Burl

7 hours ago, PaulS said:

So any ideas as to why the huge decline in the US?

Americans in general are losing the willingness to wake up on Sunday mornings.

3 hours ago, PaulS said:

Yet in Asia and Africa, Christianity is growing.  Why the disparity?

Southern hemisphere churches are different.  Speaking in tongues and healing are fundamental, and there is syncretism with traditional religions.  The growth is not in the mainline churches.

Asia I have no idea.  A friend of mine is an imam in Indonesia.  I’ll ask him.

1 hour ago, PaulS said:

Whichever way you cut it, Christianity (and religious affiliation in general) is in decline in the US. 

Why do you think this is? 

Is the decline reported here a blip or do you think it is part of a more permanent trend?

https://www.pewforum.org/2019/10/17/in-u-s-decline-of-christianity-continues-at-rapid-pace/

Permanent trend.  The decline of churches is almost complete in Europe and the US is following suit.  
 

2 hours ago, JosephM said:

Yes  Rom,

That threw me off also.

Give me a break.  I was reading and typing on a phone with one finger.  Just trying to have a little fun. 🙂

8 hours ago, PaulS said:

No, I understand that.  My joke was that with my beliefs, I couldn't think of a man who could possibly be 'directly appointed by God'.  Clearly my humor is more cryptic than I hear it.

Maybe “Talent on loan from God” Rush Limbaugh?  🤣

1 minute ago, PaulS said:

You threw me with 'Directly appointed by God'.

I was trying to make it challenging, but re-read the pericope and you will find my clues were easier than a NYT crossword.

No, but you are getting warmer.  Of course it is a person in the Bible.  You know I shun politics on this board.

Earlier than Saul.  Judges 13-16.  The comparisons between Trump and Samson are fascinating.  Well worth re-reading this short story in the light of current events.

I’m working on a sermon but it is difficult.  The narratives keep upstaging the message.

Where is PaulS, Thormas and Pipiripi?

12)  His country fell into anarchy after his death.

48 minutes ago, PaulS said:

Burl,

I don't think I have ever specifically asked you this, and am just wondering - do you consider yourself in general agreement with the 8 points?  I presume you must, but had never thought to actually ask you before.

Paul

I am.  I could nitpick but I am in general agreement.

10) Martyr by suicide

11) Directly appointed by God, but betrayed his vows.

Waiting on the other contestants . . .This should be easy . . .

What man am I thinking of?

1) Renown national leader

2) Beautiful wives

3) Eats disgusting foods

4) A liar and a cheat

5) Fancy hair

6) His enemies tried to bind him, but he broke their ties

7) Divorced his first wife

8 ) Enjoys riddles under 120 chr.

9) Prayed for and swore vengeance on his enemies
 

Can you guess who I am thinking of or do you need another hint?

Just noticed the 8 points were revised in January.  Much cleaner and more direct.

https://progressivechristianity.org/resources/updated-8-points-of-progressive-christianity/

4 hours ago, JosephM said:

Burl,

No bullying here. Note it says in my view.  He has expressed his opinion and i have expressed mine. No offense is meant. Pipiripi is not a newbie to forums. He is well read in the Bible i can assure you of that.  I have done my research. He has bordered on attacking Thormas in a couple posts *  and i am not attacking him but rather suggesting that his post is filled with dogma and doctrine of the church system and, in my view, there are what i consider false premises that prevent one from breaking free of that dogma and doctrine . There is no requirement for him to do so or change his faith..

*     http://tcpc.ipbhost.com/topic/4544-im-done-with-church/?do=findComment&comment=52539

*    http://tcpc.ipbhost.com/topic/4544-im-done-with-church/?do=findComment&comment=52551

 

 

Apologies.  Was intended as a general comment and not personal.

There are about five active people left.  We don’t even need more than one section.  This board could easily be a group email.  
 

The last thing we need is bullying people through petty rules and ‘organization’.

12 minutes ago, romansh said:

Thank you …  that is what I suspected.

The next question is can the various States change this so the is more representative of the electorates wishes?

Yes they can. 

The entire American system was based on state independence.  The civil war  screwed this up and started the trend towards a central corporatization.

3 hours ago, JosephM said:

Pipiripi,

For a conventional Christian to become free of such dogma and doctrine,  in my view,  5 false premises of the fundamental or conventional church system must be overcome. Listed by order of importance.

1. The Bible is the Word of God

2. Jesus is God

3. The Rapture

4. Sin is sin

5. Heaven or Hell

Since i am a site sponsor i would recommend this book which i authored and put the link for it here. I think it would be a great eye opener for you. It follows the writings of the Bible very closely to expose these false premises. Click here --------->   https://www.amazon.com/Throwing-Away-God-Joseph-Mattioli/dp/1553696832/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&*Version*=1&*entries*=0&link_code=hom&tag=14kcharfromindej

Joseph

 

Nothing needs to be overcome.  Everyone is entitled to their own faith.

Slandering someone’s beliefs as ‘false premises’ is wholly negative and an intellectually adoption of a supremacist attitude.  
 

You can preach what you do believe is true without intellectually bullying others.  

7 minutes ago, romansh said:

When you say 'committed' is that by law or precedent?

What is causing the electors to give 100% of the electors' s votes one way or another?

I'm not sure how I can ask this question to get a direct answer.

It varies by state.

3 hours ago, thormas said:

Actually, the evidence that Jesus actually existed is overwhelming and presented by experts. I'll stick with the experts who.............are experts. It seems you are a mythicist which is fine but the evidence against this position makes the opinion of the mythicist pale in comparison. You are expressing an opinion whereas I am, and have in the past, presented experts in the field. 

Given progressive Christianity, by definition, atonement is no longer the accepted explanation for salvation or how salvation was won and we don't even think it terms of the need to be saved. Thus, the question can be posed if one still buys into atonement are they progressive? Not so much in terms of their Christology and theology. 

You have  made the point: if one has a so called rigid view of Jesus's Messiahship, it is not a PC view - if by rigid you mean an older conservative or evangelical theistic understanding. PC works from a different worldview and has a Christiology and theology that reflects modern insights. That's it what PC is actually about and doing: listen to Plumer, see Spong.

 

We're not talking about Buddha and who he might have beat, whether he did or did not is not the issue. 

 

You seem to want to be considered a PC while at the same time admitting that you don't share their view and thus, it seems that you try to redefine PC  or suggest that PC maintains 'rigid' older theistic views - which it really doesn't. I get that some on PC.org might be in transition and 'caught' between an older more conservative or establishment understanding but PC, as known, defined, practiced, taught and written about in their books and articles, by its leaders and spokespeople are light years from this traditional understanding and some in transition are simply still on the way. 

Atonement and a rigid Messiahship, just to name two positions, are simply not progressive Christian positions. 

 

PC really has no positions, knowledge or insight to offer.  It is only a strictly bounded discussion space.

The need to strictly enforce the 8 judgmental boundaries and shun those who do not conform is evidence of a hypocritical intolerance.

PC is not particularly inclusive to conventional Christians.  

In fact, it is often openly averse to conventionally Christianity and have seen it stated on the main site that PC feels conventional Christianity must be destroyed.  Spong has definitely written that.

9 hours ago, Pipiripi said:

All the movies that you have seen is an author of other nation. The most people today see Jesus as the old movie Jesus picture. Do you see now why people are disguising about color of Jesus? It is about the film author. Do you see passion of Christ, playing by Mel Gibson? Do you see how they have change his face just like the first film of Jesus? My friends is time to know what will happen to this world today. 

I know there is not much time left. 

No one but the Father knows when the end times are, but are we not guaranteed 1000 years of peace before?  So we will definitely miss it.

Revelation of John is vision, not prophecy.

Prophecy in Christianity is an inspired declaration of God’s will to the people.

Visions are symbolic and the visions may or may not occur.  They are a warning of things that may happen.  Reference the recent famous visions @ Fatima and Medjugorje.