My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it--he will be blessed in what he does. If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

um ok

it's all great that you have a way of thinking that you would like others to adhere to, but i'm getting the feelin we're being ordered around.

as for being slow to speak, i'm always kicking myself to be too slow to speak. so i don't think that applies to me.

Law that gives freedom?No, freedom already exists and it is our choice what laws (in the moral sense) we agree with and take.

Red..couldn't have said it better.

The opposite view?

Essay

Interesting if nothing else.

p.s. Please read the whole thing before commenting on it in relation to the thread.

I do not think it is the world that is pollluting us... rather we are polluting the world.... has anyone ever told you that you would make a horrible preacher???? Ohh.. one other thing... there is no "perfect law" if there was we would not have the need of lawyers and judges.....

Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, "Here's a good seat for you," but say to the poor man, "You stand there" or "Sit on the floor by my feet,"
have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? But you have insulted the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? Are they not the ones who are slandering the noble name of him to whom you belong?
If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, "Love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing right. But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.
For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. For he who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not murder." If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker. Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!

Its not law, its dogma that 90% of this forum do not and will not agree with.That is freedom to choose our own path.

everybody judges... even you I am sure... were I to tell you I was a Satanist I am sure that your judgement toward me would not be favorable... yet if I was to tell you I was a God fearing Christian you would look upon me favorably.... it is perception... also when taking into account your "royal law" which is nothing more than one of the Ten Commandments.... i could point out several fallacies which every christian church has toward these laws.... such as worshipping graven images.... and holding the Sabbath on Sunday rather than Saturday....

*sings softly*

You're god is dead... And no one cares... hmm-hmm...
If there is a hell...hmm...I'll see you there...

What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that--and shudder.
You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," and he was called God's friend. You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone. In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

All I've got to say, is that you better respect everyone else's beliefs in this forum, or you will get more shit than you can imagine.

Hey, be gentle now. Strange words from DarkStorm, I know, but remember that he hasn't told us we're all going to hell. He hasn't said that his is the one true faith. Thus far, this person is well spoken, and polite. He's managed to keep his replies within this thread, rather than spam every topic with thoughtless, unrelated, bible quotes.

He started this thread, and I think he's conducted his activities well. I believe this would be a good chance for all of us to educate each other as long as none of us (noobs and natives) is quick to judge each other.

As I've heard many of you say, It's not the word of god that displeases you, it's having it shoved down your throats by blind, overzealous types. Well this one doesn't appear to be that way. Exhorting is being quite reasonable in my opinion.

That having been said, I would like to ask if these are your own words, Exhorting, or if they originated from another. And I would ask that if they are not your own, that you proceed to speak your own mind from this point forward. As many a defensive Christian has said, "Even Satan can quote scripture." So if you're not writing of your own original opinion right now, we would all appreciate it if you did from now on.

*laughs*

Hahaha! he didn't say women...we can do what we want...

*sing songy and dancing naked through the thread, stops to only briefly ponder who she should murder first, and with the choice made begins her exotic dance of nude flesh and chaotic humming*

Darkstorm, I am spreading the Word of God and teaching the message as it has been given to me. His Word is life to me and I seek to teach others. Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check. When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.
All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

Then what would you say of he, who is ordained, that damns men to hell for their sins? Is this not of the same evil? It pierces one as poison would. Clearly fear is of evil. For one can not approach what one does fear. And so one might not approach a god which they fear.

And what of God's plan? Has he, the almighty, made us aware of the details of such an intricate plot? No, he merely gives us guidelines, and promises that, should we follow these guidelines, we shall be rewarded in heaven. His plan becomes confusing when one considers: what of fortune in heaven? Why would he beseech us not to pursue fortune in life, but desire us to pursue fortune in heaven. Not material fortune, of course, but fortune nonetheless.

I suppose what I'm getting at is an understanding. I, being not one of god, but not one to deny his existance, believe that he has commanded his believers to seek out and find non-believers and attempt to bring them into the faith. Could his intentions not have been misunderstood? It's occured to me that while he commanded this, his intention might not have been to acquire more believers. What does one think when he says that he who spreads the word of God shall be rewarded in heaven? They will be rewarded in heaven, not because they acquired followers, but because they had their faith tested by those who would have them not be a man of God, and withstood the test. This is why I think we should educate each other. Because, as I'm sure you will testify, he who listens to the word of God, will not be so blessed as he who acts under the word of God.

After some time here you will find that we are all teachers. There are few students to be had. Should you learn about our pasts you might come to find that we have been tested and judged more strictly than those who do not educate.