. Not his.
Matt 7:23
Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
It’s strange the ways people will come up with to deny the words of Christ.