Comments on: Lie #3: ‘You are not smart enough or good enough to think for yourself. We will do your thinking for you.’ http://www.coffeehousetheology.com/think-for-you/ The Unvarnished Truth About Religion, Christianity and Spirituality Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:27:14 -0600 hourly 1 By: joseph e. http://www.coffeehousetheology.com/think-for-you/comment-page-1/#comment-33261 joseph e. Sat, 21 Jan 2012 08:31:35 +0000 http://www.coffeehousetheology.com/?p=127#comment-33261 I know, Gutierrez, that this post may be belated but if you are still in your loss I would suggest that just as you "will enter an empty church (especially old ones) and just sit there in the quietness trying to experience the peace and presence of our God" go to a Catholic Church and there you will find Jesus in the tabernacle waiting for you. Enjoy the quiet with him and you will certainly find your way home. I know, Gutierrez, that this post may be belated but if you are still in your loss I would suggest that just as you “will enter an empty church (especially old ones) and just sit there in the quietness trying to experience the peace and presence of our God” go to a Catholic Church and there you will find Jesus in the tabernacle waiting for you. Enjoy the quiet with him and you will certainly find your way home.

]]> By: joseph e. http://www.coffeehousetheology.com/think-for-you/comment-page-1/#comment-33244 joseph e. Fri, 20 Jan 2012 16:45:13 +0000 http://www.coffeehousetheology.com/?p=127#comment-33244 @ June Dever: Yet, June, you will submit yourself to the writings of Paul and the other writers of the content of scripture. Again by using the Bible as scripture you are relying on the witness of religious leaders who were responsible for the definitive canon of the Bible (which books to include and which not). What I am driving at here is that there is always a time we need guidance and that is where the church comes in. First with the witness of the first disciples which have been established by the witness of the Church Fathers who were leaders of the church at some point. The church continues to bear witness to the truth of Christ even if its members may fail. We would be wise to follow the counsel of Jesus in Matthew 23:2-3 about listening to authority and not having your faith falter on the false witness of its leaders. @ June Dever: Yet, June, you will submit yourself to the writings of Paul and the other writers of the content of scripture. Again by using the Bible as scripture you are relying on the witness of religious leaders who were responsible for the definitive canon of the Bible (which books to include and which not). What I am driving at here is that there is always a time we need guidance and that is where the church comes in. First with the witness of the first disciples which have been established by the witness of the Church Fathers who were leaders of the church at some point. The church continues to bear witness to the truth of Christ even if its members may fail. We would be wise to follow the counsel of Jesus in Matthew 23:2-3 about listening to authority and not having your faith falter on the false witness of its leaders.

]]> By: Test123 http://www.coffeehousetheology.com/think-for-you/comment-page-2/#comment-32418 Test123 Fri, 23 Dec 2011 00:30:40 +0000 http://www.coffeehousetheology.com/?p=127#comment-32418 You completed certain fine points there. I did a search on the subject matter and found the majority of people will go along with with your blog. You completed certain fine points there. I did a search on the subject matter and found the majority of people will go along with with your blog.

]]> By: Rory Hall http://www.coffeehousetheology.com/think-for-you/comment-page-2/#comment-27667 Rory Hall Thu, 27 Oct 2011 19:42:22 +0000 http://www.coffeehousetheology.com/?p=127#comment-27667 The greatest invention my friend is the Human brain. Whenever you can understand how the human brain works and are able to correctly build its replica then you know who God is for real. The greatest invention my friend is the Human brain. Whenever you can understand how the human brain works and are able to correctly build its replica then you know who God is for real.

]]> By: June Dewar http://www.coffeehousetheology.com/think-for-you/comment-page-1/#comment-6122 June Dewar Mon, 08 Nov 2010 16:43:07 +0000 http://www.coffeehousetheology.com/?p=127#comment-6122 Dear Balwinder Minhas You write "After all my brain must accept what my religion ask me to do or follow". I would disagree because your brain belongs to you and if you want to please God your worship must be pleasing to Him and not to the dictates of religious leaders. No man has been given authority to dictate to others. It is my belief that if I want to please God I must discern for myself what is right and if I go against God's love, justice and mercy I will be disobeying His laws. You highlight a problem existing within practically all religions who preach one thing and practice the opposite. It is because humans like the Sribes and Pharisees of the 1st century go beyond what is written and often oppress those who are submissive to the teachings. In Romans 3:23 Paul writes "all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God". Dear Balwinder Minhas

You write “After all my brain must accept what my religion ask me to do or follow”. I would disagree because your brain belongs to you and if you want to please God your worship must be pleasing to Him and not to the dictates of religious leaders. No man has been given authority to dictate to others. It is my belief that if I want to please God I must discern for myself what is right and if I go against God’s love, justice and mercy I will be disobeying His laws.

You highlight a problem existing within practically all religions who preach one thing and practice the opposite. It is because humans like the Sribes and Pharisees of the 1st century go beyond what is written and often oppress those who are submissive to the teachings.

In Romans 3:23 Paul writes “all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God”.

]]> By: Brian Golz http://www.coffeehousetheology.com/think-for-you/comment-page-1/#comment-5839 Brian Golz Tue, 02 Nov 2010 04:27:39 +0000 http://www.coffeehousetheology.com/?p=127#comment-5839 Regarding your statements about the New Testament, no, Jesus was not the end-all sacrifice, rather, His was the only sacrifice that had any true significance, although no more sacrifices were to be made after His. The sacrifices prior to His were merely representative of what was to come, like redeeming their sin on credit. Pain, suffering, and death are irrelevant to Jesus' sacrifice, or any sacrifice for that matter. Being forgiven for sins is completely different from being relieved of suffering. Regarding your statements about the New Testament, no, Jesus was not the end-all sacrifice, rather, His was the only sacrifice that had any true significance, although no more sacrifices were to be made after His. The sacrifices prior to His were merely representative of what was to come, like redeeming their sin on credit.
Pain, suffering, and death are irrelevant to Jesus’ sacrifice, or any sacrifice for that matter. Being forgiven for sins is completely different from being relieved of suffering.

]]> By: June Dewar http://www.coffeehousetheology.com/think-for-you/comment-page-1/#comment-5802 June Dewar Mon, 01 Nov 2010 21:06:19 +0000 http://www.coffeehousetheology.com/?p=127#comment-5802 Dear bryan Reading scripture helps us to develop love for God and provides knowledge and understanding. However God does not expect more of us than what we are able to give or achieve. If it is possible for those who are illiterate to learn to read it would be good for their spiritual well being to do so. God reads hearts and judges accordingly. Proverbs 21:2 Every way of a man is upright in his own eyes, but God is making an estimation of hearts. To carry on righteousness and judgement is more preferable to God than sacrifice. So if we have a good heart and know right from wrong and act accordingly we will please God. Dear bryan

Reading scripture helps us to develop love for God and provides knowledge and understanding. However God does not expect more of us than what we are able to give or achieve. If it is possible for those who are illiterate to learn to read it would be good for their spiritual well being to do so.

God reads hearts and judges accordingly. Proverbs 21:2 Every way of a man is upright in his own eyes, but God is making an estimation of hearts. To carry on righteousness and judgement is more preferable to God than sacrifice.

So if we have a good heart and know right from wrong and act accordingly we will please God.

]]> By: June Dewar http://www.coffeehousetheology.com/think-for-you/comment-page-1/#comment-5658 June Dewar Sat, 30 Oct 2010 22:32:50 +0000 http://www.coffeehousetheology.com/?p=127#comment-5658 Hi Victoria, Can I please explain this accusation where you are blaming God of being unjust? I would be afraid I could, or would ever consider rebelling against Almighty God. It was not the eating fruit that was the issue in Eden. If your child was continually going towards an open fire, or causing danger to his/herself with the prospect of harming many others would you just permit them to do as they determine or would you restrain them? If you would read Romans 5:12-14 the apostle Paul makes clear the issue. For until the Law sin was in the world, but sin is not charged against anyone when there is no law. This scripture makes clear that Adam and/or Eve were deviating or about to deviate from the perfect standards needed to allow them and their children to partake of the fruit of the tree that would have given them eternal life. God could see the perfect angel Satan was rebelling against his authority and choosing to become deviant and evil with the intention of depriving them from inheriting eternal life. God had told Adam and Eve if they obey and recognise his authority and do as they were told regards the tree of knowledge they would be safe with his guidance and would have defeated Satan's plan. God being holy and pure created heavenly and earthly life in perfection. They had to stay perfect through obedience. That is why Jesus came to earth and showed by example how to be obedient and trust in God to save and make perfect through suffering. Romans 5:8. Suffering helps us to become strong and work towards perfection and if we although imperfect follow the example of Christ choosing Good (God's rulership) instead of evil (Satan's rulership)we can inherit the promise of everlasting life put before Adam and Eve if they had chosen obedience to God instead of obedience to Satan. If we really think out the meaning of Genesis 3:22 "Here the man has become like one of us in knowing good and bad and now in order that he may not put his hand out and actually take also from the tree of life and eat and live to time indefinite... if they had eaten from the tree by which they would have lived forever after their transgression they would still be on earth today. That is why we should follow the example Jesus gave and give Glory to God by doing good and not be pleasing Satan by contributing to badness, pain and suffering. Hi Victoria,

Can I please explain this accusation where you are blaming God of being unjust? I would be afraid I could, or would ever consider rebelling against Almighty God. It was not the eating fruit that was the issue in Eden. If your child was continually going towards an open fire, or causing danger to his/herself with the prospect of harming many others would you just permit them to do as they determine or would you restrain them?

If you would read Romans 5:12-14 the apostle Paul makes clear the issue. For until the Law sin was in the world, but sin is not charged against anyone when there is no law. This scripture makes clear that Adam and/or Eve were deviating or about to deviate from the perfect standards needed to allow them and their children to partake of the fruit of the tree that would have given them eternal life.

God could see the perfect angel Satan was rebelling against his authority and choosing to become deviant and evil with the intention of depriving them from inheriting eternal life. God had told Adam and Eve if they obey and recognise his authority and do as they were told regards the tree of knowledge they would be safe with his guidance and would have defeated Satan’s plan. God being holy and pure created heavenly and earthly life in perfection. They had to stay perfect through obedience.

That is why Jesus came to earth and showed by example how to be obedient and trust in God to save and make perfect through suffering. Romans 5:8. Suffering helps us to become strong and work towards perfection and if we although imperfect follow the example of Christ choosing Good (God’s rulership) instead of evil (Satan’s rulership)we can inherit the promise of everlasting life put before Adam and Eve if they had chosen obedience to God instead of obedience to Satan.

If we really think out the meaning of Genesis 3:22 “Here the man has become like one of us in knowing good and bad and now in order that he may not put his hand out and actually take also from the tree of life and eat and live to time indefinite… if they had eaten from the tree by which they would have lived forever after their transgression they would still be on earth today.

That is why we should follow the example Jesus gave and give Glory to God by doing good and not be pleasing Satan by contributing to badness, pain and suffering.

]]> By: robert taylor http://www.coffeehousetheology.com/think-for-you/comment-page-1/#comment-5610 robert taylor Sat, 30 Oct 2010 00:24:16 +0000 http://www.coffeehousetheology.com/?p=127#comment-5610 What kind of God would want to put wise men to shame? What kind of God would chose the company of fools? What kind of God would bring to nothing the things that are? Are these the actions of a God of Love? What kind of God would want to put wise men to shame?
What kind of God would chose the company of fools?
What kind of God would bring to nothing the things that are?
Are these the actions of a God of Love?

]]> By: June Dewar http://www.coffeehousetheology.com/think-for-you/comment-page-1/#comment-5513 June Dewar Wed, 27 Oct 2010 12:53:05 +0000 http://www.coffeehousetheology.com/?p=127#comment-5513 Dr Victoria Howard Hi I have now come to your comment and would agree with you being in the upmost spiritual mess. Wanting to worship "The Evil God Satan!" who rules this world filled with conflict, pain and suffering due to his influence is perhaps your choice. But I would prefer to suffer under duress and keep committing myself to the True God who created this earth and his son Christ Jesus who showed us the way, than with that evil one who by influence puts pain and hardship on a countless number of poor innocent children (perhaps you have been one at one time)?and those trusting in God than succumb to worshipping or becoming lured by evil. I pray that soon God's Kingdom will come to power as promised and all suffering by ALL evil will end. Amen!!! Dr Victoria Howard

Hi I have now come to your comment and would agree with you being in the upmost spiritual mess.

Wanting to worship “The Evil God Satan!” who rules this world filled with conflict, pain and suffering due to his influence is perhaps your choice. But I would prefer to suffer under duress and keep committing myself to the True God who created this earth and his son Christ Jesus who showed us the way, than with that evil one who by influence puts pain and hardship on a countless number of poor innocent children (perhaps you have been one at one time)?and those trusting in God than succumb to worshipping or becoming lured by evil.

I pray that soon God’s Kingdom will come to power as promised and all suffering by ALL evil will end. Amen!!!

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