Why are so many people spiritually blind?

[goodlife]

The eyes are one of our choicest possessions, so indispensable to our complete happiness. They enable us to enjoy the vision of the starry heavens above, the beauties and marvels of our mundane sphere, and the very sunlight itself. By use of our eyes and our reasoning faculties we can appreciate that God indeed exists and that he made all things beautiful in their time (Rom. 1:20)

[Elderman]

Oh BTW
Welcome ummmm to the "club". You don't know what you've let yourself in for!

[naomi24]

Welcome ummmm to the club? You're a bit late there, Brenda old bean.

[keyplus90]

////Elderman, you haven't answered my question and it's clear you haven't the foggiest idea what I'm talking about.////
That sounds a bit familiar. Only the person it was addressed to is different.
Goodlife and Elderman – We know God exists as does so many other things that we could not prove (and few we still can’t) with our given senses. But to you two I can only give one advice. You can only share what you have yourself. In your case you are trying to share your faith. Does your faith fulfils the requirement given in Bible here,

[keyplus90]

[keyplus90]

Perhaps third time lucky,

[keyplus90]

OK, for some reason link is not working. Mark Chapter 16, verse 17 and 18.

17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

[naomi24]

Keyplus, //That sounds a bit familiar. //

Did he answer my question then? Where?

I should imagine it does sound familiar to you. I wonder why? ;o)

[jomifl]

So who recovers? the 'layer on of hands' or the recipient of the layed on hands. It seems a bit ambiguous. perhaps deliberately so.

[goodlife]

What your problem naomi, I understand Elderman.

How important is justice to you? How much effort would you put forth to be assured of receiving true justice and even of living when it prevails earth wide? You owe it to yourself to think about those questions, as did some prominent men and women in Athens, Greece.

[flobadob]

God is a teasing bastard who gave us eyes to see a whole range of other galaxies in star form all the while knowing that we will never enjoy their true beauty. He should have put a curtain around earth.

[bigbadmarty]

As opposed to Athens , USA I think thats where REM came from

[naomi24]

Goodlife, My problem is that you prattle on, copying and pasting, but no one here can get a straight or a sensible answer from you.

As for your understanding of Elderman, that will come as no surprise to anyone since you and he are very clearly one and the same.

Now to my unanswered question. I asked how the astonishingly arrogant conclusion that other people are spiritually blind is reached - but, as usual, I've received no answer. Perhaps you'd like to put your other hat on and address that? Or you can do it as 'Goodlife' if you prefer. I'm really not fussed.

//How important is justice to you? How much effort would you put forth to be assured of receiving true justice and even of living when it prevails earth wide?//

Justice is of the utmost importance to me, but I would put absolutely no effort into attempting to receive it from your God. His track record speaks for itself - and if his justice means a world populated by his sycophants, then no thanks - I'll opt to die with the upright and honest.

//You owe it to yourself to think about those questions//

Goodlife, I know atheists who are more 'Christian' than you - but then a self-proclaimed Christian who displays what I consider to be true 'Christianity' is an extremely rare commodity. Many claim it, but very few demonstrate it. Your sense of supreme self-importance astounds me. If we owe anything to anyone, it is consideration to our fellow man. Love is the most important thing in this world - but that is beyond your comprehension because in an attempt to realise your selfish, obsessive, and pathetically futile ambition to save your own sorry soul, you prefer to spread the word of your spiteful, death-ridden religion that promises to destroy anyone who doesn't think as you do. Frankly, in my opinion, people like you do Jesus the greatest injustice. Your philosophy disgusts me.

Speaking of the Ancient Greeks, check out the charges upon which Socrates was condemned to death. Just to give you a clue, I lifted this from the internet.

"Socrates claimed that the concept of goodness, instead of being determined by what the gods wanted, actually precedes the entire business of deities." Sensible man!

[Elderman]

Naomi: // I know atheists who are more 'Christian' than you//
How do you know? What is a Christian? Do you know really?
I doubt it.
You are spiritually blind. There is no doubt about it and if you consider me arrogant in this regard – so be it. If you say you know your Bible you obviously don’t understand it from your posts. There is none so blind as those who don’t want to see.

All I can say is this – there is still time to re-evaluate your thinking but soon that time will run out. I am not being arrogant in saying this – the Bible is the authority in this regard and the words of Jesus Christ to the Apostle John on the Isle of Patmos in 96CE back it up.
As for the Greek philosopher Socrates his views considered corrupting influence on the morals of the youths of Athens. This caused great consternation among political and religious leaders of the Greek hierarchy and led to his death. His plea before the jury that eventually convicted him remains one of the most eloquent defences of freedom of speech: “If you offered to let me off this time on condition that I am not any longer to speak my mind in this search for wisdom, and that if I am caught doing this again I shall die, I should say to you, ‘Men of Athens, I shall obey the God rather than you. While I have life and strength I shall never cease to follow philosophy and to exhort and persuade any one of you whom I happen to meet. For this, be assured the God commands . . .’ And, Athenians, I should go on to say, ‘Either acquit me or not; but understand that I shall never act differently, even if I have to die for it many times.’”

[Davethedog]

Elderman - You will be cast down does not your bible say:

For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again Mathew 7:2

Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven Luke 6:37

So although Naomi may be spiritualy blind (which of cousre shes not) you are going against the word of god and you will be judged.

And you miss a salient and valid point Naomi has her own moral compass, one that is obviously more compassionate and loving than yours.

If there was a heaven I would expect to see Naomi there but I don't think you pass. Oh and as for taking gods name in vain

Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain

I'd be scared if I were you unless your a catholic of course.

[Truthabounds]

Naomi claims to know atheists who are more christian than Goodlife..
Hmm I wonder. Does she even know what a Christian is? There are Christians and Christians. Which ones is she referring to? How can she know how good a Christian Goodlife is? Seems to me she is making wild statements and hopes that one will be hitting the right spot.
Too bad, too bad (throwing up her hands in anguish) Wrong again.
Poor Naomi. You think you see the light but you are the one that is spiritually blind here. If you think I am arrogant – then yes – I will admit it. In this particular instance I have more spiritual insight than you.

[Davethedog]

So in one statement you prove Naomi correct and yourself totaly wrong.

In your arrogance you show that you lack compassion, insight and forgiveness you also show a very basic lack of the bible and its rules.

"If you think I am arrogant – then yes – I will admit it. In this particular instance I have more spiritual insight than you"


Galatians 5:19-21 says you are guilty of the sin of Pride pinishment in hell to be broken on the wheel.

[naomi24]

Thank you Dave. Nuff said I think. :o)

[jomifl]

Astonishing stuff eh? the scales are falling from my eyes(eye) even as I write this. Give a man (or woman) enough rope etc..Arrogance, intolerance, vanity. and a few other qualities that don't have a word in the English language. Well done Dave a quality demolition.

[Truthabounds]

Guilty of the sin of pride! I don’t think so.
I have a clear view of my identity and my relationship with the Sovereign Ruler of the universe and this motivates me to “boast in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1:31) What kind of boasting is that? As a true Christian, I am proud of our God and follow the admonition: “Let the one bragging about himself brag about himself because of this very thing, the having of insight and the having of knowledge of me, that I am God, the One exercising loving-kindness, justice and righteousness in the earth.” (Jeremiah 9:24) So I “boast” in the privilege of knowing God.
In the Christian Greek Scriptures, the verb kau-kha′o-mai, translated “take pride, exult, boast,” is used in both a negative and a positive sense. Paul says, for example, that we may “exult, based on hope of the glory of God.” He also recommends: “He that boasts, let him boast in the Lord.” (Romans 5:2; 2 Corinthians 10:17) This means taking pride in our God, a sentiment that may lead us to exult over his good name and reputation.
To illustrate: Is it wrong to want to defend a good name when it is slandered? Of course not. If people spoke unjustly about members of your family or others whom you love and respect, would you not feel indignant and impelled to defend them?
That's how I feel when those who claim to know God defile and slander his name etc.

[DTCwordfan]

Let's get some proper quotes around here from the St James' Bible, not some half baked interpretation from a religious-nutters web site (God'Word 1995).

The proper version read "But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD"

Where is the concept of bragging and boasting in this? It is amazing how folk distort the real Bible around here.