Re: [TruthTalk] The Passion of the Christ

[Dave]

Terry Clifton wrote: Dave wrote:     As I see it, assuming the Bible is absolutely inerrant may cause one to rationalize (some TTers have used the term harmonize) and possibly blindly accept something that may be misleading.  Isn't that what some may do IF they accept the headings as being inerrant?  I wish Dean were still with us....I wonder if he considers the headings to be inerrant?  He seemed to be so strong willed, I would not be surprised if he did. Try to forget the headings Dave.  They are not scripture, not given by God. DAVEH:  OK Terry.  Is there anything definitive about what of the text is actually from God, and what is not?  As we've discussed before on TT (perhaps before your time),  there are passages left out of the NIV that are presumed not to be from God.  And, I've heard some suggest the latter part of Mark 16 is questionable.      I believe that to be an unacceptable course for myself, because I do not have the wisdom to do that.  I doubt that anyone does.  In my opinion, the safe way is to believe the whole Word is true, and to live by it.  God looks at the heart.  If you live for Him with all your heart, He will not send you to an eternity in Hell because you did your best to follow Him, using the information you had available. We are not saved by being inerrant.  We are saved by faith.  I don't think that you believe in a literal Hell, DAVEH:  That is incorrect, Terry.  I do believe in a literal hell.  I just don't believe the description of the lake of fire and brimstone believed by many Christians is a literal description of hell, but rather symbolic of the effect hell will have on those who experience it. Do you have some valid reason for seeing this as symbolic, or is that simply what you want to believe? DAVEH:  Yes.  My basic premise is biased by my LDS background.  Furthermore, it logically does not make sense to me.  What loving Father would punitively torture his children (from my perspective, they are his spirit children) forever when some of them never had a chance for salvation?      When I look at the passages from the Bible that refer to hell (the lake of fire & brimstone version), they usually are framed in symbolism.  And if one considers how preachers could put the fear of God into the hearts/minds of men a couple thousand years ago, being tossed into the burning lake is about as scary as anything one might conceive.  That same fear is perpetrated by modern preachers, but I wonder how effective it really is with modern people who tend to look upon such warnings as archaic. Terry -- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dave Hansen [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.langlitz.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ If you wish to receive things I find interesting, I maintain Five email lists... JOKESTER, OPINIONS, LDS, STUFF and MOTORCYCLE.