Bobby,
I'll start by saying that, for myself, I have never audibly heard
God. However, I know that I have something akin to an inner voice
that leads me in directions I don't always agree with (i.e. it does
not validate thoughts or actions that I would prefer). I often judge
things to be in line with God's will when that inner voice isn't
riding my @$$ like Zorro and whipping me with a riding crop braided
with guilt. You know my thoughts on (moderate) alcohol intake. Never
once have I felt my conscience tugging at me about that one. Things
that I would like to justify in my own mind when it comes to certain
types of interaction with the opposite sex on the other hand - don't
seem to fly with that same inner guide. I don't know if that process
works for other people. Hell, I don't truly know if it even works
that well for me.
Anyway, to the quote that had you interested... I've heard specific
people "speak" "from God" in the KJV dialect and I would like to think
that these CERTAIN people are not full of the [EMAIL PROTECTED] In my personal
relationship with them, I would even go so far as to say that if they
were making it up, they really didn't think they were. Most of the
time I find them to be fully devoted to Christ - more interested in
honoring God than getting noticed for doing so, but also easily
susceptible to suggestion and not really counted among the great
thinkers of our time. I think we have all agreed that God speaking
audibly, while not impossible, is probably a rarity. So when and if
God were to speak, it would be up to the person receiving the
"message" to interpret it and relay it, which one would think would
come out in that person's own words along with their normal methods of
speech, verbal mannerisms, etc. However, if said "vessel" were
actually aware that this message was from God and felt that they
should relay it as God would AND their impression of God is the KJV
speak, I find it reasonable that a true word from God might be voiced
in said manner. I'll emphasize that, even if this were the case, I
believe it really only represents a small percentage of the "Words
from God" that get the "Thus sayeth the Lord," treatment. The rest
are making it up, presumably for the purpose of (poorly thought out)
self-aggrandizement.
If one were so inclined to launch a true study, I imagine that we
would see a sharp decline in "Thus sayeth" messages comparing "words
from God" voiced by say, the last four generations of Christians as
fewer and fewer people are subjected as regularly to the KJV speak at
church and at home. The mentality is still there, but the impression
of God speaking in "thees and thous" has diminished. I know my views
on this sort of thing come off as rather harsh. It's probably fair to
say that they are, but I blame this type of thing for turning me off
to church in general for many years - years when I really needed the
guidance a good church community can provide. More importantly, I
think many people are still turned off by churches for this very
reason - people that are right on the edge of wanting to be involved,
but knowing a load of BS when they hear it. I tried a lot of churches
before I came to Crosspointe. I was sold on Crosspointe after just
one visit. Pastor Joe seemed so real and honest and genuine.
Surprisingly enough, (and this may not come out right) I think most
leaders really inspired by God are relatively unimpressive - because
the act isn't needed.
To the "All truth comes from God, all un-truth comes from Satan,"
with no major research whatsoever, I thoroughly, 100%, do not believe
it. Maybe you've heard me say it before, but every time this comes up
I remember an old comic that I saw when I was a kid (ironically, at
church I think). The devil sat on a sidewalk out in front of a church
crying. A little boy comes up to him and asks what's wrong and the
devil replies, "They blame EVERYTHING on me in there!" The main
reason I don't buy the concept comes down to free will, essentially.
God can't (won't) make you tell the truth anymore than the devil can
make you lie. At least, that's my thesis statement. I think that
lifestyle and habits can make one more attune to one side or the
other, but ultimately, I think a person can choose to lie with no
Satanic influence whatsoever. Also, have you considered the more
mundane elements of conversation? If you will grant that "It's a nice
day outside." while based in opinion, is a true statement in this
example - was it a divine-inspired statement? How about something
more factual like "I have to work on Thursday."?
Let's go with the research field which is littered with false
beliefs, many of which are only discovered false after decades or
centuries of being accepted as fact (ie, "Lewis Black is funny"). Are
man's failings to fully comprehend God's creation on the first attempt
to be blamed on the devil?
Is the devil negatively influencing my ability to correctly analyze
my girlfriend's feelings or is it simply that she doesn't know what
she truly wants from one moment to the next?
Moreover, hasn't God often obscured factual ends from man or even
specific men? -Abraham, your son is going to die today by your own
hand- (without furthering this argument in the vein of the rabbinic
midrash or Hasidic masters). Which is not to say that God lied, but
rather that he deliberately did not reveal facts and even lead man to
believe something potentially contrary to the end result. I'm sure
there are better examples.
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
"Crosspointe Discuss" group.
To post to this group, send email to [email protected]
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
For more options, visit this group at
http://groups.google.com/group/crosspointe-discuss?hl=en
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
