Does the bible teach us to keep secrets?

[1nick]

Which leads right into another big question, is god an external force or something generated from within?

Or neither.

[kibbs]

That's my question. How do churches work - with the money they get?

thats a big thing for me too i am curious what my church does with the money .i know they own camp owasi.my liittle church doesnt bring in much but i am trying to find out what the anglican church does with the big pot.

[kibbs]

Which leads right into another big question, is god an external force or something generated from within?

I think the god spark is within but is only a piece of god ,god happens when we put are sparks together to make a whole external force. That's how god is everywhere all at once. When we put our spirits together .great things can happen.

[OREZ]

Christ threw the money changers OUT of the temple thus setting the example that merchant transactions have no place in worship.

100% of religions fall short in this regard. Money = secular and isn't anywhere close to being a component of spirituality. It's been shown by research that early, true, Christians met in small groups likely inside individual homes, sans temple/church. Once apostasy set in within that first century, all was lost to the secular/pagan love of money and tradition.

Well said.

[alexoliversen]

What you follow everything the bible says? They tell you it's OK for incest, yet I don't see you doing that... They say populate the Earth yet the real problem the world has today is overpopulation and starvation.

They are just talking about bipolar schizophrenia. Being too paranoid about what's going on at the time.

It was probably written in a time when there were a lot of politics and treachery, it's the modern era and we have things like the internet now where we share information much more open and freely. Thus you see why the context of the times totally blows the meanings out of the water. You have to remember it was designed when travel was hard over treacherous terrain, and carrying a lot of info was not easy, thus they had to sum everything up in a few books. Anyways we have a greater book than the bible now - the internet, it has every holy book and scripture ever written on it, and you can access it from almost anywhere. You just got to know where to look.

[concernie]

But when you give alms, let not your left hand know what your right hand does:

first of all, what is an alm?

And second of all, why are we supposed to be secretive when we give these alms?

Does not the bible tell us:
Luke 8:17 KJV
For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad .

And I have another question:
When I was going to church faithfully, every week for three years in a row, and I lost all my money
because of a combination of crooked weasels in church, and disastrous conditions for farming,
how come the church people never gave me a cent? Does anyone know the answer to that one?

ThinkTank, the passage regarding alms is about being humble, not secretive. When you give to the needy, for example, do it in humbleness. Showboating reveals a lack of sincerity, humbleness, and piety and good works become vain. The Bible is very anti-secret. The battle for the mind of the Renaissance period was between revealed and concealed religion: Christianity vs. Occultism. As for your second question, I would need more details to give my best opinion.

[tryscotty]

What you follow everything the bible says? They tell you it's OK for incest, yet I don't see you doing that... They say populate the Earth yet the real problem the world has today is overpopulation and starvation.

They are just talking about bipolar schizophrenia. Being too paranoid about what's going on at the time.

It was probably written in a time when there were a lot of politics and treachery, it's the modern era and we have things like the internet now where we share information much more open and freely. Thus you see why the context of the times totally blows the meanings out of the water. You have to remember it was designed when travel was hard over treacherous terrain, and carrying a lot of info was not easy, thus they had to sum everything up in a few books. Anyways we have a greater book than the bible now - the internet, it has every holy book and scripture ever written on it, and you can access it from almost anywhere. You just got to know where to look.

How's the trolling going?

[alexoliversen]

How's the trolling going?

Not bad but I wasn't hunting for penguins. ;)

No but seriously. Look at the times and you see that the meanings of things change over time. There are the dark ages wars and other situations which all change the meaning and policies of the churches and state. Or do you not understand the words I am saying?

[Glacier]

How's the trolling going?

The real irony with alexoliversen's post is that the reason he and society today view incest as wrong is because the Bible says not to marry your sister.

[TMixer]

What you follow everything the bible says? They tell you it's OK for incest, yet I don't see you doing that... They say populate the Earth yet the real problem the world has today is overpopulation and starvation.

There's more than enough food to go around. The problem isn't too many people / not enough food. The problem is we hoard it and then throw half of it in the garbage.

[grammafreddy]

There's more than enough food to go around. The problem isn't too many people / not enough food. The problem is we hoard it and then throw half of it in the garbage.

We could let them have half of our fast food restaurants ... we have too many.

[GordonH]

There's more than enough food to go around. The problem isn't too many people / not enough food. The problem is we hoard it and then throw half of it in the garbage.

We could let them have half of our fast food restaurants ... we have too many.

Now GF, I would not give that crap to my worst enemy.

[alexoliversen]

There's more than enough food to go around. The problem isn't too many people / not enough food. The problem is we hoard it and then throw half of it in the garbage.

I often wonder about that as I have been doing research about such stuff. We may produce enough food on a statistical scale but the real world benefit of such food of such a claim is unrealistic. The problem being logistics and transportation such as cost of gas, the time and man power needed to transport such goods, the storage of such goods, and the other uses of food (namely the use of food to feed cattle and other animals) thus the over all gross number says we have more that enough food, but the actual results of what is achievable in tangible results is another thing. Even now with donations to the poor and needy in third world countries there is high entropy and munition from the old bosses and warlord in those areas.

p.s. Here is an interesting video on such a topic. :)

[youtube]http://youtu.be/dD-yN2G5BY0[/youtube]

Forgive my ignorance but, how do you embed videos on here? I am having a hard time embedding. :(

btw: I just don't like incest cause I am grossed out by my sisters. Just too close for comfort. Ewww... but I guess we are all related in the end whether you believe science or the bible, both say we come from a common ancestor... ain't that right, there cousin? ;)

[unclemarty]

Pastor Jeremiah Steepek transformed himself into a homeless person and went to the 10,000 member church that he was to be introduced as the head pastor at that morning. He walked around his soon to be church for 30 minutes while it was filling with people for service, only 3 people out of the 7-10,000 people said hello to him.

He asked people for change to buy food – no one in the church gave him change.
He went into the sanctuary to sit down in the front of the church and was asked by the ushers if he would please sit in the back.
He greeted people to be greeted back with stares and dirty looks, with people looking down on him and judging him.

As he sat in the back of the church, he listened to the church announcements and such.
When all that was done, the elders went up and were excited to introduce the new pastor of the church to the congregation.
“We would like to introduce to you Pastor Jeremiah Steepek.” The congregation looked around clapping with joy and anticipation.

The homeless man sitting in the back stood up and started walking down the aisle. The clapping stopped with all eyes on him.
He walked up the altar and took the microphone from the elders (who were in on this) and paused for a moment then he recited,

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.

“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

‘The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

After he recited this, he looked towards the congregation and told them all what he had experienced that morning. Many began to cry and many heads were bowed in shame. He then said, “Today I see a gathering of people, not a church of Jesus Christ. The world has enough people, but not enough disciples. When will YOU decide to become disciples?”

He then dismissed service until next week.

Following in the footsteps of Messiah should be more than just talk. It ought to be a lifestyle that others around you can love about you and share in.

September 16 2013 by Efe Tega

[Thinktank]

only 3 people out of the 7-10,000 people said hello to him.....

that's about correct.... for a typical church....from my experience.