Seeker7 - My Bad...

Hello Yetti,

I am sorry if I hit you obliquely on some of those comments. It was not intended. I did not know we had basic agreement on the rules of the game, so I said stuff that was driving toward defining those rules.

Blogs can be a dangerous medium, especially if one is writing in a free thought mode - like I usually do. So, if I say or do something askew, please consider the probability that I am getting carried away without my own awareness! Then call me on it. Let me grovel back, please, and do not be offended. I will not attack you intentionally.

Had I realized that you were OK with The Red Letters, I would have forgone some of those questions, as agreement on the Red Letters makes them less relevant. Here is what I see the journey framed as, based on our recent discussion.

The central question: Can Jesus' direct teachings lead us to a meaningful (satisfying, sufficient - the exact word here is hard to finger) understanding of The Kingdom of God?

The central texts: Jesus' words in the Gospels and Proverbs.

Would it be OK to expand that to include the other wisdom literature in the Scripture? I think Ecclesiastes, Job, and Psalms would be helpful because they focus on pragmatic, daily living skills and the role (and vanity) of wisdom. They also communicate the "OK-ness" of challenging God about suffering. That is very meaningful to me. If you would like, we can include all the Wisdom Books. If you would prefer just Red Letters (and Gospels as supporting context) and Proverbs, then that is fine with me.

So, that is my real goal here. To see just how much our two different perspectives can integrate around the person, spirit, and message of Jesus. I want to see if differing inputs will yield the same output. And if not, does some change need to occur?

My primary reason to ask about Statements of Belief was really so that you would have an idea where I am coming from. It was not to set you up for attack, though I can easily see how you might interpret it as that. I have realized that it was wrong for me to do this because it was really motivated by an insecurity on my part.

I felt that if you "understood me" then you might realize why I hold some of the opinions I do. It really does not matter, though. In fact, I was looking for a confirmation in places I had no business looking for such. If I need another person's comforting regarding my beliefs that only says all the more that they need to be examined.

So, I have removed my comments. I also removed some other postings you may have already read. I did not do it to hide anything, but I do want to redact that stuff and just get on with the discovery.

I'll try to resist that impulse to couch my real needs in indirect posturing going forward. I'll try to just speak directly. It is hard, because when this behavior occurs, it is not always conscious... :)

Statement of "faith"

Statement of faith now that is funny...

Hopefully you can post posts and not just comments


Authority and canonicity of scripture - I don't know the guys who did this? Do you? Are they more spiritual? Is a modern day scripture writer less spiritual than the guys who gathered books up? Maybe not so much. It is a rocket ship to launch people to the infinite space that God occupies.
Significant non biblical influences upon belief system - CS Lewis that dood was smart. The Holy Spirit
Deity and person of Jesus Christ - Lord, Lunatic, Liar, The first makes sense, the others not so much.
Basic belief and doctrine of sin - Sin - missing the mark, not binary
Deity(or potential, or lack thereof) of man - Which part of man, the physical or spiritual? Spiritual side.... not possible to be a deity, (rational argument)There is no knowing of me by me prior to being born, and not doing anything by me to be born. There is a part of me that God has taken over to be part of Him, but I do not control that part, so it is still part of Him.
Primary purpose of mankind - Created by the creator for His purpose. Worship
John 4:21Jesus declared, "Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."

25The woman said, "I know that Messiah" (called Christ) "is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us."

26Then Jesus declared, "I who speak to you am he." Thank you YODA!

Philosophy on duality and absolutes - I may not be a worthy subject in this area - as you know I am more of a doer and less of a labels for discussion point counterpoint. We seek the truth and the truth seeks us - Can we use Proverbs in this seeking? God is absolute in purpose... The plan is grander than us all.

John 8:31-33 (New International Version)

The Children of Abraham

31To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."


Questions also to start at a journey

• Will you always maintain a cheerful heart even if the journey in our current understanding goes aground?
• When is it wrangling of words and when useful progress?

My conversion experience to follow

What is the Kingdom?

What is the kingdom? For the Kingdom to be within, then what is within?

Matthew 13:19 (New International Version)

19When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path.

Matthew 22:2 (New International Version)

2"The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son.

24Also a dispute arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. 25Jesus said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. 26But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. 27For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves. 28You are those who have stood by me in my trials. 29And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, 30so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.