Who's side is God on?

[achilles12604]

I had an ephinany in church today. I believe I have decided for myself who's side God is on.

But I wanted to throw this out into the water and see where it goes for a bit first.


So the question for debate is this. . .


Who's side is God on? What makes you believe that this is true?

[Cogitoergosum]

I had an ephinany in church today. I believe I have decided for myself who's side God is on.

But I wanted to throw this out into the water and see where it goes for a bit first.


So the question for debate is this. . .


Who's side is God on? What makes you believe that this is true?

Clear to me and I don't even have a belief in any of this: The 1st commandment is Thou Shall have no other gods before me (or words to that effect), therefore right up front it is clear who the other side is. God is on God's side and on the other side are the other Gods.

Seems to me there's lots of former Hindus, Buddhist's, and so on that God brought over to salvation. So I don't think that God gives up on anyone as quickly as you might think.

World's religions in mid 1995

Christians: 33%
Moslims 19%

http://www.zpub.com/un/pope/relig.html
World's religion in 2005



So you see Easyrider, your religion has been stagnant while islam increased, seems hard for me to accept that your God actually cared about saving more people. Those hindus and budhist you talked about must have gone to another religion or worse yet christians are defecting.

[Cogitoergosum]

I had an ephinany in church today. I believe I have decided for myself who's side God is on.

But I wanted to throw this out into the water and see where it goes for a bit first.


So the question for debate is this. . .


Who's side is God on? What makes you believe that this is true?

Clear to me and I don't even have a belief in any of this: The 1st commandment is Thou Shall have no other gods before me (or words to that effect), therefore right up front it is clear who the other side is. God is on God's side and on the other side are the other Gods.

Seems to me there's lots of former Hindus, Buddhist's, and so on that God brought over to salvation. So I don't think that God gives up on anyone as quickly as you might think.

World's religion in 1995

Chrisitians 33%
Moslims 19%
Non religious 2.1%
http://www.zpub.com/un/pope/relig.html


World's Religions in 2005



So you see Easyrider that christianity has been stagnant for the last 10 years at least while islam grew. If your God is saving more hindus and budhists it seems also your God is making more christians defect.
And non religious jumped from 2.1% to 16% OH MY GOD what's going on? Yahweh is loosing it.

[justifyothers]

I had an ephinany in church today. I believe I have decided for myself who's side God is on.

But I wanted to throw this out into the water and see where it goes for a bit first.


So the question for debate is this. . .


Who's side is God on? What makes you believe that this is true?

I hope you are headed in this direction with your new view.........
God cannot be on any one group's side. If He is God, He cannot favor one religion over another. If He created us, He must love all His creation equally. If He loves us- He must love us all. He must be the God of everyone, no matter what religion or culture you were born into or raised in. Since we have no say or choice in what part of the world we are born into, God must treat all equally.

We do not consider that He loves one animal over another. Some have been created with higher intelligence, yet, all were created. Why do we think His view of man should be any different? He made us all.

Although there is scripture to support this idea, it's not really why I formed this opinion. What makes me believe this is common sense, the sense God gave me.
We all have experience in life - this too has helped form this idea and also learning and listening and being flexible enough to change my perspective and grow.

So many religions teach separatism and favoritism with God, yet so many religions fail people over & over. I think God wants us to seek Him, not religions created by men.

Please share your epiphany..........

[justifyothers]

He is on My side. God speaks to me all the time. He says you guys are not True Christians, but I am. He says you do not reach for God in a proper way like I do, and I am one of the few True Christians in the world, and i will have a place in heaven when i die for him.

He tells me to protect the world from Evil people. He says bad pretend Christians should die, and i should do this, He says i am his tool. I am Gods Tool. And that will make the world a better place.

Strangely enough, people do not accept what I am saying, really very hypocritical if i say so myself, I am speaking to God and listen to his voice. Like Bush.

I really wanted to comment on this, but I wasn't sure if you were being sarcastic or not...........

[jamesearl]

He is on My side. God speaks to me all the time. He says you guys are not True Christians, but I am. He says you do not reach for God in a proper way like I do, and I am one of the few True Christians in the world, and i will have a place in heaven when i die for him.

He tells me to protect the world from Evil people. He says bad pretend Christians should die, and i should do this, He says i am his tool. I am Gods Tool. And that will make the world a better place.

Strangely enough, people do not accept what I am saying, really very hypocritical if i say so myself, I am speaking to God and listen to his voice. Like Bush.

I really wanted to comment on this, but I wasn't sure if you were being sarcastic or not...........

My point was that if anyone (theist) go against this in any way, they ae hypocritz.

So many religions teach separatism and favoritism with God, yet so many religions fail people over & over. I think God wants us to seek Him, not religions created by men.

Then you have a problem, because "gods" do not exist. They ARE created by men. First because of ignorance and fear, now, generally, because of fear and a need to make you feel better.

Generally, it is only weakminded people who are ignorant. Poorly educated creates peopel with fear, so there you have one group, stupid is another, etcetera.

We have religions that do not inflict on other societies or other people, these would be the exception of fear, and just a cultural thing. In the western world, United States is really only the "real" Christian nations, because of, you named it, poor education and ignorance.

The rest of the western world embrace science and reality, improving constantly, the U.S slows down, as Christianity demands ignorance and none-science.

Muslim world same.

Etcetera. Just wanted to explain to you as i assumed you did not understand the facts, nor accept them, most people dont, reality is a scary thing for most people.

[Easyrider]

So you see Easyrider that christianity has been stagnant for the last 10 years at least while islam grew. If your God is saving more hindus and budhists it seems also your God is making more christians defect. And non religious jumped from 2.1% to 16% OH MY GOD what's going on? Yahweh is loosing it.

Depends on if you want to consider the milk-toast (liberal) Christians or conservative Christians.

The most recent “Religious Congregations and Membership” study, published in 2000 (the study is conducted each decade) by the Glenmary Research Center, tells the statistical story. Progressive churches are progressing, it seems, ever closer to oblivion. The Presbyterian Church U.S.A. (11,106 churches) has experienced a decline of 11.6 percent over the previous ten years; the United Methodist Church (35,721 churches) was down 6.7 percent; and the Episcopal Church (7,314 churches) lost 5.3 percent of its membership. Also, the United Churches of Christ (5,863 churches) declined 14.8 percent while the American Baptist Churches USA were down 5.7 percent.

The denominations showing growth included the deeply conservative Southern Baptist Convention, a collection of 41,514 churches, whose overall growth rate was 5 percent. The traditionalist Presbyterian Church in America (as opposed the mainline Presbyterian Church U.S.A.) experienced an impressive 42.4 percent increase, while the Christian and Missionary Alliance rose 21.8 percent. Meanwhile, the Evangelical Free Church was up 57.2 percent, and Pentecostal denominations also boomed. The Assemblies of God, with 11,880 churches, saw 18.5 percent growth, while the Church of God, with 5,612 churches, saw growth of 40.2 percent.
What is behind this traditionalist rise and progressive decline? The New York Times, in its summary of the survey, noted, "Socially conservative churches that demand high commitment from their members grew faster than other religious denominations in the last decade…." Glenmary director Ken Sanchagrin told the paper he was “astounded to see that by and large the growing churches are those that we ordinarily call conservative. And when I looked at those that were declining, most were moderate or liberal churches. And the more liberal the denomination, by most people's definition, the more they were losing."
http://www.nationalreview.com/comment/s ... 070747.asp

Following is a poll on widespread growth of Evangelism / Fundamentalism

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061005/ap_ ... stals_poll

But the Bible does foretell an age where apostasy and godlessness will increase (not that that's a good thing):

"But the Spirit saith expressly, that in later times some shall fall away from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils." - 1 Timothy 4:1

[Cathar1950]

Below I have reproduced the substance of Easyrider's post.

So you see Easyrider that christianity has been stagnant for the last 10 years at least while islam grew. If your God is saving more hindus and budhists it seems also your God is making more christians defect. And non religious jumped from 2.1% to 16% OH MY GOD what's going on? Yahweh is loosing it.

Depends on if you want to consider the milk-toast (liberal) Christians or conservative Christians...
But the Bible does foretell an age where apostasy and godlessness will increase (not that that's a good thing):

Talk about milk-toast. I can't help but wonder if “milk-toast (liberal) Christians” is a fair description any more then “rock-head” conservative Christians that simple-mindlessly can only see in imaginary absolutes with their myth of pure evil and view of fallen sinful creatures.
I can't help but be amused with the growing conservative church coming out of one side of his mouth and the use of a forged letter when they are not growing as a fulfillment of a prophesy. It seems they got a poor answer for everything.

"But the Spirit saith expressly, that in later times some shall fall away from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils." - 1 Timothy 4:1

“Seducing spirits and doctrines of devils”, how quaint. If you notice Cogitoergosum points out the decline as a sign that not all is well as the extremely conservative Islam grows his response in membership in conservative Christians churches are growing. Why shouldn't we think the dwindling liberal churches and the growing conservatives is the falling away or apostasy prophesied?

http://www.nationalreview.com/comment/s ... 070747.asp

The study, published in 2000 is a little behind the times as there has been a backlash do to politics and the means used by conservative to gain control. It only shows how the little ups and downs are hardly prophesy or indicators of truth and his post amounts to nothing more then propaganda and wishful thinking.

Following is a poll on widespread growth of Evangelism / Fundamentalism

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061005/ap_ ... tals_poll

Sorry, the page you requested was not found.

[Easyrider]

The study, published in 2000 is a little behind the times as there has been a backlash do to politics and the means used by conservative to gain control.

Ah, yes, Cathar's newly hatched "Theory du Jour!" Do you ever, ever follow these kinds of pronunciations up with any kind of credible evidence?

You also missed the part where the survey is only done once a decade. Nice try.

[Cathar1950]

The study, published in 2000 is a little behind the times as there has been a backlash do to politics and the means used by conservative to gain control.

Ah, yes, Cathar's newly hatched "Theory du Jour!" Do you ever, ever follow these kinds of pronunciations up with any kind of credible evidence?

You also missed the part where the survey is only done once a decade. Nice try.

It isn't the only survey done but nice try anyway.
Do you ever have something you don't mindlessly copy while making poor inferences? You didn't provide any credible evidence or a real point.
Talk about milk-toast your not even toasted it is just crusty bread, IMO.

[Cogitoergosum]

So you see Easyrider that christianity has been stagnant for the last 10 years at least while islam grew. If your God is saving more hindus and budhists it seems also your God is making more christians defect. And non religious jumped from 2.1% to 16% OH MY GOD what's going on? Yahweh is loosing it.

Depends on if you want to consider the milk-toast (liberal) Christians or conservative Christians.

The most recent “Religious Congregations and Membership” study, published in 2000 (the study is conducted each decade) by the Glenmary Research Center, tells the statistical story. Progressive churches are progressing, it seems, ever closer to oblivion. The Presbyterian Church U.S.A. (11,106 churches) has experienced a decline of 11.6 percent over the previous ten years; the United Methodist Church (35,721 churches) was down 6.7 percent; and the Episcopal Church (7,314 churches) lost 5.3 percent of its membership. Also, the United Churches of Christ (5,863 churches) declined 14.8 percent while the American Baptist Churches USA were down 5.7 percent.

The denominations showing growth included the deeply conservative Southern Baptist Convention, a collection of 41,514 churches, whose overall growth rate was 5 percent. The traditionalist Presbyterian Church in America (as opposed the mainline Presbyterian Church U.S.A.) experienced an impressive 42.4 percent increase, while the Christian and Missionary Alliance rose 21.8 percent. Meanwhile, the Evangelical Free Church was up 57.2 percent, and Pentecostal denominations also boomed. The Assemblies of God, with 11,880 churches, saw 18.5 percent growth, while the Church of God, with 5,612 churches, saw growth of 40.2 percent.
What is behind this traditionalist rise and progressive decline? The New York Times, in its summary of the survey, noted, "Socially conservative churches that demand high commitment from their members grew faster than other religious denominations in the last decade…." Glenmary director Ken Sanchagrin told the paper he was “astounded to see that by and large the growing churches are those that we ordinarily call conservative. And when I looked at those that were declining, most were moderate or liberal churches. And the more liberal the denomination, by most people's definition, the more they were losing."
http://www.nationalreview.com/comment/s ... 070747.asp

Following is a poll on widespread growth of Evangelism / Fundamentalism

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061005/ap_ ... stals_poll

But the Bible does foretell an age where apostasy and godlessness will increase (not that that's a good thing):

"But the Spirit saith expressly, that in later times some shall fall away from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils." - 1 Timothy 4:1

I honestly don't care much which part of the christian myth is gaining ground over the other. Middle earth invaded by orcs then saved by elfs, seems like a nice story but a myth nonetheless. The fact is the number of people who referr to themselves as christians is still the same in a decade,and so your argument that god is saving more and more people is not true Master frodo.