Toulouse
Established
- Joined
- Nov 23, 2019
- Messages
- 259
So, I have been "on the Form for about a month. I was warned that the Religion/Spirituality Form was a "battle ground." Yikes!
It pains me to see my fellow believers tearing each other apart over extreme individual interpretation (thanks to the Enlightenment) - I think the term "Fundamentalist" is accurate. Having 7+ Billion interpretations of the Bible just doesn't work. Spiritually, I see a lot of witchcraft (controlling spirit), sorcery (stirring things up) and party spirits (cause division). Psychologically, I see a lot of projecting of people's own funk on to other people. Certainly the most common spirit is Pride, which is behind them all. This is literally quite sickening. I was sick to my stomach from the vehemence pointed at myself and others. It's not that I took it personally, rather the ugliness sickened me. As I sat back and thought about it, I realized that what I was feeling was not from God. It was the smoke of satan - I had allowed into my parlor. (check out Pigs in the Parlor and C.S. Lewis' The Screwtape Letters) I believe many who throw scripture around and use it as a weapon to divide, thinking that they are doing God's work, play into satan's hands, and may be using guerilla tactics to confuse people.
Also, psychologists, I taught psychology for 28 years, know that people can be addicted to arguing in which chemicals get released, much like a runner's high. I think that is at work here. I'm not interested. Nor am I interested in being attacked - too many trips around the Sun, with the Son, to deal with this. I choose to spend my retirement by building up the Church, not tearing it, and each other, down.
Admitting my own faults, which are many, I had to remove myself from the thread (I think that's what you call it - a thread). I need to spend more time in prayer.
For what's it's worth, I make an appeal that all Christians pray to the Holy Spirit for wisdom and guidance before getting on a forum. Ask Him to speak through you and be an instrument of His Peace. That doesn't mean we bury our heads in the sand, adopt others beliefs, and cave in, but a little more kindness would be nice towards each other would be good. I call for Christians to be united, which DOES NOT mean that we have to believe the exact same thing. Not everyone who plays for...the LA Lakers has the same beliefs on the how game should be played, but they play anyways with a common goal, with a leader - to win games by putting the ball in the bucket. Please pray about whether or not you are a "fisher of men" or do you bring division. We don't want to grieve the Holy Spirit.
I have no intention of responding to this, so, Merry Christmas. You are in my prayers. Blessings on you all.
It pains me to see my fellow believers tearing each other apart over extreme individual interpretation (thanks to the Enlightenment) - I think the term "Fundamentalist" is accurate. Having 7+ Billion interpretations of the Bible just doesn't work. Spiritually, I see a lot of witchcraft (controlling spirit), sorcery (stirring things up) and party spirits (cause division). Psychologically, I see a lot of projecting of people's own funk on to other people. Certainly the most common spirit is Pride, which is behind them all. This is literally quite sickening. I was sick to my stomach from the vehemence pointed at myself and others. It's not that I took it personally, rather the ugliness sickened me. As I sat back and thought about it, I realized that what I was feeling was not from God. It was the smoke of satan - I had allowed into my parlor. (check out Pigs in the Parlor and C.S. Lewis' The Screwtape Letters) I believe many who throw scripture around and use it as a weapon to divide, thinking that they are doing God's work, play into satan's hands, and may be using guerilla tactics to confuse people.
Also, psychologists, I taught psychology for 28 years, know that people can be addicted to arguing in which chemicals get released, much like a runner's high. I think that is at work here. I'm not interested. Nor am I interested in being attacked - too many trips around the Sun, with the Son, to deal with this. I choose to spend my retirement by building up the Church, not tearing it, and each other, down.
Admitting my own faults, which are many, I had to remove myself from the thread (I think that's what you call it - a thread). I need to spend more time in prayer.
For what's it's worth, I make an appeal that all Christians pray to the Holy Spirit for wisdom and guidance before getting on a forum. Ask Him to speak through you and be an instrument of His Peace. That doesn't mean we bury our heads in the sand, adopt others beliefs, and cave in, but a little more kindness would be nice towards each other would be good. I call for Christians to be united, which DOES NOT mean that we have to believe the exact same thing. Not everyone who plays for...the LA Lakers has the same beliefs on the how game should be played, but they play anyways with a common goal, with a leader - to win games by putting the ball in the bucket. Please pray about whether or not you are a "fisher of men" or do you bring division. We don't want to grieve the Holy Spirit.
I have no intention of responding to this, so, Merry Christmas. You are in my prayers. Blessings on you all.