What does prayer mean to you? Is it OK if someone

[Deleted]

So he knows before you do it, but has nothing to do with it. What does he have control of? He is god right?

[Deleted]

God planned your destiny long before you were even born. He planned it from the foundation of the earth. Psalm 139 says, "All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be" (verse 16, NIV). God created you for your destiny, and your destiny is part of a long plan that extends before and after you. You can trust God on that.

[cranberry49]

Just because God could know beforehand what humans will do, does not mean that he chooses to use that 'power' to see all does it? And, yes, he is God. This does not mean that he is an unloving God that chooses to use his creations as lab experiments, either. Being God would allow all things to be possible, don't you think?

[Deleted]

.

[Deleted]

Sept 5, 2012 20:55:00 GMT -5 cranberry49 said:

Being God would allow all things to be possible, don't you think?

God can be all black and all white at the same time?

[Deleted]

There is a God, of that I am sure. I don't understand all the workings of it and I don't really need to. What I do understand is that I can tap into it on a spiritual level and have strength and serenity I can't have without it. As for praying for someone, I think of that as sending some of that spiritual strength and serenity their way. Often in life it isn't about fixing the problem, it's about being able to deal with it. I am Christian because I believe the teachings of Jesus on how to live in the way that will make me happiest. If you don't want to be part of it that is fine. If it makes you feel any better, many Christians think I am not devout enough. That's fine too. As others have said, it's a personal journey. You get to choose your own path and destination.

[cranberry49]

Sept 5, 2012 20:52:20 GMT -5 @willingsniper said:

God planned your destiny long before you were even born. He planned it from the foundation of the earth. Psalm 139 says, "All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be" (verse 16, NIV). God created you for your destiny, and your destiny is part of a long plan that extends before and after you. You can trust God on that.

Ok, and the word 'ordained' can be translated into many different meanings too....Read the following.....

<< Psalm 139:16 >>


New International Version (©1984)
your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
New Living Translation (©2007)
You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.

English Standard Version (©2001)
Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Your book were all written The days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not one of them.

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English (©2010)
And my eyes saw my germination upon your Scriptures; all these things were written; behold, the days were cut short, and there was no person in them.

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
Your eyes saw me when I was only a fetus. Every day [of my life] was recorded in your book before one of them had taken place.

King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
Your eyes did see my substance, being yet unformed; and in your book they were all written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them.

American King James Version
Your eyes did see my substance, yet being imperfect; and in your book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.


Now. I hope you know that the bible cannot be read as any other ordinary book. It has to be studied...and verses need to be applied in the correct ordinance. The bible is NOT in chronological order. You did know this, right? So, how do you know what this verse is actually saying? Do you not know that the way one word is interrupted can have a major difference in the meaning of a sentence?

[cranberry49]

Sept 5, 2012 21:05:12 GMT -5 @devianity said:

Sept 5, 2012 20:55:00 GMT -5 cranberry49 said:

Being God would allow all things to be possible, don't you think?

God can be all black and all white at the same time?

I guess if he so chooses? What is your question, exactly?

[cranberry49]

king James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.


Now, to me, this means that the 'blueprint' for all the members of the human body have been recorded?! Not, that anything had been preordained...

[Deleted]

Sept 5, 2012 21:12:13 GMT -5 cranberry49 said:

Sept 5, 2012 21:05:12 GMT -5 @devianity said:

God can be all black and all white at the same time?

I guess if he so chooses? What is your question, exactly?

No further questions.

[Aman A.K.A. Ahamburger]

Great points about choices cranberry!

I just read this whole thread. The comments directed towards the “believers” are interesting. I find them interesting anyway because I made one historical based comment(backed by actual facts) on the non-religious thread and I had a big portion of the management telling me not to post there, basically. Just an observation, not whining, I'm a big boy. ;D

Also I would like to point out something to all the atheists on the boards that are promoting self indulgence, and “respect” for others. Your ideals aren't anything new; in fact a charismatic young man in the 1960's by the name of Anton LaVey started a LHP "religion" based on these very ideals... (NOTE: Not a personal attack on any poster here, just some historical facts to put things into context a bit for the future!!!!!!)

LaVeyan Satanism
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LaVeyan_Satanism

LaVeyan Satanism, often referred to simply as Satanism among most adherents is a religion founded in 1966 by Anton LaVey. Its teachings are based on individualism, self-control and "eye for an eye" morality, drawing influences from the rituals and ceremonies of occultist Aleister Crowley and the philosophies of Friedrich Nietzsche and Ayn Rand.[1]

Employing Crowley's terminology, its adherents define Satanism as a "Left-Hand Path" religion and philosophy, rejecting traditional "Right-Hand Path" religions such as Christianity and Wicca for their perceived denial of life, and, as in Christianity, emphasis on abstinence and unnecessary guilt.

Unlike Theistic Satanism, LaVeyan Satanism does not involve the literal worship of any being other than the self, but rather uses "Satan" as a symbol of carnality and earthly values, of man's inherent nature, and of a cosmos which Satanists perceive to be permeated and motivated by a force that has been given many names by man over the course of time. [2]

Anton LaVey established Satanism's first and largest religious organization, the Church of Satan, in 1966, and codified Satanic beliefs and practices in The Satanic Bible in 1969.

The Church of Satan acknowledges that there are many Satanists around the world, including both members and non-members. It often rejects the legitimacy of any other organizations of Satanists, dubbing them reverse-Christians, pseudo-Satanists or Devil worshippers.

"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."
-Edmund Burke

Blessing to all that want God to direct my positive energy towards them...

[Opti]

Sept 5, 2012 21:07:54 GMT -5 cranberry49 said:

Sept 5, 2012 20:52:20 GMT -5 @willingsniper said:

God planned your destiny long before you were even born. He planned it from the foundation of the earth. Psalm 139 says, "All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be" (verse 16, NIV). God created you for your destiny, and your destiny is part of a long plan that extends before and after you. You can trust God on that.

Ok, and the word 'ordained' can be translated into many different meanings too....Read the following.....

<< Psalm 139:16 >>


New International Version (©1984)
your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
New Living Translation (©2007)
You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.

English Standard Version (©2001)
Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Your book were all written The days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not one of them.

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English (©2010)
And my eyes saw my germination upon your Scriptures; all these things were written; behold, the days were cut short, and there was no person in them.

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
Your eyes saw me when I was only a fetus. Every day [of my life] was recorded in your book before one of them had taken place.

King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
Your eyes did see my substance, being yet unformed; and in your book they were all written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them.

American King James Version
Your eyes did see my substance, yet being imperfect; and in your book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.


Now. I hope you know that the bible cannot be read as any other ordinary book. It has to be studied...and verses need to be applied in the correct ordinance. The bible is NOT in chronological order. You did know this, right? So, how do you know what this verse is actually saying? Do you not know that the way one word is interrupted can have a major difference in the meaning of a sentence?

Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed

I think there are some theories, I think scientific, that posit everything in our life occurs simulataneously. No past, present, future just one moment. It freaks me out too much to think about for long so I contemplate on other theories like we don't necessarily choose just one choice, but all choices are spawned off into new parallel universe simultaneously.


So it could be one of those weird things were a biblical interpretation is true and in RL nothing is known or set into stone until it happens.

[Deleted]

[Opti]

Aramaic Bible in Plain English (©2010)
And my eyes saw my germination upon your Scriptures; all these things were written; behold, the days were cut short, and there was no person in them.

Interesting.
To me this seems very different than all the other "versions".
Not sure how I would interpret it though.

[mmhmm]

Ahamb, I'm going to ask you straight up, and I want an answer. Are you suggesting that those who don't believe in the Christian God (Athiests) are Satanists? Has it occurred to you that most who don't believe in God don't believe in Satan, by any name, either? You'd best clarify yourself.

[Aman A.K.A. Ahamburger]

Nope not at all![/u][/i] What I am saying is that these beliefs are already out there, and these are the people that have attached themselves to these ideals. It's simply something to think about and that is all.

[mmhmm]

I'll accept that on your word, Ahamb. That's not what your post read like, to me. There are people in the world who have attached themselves to all sorts of things. Nobody here said they were the first and only being to hold a given belief. Because a serial killer holds the same beliefs as you do (and some have), that doesn't make you in any way like the serial killer, does it? No, it does not! Let's not be making that sort of comparisons in future.

[weltschmerz]

Also I would like to point out something to all the atheists on the boards that are promoting self indulgence, and “respect” for others. Your ideals aren't anything new; in fact a charismatic young man in the 1960's by the name of Anton LaVey started a LHP "religion" based on these very ideals... (NOTE: Not a personal attack on any poster here, just some historical facts to put things into context a bit for the future!!!!!!)
----------------------
ROTFLMAO!! You can't possibly be serious!! That's like accusing all Christians of being like Fred Phelps. It's ridiculous.

[Jaguar]

Sept 5, 2012 22:44:07 GMT -5 weltschmerz said:

Also I would like to point out something to all the atheists on the boards that are promoting self indulgence, and “respect” for others. Your ideals aren't anything new; in fact a charismatic young man in the 1960's by the name of Anton LaVey started a LHP "religion" based on these very ideals... (NOTE: Not a personal attack on any poster here, just some historical facts to put things into context a bit for the future!!!!!!)
----------------------
ROTFLMAO!! You can't possibly be serious!! That's like accusing all Christians of being like Fred Phelps. It's ridiculous.

Absolutely freaking >>

[Aman A.K.A. Ahamburger]

Sept 5, 2012 22:44:05 GMT -5 mmhmm said:

I'll accept that on your word, Ahamb. That's not what your post read like, to me. There are people in the world who have attached themselves to all sorts of things. Nobody here said they were the first and only being to hold a given belief. Because a serial killer holds the same beliefs as you do (and some have), that doesn't make you in any way like the serial killer, does it? No, it does not! Let's not be making that sort of comparisons in future.

To be honest, actually there was a poster who said something about Satin loving him, that is what got me thinking about it... Weird huh?

[Aman A.K.A. Ahamburger]

Sept 5, 2012 22:44:07 GMT -5 weltschmerz said:

Also I would like to point out something to all the atheists on the boards that are promoting self indulgence, and “respect” for others. Your ideals aren't anything new; in fact a charismatic young man in the 1960's by the name of Anton LaVey started a LHP "religion" based on these very ideals... (NOTE: Not a personal attack on any poster here, just some historical facts to put things into context a bit for the future!!!!!!)
----------------------
ROTFLMAO!! You can't possibly be serious!! That's like accusing all Christians of being like Fred Phelps. It's ridiculous.

To be honest, actually there was a poster who said something about Satin loving him, that is what got me thinking about it... Weird huh?

[Aman A.K.A. Ahamburger]

Sept 5, 2012 22:51:03 GMT -5 Jaguar said:

Sept 5, 2012 22:44:07 GMT -5 weltschmerz said:

Also I would like to point out something to all the atheists on the boards that are promoting self indulgence, and “respect” for others. Your ideals aren't anything new; in fact a charismatic young man in the 1960's by the name of Anton LaVey started a LHP "religion" based on these very ideals... (NOTE: Not a personal attack on any poster here, just some historical facts to put things into context a bit for the future!!!!!!)
----------------------
ROTFLMAO!! You can't possibly be serious!! That's like accusing all Christians of being like Fred Phelps. It's ridiculous.

Absolutely freaking >>

To be honest, actually there was a poster who said something about Satin loving him, that is what got me thinking about it... Weird huh?

[Jaguar]

No.

[mmhmm]

Satin doesn't love anybody. Satin is cloth. If you read a poster saying Satan loved him, it was probably Prince of Darkness in one form or another. He's ... ermm ... no longer around. The point here is, because one poster says something, or one old Satanist says something, or one pseudo-Christian like Phelps says something, that doesn't make any of what they say worth the time it takes to type it. To extrapolate from a statement that atheists are satanists, or are like satanists, or wish they were satanists, or whatever else you might conjure up is beyond ludicrous. If it happens again, I'll just delete the damned post. I've said the insults in here are going to stop. I've had to say it more than once today and, quite frankly, I'm sick and damned tired of repeating myself!

mmhmm, Administrator

[Deleted]

I don't believe in gods. What would make you think I believe in satan? I should take offense to this so you get a public keyboard lashing.
But I won't

[Deleted]

Ok, and the word 'ordained' can be translated into many different meanings too....Read the following..

I didn't post that for the word ordained, but whatever. I am afraid of getting to heated and getting banned.
There is no god.

[Aman A.K.A. Ahamburger]

Who said anything about you Sniper? Here is is mmhmm. Nothing personal, was reading and I thought, hmmmmm, that is all.

Sept 4, 2012 17:20:29 GMT -5 Loopdilou said:

Sept 4, 2012 16:44:16 GMT -5 weltschmerz said:

Oh? Which one believes in me? Brahma? Kali? Ganesh? Shiva? Ram? Bastet? Osiris? Isis? Anubis? Abassi? Kwoth? Ikenga? All of them? Or just the Judeo-Christian God? There are thousands. Why should I think only your particular god believes in me?

I tend to think Satan believes in me. I'm one of his good works as an Atheist sinner

[Aman A.K.A. Ahamburger]

Sept 5, 2012 23:01:49 GMT -5 @willingsniper said:

I don't believe in gods. What would make you think I believe in satan? I should take offense to this so you get a public keyboard lashing.
But I won't

Read what it says. Some Satanist don't beileve satain is a God...

[Aman A.K.A. Ahamburger]

Again, not saying you are one Sniper. Just pointing out FACTS!

[mmhmm]

Oh, for crying out tears, Ahamb. Quit with the twisting to fit your agenda, eh? If you think you can play me for a fool, you'd best think again. It doesn't work out well. Loopy's post was obviously made in jest, hence the winking "smiley". Get over it, and don't let me see anymore of that kind of thing from you. You're welcome to your own beliefs and more power to you. The same goes for the other posters, even if they don't agree with you. I hope I've made myself clear.

mmhmm, Administrator who's about to remove that offensive post if this nonsense doesn't stop now!