there are many Christian ideas that make pretty good sense as part of one's code for living. But others, not so much.
"A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit" or "A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit".
Isn't this just nonsense?
And how does it sit alongside KellyJay's axiom which is that everyone, without exception, is "evil"?
@fmf saidI would just like to know how you can claim to have been a Christian for 28 years and believed the Bible, yet you seem to have difficulty with a simple passage of scripture.
there are many Christian ideas that make pretty good sense as part of one's code for living. But others, not so much.
"A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit" or "A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit".
Isn't this just nonsense?
And how does it sit alongside KellyJay's axiom which is that everyone, without exception, is "evil"?
Perhaps you're a bad tree. 😏
@josephw saidI'm sorely tempted to add a few choice comments regarding FMF's intellect, however, let us not judge him too harshly. 😏
I would just like to know how you can claim to have been a Christian for 28 years and believed the Bible, yet you seem to have difficulty with a simple passage of scripture.
Perhaps you're a bad tree. 😏
Absolutism is a plague of American Christianity.
With this mindset, you get no credit for the good you have done, once you do something bad. All trees are 100% good, or 100% bad - no in between. One bad fruit proves you are a bad person.
Never mind the fact that this bears little resemblance to reality, or that some bad deeds are worse than others, or that other parts of the Bible preach forgiveness, instead of this sort of categorical labeling based on one bad deed.
@bigdogg saidRead the passage, Matthew 7:17-20.
Absolutism is a plague of American Christianity.
With this mindset, you get no credit for the good you have done, once you do something bad. All trees are 100% good, or 100% bad - no in between. One bad fruit proves you are a bad person.
Never mind the fact that this bears little resemblance to reality, or that some bad deeds are worse than others, or that other ...[text shortened]... of the Bible preach forgiveness, instead of this sort of categorical labeling based on one bad deed.
Jesus was, and is an absolutist. And I'm glad at least He was. Jesus was the only man that ever "brought forth good fruit" 100% of the time.
Can't say the same about the rest of us.
@bigdogg saidI agree.
Absolutism is a plague of American Christianity.
With this mindset, you get no credit for the good you have done, once you do something bad. All trees are 100% good, or 100% bad - no in between. One bad fruit proves you are a bad person.
Never mind the fact that this bears little resemblance to reality, or that some bad deeds are worse than others, or that other ...[text shortened]... of the Bible preach forgiveness, instead of this sort of categorical labeling based on one bad deed.
This is what this thread is about.