Posted by MH on July 08, 2002 at 21:29:56:
In Reply to: Re: End of discussion posted by Jeff Downs on July 08, 2002 at 16:49:22:
Starting with the tripe that you spew... one of the reasons I am no longer a 'practicing' Catholic. Dude, I believe what I believe. I'm set in my ways and I'm not about to change because I believe I am doing what is right for me and my family. Fact is: The Bible was written BY MEN. It may be the Word of God (I still believe this is - for the most part - true.) But if you want to throw stones - the Bible is a collection of religious beliefs by a group of humans.
Have you ever played the game where you tell a secret to one person in the room and have them repeat to the next person and so on and then the last person says this secret aloud? It RARELY comes across with the same message.
You believe that every single word in the Bible was guided by God's hand. I do not. I believe it was written with good intentions to teach people what was right and wrong. I believe a majority of it is story telling. Morals to the stories. But if you want me to beleive that every word has its own deep meaning, I shake my head and let your words fall on deaf ears.
What makes you so sure that YOU are going to Heaven? Can you positively guarantee that you will end up there? No. Then why should anyone follow your beliefs? Are you positioning yourself as being an equal to the Trinity? If so, better get your sunglasses cuz you're gonna be toastee where you are headed.
I'm sure we do share similar beliefs in the Way of Our Lord and obviously we have our differences. It just sickens me when people just tell me that my beliefs are wrong (not different) but wrong just because they KNOW the Right Way. Face it - NONE OF US know jack sch!tt when it comes to the greater power and the afterlife. We would not be mortal men if we did.
A couple of parting questions:
1) Is there such a thing as 'Free Will'?
2) Is there a Purgatory?
3) Where does a soul go after suicide?
If you answer - 'I Don't Know' - to these 3 questions, then I will respect your position. If you answer otherwise to any of these three, I will personally think that you a more full of sch!tt than when I first started typing this reply.
Everyone on this board has their own beliefs - right or wrong. Live with it and help them choose the right way not be preaching to them but by being their friend.