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Caution: Zebra Xing. Joel Send a noteboard - 19/05/2011 06:27:43 AM
...and turn some water to wine.

I've heard He could turn weed into marijuana, too.
Here's a controversial idea: Why not lead people to Christ with no more or less than genuine love for and repentance of acts against God, instead of attempts to escape our actions' consequences? That people can think they accomplished the latter despite sin requiring the righteous Son of God die for them speaks poorly of their relationship with Him.

Although, that has always bugged me. Priests like to go on about how "believing is seeing" and the like, but Jesus, apostles, and saints all performed miracles. And not cheesy, half-ass miracles like "My mom has cancer, so we prayed to the spirit of Pope John Paul II for years, and then one day the cancer went into remission!"

Old-time miracles were much more direct. "Look, nothing up my sleeves. Demon-possessed guy over there. Herd of pigs HERE. BAMF motherfucker, demon-pigs!"

That'd get my attention, for sure.

Of course it would, but in a way that's the problem. It's easier to explain the absence now (though I do think it happens, however rarely) than the presence then. I'm tempted to say it's the same reason Jesus forbade the Disciples to reveal His divinity (and apparently revealed it even to them fairly late): Proof denies faith. Free will's vitally important because of Pithy Pet Phrase #1: Love can't be coerced. If God comes down from heaven and slaps you around with His divinity it's no longer a question of faith He exists, but tolerance of that self evident fact. Incontrovertibly demonstrating His existence removes the option of doubting it, an option that must exist to have any choice at all.

Faith can be and is confirmed, but that's "retroactive proof", a Catch 22. I believe it happens because it happened to me, for which I'm very grateful; nothing is more terrifying than BELIEF in Christ while minuscule doubts make FAITH impossible. I can't say what gets one over that hurdle; I think it's as unique as the individual and his relationship with God, but I also think it vital, so I can only recommend scripture, prayer, fellowship, and a lot of "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief". Curiously, the bible says pretty much the same thing; fear and trembling and all that. All of that incidentally makes legit miracles as rare as unshakable faith, on its way out 2000 years ago and waning in popularity since. Miracles take faith to move mountains, not mere belief, and once again, won't create that faith, only confirm it. "You shall not tempt the LORD your God as you tempted Him in Massah" is one of the older prohibitions (and becomes more applicable in context).

Basically, miracles are less common because they're almost never used to prove faith, and really not even useFUL; if rising from the dead won't convince someone, nothing else will either.
(Edit- and yes, I like your outlook a lot. I just felt like being a smartass)

Thanks, but I have to admit I borrowed a fair amount of it as well.
Honorbound and honored to be Bonded to Mahtaliel Sedai
Last First in wotmania Chat
Slightly better than chocolate.

Love still can't be coerced.
Please Don't Eat the Newbies!

LoL. Be well, RAFOlk.
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Caution: Zebra Xing. - 19/05/2011 06:27:43 AM 694 Views
Oh, and you get 10 points for the Zebra Xing reference *NM* - 19/05/2011 06:18:13 PM 205 Views
Fuck a Nun. *NM* - 19/05/2011 06:06:30 AM 210 Views
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You can't spell Rapture without Rap *shudders* *NM* - 19/05/2011 03:38:19 PM 210 Views
Bad Jens, BAD! *NM* - 20/05/2011 03:31:16 AM 198 Views
On Saturday? Running a half marathon *NM* - 19/05/2011 06:18:38 PM 205 Views
Ran one two weekends ago. 10k this Sat. Have fun! *NM* - 19/05/2011 06:19:47 PM 294 Views
Half because you'll be raptured midway through? *NM* - 19/05/2011 10:56:46 PM 219 Views
No, half because I finish there *NM* - 20/05/2011 07:36:05 AM 205 Views
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If they get too big, how do you tell them apart from Tyranasaurus? - 19/05/2011 10:58:36 PM 442 Views
I'm going to poop. - 21/05/2011 05:41:24 AM 442 Views

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