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Catholicism,Calvinism,Reformed Theology & Addiction Debate

A group for members of all religions, or no religion at all, to talk about religion

Feel Good Cool Worship or Hymns and Hard Seats?

  1. Feel Good Cool Worship?

    25.0%
  2. Hymns and Hard Seats?

    50.0%
  3. I don't even care!

    25.0%
  1. I believe everyone should be tax exempt ;)
     
  2. Taxation is theft. Theft is breaking the 8th commandment.
     
  3. vxlccm

    vxlccm Fapstronaut

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    Lots of modern Christian preachers over-focus on selected teachings from Paul, in my opinion. I think it happens because people since the hippie era want to hear about the easiness of becoming "saved" without the additional burden Christ always also placed on living the commandments. So, it's detrimental. They don't so often want to convict people of sin, and the necessities of repentance. Jesus always lovingly did both, and so did all of his apostles.

    Taking things out of context, and reaching beyond the mark, is a lot like what led the Jews astray in not accepting or recognizing Jesus. The modern conceptions (in the Western worlds) are pretty far removed from the orthodox understandings in regard to works. This is not to cancel how we're not saved by works, and grace operates without respect of persons, but the tares are separated from the wheat -- according to their fruit. Let us, then, bring good works and bear good fruit!
     
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  4. vxlccm

    vxlccm Fapstronaut

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    p.s. No tattoos and no crucifixes. Not against it, but more looking for the image of Christ in my countenance. Sure, I fail at that. Also, looking for ways to encourage inspiration through healthy media consumption from music to general entertainment.

    Lots of that effort is, in a word: simplification.
     
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  5. @vxlccm, almost 90 days! Good work brother! A work that can't save is still good in my book....if it's good. What makes a thing good (I'll know it when I see it!)? Either way you are doing it!
     
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  6. What are we doing for John Calvin's birthday July 10th?!
     
  7. Imgoing to start using his commentary on the bible. Although he never did one for the book of Revelation
     
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  9. "Even during his polemical exchange with Westphal, he advised a group of French-speaking refugees, who had settled in Wesel, Germany, to integrate with the local Lutheran churches. Despite his differences with the Lutherans, he did not deny that they were members of the true Church"

    Dope. Seems like a pretty tight guy.
     
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  10. Christian Fox

    Christian Fox Fapstronaut

    „Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.“
    ‭‭James‬ ‭2:19-24‬ ‭KJV‬‬

    We (some good friends and I) had a lengthy debate about this question. The conclusion we came to was as follows:
    To be considered 'good', a thing or deed has to
    1. be useful
    and
    2. be beautiful.

    We defined 'beautiful' as 'mirroring God'.

    The two points are necessary, because, if
    1. is not given, it is waste. Waste is not good.
    But if
    2. is not given, we do not know to what end it is useful. My favourite example: gas chambers are very useful, if you try to exterminate certain peoples. But they're most certainly not good.
    So: if the thing is useful and beautiful, it is good.

    You could, however, shortcut this whole argument and say: good is, what God declares to be good.
     
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  11. vNow when Jesus was at wBethany in the house of Simon the leper,1 7 a woman came up to him with an alabaster flask ofvery expensive ointment, and she poured iton his head as he reclined at table. 8 Andwhen the disciples saw it, they wereindignant, saying, “Why this waste? 9 Forthis could have been sold for a large sumand xgiven to the poor.” 10 But yJesus,aware of this, said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done abeautiful thing to me.
     
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  12. I love that yes God declares a thing to be good. and I love the book of James!!
     
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  15. vxlccm

    vxlccm Fapstronaut

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    Where's that Luther quote about James? It intrigues me to no end!
     
  16. If the right of private property were given to you and protected by a divine being. But the reality is that those things are done by the government which isn't going to pay for itself.
     
  17. Christian Fox

    Christian Fox Fapstronaut

    „For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.“
    ‭‭Romans‬ ‭13:6-7‬ ‭KJV‬‬
    https://www.bible.com/1/rom.13.6-7.kjv
     
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  18. Just because the government needs money doesnt mean it isnt theft. Theft is the forced siezer of something I own under the threat of force aka taxes.

    Besides the government may protect my property today but take it whenever it wants.
     
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  19. So the American revolution was wrong? We should have been a good colony? Or only now....now we should be good Americans and pay our government?
     
  20. Feel free to keep your philosophical viewpoint. All I'm saying is that it's purely theoretical, i.e. there is no alternative order.
    That's why it has 3 branches kept independent via checks and balances. Sure, sometimes this breaks down. But if Hitler is the Chancellor and the Reichstag is burning you ought to use your brains and get out of the country.
     
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