@MadCornishBiker Said
Aye, but which god? the true one or the one who appears as an angel of light and makes ones such as Merton appear the same? If he didn't vary from Christ's teachings I may agree with you, but he does and that in itself makes him Apostate and condemned.
I have wondered if this was the case, but now I know, you are letting your heart rule your heard,` and as Jeremiah says "The heart is treacherous, who can know it" a warning from the bible you have ignored at your peril.
That is why the bible talks of wisdom being needed and wisdom resides in the head, not the heart. It is also why it talks of knowledge being vital, and that too is a matter of the head and not the heart.
Jesus spoke of needing to know the scriptures as well as the power of God which is only revealed to us through the bible, at first anyway.
Matthew 22:29 But Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.
Matthew 22:30 For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as angels in heaven.
Matthew 22:31 But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying,
Matthew 22:32 I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not [the God] of the dead, but of the living
Oh look, the NKJV has added [the God] in brackets, are they trying to prove something? After all you say that is why the JW's do things like that.
Anyone who does not know the scriptures and their power is making the same mistake the Sadducees made. I guess that is why they were so sad you see.
If Merton and his cronies knew scripture they could not support the pagan trinity teaching.
I thought you said you were going to take a break, lol, not keeping to your word again tariki?
Biker, as far as taking a break, really, have you no sense of humour? In saying this I do not deny any indecision in the past - I admit to it, it is a failing of mine - but since admitting such I have in effect been a little facetious in mentioning "breaks" or whatever. I will continue to post as and when, as the mood takes me, with whatever breaks in between seem appropriate.
Really Biker, using such phrases as "Merton and his cronies" merely demeans you, and the faith you claim as your own.
I have no longer the will to argue with you point by point, but will only draw a broad picture.
You state - again and again - that the Bible is the sole arbiter of spiritual truth. You are not satisfied with saying that such is your own faith, you instead imply that all other Faiths are wrong, and what's more, that it is proven, that this is conclusive, that such is the definitive view.
From such you then claim that only your own understanding of "inspiration" is the correct one, all others erroneous. Then, that only your own take on the Bible is correct, and claim explicitly that this you have "proven", that it is "irrefutable." So you are 7,000,000 others are the sole possessors of God's Truth in our world.
Yet more than this, you claim that no one has any excuse not to see this - this you have claimed explicitly. No excuse! That all it needs to recognise such truth as you proclaim is a loving heart, an open heart, an honest heart.............thereby implying that all others in this world have no such heart themselves.
I do not think I have misrepresented you in any way. Others here can judge for themselves, if they have any interest.
Biker, in fact you have proven nothing. The actual core of your argument seems always the same.......I am right, another says something different, therefore they must be wrong. So be it.
I believe in a Reality that reveals Himself/Herself/Itself in all places at all times, that the heart of such Reality is Love/Mercy/Grace. My own heart is gladdened when I see that such a reality is in fact at the heart of every faith, and gladdened again when I see evidence of such love and mercy and grace in the most unlikely of places. I would never dare to equate the parameters set by my own understanding with the extent of Mercy in our world. I see it as extending to you.
You resist the reality of Grace, a love and mercy that accepts you just as you are, irrespective of being "right" about anything. Why you prefer and seek to justify yourself in the way you do seems tragic to me, and is far from the "easy yoke" of Christ; and your advice to us all to begin pouring over multiple translations of a book, comparing one with another, is - in my eyes - void of any genuine spirituality, and void again of the childlike heart that Christ called for us to have.
But, your choice.
We each have to walk our path and speak accordingly.