Why All The Details?

[David Sklansky]

"But see David, a lot of the reason for the "details" that are left after those pertaining to eternal salvation (the afterlife), has to do with our life on earth, which includes improving that life and the ethics of our relations with each other."

How can you not realize that I am not talking about those details.

[BluffTHIS!]

Sorry I have misunderstood. I'm on my way out now and will just say that if the details you mean are like how and exactly when the end days will unfold, or the minute details concerning angels and such, then I would agree with you. Those details even regarding the truth don't matter as far as salvation or living a christian life. If anything they can confuse them by providing needless grounds for controversy.

[David Sklansky]

"Sorry I have misunderstood. I'm on my way out now and will just say that if the details you mean are like how and exactly when the end days will unfold, or the minute details concerning angels and such, then I would agree with you. Those details even regarding the truth don't matter as far as salvation or living a christian life. If anything they can confuse them by providing needless grounds for controversy."

Anybody disagree with that?

[Darryl_P]

I disagree because if there is needless controversy, it is not because people spend time studying those details, but rather because they use them to create controversy when they probably shouldn't.

Even then I'm more inclined to believe the controversy is not needless at all, and the only fault committed by the detail guys is that they erroneously think the details are worth bringing up when there are more fundamental issues that need to be covered first.

[ QUOTE ]
...the real God always answers my questions and doesn't behave as if He's too good for me, even though He of all beings surely could do that and nobody would question Him.

[/ QUOTE ]

He must like you more than he did Job.

[RJT]

[ QUOTE ]
"Sorry I have misunderstood. I'm on my way out now and will just say that if the details you mean are like how and exactly when the end days will unfold, or the minute details concerning angels and such, then I would agree with you. Those details even regarding the truth don't matter as far as salvation or living a christian life. If anything they can confuse them by providing needless grounds for controversy."

Anybody disagree with that?

[/ QUOTE ]

If I understand Bluffs post, I say I agree with it if it means the same as the following:

I am a novice to hold ‘em. One of the posts of yours that stuck in my mind after reading SSHE and TOP as a beginner is the following. You had written that we should understand that (using my words not yours) K5s is not verboten . One merely has to know what the heck one is doing, then one knows when/how one can apply K5s. Until you posted that it hadn’t occurred to me that it was an option. After reading it, that idea (not specifically K5s) but the overall point you were making was an eye opener for me. I made a jump in re-reading your books with a whole knew awareness.

To get more specific to Bluffs point. One can play K5s. But, if one chooses to never play K5s it is not the end of the world.

[RJT]

I mean new awareness, not knew awareness. Too late to edit.

[Mempho]

[ QUOTE ]
When I asked about the "In His Image" statement, Not Ready referred us to a website that went into lengthy intricate detail about the subject, describing all the various, Christian theories and what was right and wrong about them. But what is the point of all this? Because even devout Christians seem to agree that God will not be angry or punish you if you get these details wrong.

I said before that one problem with being religous is that it wastes time. Time that could be used for more productive things. That's been countered with the idea that earthly things don't matter as much as the afterlife. But even if you accept that, it doesn't apply once you have gotten the basics down. The things relevant to that afterlife. Spending inordinate time trying to figure out details that even God doesn't care if you know, sounds an awful lot like an excuse to escape any responsibility to improve the world. And you think God would applaud you for that?

[/ QUOTE ]

Not following the details will cause you problems and/or heartache here on Earth. For instance, sex can cause pregnancy, STDs, bad feelings, psychological issues...etc. The fact that a lot of people don't follow the details does not mean that it's good for you to not follow them.

Also, God provides for more "treasure" (rewards) in heaven for the righteous man.

Simple answer: Following the rules leads to an easier life (though not guaranteed...e.g. Job) and leads to more treasure (rewards) in heaven (guaranteed). It also pleases God and, if you love God, you will desire to please him (at least to some degree).

[ QUOTE ]
For instance, sex can cause pregnancy, STDs, bad feelings, psychological issues...etc.

[/ QUOTE ]

That is some warped view about sex, dude. Maybe you ought to see someone about this, it can lead to very odd behaviour and deep rooted problems.

[TheQ]

It all depends, [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] On what each person values. Some people value thinking about God. That's not to say, they don't value many other things, as well. Everyone has to balance their values (priorities) If earthly things don't matter, then we can assume earth is a testing ground. The more we learn here (where sins are constantly forgiven) the better off we will be in the afterlife (will sins still be forgiven then?)

"God will not be angry if you get the details wrong?" I would say he will more be leinient with you because you knew not. "Forgive them father for they know not what they do" Once you KNOW that what you are doing is wrong THEN it becomes a sin. Same with Adam and Eve. They didn't know anything about right and wrong, so they were ok.

It DOES apply after you have the basics. Yes you can be saved by believing in Jesus, but to live forever, you need to adopt a lot more into your personality as a whole, "to survive unto the end" (Jesus)

This would imply to me that even after death it's not going to be a piece of cake. Maybe the more we work on understanding God, and improving ourselves (and others) HERE, the easier it will be later? (AFTERLIFE)

David, how can you expect to find God by asking people? (who have never seen or met Him, and probably most, can't hear Him, except by little signs that could be called confirmation bias)
WHY NOT GO TO THE SOURCE?

Why are you relying on answers to your questions from (supposedly devout) Christians? Are there any nowadays?
(this implies doubt as to whether the veracity of their statements is worthy of your consideration.) If everyone has a different part of "the basics" and we are imperfect, the answers will be as varied as the number of persons responding to posts?

If there is a God, and He knew you were looking for Him, for the right reasons, and He saw potential in you, why wouldn't He rain down manna on your livingroom floor?
[img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img] Now that's a funny visual! lol. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

What is your point in even contemplating God? (I say that in a polite tone of voice.) If you don't believe, then it COULD be a waste of time. But in order to make the previous statement TRUE, we need to know your values, and prioritize them. So, what, to you, is getting put off, when you make these posts, that has a greater value, to you, than the time spent writing them? What are these 'more important things'?

Can't we find some way to help you balance your life so that there is time for 'more important things' AND the contemplation of God? Or maybe just put a little twist on it, and re-prioritze those things which you value? Then, by changing your values, you wouldn't feel, like you were being robbed (of your time) by God. [img]/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img]

lol (with a big dumb grin on my face) I gotta say, even though I'm busy with the Fam, and work, and a lot of other things, I really enjoy, reading these posts. Even the angry people are funny in their own way. Hopefully everyone will find what they're looking for....

What are you looking for, lol? [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]