This subject AGAIN...
Farrell Till jftill@midwest.net
Thu, 31 Dec 1998 09:59:39 -0800 (00915148779, 2.2.32.19981231175939.0086f570@midwest.net)
At 04:10 PM 12/30/98 -0500, Michael D Fitzpatrick wrote:
>On Wed, 30 Dec 1998 07:54:51 EST JFoster654@aol.com writes:
>
>>FOSTER
>>This whole list is a bunch of nonsense. A bunch of disbelievers who
>>are
>>TRYING to find a way to disprove the Bible just so they can have a
>>tiny minute
>>excuse not to believe in it. I know there are some who are looking
>>for
>>answers on here, but why not go find the answers on a list that does
>>not
>>promote the supposed errancy of the Bible? Y'all keep saying LOGIC
>>LOGIC
>>LOGIC....The Bible is nothing but LOGIC....and it is illogical for a
>>true
>>searcher for the truth to ask an atheist if GOD exists. It is
>>illogical to
>>approach a skeptic and ask if the Bible is the word of GOD. It is
>>illogical
>>to question an agnostic on the evidence of the existence of GOD. This
>>whole
>>list is nonsense, and I do applaud the people who are trying to make
>>sense on
>>this list (though they are very few and far between). The LORD has
>>spoken
>>through HIS word, and it is the responsibility of all mankind to take
>>heed.
>>That is all the LORD wants. It is infantile, Farrill Till, to discard
>>a story
>>on here that has a meaning for all, Farrill Till, on the basis that
>>you think
>>it is nonsense, Farrill Till. UNSUBSCRIBE.
>>
>
>Dear Brother Foster:
> AMEN and amen! God's word is truth!! And woe be to those who
>trifle with His Holy Word rather than COMPLETELY SUBMITTING to it. I
>encourage you, Brother Foster, to continue FIRM in the Faith of Our
>Precious King, the LORD Jesus Christ. I was really blessed by the Three
>Trees story you posted to this List, and plan to distribute copies
>thereof in the churches I attend.
> Now here is something truly amazing. While reading the Three
>Trees Story, I was oh! so DEEPLY touched and tears of joy filled my eyes.
>Now how is it that when some people read such a story tears fill their
>eyes and they feel deeply blessed, and they feel the very PRESENCE of
>the Almighty, whereas when others read exactly the same story, they are
>offended by it and think it is utter foolishness? Could it be that there
>are two different kinds of people on earth? Those who have surrendered to
>being blessed by God, and those who have willfully chosen to utterly
>resist any such "foolishness" (as they would call it)??
TILL
Well, Michael, if you cried over this story, that only confirms what most of
us have already recognized: you let yourself be guided by your emotions
rather than your intelligence. The story was incredibly trite, and only
someone who has spent his life crying over religious fantasies could be
moved to tears by such a story. Perhaps you would like to point out to us
what there is in the story that would in any way constitute reasonable
evidence that Christianity is the "true religion."
FITZPATRICK
> Perhaps, the answer is found in the following hotly contested
>passage of Scripture:
> "But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither
>have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared
>for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit:
>for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For
>what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in
>him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now
>we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of
>God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
>Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth,
>but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with
>spiritual. BUT THE NATURAL MAN RECEIVETH NOT THE THINGS OF THE SPIRIT OF
>GOD: FOR THEY ARE FOOLISHNESS UNTO HIM: NEITHER CAN HE KNOW THEM, BECAUSE
>THEY ARE SPIRITUALLY DISCERNED. But he that is spiritual judgeth all
>things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind
>of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ."
>AND YES WE DO HAVE THE MIND OF CHRIST!!!
>
TILL
Ah, yes, when all else fails, the biblicist can always quote the passages in
his "inspired word of God" that denigrate the use of intelligence. It just
never occurs to these people that the mere fact that the Bible ridicules
intelligence is sufficient cause to view it with suspicion. Why would a
religion want to defame intelligence? Could it be that this was done by
biblical writers in order to discourage the use of the very thing that poses
the biggest threat to it? Those who use their intelligence reject the
fantasies of religion. Does Fitzpatrick think for one moment that the
apostle Paul wasn't aware of that?
FITZPATRICK
> Now here is a thought provoker: I can take this story The Three
>Trees which I obtained from the Errancy Mailing List (of all places) and
>use it to win more souls to Christ, than this Errancy List ever turned
>away from Christ. Now would not that be completely defeating the entire
>purpose of this List. WOW!!! Isn't there somewhere a verse which says
>that even "the wrath of man shall surely praise Thee, and the remainder
>of wrath shalt Thou restrain"?
>
TILL
Oh, my, Michael, you have no idea how much mail I get from people who thank
me for maintaining this list and publishing *The Skeptical Review* because
both have been so helpful to them in finding their way out of religious
superstition. On the other hand, I won't deny that there are people who
would read the tree story and weep like you, because one thing the human
race is not short on is allowing emotions to overrule intelligence.
FITZPATRICK
> Below, Brother Foster, is an account which I am sure you will
>find as much a blessing as I did. But I will not send this account to the
>Errancy List because, of course, it would not interest them as it does
>those of us who have fully surrendered our lives to the LORD Jesus
>Christ, the King of Glory.
>
><Account reluctantly snipped. If anyone on this list is interested in
>reading it, please let me know, and I will send it to you privately>
>
TILL
I'll pass on this, Michael. However, if you should happen to have anything
on hand that even remotely resembles a logical argument that could be used
in defense of the Bible, I would be very interested in seeing it, but I have
already given up on your ability to think rationally.
Farrell Till
Skepticism, Inc.
jftill@midwest.net