Active Users:228 Time:25/04/2024 12:03:21 AM
Caution: Zebra Xing. Joel Send a noteboard - 19/05/2011 06:27:43 AM
...and turn some water to wine.

I've heard He could turn weed into marijuana, too.
Here's a controversial idea: Why not lead people to Christ with no more or less than genuine love for and repentance of acts against God, instead of attempts to escape our actions' consequences? That people can think they accomplished the latter despite sin requiring the righteous Son of God die for them speaks poorly of their relationship with Him.

Although, that has always bugged me. Priests like to go on about how "believing is seeing" and the like, but Jesus, apostles, and saints all performed miracles. And not cheesy, half-ass miracles like "My mom has cancer, so we prayed to the spirit of Pope John Paul II for years, and then one day the cancer went into remission!"

Old-time miracles were much more direct. "Look, nothing up my sleeves. Demon-possessed guy over there. Herd of pigs HERE. BAMF motherfucker, demon-pigs!"

That'd get my attention, for sure.

Of course it would, but in a way that's the problem. It's easier to explain the absence now (though I do think it happens, however rarely) than the presence then. I'm tempted to say it's the same reason Jesus forbade the Disciples to reveal His divinity (and apparently revealed it even to them fairly late): Proof denies faith. Free will's vitally important because of Pithy Pet Phrase #1: Love can't be coerced. If God comes down from heaven and slaps you around with His divinity it's no longer a question of faith He exists, but tolerance of that self evident fact. Incontrovertibly demonstrating His existence removes the option of doubting it, an option that must exist to have any choice at all.

Faith can be and is confirmed, but that's "retroactive proof", a Catch 22. I believe it happens because it happened to me, for which I'm very grateful; nothing is more terrifying than BELIEF in Christ while minuscule doubts make FAITH impossible. I can't say what gets one over that hurdle; I think it's as unique as the individual and his relationship with God, but I also think it vital, so I can only recommend scripture, prayer, fellowship, and a lot of "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief". Curiously, the bible says pretty much the same thing; fear and trembling and all that. All of that incidentally makes legit miracles as rare as unshakable faith, on its way out 2000 years ago and waning in popularity since. Miracles take faith to move mountains, not mere belief, and once again, won't create that faith, only confirm it. "You shall not tempt the LORD your God as you tempted Him in Massah" is one of the older prohibitions (and becomes more applicable in context).

Basically, miracles are less common because they're almost never used to prove faith, and really not even useFUL; if rising from the dead won't convince someone, nothing else will either.
(Edit- and yes, I like your outlook a lot. I just felt like being a smartass)

Thanks, but I have to admit I borrowed a fair amount of it as well.
Honorbound and honored to be Bonded to Mahtaliel Sedai
Last First in wotmania Chat
Slightly better than chocolate.

Love still can't be coerced.
Please Don't Eat the Newbies!

LoL. Be well, RAFOlk.
Reply to message
Three days until the Rapture. What are you gonna do? - 18/05/2011 04:37:44 PM 787 Views
I'm gonna pack my bags so I'm ready, - 18/05/2011 04:48:13 PM 439 Views
Taking my cat to After the Rapture Petcare - 18/05/2011 07:25:20 PM 583 Views
It might be the end of church but I doubt it will trigger the end of the world - 18/05/2011 07:28:23 PM 533 Views
I was more talking about the supposed Rapture on the 21st... - 18/05/2011 08:30:00 PM 449 Views
My wife's church switched to a female chaplain and every predicted doomsday - 18/05/2011 08:53:38 PM 416 Views
same thing i do every night - 18/05/2011 07:28:48 PM 432 Views
Hey Brain, Can I come with you??- signed Pinky. *NM* - 20/05/2011 03:29:18 AM 203 Views
Yikes, they've gotta give us more warning - 18/05/2011 07:38:47 PM 478 Views
No worries. - 18/05/2011 08:28:10 PM 506 Views
What is this thing - 18/05/2011 08:36:23 PM 457 Views
I found this but I can't tell if it is meant to a spoof or if it is real - 18/05/2011 08:51:23 PM 497 Views
Yes, I saw that one, too. - 18/05/2011 08:54:37 PM 384 Views
He's supposedly serious, and has been making predictions for about forty years. - 18/05/2011 08:55:55 PM 509 Views
Like Homer, he predicted the Rapture on at least one earlier occasion, but has "corrected" his error - 18/05/2011 09:26:07 PM 442 Views
Psh, if you want to lead me to Christ, you should REALLY follow his example - 19/05/2011 03:33:12 AM 406 Views
Caution: Zebra Xing. - 19/05/2011 06:27:43 AM 630 Views
Oh, and you get 10 points for the Zebra Xing reference *NM* - 19/05/2011 06:18:13 PM 179 Views
Fuck a Nun. *NM* - 19/05/2011 06:06:30 AM 186 Views
The guy is a false teacher who's deceiving people who don't read their Bibles. - 19/05/2011 03:06:01 PM 530 Views
He's not the first, and he won't be the last. *NM* - 19/05/2011 05:01:53 PM 242 Views
You can't spell Rapture without Rap *shudders* *NM* - 19/05/2011 03:38:19 PM 185 Views
Bad Jens, BAD! *NM* - 20/05/2011 03:31:16 AM 175 Views
On Saturday? Running a half marathon *NM* - 19/05/2011 06:18:38 PM 180 Views
Ran one two weekends ago. 10k this Sat. Have fun! *NM* - 19/05/2011 06:19:47 PM 266 Views
Half because you'll be raptured midway through? *NM* - 19/05/2011 10:56:46 PM 196 Views
No, half because I finish there *NM* - 20/05/2011 07:36:05 AM 182 Views
How big is this Raptor? - 19/05/2011 06:33:28 PM 413 Views
If they get too big, how do you tell them apart from Tyranasaurus? - 19/05/2011 10:58:36 PM 388 Views
I'm going to poop. - 21/05/2011 05:41:24 AM 387 Views

Reply to Message