Otherness wrote: ↑Fri Nov 18, 2022 7:08 pm
DWIGHT>>>No, no one is forcing you to talk that way. I do not believe the Spirit is forcing you to talk that way. You are choosing, of your own free will, to talk like that, and then, patting yourself on the back, you think you are being led by the Holy Spirit. You call that kind of talk "spiritual", and wish that everyone could be as mature as you are, and talk the way you do. I would never desire to talk like that. I would rather follow Jesus and use relatively simple speech, so that people can actually understand me. Do you speak to your son that way? If you do, I feel sorry for him. He must think that you're an alien from outer space. If you have a job, do you speak to your coworkers like that? Do you speak to your immediate family members like that? Your parents, siblings, uncles, aunts, cousins? If you were my flesh and blood brother and spoke like that in public, with me there, I would be embarrassed by you. It would not be a witness to the world, it would be a demonstration of your deception. They would think that you're in some kind of cult. Maybe you are.<<<
The authors of the paper that was linked in my last post “talked in a way” that was appropriate to their subject matter. Their peer group talks that way, though less formally, when they talk to each other. Their subject matter “forces” them to do so. They don't “talk that way” outside their group in their other relationships.
We are Christians talking about God as He is in Himself (the Trinity), so our very subject (He is Spirit) calls for spiritual ideas and concepts about the spiritual source and nature of all reality.
Dwight - The specific question was "Who is the Alpha & Omega?" I believe in the Trinity, but that was not the original topic. The scriptures tell us plainly that God is the Alpha and the Omega and that Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega. Nor is "He is Spirit" the original "subject", although I believe that too. Other than identifying the Alpha and the Omega with God and with Jesus, the Bible does not elaborate or "amplify" it's meaning. So why do you feel compelled to do so? So any other new or additional information would be tantamount to adding to the scripture. And in your case, the information is so difficult to understand, that the average Christian cannot discern if you're actually agreeing with the Bible or not. Therefore such information is confusing and useless, and therefore, unnecessary.
Certainly no one is “forcing” you into this subject area, although I suspect you feel the Holy Spirit wants you to defend (what you see as) some kind of an attack on ....
There is nothing in what I have written that weakens trinitarian doctrine,
Dwight - The Trinity is not even the topic here.
My 11/10 post addressed each of your 18 “not in the Bible” objections, and your follow-up simply glossed over what was said. It would serve your “perspective” better if you would (please) just stick to the actual issue.
Dwight - I did not "gloss over" your response. Rather, it's impossible to answer an argument that make no sense. When that was the case, I simply said that your words don't make sense.
Let's just take this one :
>>>"God is Other Himself." NITB<<<
Dwight - This is a good example of a statement that not only doesn't make sense, but it's not found in the Bible. Yes, I believe the Trinity doctrine that the Father is not the Son and the Son is not the Father, so why not just say that? Even though the Trinity is not the topic! But you cannot show me a chapter and verse that says, "God is Other Himself" - as I said, that's NITB. And I'm glad we don't find that in the Bible, because if it were there, it would only confuse us.
Dwight - You, Otherness, seem to be obsessed with your own chosen "identifier"- Otherness. Because the word "Other" pops up many times in your speech.
The Father is NOT – is OTHER than – the Son, the Son is NOT – is OTHER than – the Father. It's in the Bible.
What is the issue here...what is it that troubles you about this? In the grace of God your input and my response may clear up some of what troubles you.
Dwight - I have told you several times what troubles me about your speech, but you have glossed over that! I'll say it AGAIN one last time. DON'T gloss over it! Jesus did NOT talk that way! Nor did Paul or any other New Testament author! Nowhere does the subject matter of the Bible "force" you or anyone else to talk the way you do. So stop it! You have shown in your last two posts that you can talk the same way that the rest of us Christians do. But you continue to defend your "spiritual" nonsense talk, as if it had any profitable usefulness. It does not!
Remember, patience is a fungible asset : it can be spent everywhere, in any circumstance, on anything, at any time, and will only increase as it is spent.
Let us reason together.
Dwight - I think I have been very patient with you, but no more. We are simply going in circles. You defend your speech. I call your speech nonsense and confusing and unbiblical. I don't know about you, but my time is more important than to use hours trying to refute absurdity. So this will be my last post on this issue.