if you haven't accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviur ---

Originally posted by lolof
I was going to add something but I changed my mind.

Beware of the dogma.

Originally posted by KingOnPoint
The Holy Bible shows:
Hebrews 2:3 -

"how shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard <i>him;</i>

If there is a God who will judge unbelievers for unbelief, no matter what the case, each individual will be responsible for his or her own unbelief, ...[text shortened]... this earth? We are here for some reason. Even science can't answer that using science.

KOP

Two things.

1) Mind control doesn't work on me.
2) You can't decide what you believe, so it makes zero sense to hold people accountable for a belief, or lack thereof.
3) Take it to Spirituality, Spanky.

Ahem. Three things.

Originally posted by Great Big Stees
So are you now enlightened?

Yeah, Jenny Graig....

Swissgambit,
Based on your replying post, you have already made a choice. You don't believe. That is your decision. You have also made a choice not to believe in so called, "mind control;" that is another decision.

And why do you think that we don't have a choice to believe something? Don't we believe that we can be hurt or killed if we put ourselves in front of a speeding car? Don't we believe we can get change back if we give the store attendant more money than a product is worth at the register? What makes believing in God somebody else's decision?

KOP

Belief (in anything at all) is an emotional, right-brain thing. It's entirely involuntary. Nobody can "choose" to believe or to doubt.

HandyAndy,
Bewaring of dogma is not a problem; dogma will not judge us and cause us to suffer for eternity. It will not even be just another human including a Christian or atheist. It is the God who created us that can judge us and control our eternal life or death.

King James Version
------------------------
Matthew 10:28
And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

Revelation 20:14
And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

Originally posted by Kewpie
Belief (in anything at all) is an emotional, right-brain thing. It's entirely involuntary. Nobody can "choose" to believe or to doubt.

On the contrary belief may be entirely based upon evidence and reason which is generally why we have courts of law to establish the belief or disbelief in a defendants guilt or innocence.

Originally posted by KingOnPoint
HandyAndy,
Bewaring of dogma is not a problem; dogma will not judge us and cause us to suffer for eternity. It will not even be just another human including a Christian or atheist. It is the God who created us that can judge us and control our eternal life or death.

King James Version
------------------------
Matthew 10:28
And fear not the ...[text shortened]...
Revelation 20:14
And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

The problem with this type of message is that it's not very palatable to the hearers. You are not appealing to the reason but to fear of judgement etc. If you are determined to preach the gospel of Christ don't you think that you may be more successful in appealing to reason and to adorn the teaching for delivering ultimatums is hardly likely to appeal to anyone, don't you think?

Originally posted by robbie carrobie
The problem with this type of message is that it's not very palatable to the hearers. You are not appealing to the reason but to fear of judgement etc. If you are determined to preach the gospel of Christ don't you think that you may be more successful in appealing to reason and to adorn the teaching for delivering ultimatums is hardly likely to appeal to anyone, don't you think?

One time, my first wife and I were living in Florida in an inn for a couple of months. One day, we are walking past the owner who is sweeping the hallway floor near our door. So as we pass, he goes 'did you ever burn your finger?'

My wife gives him an askance look (very intelligent and talented lady) and says warily 'sure'.

WELL, THAT'S what it's like in hell, only ALL OVER YOUR BODY AND FOREVER AND EVER.

Oh by the way, we are having a revival meeting in that big tent down the street tonight, you are welcome to join.....

We politely turned him down.

Originally posted by sonhouse
One time, my first wife and I were living in Florida in an inn for a couple of months. One day, we are walking past the owner who is sweeping the hallway floor near our door. So as we pass, he goes 'did you ever burn your finger?'

My wife gives him an askance look (very intelligent and talented lady) and says warily 'sure'.

WELL, THAT'S what it's lik ...[text shortened]... t big tent down the street tonight, you are welcome to join.....

We politely turned him down.

and no wonder, you cannot appeal to people out of fear of judgement or try to motivate them by guilt, its not healthy.

Originally posted by KingOnPoint
Swissgambit,
Based on your replying post, you have already made a choice. You don't believe. That is your decision. You have also made a choice not to believe in so called, "mind control;" that is another decision.

And why do you think that we don't have a choice to believe something? Don't we believe that we can be hurt or killed if we put ...[text shortened]... product is worth at the register? What makes believing in God somebody else's decision?

KOP

I cannot choose NOT to believe I will get hurt if I am hit by a speeding car. I am convinced by the evidence, which is overwhelming. Every single time a car hits something at high speed, damage occurs. I would have to be insane to expect otherwise.

Sure, I could CLAIM to believe I was invincible and could survive the car, but I would be lying.

SwissGambit,
Well, why do certain people believe that they can eat mercury within light tubes and not be hurt to prove some spiritual matter to their local society? Why do people handle rattle snakes and believe they will not be damaged? Why do certain people think that "characters" or God has talked to them and not think that it is mental illness?

Why have some christians tortured people and believed it was righteous? God of the Holy Bible did not tell them to do that. They believed on their own. Why do Some Muslims think that they will get into heaven with virgins if they blow themselves up in a "holy war" when Christ, whom Muslims accept as a prophet, said that there is neither marriage nor the giving of marriage in heaven?

And how many other things do some people believe that others don't? And why do some people change their minds about believing in certain "once believed" spiritual matters? No matter what, we need our creator, even if He doesn't take total control of our lives or get involved in our lives the ways we might want Him to get involved.

And why again do you think that you can't make a choice to believe in the true God and His way of salvation?

Robbie,
I did not say that people will not judge us; I typed that people will not judge us for us to suffer for eternity. Look back at my former post which states,

"Bewaring of dogma is not a problem; dogma will not judge us and cause us to suffer for eternity. It will not even be just another human including a Christian or atheist."

A person's judgement on this earth will not determine where we spend eternity. Even killing us will not determine that. And fear, in itself, is not negative. Fearing a reality is not negative, in itself.

Originally posted by KingOnPoint
SwissGambit,
Well, why do certain people believe that they can eat mercury within light tubes and not be hurt to prove some spiritual matter to their local society? Why do people handle rattle snakes and believe they will not be damaged? Why do certain people think that "characters" or God has talked to them and not think that it is mental illness? ...[text shortened]... n do you think that you can't make a choice to believe in the true God and His way of salvation?

I'm not a mind reader, so I can't tell you why some people hold certain beliefs. And it is not relevant that certain people believe things that others consider 'whacky'.

I have already told you why I don't think I can choose to believe in any gods. Think about it for awhile.

Sonhouse,
Kindness and love can be ways we communicate. Perhaps, the person's delivery lacked appropriateness for you and your wife. But what if hearing about burning was what someone needed to hear about at a given moment? There is a place for communicating about burning in hell or the lake of fire. There is a place for love, kindness, and compassion too.