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Posted: Fri Jul 27, 2007 10:20 pm
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My friend, Sarah, is worried that I'm going to hell.
She thinks I'm lost. She thinks that there is one truth, and it is her truth, and that I haven't found it. She's praying for me.
We've gotten in a few arguments/discussions recently. I tell her I have no problem what she believes in, and that I'm happy she's found something that makes her happy. She keeps telling me that God will make me happy too if I let him in my heart, but she doesn't understand that I already feel happy and peaceful with my gods. I tell her how passionate I am about life and how much I love the world, that I have morals that I follow, and that I want to try to make the world a better place. But if I don't accept Jesus I'm going to hell, she says.
She goes to a youth group that tells her these things. I think that they're brainwashing her. I've even heard from other friends (Christian and non Christian) that the group is a little weird. She begged me today to go sometime. I used to want to kind of go, mostly out of curiosity and I like to hear other peoples beliefs. But now with what she's told me and the way she feels I don't want to go anymore.
She thinks I'm bizarre in what I believe. She asks me questions that, when I try to answer, she gives me weird looks. Especially when I try to explain energy and reincarnation and how I feel about it. And that I'm an animist. She looks at me like I'm ******** nuts. Then goes on to tell me that my beliefs are too complicated, make no sense, and that my questions are complicated.
During the end of our conversation today, she told me that I seem unsure. And maybe I am a little unsure. I'm still trying to figure it out. There's a lot of things that I feel that I'm still trying to organize and put into words. I told her that I don't have a book or a group of people telling me what to believe. I admitted that I'm still learning, and that I can see she's not sure about everything either.
I can talk as much as I want, but I don't have enough knowledge to really argue much on it well. Historically wise, anyway. You could say that it's pointless to argue, but if it comes up, I'm too tempted to avoid it. Especially when it comes to people who are like her.
I don't know what to do. I don't care if she's Christian, I just don't want her living her life thinking that I and billions of other people are going to hell. Is there anything I can do? Should I even be her friend? Or should I just give up?...I don't know...
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Posted: Fri Jul 27, 2007 10:29 pm
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Posted: Fri Jul 27, 2007 11:30 pm
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15 9 "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but underneath are ravenous wolves. 16 By their fruits you will know them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Just so, every good tree bears good fruit, and a rotten tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a rotten tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 So by their fruits you will know them. 21 "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, 10 but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name? Did we not drive out demons in your name? Did we not do mighty deeds in your name?' 23 Then I will declare to them solemnly, 'I never knew you. 11 Depart from me, you evildoers.'
And what does that mean, exactly?
I have a really vague idea.
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Posted: Fri Jul 27, 2007 11:51 pm
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Posted: Sat Jul 28, 2007 12:00 am
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Posted: Sat Jul 28, 2007 12:07 am
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Posted: Sat Jul 28, 2007 12:11 am
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Posted: Sat Jul 28, 2007 8:13 am
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Posted: Sat Jul 28, 2007 8:45 pm
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Posted: Sun Jul 29, 2007 7:01 am
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Posted: Sun Jul 29, 2007 7:50 am
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PhantomPhoenix0 Rookherst[KOS] You could go the rout of informing her that "Praying for you not to go to Hell" is the same as Condemning you, and Jesus Explicitly forbade that. Where exactly does he say this? Granted, I havent read the bible much (mostly just when I see verses brought up in discussion), but I dont recall this verse at all.
Matthew 7:1-2 Luke 6:37 (both sharing the tone of "Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven.") and frighteningly more specific Verse from the Gnostic sayings Gospel of Thomas.
Quote: 14. Jesus said to them, "If you fast, you will bring sin upon yourselves, and if you pray, you will be condemned, and if you give to charity, you will harm your spirits. When you go into any region and walk about in the countryside, when people take you in, eat what they serve you and heal the sick among them. After all, what goes into your mouth will not defile you; rather, it's what comes out of your mouth that will defile you."
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Posted: Sun Jul 29, 2007 11:52 am
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Posted: Sun Jul 29, 2007 3:33 pm
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Posted: Sun Jul 29, 2007 9:45 pm
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TeaDidikai Rookherst[KOS] A very well known Occultist said it best I think. "Love is the law, love under will." Heh, I can't help but snicker when I hear this and think of the Defilement in the Book of the Law. That said- and without getting into an argument as to how Christendom is actually a monolateralistic faith, I'd use 1Ti 4:10, unless she considers you to be subhuman for not being Christian, and then we get into a whole new application of the Law of Agape.
Is that the verse about how "there are other sheep, some that are not of my flock" and so on?
For me, with people like this it's easier just to let them assume that I agree with them, or to avoid talking religion (and politics).
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Posted: Mon Jul 30, 2007 7:57 am
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Annalixa TeaDidikai Rookherst[KOS] A very well known Occultist said it best I think. "Love is the law, love under will." Heh, I can't help but snicker when I hear this and think of the Defilement in the Book of the Law. That said- and without getting into an argument as to how Christendom is actually a monolateralistic faith, I'd use 1Ti 4:10, unless she considers you to be subhuman for not being Christian, and then we get into a whole new application of the Law of Agape. Is that the verse about how "there are other sheep, some that are not of my flock" and so on? For me, with people like this it's easier just to let them assume that I agree with them, or to avoid talking religion (and politics). No. It states that the Lord is the savior of every man.
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