When I was younger I read a lot, mostly reference materials. If you have not done it, that is seek first the kingdom of god, I would highly recommend it. I know some who feel they don't have the time but we truly have all the time there is and there is nothing more pressing then gaining our sanity.
There is only one love. Sex is not love. I do not have sex with my mother. My wife dis-incorporated in 2004. Romance is the egos substitute for love. Sex is the reproductive strategy of the species.
Just so you don't present it as mine. Do you have any substance to back that up, because I do. By our words we are justified and condemned. The measure we give is the measure we get. We shall be liable for every careless word. "Posited interpretation" if you are going to quote. I do not blame god I love god. You are either not listening or you have a reading comprehension difficulty. I don't mean to be unkind but the evidence is that you do not understand. You do not think it is a miracle of god that we are alive? The scripture is interpreted to me as stating god has been with us all the while answering every call, but is not recognized. There is a difference. This does not change the fact that speculating about the future is dreaming, imaging, imagining. We are truly by and large not awake to this moment. We can have a dream while sleeping and experience vivid mental images of something. We can have a daydream and let the mind dwell on pleasant scenes and images while awake, often resulting in inattention. We can wish, want something very much and imagine having or doing it, even though it may be unlikely. We can consider to think of or consider doing something regarded as wrong or right, or inappropriate or appropriate as in, "I wonder if this gift will do" Signs of the end are always here, god is always close, knocking at our very gate. Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand
No doubt in this world we exist for and with each other. Our habits constantly bring us into collusion.
I think it might be useful at this point to remind ourselves of the OP, towit: 'In this thread we will interpret certain Bible verses and then using our reason and the Bible we will come to a conclusion.' I took this to mean we were not to be limited in our interpretations but to make use of whatever reason and/or inspiration informs our interpretation. One who limits one's own understanding to a literal interpretation is as welcome as one who believes there are deeper or 'revealed' interpretations for those who have ears to hear. It shouldn't be important to be agreed with. It's the discussion we want. Also from the OP: 'I would like to see us answering each other in kindness and in patience. '
With all due cynicism, people are rarely kind or patient--especially in matters relating to conflicting faiths.
No, there are many loves and you can love many different things in many different ways. Romantic love is not a love substitute but is one of the many forms of love. In Greek there are four words translated love, all different. Do you know which ones are used in the bible and what they mean? Also, you are correct sex is not love but it is one way that love can be displayed, the way you show love for your mother is not the way you show love to your wife or your brother. PS If your wife dis-incorporated in 2004, how did you ask her about one of my recent posts?
I only know gods love. Romantic love is caused by brain chemicals, it is mindlessly compelling. There are also "demons" in the bible, I don't sleep with them. We discussed and knew each others attitudes on the subject, it came up while she was here.
You seem to have run out of things to say. Okay, already. We get it, you are "positing an interpretation" so move on now to something meaningful. Or he could just be saying that something that had not happened till now, has now happened. Longing is not a daydream. The above does not prove your point as I just pointed out. Of course I'm not posting the interpretation you were taught. The one you were taught is out of harmony with the Bible, is illogical and implies that God is to Blame.
I don't think there are a lot of idle phrases in the bible. dream [dreem] n (plural dreams) 1. sequence of mental images during sleep: a sequence of images that appear involuntarily to the mind of somebody who is sleeping, often a mixture of real and imaginary characters, places, and events 2. daydream: a series of images, usually pleasant ones, that pass through the mind of somebody who is awake 3. something hoped for: something that somebody hopes, longs, or is ambitious for, usually something difficult to attain or far removed from present circumstances 4. idle hope: an idea or hope that is impractical or unlikely ever to be realized 5. vague state: a state of inattention owing to preoccupation with thoughts or fantasies walks around in a dream 6. something beautiful: somebody or something that seems particularly good-looking or wonderful The above shows I am being consistent and that you are mistaken in your assessment of longing. Further your assessments of my statements are mistaken.
The Bible answers the question; if god created everything then how can he not responsible for sin, without having to resort to this "dream of separation" interpretation that you postulate. As for why did God create something that could kill us? Yes God created many things that could kill us but he did not create them to kill us. Just try to imagine a world without anything that could kill us, it wouldn't be a very interesting world to live in. It would have to be like a padded cell with no other humans.
Yes he is but he is also authorized to judge. These are Jesus' own words; (John 5:22) For the Father judges no one at all, but he has committed all the judging to the Son. (John 5:26-27) For just as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted also to the Son to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to do judging, because Son of man he is. So the question remains unanswered; Jesus, the son of man, has been authorized by God to judge, since you stated all judgment is distorted, is Jesus' judgment also distorted?
The first lie, from the father of the lie, was “YOU positively will not die". Dress it up as you may, it is the still the same lie being rehashed.
The truth was not meant to be frightening, it was meant to set one free. It is knowing the truth that makes one want to be a Christian, not some fictitious threat. But if you don't have the truth, all you have are threats.
I would say it is a description of both. And I believe when it says memory, it their memory and not the memory of them. Again it is a description of the condition of the dead and not a discussion of their future possibility of a resurrection.
And what is the answer? Makes no sense. Quite frankly, It would not appear boring to me. Further to create interest does not seem a sufficient reason, but for those who cannot see the wonder of life, perhaps.
Yes. You have the capacity to judge as well but the statement of principle is judge not. By our words we are justified and by our words we are condemned. The truth does not condemn us it is the power of the son, like his father to speak things into existence. So, judge not. Yes, just because you have the power to judge does not mean that the judgment is accurate. Jesus says of his own power to judge, "I do not judge him, he has his own judge". If he has his own judge then how can Jesus be his judge. To distinguish one thing from another is the proper use of our power to discriminate, not to decide whether a thing is "worthy" or not. God is the measure of all value. We are not asked to judge but to forgive. To judge whether a brother is worthy or not is a distortion of our power to "name the animals"