Clif, your not getting what I'm saying. And you left off part of the post where I said "alot of people would be in violation". I also listed afterwards a few other religions and the letters, "etc". Which means there are more, I didn't have time or room to list them all. The ten commandments are very much part of the Christian life too. But I'm talking about punishments. No ya don't just throw away the Old Testament. I'm sorry if it came across that way in regards to the 10 commandments. If you read the New Testament, Jesus talks about the ten commandments and the New Covenant. Have you ever read it? He also deals with adultery. A woman was caught in the very act. You know what he said? He told the accusers, "Let he who is with out sin, cast the first stone." and to her, "Go and sin no more." That's what I mean about punishments. She got MERCY. There are other examples, tons!!! Read them for yourself. I'm am going to make an observation about you that I see. I am in no way trying to offend you and apologize if I do. It is NOT my intent. It's almost like you're fighting a feeling to learn more so you can look into Christianity deeper or you know the truth and are just plain "running". Sure, alot of people read into things to justify sin. But not everyone. God speaks to us differently. He can do whatever He wants. You see and hear God the way HE wants to communicate with you. The same for everyone else. God isn't a "puzzler", you are correct. Sometimes He uses people you meet or on here to get a message across to you. He doesn't have to make it hard. It's up to us to be open minded enough to listen. He will let you know what He means in HIS way, not yours.
Not Christianity. Just Pseudo-Christians. A lot of people are in violation no matter where you put the marker. It's human nature. That's what I thought. You abide by half the words in the Old Testament (the rules, but not the punishment). Actually it's that I learned too much. I have spent years studying and learned so much that I can see the hypocrisy that those who claim to be Christian are effecting. That hypocrisy and it's terrible brother justification are as annoying to me as a mote in your eye is to you. Those who are the most egregious purveyors are those "in charge" who have, for thousands of years, informed "the sheep" that they are too stupid to know God's words. Only they can tell you what God really meant. Whether "they" are Paul in his Epistles or Jerry Falwell in his radio and TV shows, they will tell you what God meant to say. I won't quote you, but I see you believe that God speaks to everyone differently. Who told you that? Use your own mind and tell me why God would do that. Why would God say one thing to you and another to me and yet something else to another? Does that make any sense? I see you also agree with me that "God isn't a puzzler", then why treat his words as though they are? If God does not speak in riddles, then why do you look to someone else to explain what God's words mean? Before I go too far, understand that I am not dissing your pastor specifically. Odds are he (or she) has been just as caught up in the whole deal as you have been. But you still rely on people (specifically the Epistles) to define God's words. To take a specific instance, homosexuality. What did Jesus say about it? No, you don't need to pick up the Bible, I'll tell you. Nothing. So where does Paul come off denouncing it? (Yes, I know there are rules against it in Leviticus, but the Levitican laws were written specifically for the priests of Levi, not for the average Joe.) Now you're about to write "Well, it's in the Bible", but who put the Bible together? Why were some books added but other books left out? I hate to get all "DiVinci Code" on you, but it is true that the group who put together the books that we would know today as the Bible did so with prejudices. They were, after all, human and, as such, were prone to human foibles. No, I believe in the word of God in the Bible, and little else. If you were to take out all of the commentary from His "Disciples", you would find that God, both in the New and Old Testaments spoke very plainly and to the point. We don't need anyone telling us what God really meant.
Clif, When I said God speaks to us differently, I meant in different WAYS. And yes God tells us each different things. It's about our lives TODAY. Each ones life. He deals with me on MY life and deals with others on THEIR lives. Since lives are not the same, what He tells each person will be different. Don't tell me you don't think God speaks to us in the present day..... :shock: You say you have studied and all that. I say you are to "book smart" for your own good. Most Christians today understand that it's not about a "religion". It's about a RELATIONSHIP with Him. Do you have one? A good website for you would be one called Notreligion.com. You may find some neat info there!!! I've said all I can say. As I said before, some will receive and others will not.
