Wow Arcturus that was a total ripping apart of my post,which I actually found entertaining LOL I kept imagining you as a computer who could not compute information that has not already been programed into you. I mean you know disrespect,it is just laughable the way you dismantled every single part of it.I for now will not choose to rebuff what you have said,not because I can't because God knows I am more than capable of breaking down everything you said point by point,but rather because I fear it would yield no fruit.That is to say that it would be fruitless,it would not be or lead to a healthy, profitable discussion,only an agreement to
agree to disagree. So to each his own if this is what you believe far be it from me to teach you otherwise.
Friend Sonofone,
I am just an observer here and don't have the mind to recall all that you have said or that Arcturus has said. What I do have is an impression of both of you as strong willed and determined AND of working to be polite and gracious in the midst of a little heat.
My impression based upon a small part of other letters you have written and the one above in particular is as follows:
1. Why is Arcturus' response a "total ripping apart"? That reads as if you felt a personal attack of your words. Why?
2. She seems like a machine that cannot compute new information? Just repeats what has been programmed in. What would prompt you to say something like that? Maybe she just know her subject and doesn't change from day to day.
I'm just an old codger and perhaps I don't understand the way young people speak nowadays, but that reads like a calculated mild insult.
3. Her sincere effort to explain her carefully studied beliefs, based upon her study and Ray's writings and to contrast them with your recent letter is "laughable"? Why would any of us laugh at the sincere and studied reply from another member of the forum? We are all friends and our God and Jesus don't appreciate it when we think ill of one another. We are all here to learn from Ray.
Being sure of our individual views is natural, but we all had to accept correction at some point. Lots of correction.
4. You say that "God knows that you are capable"... I don't understand how that statement improves communication between us. You seem to be sort of taking an oath to prove that your point is valid. If so, it hasn't helped me to grasp your view point.
I'll skip over the next couple of points to get to the last half of the last sentence ... "far be it from me to teach you otherwise".
I think, in my hopefully, humble opinion that this statement of yours will help to explain the dichotomy between us. With sincere regard and respect for your study and your developed view point; we are not here to be TAUGHT by you or ME, OR any of the other visitors or newer members of the forum. Even the APPOINTED moderators are careful to limit their remarks to excerpts that have been previously published and perhaps to restate those excerpts in different words for the individual reader.
We are here to build up our knowledge and understanding of what Ray Smith has shared with us. We are here to build understanding of how these teachings apply to various situations in our lives, such as marriage relationships, child rearing, productive Bible study and so forth. We are here to learn to factually contradict the error that has been taught for several centuries in the world's Christian organizations.
I of course do not speak for anyone else, but I do regularly read over the forum guidelines, and teaching of our individual view points or comparing our view points in opposition to Bible Truths, is not why we are here. Many have already made their choice, we have and still are checking what Ray has written to see if we understand it well enough to share it with others. We have already proven to our satisfaction that the Bible Truths articles are accurate and dependable and lead to building character and developing grace toward ALL of God's children.
What I am learning and what may be of some help to others is that almost every other church, fellowship, Seminary etcetera has had their chance to discover what God wants His called out ones to learn and after all these years they haven't found the pearl of great price. It's not their fault and they can't help it and we love all of them anyway, but most of the others want a religion of blessings and joy and peace and NO problems and NO challenges and NO pain. That is not the way we are being led.
WE are being led through trials of fire and that is our part in following the path Jesus walked for all of us.
All of the above is subject to editing and correction.
If I misunderstand please comment.
Respectfully, indianabob