The following is an example of the charachter of Jesus as he is talking with the Jewish Pharasees. It is in John chapter 8. Let us contemplate by reading the passage if Jesus has a level of hatred for certain things. Let's see how tolerant he is for those that warp the truth. Let's se how lovey lovely dovey he is toward the liars of his day. And remember that the Character of Jesus doesn't simply change because mankind percieves it to be more accepting of those things that are contrary to what he created us for. Let's get a little taste of that fluffly, flowery, feel good about your sin gospel that some people try to promote.

 

42     Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.
43     Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.
44     Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
45     And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.
46     ¶ Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?
47     He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God

 With your psycological anaylasis. one can deduce that these words may manipulate. But that does not discredit if it is true or not. If I tell someone if they jump in a lake and sink to the bottom they will drown. One might say that is mean and harsh, and that I was manipulating that person to believe that he can't breath under water. I love my friend enough to manipulate him not to attempt breathing under water. Manipulation is percieved to always be bad. So for those who do not want restrictions in their lives. They call all standards of behavior as manipulation, inorder to try to make it sound negative. I want to be manipulated if it means I do the right thing. I want to be influenced if it means I behave in a way that produces positive outcome. One might say that to discredit the Scriptures is a pyscological mystifyacal rif rafable big wordable scientifical way to manipulate people to live with no fear or reverence for a Holy God. Information always manipulates. The question is, does it steer the hearer to understand truth. I am sorry but I do not see a self serving motive by anyone to make up these words. I do see a self serving motive to discredit them though.

Thank you MAN for trying to tell me what "GOD" is like, yet again.
Each time you do this you only remove "GOD" from yourself.

Do yourself a favor and let "GOD" be.

Let "GOD" be in the unspoken, and unwritten word and free yourself to become "GOD".  Let  "GOD" be in the deepest recesses of your mind. You will never have the need to speak for "GOD" again.

Awaken to the restful nature.

Thank you MAN for trying to tell me what "GOD" is like, yet again.
Each time you do this you only remove "GOD" from yourself.

Do yourself a favor and let "GOD" be.

Let "GOD" be in the unspoken, and unwritten word and free yourself to become "GOD".  Let  "GOD" be in the deepest recesses of your mind. You will never have the need to speak for "GOD" again.

 

Ok so you hate it when I try to explain what God is like by using the Bible. But,,,,,

You turn around and try to express who and What God is according to your mind. How is what you are doing different from me?

You have said here what my point has been all along Because of the PRIDE of man we do not want to conform. We make our own way. We worship ourselves, we become our own GOD. You said it yourself. All 6 billion people on the earth are all their own God. With all due respect spiritchild, You can't posibly believe that their is harmony this way. 10 kids at home, No one listens to Mommy and Daddy. everyone thinks their way is the right way. everyone does their own thing. Recipe for Chaos. What your choosing to do is ignore God and Take over for him Just like lucifer tried. I am sorry but this is absolutely illogical.

Nope. You got it wrong again. I am saying that all information influences people. the real question lies behind the motive of the speaker. I have no clue who reads these boards. But if only one realizes that Jesus preached the truth and it wasn't all made up then that is one soul that will escape judgment. God is just. There is evil in the world. many temporarily get away with their evil, but Their Creator will hold them accountable in the end. I do not persanally gain anything by expressing this. I don't like people disliking me. I admit I was somewhat wrong about the definition of manipulation. But the whole thing is really simple the voice of truth comes along and those that do not believe it try to say it is some devious plan to control. Now everone has to determine who is being devious and which is true. The Gospel of Jesus Christ poses absolutely no threat in this life to those that choose to ignore it. So why try to convince people that it was all made up and there is no such thing as purity. This is the manipulators perspective. Lets convince everybody to doubt that Jesus ever said these things. What do those have to gain. Bottom line is they want their iniquity to be accepted. instead of the notion that their is a Holy God.  Your view is that the Bible manipulates. My view is that Atheist manipulate because of there self interest to be accepted. Christianity teaches us to deny self and live for Jesus. I have no personal interest here. if my main objective was to be accepted I would not preach rightousness.

Ok so you hate it when I try to explain what God is like by using the Bible.

Again you are wrong. I don't hate anything.
You use the word hate a lot.

It's one of those energies I don't waste my time with.

Ok, so you don't hate anything. I do think you tried to teach your views about your God based on your own ideas, which you definately have the freedom to do. But it would be good to debate a little the Logic behing your concepts. How can there be harmony when 6 billion people all are there own God. A lot of the questions I have posed no one even tries to answer. Don't you think there is any athority in the spirit realm? Who's in charge? Doesn't truth hold any athority over falesy, whatever the truth is. I mean, if your God were true, Then wouldn't he she or it express the truth so we would know what to follow? You say this is a loving God. Doesn't this loving God love us enough to show us the way?

Who's in charge?

That's really what this is all about isn't it. It's all about who controls who -mirrored on the world we live in.

Your own thoughts control you. And the less you worry about who's in control the freer you are from thoughts of fear that lead to anxiety. Thoughts that lead you to get angry, frustrated and say things that you constantly have to take back because they are wrong.

Do you think Amma, the hugging saint, is at all worried about who controls who? She's very busy giving out blessings that mean a lot to so many individuals. The divine in all of us take care of her in return. Think about the laws behind that, they work just like gravity works.

*****
Larry, I've grown a bit tired of conversing with you. So I'll take break for now, and look for greener pastures. I'm not really learning anything.

If you want to declare some kind of victory go ahead. I'll throw the party!

But then again, how are christians different from, say muslims. I know about the messiah but deep down, both groups are very convinced that their "creator" is the one. Same goes for hindus, buddhists etc. All religions are in core (then) inadequately knowledgeable people´s attempt to rationalize their surroundings and the processes around them.

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Christians have the bomb, Islamist muslims do not...it's clear which god is the more powerful... right?  I get so confused sometimes...ha.. Glad to see you are still around Saab, do you have warm summers in Finland, how cold are your winters?...d

Still here. About the weather - think Minnesota and then turn both extremes down a notch or two. We in general probably don´t get quite as much snow in the winter.

Philosophical independence is true liberty.

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You got that one right.

There is much truth even in myth. If one opens her mind, we can regard all holy books as books of questions and not answers. Why do we need answers anyway? They are the dead ends to thinking, imagining and wondering. (with the emphasis on the word DEAD!)

Please tell me which principle teaching of behavior taught by Jesus brings a negative result in us?

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 Ah, but most Christians I know don't actually follow the teachings of Jesus. And the truth is that even if the story of jesus was totally fabricated, the teachings in that fictional story are worthy on their own. Thus we could have such a thing as an atheist secular christian.

my name is Larry I thnk you want to open my mind , a he. Anyway God wants us to know him. Not everyone imagine and wonder their own way leaving Chaos. He pleaded with us to listen.  we hated him, we spit on him, we beat him, we tortured him, and we slaughtered him. Because we want our own way, we do not want any standard of Holiness preached to us. But of course thats not pride we have............no. And years later we close our eyes and deny it ever happened. Just like those that refute the haulocost.