For one’s way of faith to be the perfect way to commune with God, such a person would also have to be perfect. For one to have found even a better way to commune with God than another, then that person would also have to be better than the other person. If God is grander than any of us can imagine, all any of us can say that can make much sense to another person of faith is that we too seek God as best we can.

If one must insist that their faith is more valuable to God than is another person’s faith, it is not God that is being aggrandized; it is this arrogant believer that is trying to elevate him or herself in high esteem.

We are all sinners and about all that we can ever do is to share in explanation what it is that we believe, and how we try to love and serve our God. In so doing, we may find a community of others who can imperfectly join with us in ecclesia.

It is silly for us to be able to identify with some groups that think differently than our own group (call them fellow Christians if one likes), but to castigate individuals and other groups that also share a faith in God but only differ from us in name, and in feeble words and ways of adoration.

Finally, it is silly in-and-of-itself to say what must make sense about a God that goes beyond all of our limited human faculties-—those who speak this way satisfy their own vain ear. Having disrespect for another’s feeble attempt to love and serve God only salves the ego of one whose faith cannot stand upon its own-—it fools only the foolish.

Mankind celebrates the glory of God by attempting to do so in as many loving ways as mankind can dream of-—the key word is “LOVING” ways and not in egotistical self-satisfaction.

We cannot know God completely because we are limited.

That means we have to pay attention to what he tells us about him. Not what you, I or anyone else concocts in their own desires, logic and reasoning.

The difference between you and I is that you are relying on logic given by humans. I am relying on revelation by God, backed by prophecy, miracles and more to prove the case with evidence that our finite humans minds can grasp and deal with rationally and logically.

Only Biblical prophets, Apostles and Christ gave such evidence with their lives and declarations. Only the Bible checks against history, archaelogy and such in these claims.

Your philosophical delcarations come from the hearts and minds of men, not God. Their inventions.

They are your desires and thinking.

Christ is historical fact. The most attested to person in history. He embraces the Old Testament, God and the Apostles he empowered to be the modern prophets of that day for today.

No other religion have any such proofs to back them. And they all disagree with each other.

God gave us brains and minds that include deductive reaasoning. Use them.

To, on one hand, say we cannot understand God, but on the other, follow human creations to the neglect and disregard, of what God gave us, with proof, about what he wants us to know and do, is false humility and the height of human pride.

Logic tells us all the conflicting religions, gods and claims cannot point to the same god. That there is no way to harmonized them.

You turn to human seemingly wise philosophers and a religious institutions and leaders that do not exist in the Bible. I turn to the Bible and what it says.

I find one consistant God whose revelations and proofs of himself give a testable foundation to make the leap of faith for the rest. You find a system that allows you to believe and embrace what you wish and want with guilt or correction.

Logic says it is pretty obvious what is going on. You seek to appease yourself. I seek to follow the real God.

And by the way. You just rejected the very crucial point of what Christ said as contained in the article.

To you, Christ is not the only way. And that is the heart of the beginning of any form of permission for calling oneself Christian.

Again, this is a newspaper forum, not a theology one. You know where I am if you want to go in depth.

Later, somewhere else, maybe.

ptc guy,
You said--in reference to others with beliefs different than yours--"You turn to human seemingly wise philosophers and a religious institutions and leaders that do not exist in the Bible. I turn to the Bible and what it says." I ask--why do you turn to the Bible? What in your life experience--or in the Bible--tells you that the Bible should guide you and not philosphers or religious institutions? As I understand it the Bible was written by (imperfect) humans inspired by God. Or if you prefer, the Bible was written by God and recorded by human scribes. Either way, is there something in the Bible that tells you it's inerrant? Or are you relying on something outside the Bible when you decide/believe that the Bible contains the ultimate source of truth re: God? I'm not being facetious; I really want to understand.

Hi iluvthebubble,

If you want to get into a real in-depth discussion, look at my bio in my profile by clicking my screen name. There you will find many issues already addressed and a number of good, sincere people to answer your questions as honestly has possible.

I will give briefer answers here.

ptc guy,
You said--in reference to others with beliefs different than yours--"You turn to human seemingly wise philosophers and a religious institutions and leaders that do not exist in the Bible. I turn to the Bible and what it says." I ask--why do you turn to the Bible?

Because the Bible contains information ahead of its time. Much of which was been scientifically validated until many centuries after written.

Also, events in it, such as the destruction of Jericho, have been examined by scientist. Those that went there without an angenda, either way, have determined the way the walls fell are exactly as desribed in the Bible and defy the laws of physics. Meaning the should not have fallen the way they fell.

Statistical analysis on the prophecies of Christ, in example, show they are beyond the possiblity of coincidence. That they are based on known facts.

The life of Christ is testified to more than any other historical figure. His enemies verify he did miracles, preached and so on. That the Romans did put a guard on his tomb and put a royal seal on the tomb to make sure it was never opened. And, that, while under the penalty of death for sleeping on duty, all the soldiers there did sleep and the tomb was emptied.

These are things that no other religion can compare to. They all have glaring problems and errors that are easily demonstrated.

What in your life experience--or in the Bible--tells you that the Bible should guide you and not philosphers or religious institutions?

Some aspects are 45 years of studying religions, both ancient and modern, the Bible is contradicton free, despite the attempts of some to say otherwise, its teachings never cease to be relevant, answers to prayers that are impossible to be coincidence or explained away, how the teachings of these other religions cannot stand up to scrutiny and the extremely demanding rules of acceptance the Bible places upon itself.

The Bible is not politically correct. And what it teaches allows better lives than anything else I have ever witnessed.

As I understand it the Bible was written by (imperfect) humans inspired by God. Or if you prefer, the Bible was written by God and recorded by human scribes.

I like to say it more in the nature of God used the men as his ink pens. His perfect words contained in the uniqueness of the pens' character.

Either way, is there something in the Bible that tells you it's inerrant?

The Bible states it is the inerrant and inspired word of God. And to test it to prove its true.

In 45 years I have seen many claims. And in the 2,000 years, since Christ and the Apostles, history has seen many more. None have ever born up to their claims.

And amazingly, some of its most staunch defenders began with a quest to disprove it totally. But their research converted them to believers.

Or are you relying on something outside the Bible when you decide/believe that the Bible contains the ultimate source of truth re: God?

I have taken the claims of the Bible that fall into the realms of history and science and tested them against both. Every part of found history supports both the historical and miraculous aspects declared. None have ever disproven a single detail. Science outright supports the Bible where there are proven facts, not theories, and rejects its own theories, when honestly examined, that are in opposition to the Bible.

I'm not being facetious; I really want to understand.

I am trying to help.

On that link there are links to science sites dealing with evolution, statistical analysis, archaelogy, Bible versions, Greek and Hebrew word meanings, creation (Young Earth, Old Earth, Theistic Evolution and Evolution) and much more.

Far more data and such than appropriate to post on a news site.

Hope that helps.

-------------------------------------------------------------
Keeping it real and to the core of the issue, not the peripherals.

PTC Guy:

Your insistence that your religious faith is favored most by God, over that of Muslims, Taoists, or even Christians who have no problem accepting God’s great love for all His children, makes me think of the little boy, Johnny, still insecure and self-centered enough that he has trouble sharing love with others.

Little Johnny insists to his older sister that their mother loves him most of all.

His sister, bathed in the comfort and understanding of a mother's love, gives him a hug and affectionately kisses him on the head and says, “Yes Johnny, mother loves you the most.”

PTC Guy, God loves you most of all.