tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19670264.post8252194768212772585..comments2023-08-10T02:07:41.140-06:00Comments on Losing My Religion: Keeping the Faith by Losing it?SocietyVshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10892870801259282254noreply@blogger.comBlogger34125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19670264.post-58826809008914317362007-10-16T06:53:00.000-06:002007-10-16T06:53:00.000-06:00Nevermind? Is that how you wish to part ways? So b...Nevermind? Is that how you wish to part ways? So be it. But I am compelled to wish you well on your journey.BrotherKenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14357712779192989944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19670264.post-20021399777563949672007-10-15T23:41:00.000-06:002007-10-15T23:41:00.000-06:00Well, I guess all I can say is nevermind. YaelWell, I guess all I can say is nevermind. <BR/><BR/>YaelAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19670264.post-76855688618253342972007-10-15T23:40:00.000-06:002007-10-15T23:40:00.000-06:00Thanks Ken. I wrote it from the heart. I think li...Thanks Ken. I wrote it from the heart. <BR/><BR/>I think life often comes down to us marvelling with Jacob, "Wow! God was in this place and I didn't have a clue." And I'm not always sure what to do with that anymore than the next person. <BR/><BR/><A HREF="yaelsjewishworld.wordpress.com" REL="nofollow">Yael</A>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19670264.post-24201463064067794632007-10-15T23:11:00.000-06:002007-10-15T23:11:00.000-06:00I must recant that last statement about not seeing...I must recant that last statement about not seeing how God could stand to lose anyone earnestly seeking Him. I do not know why, but Jesus made it clear that there is no other way but by Him. My human understanding continually looks for an out for those who opt for another way. But "There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death."<BR/><BR/>Think of me what you will, this is not about me. I would love to have Yael understand me, but I would rather die alone than forsake the Lord.BrotherKenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14357712779192989944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19670264.post-77074388316917358792007-10-15T18:52:00.000-06:002007-10-15T18:52:00.000-06:00Yael, I have read 'the abyss' and I am definitely ...Yael, I have read 'the abyss' and I am definitely going to have to think about it before I respond. For now I can tell you I feel no need to argue my faith over yours. As I can see it we are both seeking to know the same God and neither of us has any want or need to change the direction we are heading. Unlike mainstream Christianity, I do not see how God could stand to lose anyone earnestly seeking Him; regardless of which man-made religion they choose. Hmm, maybe I do not need to say any more. I will think long and hard about what you wrote though, that is just the way I am with anything that touches my heart. Blessings.BrotherKenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14357712779192989944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19670264.post-55234923575243816032007-10-15T12:28:00.000-06:002007-10-15T12:28:00.000-06:00Jason,Faith in Christ is working; the thing is it ...Jason,<BR/><BR/>Faith in Christ is working; the thing is it is about God working within individuals within communities. The church has never been very functional from the beginning there were tons of problems. The sin we are to fight is our own but most of the time we waste time fighting it in others.<BR/><BR/>Faith in Christ is a process of inward change that produces obedience and that obedience produces a nature that God's Laws are natural to and no longer require the obedience of a child but are the outpouring of a heart changed by the life of Jesus. <BR/><BR/>We grow in stages and when I was young, oh brother! was I on a crusade to clean up the church!LOL! I nearly got beat to death and I spent a lot of years being angry but that beating was God teaching me that He is in charge of the church and it is Jesus Who will present her as a spotless bride. I'm only responsible for taking my own garments to Him to wash out the spots...<BR/><BR/>Salvation is an experience, a process of living. Actually, it is the process of eternal life that is our gift in Jesus. We from our limited horizon of time often think of eternity as not having an end but it also does not have a beginning. I know in Christ I've been made eternal but my mind still slips off truly grasping what that concept means in terms of my relationship with God. It is awesome to ponder though and in the Way of living, I like to say, "This moment is eternity" whatever I am doing in the moment has eternal consequence even if it seems minor and passing to me. In eternity there are no passing moments, time doesn't pass, all remains and is complete. In Jesus, we are complete.<BR/><BR/>I can't tell you all the answers for how God is forming Christ in you. There is only one you and God's purpose for your life will be brought to pass. The things you yearn for, the things you dream of, the things you long to give, will come to pass according to His purpose. <BR/><BR/>I know you want to live faith and not just talk about it. If Jesus is living in you, that will just happen, Jason. Some only talk because that's all they have. They are yet to truly experience God. They use the form of faith to futher their own earthly means but they are ignorant of the substance. They can't help it. God reveals Himself to us in His own time for His own reasons.<BR/><BR/>We are so small! And oh, we often think we are so big! Jesus loves us even when we are small and thinking we are big. He loves you, Jason. Rest in Him and His work in you will manifest.<BR/><BR/>If I sound like a know-it-all, I'm not. I still have lots of questions. I am just at a different stage of life with different questions than are being asked on these blogs. I guess I find purpose in hanging out with kids and boring them with my answers to questions I also asked long ago. Thank you for being patient with me.<BR/><BR/>PamAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19670264.post-52618365280324507842007-10-15T11:48:00.000-06:002007-10-15T11:48:00.000-06:00"I've got serveral bumps,bruises, and contusions t..."I've got serveral bumps,bruises, and contusions this morning. How about you? Darned rocks!" (Pam)<BR/><BR/>Me - I am alright - I am not letting any of this stuff really rock me - plus everyone is fairly nice in the convo's (it's not too judgemental). <BR/><BR/>I was re-considering the blog topic again and I asked myself 'what in this faith is not working and why is it being kept around?'. I think that is the key - dropping things that do not work for us or changing them with values that mean something. <BR/><BR/>A good example would be the outdated idea within churches that 'works is generally a bad thing - usually gets confused with earning salvation so it gets dropped'. I have looked into that for quite some time now - and I think that focus shift has created Christian communities that are primarily concerned with believing 'the right things' and not so much 'doing anything with their faith' (is in programs for the poor or something). And when someone does this - it's usually a small, isolated thing - not fully supported by the church since it might look like 'they support someone earning their salvation'. <BR/><BR/>I mean that's the kind of stuff that makes me feel like that priest in the story - wouldn't it be better to follow my faith than to follow some perception that means nothing? I guess I that story resonated with me on a lot of levels - since I have been asking questions about the contradictions of what I see in certain doctrines and what is actually written in the texts. <BR/><BR/>**and for me the focus in salvation is something we have to live out - as Jesus set an example for us to also follow. How can one say they understand salvation if they are not willing to find out what it looks like or how it feels - but just what it sounds like?SocietyVshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10892870801259282254noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19670264.post-19314555896974656782007-10-15T10:48:00.000-06:002007-10-15T10:48:00.000-06:00Jason,It would be good if all people could agree t...Jason,<BR/><BR/>It would be good if all people could agree that we are not God and God doesn't need us to go to war defending our view of Him. However, human beings have a common desire to BE God and getting them to lay down their own desire of godhood that they are seeking to obtain through their beliefs...well, I think that will take a work of God. I wish God would just zap us and cure us of sin but He has chosen a process and it is a looooonnnnnggggggg one. He is working it out but until then "Everybody must get stoned" and that will continue until we all look inward and then lay those stones down.<BR/><BR/>Pam<BR/><BR/>I've got serveral bumps,bruises, and contusions this morning. How about you? Darned rocks!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19670264.post-13830572861602334272007-10-15T07:26:00.000-06:002007-10-15T07:26:00.000-06:00Yael,Thank you for that, it is beautiful. Really n...Yael,<BR/><BR/>Thank you for that, it is beautiful. Really not unlike what I call sanctification which is the process of my faith in Christ. I too am becoming. I was born for Jesus and reborn in Him and in Him am working out my reltionship with God. <BR/><BR/>I agree that what Jason wants will be tough. We all take God so personally! It is hard to get people to realize that He doesn't need us to defend Him. I do however, think He often uses our conflicts to teach us of Him. It sure isn't fun though!LOL!<BR/><BR/>PamAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19670264.post-58485536230855338442007-10-14T23:52:00.000-06:002007-10-14T23:52:00.000-06:00Ken,No problem. I also get my back up. Every time...Ken,<BR/>No problem. I also get my back up. Every time I start thinking I'm getting better at these interactions I guess I have to remind myself I can use a bit more work... <BR/><BR/>I'm adding a link here to something I wrote about a year ago, not to beat a dead horse; I just think you might like it. <BR/><BR/><A HREF="http://yaelbatsarah.wordpress.com/2007/08/20/the-abyss/" REL="nofollow">The Abyss</A><BR/><BR/>YaelAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19670264.post-49885214670312632292007-10-14T23:15:00.000-06:002007-10-14T23:15:00.000-06:00Sorry Ken...I just thought it was a good rabbit ho...Sorry Ken...I just thought it was a good rabbit hole to go down.SocietyVshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10892870801259282254noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19670264.post-61863162828868986572007-10-14T23:10:00.000-06:002007-10-14T23:10:00.000-06:00"I'll ask a basic question - is it a core belief t..."I'll ask a basic question - is it a core belief to our faith that everyone has to agree with us?"<BR/><BR/>Nobody must agree with us. Even those who come to us seeking truth should not be expected to agree with everything we believe. <BR/><BR/>Say let's get off of that, it seems to be a sidetracking issue here anyway. I am sorry I made such a big deal about it.BrotherKenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14357712779192989944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19670264.post-39267151185943461382007-10-14T22:59:00.000-06:002007-10-14T22:59:00.000-06:00Yael, thank you for that. I do know you better and...Yael, thank you for that. I do know you better and that is a good thing. I apologize for my approach in this conversation. I got my back up and said things in a way I wish I hadn't.BrotherKenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14357712779192989944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19670264.post-63447096332118927442007-10-14T22:47:00.000-06:002007-10-14T22:47:00.000-06:00"But do you disagree or agree with what that pries..."But do you disagree or agree with what that priest did? He did do it out of love." (Society)<BR/><BR/>To do things out of love is to do them for the most noble of reasons, yet we often do the wrong things for the right reason. I don't really know enough to say whether I would agree with what he did, but if he did it out of love his motive was admirable.BrotherKenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14357712779192989944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19670264.post-353566420553394572007-10-14T22:44:00.000-06:002007-10-14T22:44:00.000-06:00Ken,Please, I don't need your cheap love which com...Ken,<BR/>Please, I don't need your cheap love which comes along after condescending remarks and insults. When I say I love someone, it means something to me. I don't throw it around lightly on blogs. If someone respects me, if someone likes my writing, that is good enough for me, but I get really suspicious of people who claim to love me when they don't know me from the next person. <BR/><BR/>If you have a core of beliefs for which you do not allow questioning, so be it. In Judaism we allow everything to be questioned, even questions! Different strokes for different folks. If you want to quell the questioners, go for it. They'll just end up going elsewhere. <BR/><BR/>Is this clear enough communication for you? Is so, fine. Let's quit while we're ahead!<BR/><BR/>Pam,<BR/>Thank you for your clarifications. Your confidence in your beliefs is confirmation of what I have been saying. People who wrestle, people who question, make their faith real. It is theirs and they aren't left wondering. <BR/><BR/>Now about conversion. First off, I have to say to all, I'm a bit suspicious of this conversion story. Conversion to Judaism is a long process and I don't know any rabbi who would convert someone to a death sentence. There were people during the Shoah who wanted to throw in their lot with the Jewish people through conversion but rabbis turned them away. It was better for these people to live and help Jews than to die with Jews. I would want to see the sources for this story because to me it smells like a "pastor's story" with the good Christian laying down his life for the Jew. Now there is nothing to say the priest didn't claim to be Jewish and thus lose his life, but....saying he's Jewish doesn't make him Jewish. <BR/><BR/>Back to Pam,<BR/>My turn to clarify about conversion. I didn't switch from one belief system to another, nor does anyone else who converts to Judaism. Judaism isn't a belief system. There are no belief requirements for conversion at all. The requirement is to renounce all prior beliefs, identify as a Jew, become part of a community, and live a life of mitzvot from here on out. At my Beit Din Rabbi did ask me if I believed in God and I said yes. Afterwards I asked him what his response would have been if I had said no. He would have said building a relationship with God is a long process, I would have gone on to the mikvah and he would have continued to encourage me to build that relationship. <BR/><BR/>Conversion to Judaism takes a long time. It was 2.5 years from the time I decided to seek conversion until I went to the Beit Din and Mikvah. During that time I started attending shul, started studying with Rabbi, moved into the community, got my kids started on their Jewish learning, and then studied like you wouldn't believe. It was a difficult, nerve-wracking process. I thought it would never end. Jews don't welcome converts. Rabbis turn you away, don't show up for appointments, ignore your phone calls and emails. A person has to be determined and tough! They pull you in with one hand and push you away with another. It's very different. Studying with a rabbi is not like taking a class. He didn't lecture and me listen. We talked about books, ideas, God, Torah, kids, community, history, ritual, holidays. He asked me questions about my thoughts. I was raised with the mentality of giving the right answers. With him I never knew what the right answers were supposed to be! He never told me there were no right answers, I finally figured that out. <BR/><BR/>Towards the end of our studies Rabbi had me write a paper about my journey into Judaism and how I intended to live my life as a Jew. This paper was submitted to the Beit Din, a Jewish court of three. I appeared before this court, answered questions about my paper and fielded any questions the members of the court had for me. When they determined that I was serious in my desire to convert and that the Jewish people would be better off for my belonging, I went to the mikvah. During that time I said blessings and renounced all prior beliefs. Afterwards I signed the conversion documents with my new Hebrew name and was welcomed to the tribe.<BR/><BR/>The inward part of conversion began while studying, the outward change was immediately visible after the mikvah. Rabbi said that before conversion he saw a spark, afterwards he saw me come to life. And that is true. I was born to be a Jew of that I have no doubt. Along with the Jewish heirlooms I inherited from my mother, I have to say I inherited a Jewish soul. This is the only life I can live and will ever live. <BR/><BR/>That others find meaning elsewhere doesn't bother me in the least. I just hope that when people interact with me they come to realize God is bigger than any one group. There are people just as connected to God elsewhere and their connection is just as important and meaningful to them, just as important and meaningful to God. <BR/><BR/>Once people realize I don't need 'saving' we can then go on to more interesting discussions. Such as your text teaches, Blessed are the peacemakers. What does that mean? Is peacemaking always appropriate? These are areas in which I think it can be fun to interact. There is an interesting midrash on Aaron, the example of a peacemaker in Judaism, which brings in some other issues and the conversation goes on from there. SocietyVS says this is the kind of conversation he'd like to see on this blog, but I say it would be a tough go. I've never seen Christians talk this way. It always ends up a never ending presentation of the gospel and fights over who has the most correct version. <BR/><BR/>So, good luck SocietyVs! <BR/><BR/>Jim,<BR/>As a Jew I don't hold that scripture contains the words of God either. Most Jews do not, but some do. Tanakh teaches me much wisdom, I don't need it to be the words of God in order for it to do so. My take is that Tanakh contains the record of a people's experience of God, some of which may be historically accurate, some of which may not be. <BR/><BR/>I find Torah absolutely fascinating, there is nothing I love better than studying Torah. I think building this kind of relationship with Torah takes time as well, time and work. I hope that you don't toss out Torah just because you doubt it is word for word from God. That would be a tragedy, IMO. For thousands of years Jews have delighted in studying Torah, surely that must mean something is there that could be valuable to you as well? I hope you will hang in there and find that value. <BR/><BR/>And I'm not sure how it came across to Ken that I don't value anyone who came before me. I have an acute sense of connection to the history of my people. I love nothing more than studying the wisdom of Torah and the sages down through the ages. That I don't agree with Christianity has nothing to do with not valuing the wisdom of the ages. I think Christians should learn Greek, Latin, and German so that they can take hold of their own history and the wisdom it contains. I think much has been lost along the way. If I can learn Hebrew and Aramaic, you guys can learn languages, too. It's a great thing to be able to study in original languages rather than in translation. <BR/><BR/>OK. My dissertation is ended. <BR/><BR/>Perhaps we now understand each other just a little better? <BR/><BR/><A HREF="http://yaelsjewishworld.wordpress.com" REL="nofollow">Yael</A>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19670264.post-51970200105333466562007-10-14T22:17:00.000-06:002007-10-14T22:17:00.000-06:00I'll ask a basic question - is it a core belief to...I'll ask a basic question - is it a core belief to our faith that everyone has to agree with us? I mean I am thinking this is also part of the problem in our faith - and I know we all like to be agreed with - but is it an essential?SocietyVshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10892870801259282254noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19670264.post-76501781169718904662007-10-14T22:03:00.000-06:002007-10-14T22:03:00.000-06:00"I was just trying to give an example of something..."I was just trying to give an example of something Christians should be able to take a stand on." (Ken)<BR/><BR/>If the resurrection is something we need to take a stand on - how far do we go with the stand? I guess - at some point - is there a need to cut people out of our lives for this belief?<BR/><BR/>I am not disagreeing with you on the 'set of beliefs' idea - I think that is a given in discussion. But do you disagree or agree with what that priest did? He did do it out of love.SocietyVshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10892870801259282254noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19670264.post-19091512949791685842007-10-14T20:30:00.000-06:002007-10-14T20:30:00.000-06:00"See, I hold to one of these views you mention (Je..."See, I hold to one of these views you mention (Jesus resurrected) - but that does not make me a 'better person' by believing it." (Society)<BR/><BR/>I said nothing of my beliefs making me a better person. I was just trying to give an example of something Christians should be able to take a stand on.<BR/><BR/>"I get what you're saying here Ken - without this faith you would hold the belief to 'lay down your life for another' (Christ's example)." (Society)<BR/><BR/>No, I was just trying to give a rebuttal to this statement by hineini; "Once we realize that any decision compromises love".<BR/><BR/>I don't pretend to have THE core set of beliefs and I don't pretend to know the best way to a work toward that, but I do believe it vital that there is a core set of beliefs. And, again, I don't maintain that everyone else must agree. I may be alone on that around here but, hey, that is me.BrotherKenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14357712779192989944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19670264.post-57483945718956552202007-10-14T20:23:00.000-06:002007-10-14T20:23:00.000-06:00Ken... I'm not sure why you interpreted my comment...Ken... I'm not sure why you interpreted my comments as a jab at you, I simply stated my agreement with Yael on the things he said.<BR/><BR/>Also, I was under the impression that I had entered a conversation here.<BR/><BR/>You rightly stress this point <I> "Christians should have a core set of beliefs that are agreed upon"</I>. But they don't. Ironically, this reality is one of the reasons I've lost confidence in the Bible as the verbal plenary inspiration of God. For the same reason I question church tradition. You are right that we should not just assume that those who have gone before us are fools. But neither should we assume they are wise and reliable guides and never question. And anyone can see that the record is very bad and that the myriad of differing doctrines are all founded on the same notoriously difficult to harmonize set of books.<BR/><BR/>I always appreciate your honesty Jason... So, "<I> what the hell is wrong with us </I>" I suggest that perhaps it starts with an unquestioning confidence in the scripture as the divine authoritative word of God. If that is a false assumption then obviously its going to all go wrong from there.jimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11915526026139334265noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19670264.post-20389566630737469532007-10-14T20:04:00.000-06:002007-10-14T20:04:00.000-06:00"It was taking seriously this main tenant of Chris..."It was taking seriously this main tenant of Christianity (you will know the truth and the truth will set you free) that has ultimately demanded that I leave traditional Christianity behind." (Jim)<BR/><BR/>Jim, I am right there with you in some senses - finding the freedom within our faith can mean leaving the faith altogether (due to it's restrictive nature). I think that's waht makes this topic of key concern - maybe being faithful to Christ requires we walk away from a lot within our faith that is becoming very contradictory. <BR/><BR/>"What if our belief structures are causing us to harm others?" (Heather)<BR/><BR/>True - and it is known that certain aspects of our faith are harmful/hurtful - and we need to start asking those hard questions - where do these beliefs come from?<BR/><BR/>The example could be that we as Christians know full well violence is not advocated in the gospels - yet over the past 20 years we have seen abortion doctor murders, support for 'just wars', and some 'God hates fags' parades. We can all say 'well that's not us' - and we'd be right - but that is someone in our faith who refuse to question a certain belief - and to top that off people in our own faith say little to nothing to address this stuff (like ignoring it's all good). <BR/><BR/>So yes, we need to start looking into our own faith without blinders on and start addressing serious problems that arose from within our faith and it's interpretations of Jesus - if not only in the past 100 years - maybe since the Reformation also - so we can find out what the hell is wrong with us.SocietyVshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10892870801259282254noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19670264.post-57591307301432096622007-10-14T19:50:00.000-06:002007-10-14T19:50:00.000-06:00"For example. I would say you have two choices. Yo..."For example. I would say you have two choices. You either believe that Jesus Christ rose from the dead or he did not." (Ken)<BR/><BR/>See, I hold to one of these views you mention (Jesus resurrected) - but that does not make me a 'better person' by believing it. But if I say this to most Christians - even if it is true - I would get cut off from community (since my believing right is valued more). This is where I am at now in my faith - not that I deny the core ideas in Christianity (I actually don't) - but I am open to the inclusion of a lot of people that do not believe like me (since I am not that important in the whole scheme of things).<BR/><BR/>"Or better put, I would lay my life down for hineini (and even someone who hates me) because of a core set of beliefs I hold to be true and will not compromise, and for this my love is flawed?" (Ken)<BR/><BR/>Jolly Beggar just called this the chicken and the egg argument - the waht came first thing. I get what you're saying here Ken - without this faith you would hold the belief to 'lay down your life for another' (Christ's example). I think I also agree with you. But the example of the priest was one of growth in the faith he professed - he wanted to live out a belief he saw exemplified in the gospels - so he had to identify with the group being wronged (the Jewish people in Germany). Was it a case of his faith 'growing' or 'denying his faith'? That, for me, is a tough one.SocietyVshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10892870801259282254noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19670264.post-82570776179227133602007-10-14T19:37:00.000-06:002007-10-14T19:37:00.000-06:00**I will not lay down my belief in Jesus Christ to...**I will not lay down my belief in Jesus Christ to save my life or the life of another, and according to hineini my love for him is flawed because of this belief? **<BR/><BR/>I think the point here was that the highest way to demonstrate love was to lay down that belief --the only way this priest could join in the suffering of others, to take part in that and protest what was happening to the Jews was to become Jewish himself. In many ways, wasn't this the ultimate sacrifice a Christian could make? To cast off something that, by conservative Christian standards would consign one to eternal death or eternal hell, in order to love others? In order to demonstrate how horrible evil was? In order to confront that injustice? Isn't this the most radical, unselfish act one can have, to willingly cast away an eternal life? In this case, the priest's belief in Jesus Christ was almost acting as a safety net, keeping him secure. <BR/><BR/>**is there a nugget of truth here that we can learn from?**<BR/><BR/>Society, I believe there is. As it was stated, the priest cast off Christianity in order to retain his Christianity. The core thing I see him giving up is the doctrine/belief set, and really becoming Christ-like, and how it can help us analyze our own lives. What if our belief structures are causing us to harm others? Because the priest had a point -- if Judaism had become the majority in Germany during the Holocaust, it might've saved a lot more lives, and possibly brought out the camps to the public eye a lot sooner. Did it mention if the priest survived the camps? If so, it would be curious to see if he retained the Judaism, or returned to Catholicism.OneSmallStephttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08189124855157679020noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19670264.post-79060987535755309552007-10-14T18:30:00.000-06:002007-10-14T18:30:00.000-06:00Yael,I just read one of your posts again and I jus...Yael,<BR/><BR/>I just read one of your posts again and I just have to tell you that I continually wrestle with God. There is so much I don't understand and I always have so many questions. I too have been told by other believers that I'm to believe and not question but to me that is not faith. Faith in Christ opened a whole new world to me how could I not have questions? Thankfully, most of my questions are eventually answered and this is how I grow in Christ.<BR/><BR/>I think people who desire power will use any tool withing reach and many with that desire will use religion without caring at all about knowing God.<BR/><BR/>Pam<BR/><BR/>p.s. I wouldn't be such an old know-it-all if I had not asked God so many questions and wrestled the answers out of Him!LOL!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19670264.post-74582200874762950722007-10-14T16:46:00.000-06:002007-10-14T16:46:00.000-06:00Yael,May I rephrase so as to be better understood?...Yael,<BR/><BR/>May I rephrase so as to be better understood? False religion comes from human imagination not God. You are right, the Jewish religion was given to the Jews by God. The NT teaches that, "Pure religion and undefiled is this to visit widows and orphans in their affliction and keep oneself unspoted by the world." The second is practice of faith given by God through Jesus. Jesus didn't come to start a new religion. That is what I tried to get across and failed I think. Jesus teaches us to live godly lives in the presence of God.<BR/><BR/>PamAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19670264.post-85698712717607535732007-10-14T16:40:00.000-06:002007-10-14T16:40:00.000-06:00Jim and Yael, so I take it that since you both hav...Jim and Yael, so I take it that since you both have made it abundantly clear that you hold strong beliefs that I should be able to have strong beliefs also. If you review your statements and those made by me I think you will be embarrassed by the lack of real conversation going on here.<BR/><BR/>For example, I am only trying to assert one thing here and you dance elegantly around that. I only hold out to you the Christians should have a core set of beliefs that are agreed upon. I know that there is huge problems in the church as it is because they have made so many varied solid stances on stuff that should be up to each of us to wrestle with. I totally agree! I never made any such statement to make you think otherwise.<BR/><BR/>I have also agreed that we should not be told to just have blind faith.<BR/><BR/>I don't have time to respond to all you wrote right now Yael, will do that later.<BR/><BR/>And thank you, love you both!BrotherKenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14357712779192989944noreply@blogger.com