Abersold: Words to Live By

[goodbird]

WORDS TO LIVE BY
G. W. Abersold PhD
The most loved and read book in the Judea-Christian faiths is the Book of Psalms. Communally called the Psalter, the 150 chapters are poems, written as lyrics to be sung.
The favorite of people of faith is the 23rd Psalm. The messages it gives are of comfort, peace, security, provision, freedom and hope.
This Psalm becomes very personal. The personal pronoun “I” “my” and “me” are used seventeen times in the six verses.
The basic literary approach is the use of metaphor. Shepherd, sheep, shepherding and their roles are intrinsic to understanding the poem.
The first verse sets the stage. “The Lord is my Shepherd.” (KJV) God is viewed as the caretaker of us-the sheep. Jesus uses the same metaphor in the Gospel of Luke, chapter 15. When the Shepherd has lost one sheep, He searches until it is found.
The first verse is followed with the first promise of PROVISION-both physically and spiritually. “I shall not want,” or be in need.
The shepherd leads to green pastures that provide nourishment for the sheep. Sheep are instinctively afraid of flowing streams; so “still waters” are the good option.
Why are they afraid? Because of their wool. If they fell in, they would drown from the wet wool.
The provision includes restoration of the soul-our spirit. Stress and exhaustion place a high toll on the human spirit. But the Shepherd restores us.
The current movie, Evan Almighty, gives one way this is done. God (played by Morgan Freeman) and Noah (played by Steve Carell) are in dialogue about how God answers prayer. God says, “When someone asks for patience, I give them opportunities to be patient. When they ask for courage, they are given opportunities to be courageous.” And so on. In the process, restoration is achieved.
The next insight in the Psalm is the shepherd’s PROTECTION. Dangers are everywhere. From wild animals to rough terrain. The shepherd’s rod and staff are used. The rod has a crook or hook at the end, that is used around the sheep’s neck and the lamb’s chest to lift them from danger.
The staff is a club that wards off wild animals. What dangers do we face today? Depression, loneliness, pessimism, worry, sorrow and temptation, to mention a few.
For the last danger (temptation) I Corinthians 10:13 gives us a promise. God (shepherd) is faithful who will not allow us to be tempted more than we can handle; and will always make a way of escape.
The third insight in the Psalm is the constant PRESENCE of the Shepherd. He never leaves the sheep alone. The sheep sense His presence every moment.
The most comforting verse in the Bible is this one: “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me.” (KJV)
A few years ago, on my first trip to Israel, I was the guest of the Archbishop of Jerusalem (Anglican). I desperately wanted to go to Masada, but Israel was on the verge of war.
The roads were busy with tanks, trucks and soldiers. A young priest was assigned as my guide. I was informed that the only way to get to Masada was by a back road, seldom used. It is called the “valley of the shadow of death.” Nothing lives there, either plants or animals. It is totally desolate. It makes Death Valley look like an oasis.
I asked my guide if the residents of Jerusalem knew about it. He assured me they did. Of course the 23rd Psalm immediately took on greater meaning for me, after hearing that.
Also, the valley is not a dead end. We go “through” it and we “go not alone.” The Shepherd (God) is with us. Norman Vincent Peale, author of the classic, The Power of Positive Thinking, always recommended the 23rd Psalm be read daily by believers.

[goodbird]

WORDS TO LIVE BY
G. W. Abersold PhD
Judaism has three basic textual expressions: the Torah or the Pentateuch, the Talmud-made up of the Mishna and Gemora, and the Midrash
The Torah has 613 laws and the other two contain explanations and stories to clarify the laws. Rabbis and scholars were masters of telling stories.
A few years ago I was traveling in Austria by bus and became friends with a couple from England. I noticed the husband was reading a very thick book-The World’s Best Short Stories.
He let me look at it and to my amazement the very first story was from the New Testament. It was Jesus’ story of what is commonly called, the Prodigal Son. (Luke 15)
This parable contains the essence of what Jesus taught. Christians have creeds: The Apostles Creed, the Westminster Confession, the Korean Creed, etc. The short story is Jesus’ creed.
A man had two sons. The younger wanted his inheritance and it was given. He went into a far country and wasted it. He ended up feeding pigs ( a no-no for Jews.)
He remembers how good it was with his father and decides to go home and ask for forgiveness. His father sees him and runs to greet him. A celebration ensues because, “For this my son was dead, and is alive again : he was lost, and is found. And they began to make merry.”
What a story. Short and powerful. Full of meaning.
We don’t know how old the man was, just that he was younger than his brother. The significant truth is that he made a CHOICE. Mankind is the only mammal that has that ability: to go or stop, to stay or move, to waste or enhance.
Henry Ward Beecher said, “God asks no one if they will accept life, the only choice they have is what they do with it.”
The younger brother wasted his substance. He also wasted his talents. Each of us has the potential to choose whether we squander our talents or not. This challenges us to the very end of our days.
It means that every waking moment contains that reality. While our moments can be wasted, we each have the potential of choice to return, and start over. The Gospel.
Jesus believed that no one was beyond recovery. He thought the individual had a choice to recover. The Gospel of the second chance.
Think of the stories of the Bible. It is a record of choices; Adam, Eve, Noah, Abraham, David, Peter, Paul and even Jesus. So, His first creedal statement is about our potential or what Victor Frankl called, “the indomitable power of the human spirit.”
Then comes, what I believe, is the most beautiful scene in the Bible. The father is watching for his son and then he runs to greet him. Acceptance and forgiveness is granted.
Bible scholars believe the father is Jesus’ view of His heavenly Father, God. He gives love and forgiveness. He seeks the wayward. The Gospel.
A few years ago there appeared an announcement in the New York Times. It said, “Dear Son, we love and forgive you. Please meet us next Tuesday at noon at Times Square. Love, Mom and Dad.” The Gospel.
On Tuesday, at noon, 152 men were at Times Square.
The story continues with a revelatory account. Celebration. Which is seemingly a lost element in Christian worship. A ring, a robe, a fatted calf, music and dancing. Joy, happiness and enthusiasm are paramount. The Gospel.
The best analogy is the recent final game of the NBA that the San Antonio Spurs won. They really celebrated. Hugging each other; yelling, laughing, jumping; above all expressing joy. Celebration differs with the individual but it is essential to happiness. Especially religion. It is the Gospel

[goodbird]

WORDS TO LIVE BY
G. W. Abersold PhD
A parable is defined by Webster’s Dictionary as, “A short allegorical story designed to illustrate or teach some truth, religious principle, or moral lesson.” It is also defined as “an extended metaphor.”
In ancient times it was used by the Greeks, the Hebrews and in particular by Jesus. Both Matthew and Mark say Jesus taught only by the use of parables.
Thompson’s chain reference states that there are 38 different parables told by Jesus: 29 told only once, 3 told twice and 6 told in 3 Gospels. The two most popular: the Prodigal Son and the Good Samaritan are each told once, in the Gospel of Luke.
In each case, the parable is preceded by a confrontation with Jesus. In Luke chapter 10, a lawyer tries to trap Jesus and asks, “Who is my neighbor?” The story of the Good Samaritan is Jesus’ answer.
A man goes from Jerusalem to Jericho, about fifteen miles, on a crooked desolate road. He is attacked, robbed and beaten by thieves, left for dead.
A Priest and a Levite (religious leaders) pass by the beaten man any ignore him. We don’t know why, probably too busy.
A Samaritan comes by. He stops, helps the man and takes him to a hotel. He pays for his care and if more money is needed, he’ll pay on his way back.
When asked who was the neighbor, the lawyer reluctantly says, “The one who showed mercy.” Jesus then says, “Go and do likewise.”
It is important to know the Samaritans were a despised people. They were a mixed breed. The Jewish males would pray each morning, “I thank God I’m not a woman, a dog or a Samaritan.”
In addition to the obvious interpretation of this parable, there is another meaning. It reveals three basic views about life, involving the participants.
The thieves reflect the philosophy of many, WHAT IS THINE IS MINE. I’ll take what I want. Or, buyers beware. I know several people who have lost their retirement because of the avarice and thievery of their company officials. Think of the Enron diabolical debacle.
Certainly there is physical brutality. But the worst is the mental drain of life that affects us physically. The pressures and stressors of living contribute to heart attacks, strokes and even cancer.
The brutality caused by gossip and character assassination, at times affects everyone. The results are depression and despair. Annie Dillard in her book, Pilgrim At Tinker’s Creek, describes a water beetle attacking a frog. It drains the frogs of all of its vitals and sinews. The skin sinks to the bottom. An apt description of the human condition.
Then comes the Priest and Levite. They represent the philosophy of WHAT IS MINE IS MINE. I’ll keep my life to myself. J. Paul Getty, the billionaire, had his grandson kidnapped. An ear was sent to him. He refused to pay the ransom saying, “My grandson and I were never close.”
We are the richest nation on earth. Yet only a few respond to the cries of world-wide poverty and hunger. I told a member of my church that I was studying Spanish to better counsel Latinos. “Why,” she said. “They’re not our kind of people.”
Too many religious people of all faiths ignore the plight of the needy.
The third representation says, WHAT IS MINE IS THINE. It’s yours if you need it. The Salvation Army, Goodwill, YMCA, YWCA, many universities, orphanages and hospitals were started by Good Samaritan type people.
There are several billionaires today in the U.S. that are donating money to help others. But the challenge for each of us is to be of help to those around us in need. A kind word, a ride, a dish, a prayer, or an empathetic shoulder is fulfilling Jesus’ admonishment to, “Go and do likewise.”
Bishop Gerald Kennedy always enjoyed telling the story of little Sally. She was late getting home from school and her mother was upset. She told her mother that her friend’s doll had been run over by a car and she was crying. When asked what she did for her friend, she said, “I cried with her.” She was a Good Samaritan.

[rocmonkey]

In defining the meaning of the word insane-
Doing the same thing the same way and expecting different results
Albert Einstein

1- I'm a man
but I can change
if I have to
&
2- If the women don't find you handsome
at least they'll find you handy
&
3-Duck tape, the handy-man's favorite tool- - Red Green show (10pm Saturday night on PBS)

[goodbird]

WORDS TO LIVE BY
G. W. Abersold PhD
Alexander Pope is the author of a phrase that is probably applicable to me in this article. “Fools rush in where angels fear to tread.”
I refer to the age-old matter of “original sin” or as it is often called, “inherited depravity.”
The issue is clear. Are babies born evil? Because of Adam’s sin in the Garden of Eden, was and is all of mankind affected by the stain of sin at birth?
The Roman Catholic Church and the ultra-conservative Protestant Churches subscribe to the belief of Original Sin. Basically what this means is a belief that every child born is born evil, with a stain of sin; and going to hell unless baptized.
Supposedly, this was caused by Adam and Eve’s Fall in the Garden. As a result of their sin, all of their descendants (including you and me) have been infected by sin.
The verse of Scripture most often used to support this view is verse 5 of the 51st Psalm written by David. “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.”
I don’t believe babies are born evil. They are born innocent. However, I do believe there is evil in the world. A casual reading of the morning newspaper illustrates this fact. As dark is the absence of light, evil is the absence of good.
Evil is the result of choice-freewill. Adam and Eve made a choice, so do we when we do wrong.
Back to Psalm 51:5. The King James Version is a poor translation. One scholar says it best. “David was seeking forgiveness for sins he had committed-not sins he had inherited.” Another says, “That sinful actions surrounded his birth is clearly taught; that sin was passed on to him from his mother is not.”
Many adherents of the Jewish faith do not accept the Torah (which includes the Creation account) as historical or scientific. Orthodox Jews do but in the rabbinic writings and later commentaries even they feel free to question the historicity of all of Torah. Rabbi Harold S. Kushner says Torah is a moral account. The name Adam means “man” in Hebrew. The concept of Original Sin is NOT accepted in Judaism and Judaism was, indeed, the faith of Jesus. Rabbi Hillel Cohn of San Bernardino, Rabbi Samuel S Cohon of Hebrew Union College and one of the foremost Jewish theologians of the 20th century, and Rabbi Robert Gordis of the Jewish Theological Seminary have all spoken and written about the subject of Original Sin.
Dr. Gordis states, “It has no genuine analogue in Judaism . . . According to biblical and rabbinic teaching, every man possesses two yetzers, the good impulse and the evil impulse, and is given the capacity to choose the right and reject the wrong.”
Rabbi Samuel S. Cohon, in his monograph on Original Sin, specifically states, “Against the despairing view of human nature as vitiated and depraved, Judaism consistently pointed to the divine capacities and endowment of man . . . The capacity for goodness inheres in man as the bearer of the divine likeness.”
Rabbi Hillel Cohn endorses both of their views and quotes a statement on Judaism that first appeared in the book Psychodynamics of Jewish Life as saying, “Judaism attributes to man original worth, not original sin.”
Following the death of the Apostles, the church was a cauldron of dissension until the Council of Nicaea in 325 A.D settled many Christian beliefs.
The canon of the New Testament, doctrines and sacraments were all under debate. Iranaeus and Origen were among those in the forefront. Iranaeus believed the Torah was authentic history. Origen believed it was to be interpreted as allegory.
J.N.D. Kelly in his book, “Early Christian Doctrines,” says “Iranaeus (130-205) was the first to work out a comprehensive theory of Original Sin. And that sin (Adam’s) had consequences for the whole race.”
But the person most responsible for establishing the doctrine of Original Sin was Augustine, Bishop of Hippo (354-430). In his writing he was able to inject the doctrine into Catholic belief and later into Calvinist theology.
Calvinist theology is the basis of many beliefs in the Baptist, Presbyterian, Congregational, Reformed and most Fundamentalist Churches.
The most rabid of the exponents of Original Sin was Jonathan Edwards, a Congregational minister who preached a moving sermon on July 8, 1741. It was called, “Sinners in the Hands of An Angry God.” In graphic words he depicts crying and screaming children writhing in hell. Babies who have not been baptized. Never believing the words of Jesus, “of such is the kingdom of heaven.”
Scholar Peter Nathan says, “Augustine did not devise the concept of Original Sin. It was his use of specific New Testament Scripture to justify the doctrine that was new.”
He used Romans 5:12 as the basis for his views along with Psalm 51:5. “Therefore. . . sin came into the world through one man (Adam) and death came through sin, and so death spread to all because all have sinned.” NRSV
The Apostle later says that only through faith in Christ is humanity redeemed from sin.
Augustine further stated that this sin was continued through intercourse. Sex became an evil act. This view is accepted by many believers today. “But why, when sexual relations in Jewish society at the time of Christ and Paul were considered honorable and good?”
A problem arose. How Jesus could be born without sin if Mary, his mother, had a human father. This was solved by Pope Pius IX in 1854 in the Doctrine of Immaculate Conception.
Immaculate means “without stain.” Mary was preserved from the defects of Original Sin by God’s grace. This plus the Virgin Birth made it possible for Jesus to be born without sin.
It is important to understand that the Apostle Paul was the ONLY writer of books in the New Testament that endorsed the concept of Original Sin. And then only in Romans 5. He also discounted the views in the Old Testament. In particular, that man was created in the image of God. Of the 27 books only Romans speaks of Original Sin. Of the hundreds of verses Paul wrote, only three or four refer to the origin of sin.
Since Paul did not get the concept of Original Sin from his Jewish background, what influenced him? Many scholars point to Greek philosophers and the Parsi religion as the sources. As Paul did, Plato, Aristotle, Seneca and Philo believed in the corruption of matter. Cohon says, “Judaism consistently pointed to the divine capacities and endowments of man.”
The choice seems clear. We either accept what Jesus believed or what Paul wrote.
The next time you see a newborn babe, ask yourself if you believe the baby is evil or the possessor of free-will, to choose the path of good or the path of evil.
A summary. 1) Jesus was never a Christian. Christianity is the religion ABOUT Jesus, not the religion OF Jesus. Paul started Christianity. Jesus believed the Torah when it said mankind was created in the image of God. 2) No other writer of the New Testament wrote about Original Sin-only Paul. 3) Augustine made sex the way sin was transmitted. Because of him Original Sin became a cardinal belief of Catholic and many Protestant churches who follow John Calvin. 4) If man is born in sin, how can God hold him responsible? It would be like blaming a man responsible for failing to run a marathon when he was born with a defective heart. And 5) Each person is born with the endowment to be good or bad and we choose which it will be.

[rocmonkey]

Words to live by-
Don't believe everything folks say, do some research for yourself!


Case in point-- these words by this nut who simply doesn't 'know' Christian principles, meanings or doctrines --

I refer to the age-old matter of “original sin” or as it is often called, “inherited depravity.”
The issue is clear. Are babies born evil? Because of Adam’s sin in the Garden of Eden, was and is all of mankind affected by the stain of sin at birth?
The Roman Catholic Church and the ultra-conservative Protestant Churches subscribe to the belief of Original Sin. Basically what this means is a belief that every child born is born evil, with a stain of sin; and going to hell unless baptized.
Supposedly, this was caused by Adam and Eve’s Fall in the Garden. As a result of their sin, all of their descendants (including you and me) have been infected by sin.


I don’t believe babies are born evil. They are born innocent.

As dark is the absence of light, evil is the absence of good.

Evil is the result of choice-freewill. Adam and Eve made a choice, so do we when we do wrong.

The most rabid of the exponents of Original Sin was Jonathan Edwards, a Congregational minister who preached a moving sermon on July 8, 1741. It was called, “Sinners in the Hands of An Angry God.” In graphic words he depicts crying and screaming children writhing in hell. Babies who have not been baptized. Never believing the words of Jesus, “of such is the kingdom of heaven.”

Scholar Peter Nathan says, “Augustine did not devise the concept of Original Sin. It was his use of specific New Testament Scripture to justify the doctrine that was new.”
He used Romans 5:12 as the basis for his views along with Psalm 51:5. “Therefore. . . sin came into the world through one man (Adam) and death came through sin, and so death spread to all because all have sinned.” NRSV
The Apostle later says that only through faith in Christ is humanity redeemed from sin.
Augustine further stated that this sin was continued through intercourse. Sex became an evil act. This view is accepted by many believers today. “But why, when sexual relations in Jewish society at the time of Christ and Paul were considered honorable and good?”
A problem arose. How Jesus could be born without sin if Mary, his mother, had a human father. This was solved by Pope Pius IX in 1854 in the Doctrine of Immaculate Conception.
Immaculate means “without stain.” Mary was preserved from the defects of Original Sin by God’s grace. This plus the Virgin Birth made it possible for Jesus to be born without sin.
It is important to understand that the Apostle Paul was the ONLY writer of books in the New Testament that endorsed the concept of Original Sin. And then only in Romans 5. He also discounted the views in the Old Testament. In particular, that man was created in the image of God. Of the 27 books only Romans speaks of Original Sin. Of the hundreds of verses Paul wrote, only three or four refer to the origin of sin.

Since Paul did not get the concept of Original Sin from his Jewish background, what influenced him?


The choice seems clear. We either accept what Jesus believed or what Paul wrote.
The next time you see a newborn babe, ask yourself if you believe the baby is evil or the possessor of free-will, to choose the path of good or the path of evil.


A summary. 1) Jesus was never a Christian. Christianity is the religion ABOUT Jesus, not the religion OF Jesus. Paul started Christianity. Jesus believed the Torah when it said mankind was created in the image of God. 2) No other writer of the New Testament wrote about Original Sin-only Paul. 3) Augustine made sex the way sin was transmitted. Because of him Original Sin became a cardinal belief of Catholic and many Protestant churches who follow John Calvin. 4) If man is born in sin, how can God hold him responsible? It would be like blaming a man responsible for failing to run a marathon when he was born with a defective heart. And 5) Each person is born with the endowment to be good or bad and we choose which it will be.

by G. W. Abersold

[goodbird]

Dr. Abersold is a minister of a Episcopalian church in San Bernardino, CA. I hardly think he is a nut. More likely, a thoughtful theologian.

I post his thoughts only for their worth, not to say he is the final arbiter of the gospel.

[rocmonkey]

Originally Posted by goodbird

Dr. Abersold is a minister of a Episcopalian church in San Bernardino, CA. I hardly think he is a nut. More likely, a thoughtful theologian.

I post his thoughts only for their worth, not to say he is the final arbiter of the gospel.

I realize that but he's misguided and extremely unbiblical. Not trying to get off topic (and won't again here) but why live by words that are completely distorted, wrong and worth very little to anyone? They only serve to confuse seekers of truth.

[KAN]

Sorry, I don't buy into the concept of punishing millions of people for the acts of one.

Deut. 24:16, "The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own sin."

[goodbird]

good one, kan. See, the boys at nicea were more interested in controlling the people, than they were in defining the truth. The Bible doesn't teach the concept of original sin and even if it did, Jesus would have set that aside by his sacrifice.

[rocmonkey]

[quote]Sorry, I don't buy into the concept of punishing millions of people for the acts of one.

Deut. 24:16, "The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own sin."[/quote}

God doesn't do that. That's a misunderstanding of the Scriptures.

"Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me"- Psalms 51:5.
We are sinners by nature or the product of original sin. That is Adam's sin. I believe Adam and Eve may have lived for Billions of years but eventually sinned. Had we been there we too would have sinned just as they did.

What folks usually mean when they say babies and small children aren't sinners is that they are free of individual sins (hamartemata), not that they aren't products of original sin or sin in general (hamartia). Small children can't commit transgression (parabasis). Or, their not able to violate God's law where He has drawn a clear line- a specific command we disobey.

Romans chapters 3-5, 6:23 and the clincher is Salvation is a 'free gift'* given to all who trust in the Jesus found only in the Bible.

*Since Salvation is free, we don't work for it or to obtain it. We work because we have it (to show others the amazing love, mercy, grace and forgiveness of God). Plus, we show them His true hatred for our sin and the final results of it.

good one, kan. See, the boys at nicea were more interested in controlling the people, than they were in defining the truth. The Bible doesn't teach the concept of original sin and even if it did, Jesus would have set that aside by his sacrifice.

The Council of Nicea was just another step (one of many over the past three centuries) in trying to figure out what the Bible meant and how to explain it to the masses.

The Bible does teach original sin. Romans is clear on that. Jesus' blood only cleanses (1 Jn.1:7) the sin of those who accept Him. The rest are under the extreme condemnation and wrath of God (Jn.3:36)

To get a really good picture of God's wrath and anger towards unrepentant mankind read "Sinners in the hands of an angry God" by Jonathan Edwards. Its only 60 or 70 pages long with very few words per page. Its an eye opener, especially for today's Christians.

[KAN]

[quote=rocmonkey;72141]

God doesn't do that. That's a misunderstanding of the Scriptures.

Misunderstood by who?

That's the problem with the bible, it can be interpreted, bent to fit, tailored to, customized to any way of thought or any religious zealot. It's been studied by top scholars throughout history and the best interpretation so far is to agree to disagree on it's contents.

IMHO It's a novel full of hypocrisy's that's been on the best selling list for Centuries.

[goodbird]

A small reminder. Psalms was written mostly by King David. I take them as his view of his world. If he considered himself born in iniquity, perhaps he was. That doesn't paint the rest of the world with the same brush.

Man is certainly capable of sinning all by himself. God knows it is not necessary to burden us with Adam's transgression. We do that just fine.

Interestingly enough, Eve was tempted by Satan, and then asked Adam to join her in transgression. Had he not transgressed the law, he would have lived eternally because he had not separated with God at that point. But, they had the early commandment of God to replenish the earth and multiply, and he could not obey that commandment without Eve. Kind of put him between a rock and hard place. The Genesis account tells us Adam and Eve were given the capacity to make a choice. Given two opposing commandments (do not eat of the tree of life, and replenish the earth) he chose the better path, bringing forth inheriters of the earth, his children. In so doing, he fulfilled the commandment to replenish the earth. Had he chosen not to eat, and retained his status as an eternal being, he would have not been able to have an increase.

[rocmonkey]

[quote=KAN;72142]

Originally Posted by rocmonkey

Misunderstood by who?

That's the problem with the bible, it can be interpreted, bent to fit, tailored to, customized to any way of thought or any religious zealot. It's been studied by top scholars throughout history and the best interpretation so far is to agree to disagree on it's contents.

IMHO It's a novel full of hypocrisy's that's been on the best selling list for Centuries.

God doesn't punish millions for the acts of one, usually. But, we are the children of the very first sinners, Adam and Eve. Therefore we are by default sinners, too. We are either born perfect or born sinners. There's no middle ground. The Bible says we are all sinners by our nature.

You're right that the Bible can be interpreted in many ways. But only if we do not use the proper definitions and meanings of the words we discuss in their original languages- Greek & Hebrew. When taken properly its very difficult to twist or misinterpret the Bible. In fact, even Satan tries to twist God's word (Gen.3:1, Mt.4:6,10).

I don't believe there is any hypocrisy in the Bible. If we look at God's character and nature we all deserve the deepest part of Hell the first time we tell a white lie, let alone the sins we usually commit that are much worse. God loves us so much that He's not willing to pronounce judgment on us (Ecc.8:11) until we have no more opportunity to repent (we die- Heb.9:27). He could at any time but He doesn't want that. He wants everyone to repent so He can give us all Heaven. In spite of our very worse, He loves us more than He hates our sin. Which is saying something considering what He has said He will do one day to unrepentant man (Mt.7:23, 25:41, and Rev. 6; 8; 9*; 14:9-11,20; 16*; 21:8).

[The Druid II]

Originally Posted by rocmonkey

I realize that but he's misguided and extremely unbiblical. Not trying to get off topic (and won't again here) but why live by words that are completely distorted, wrong and worth very little to anyone? They only serve to confuse seekers of truth.

You mean like the bible? Of course only if someone has a different interpretation of it than you.