Welcome - Just The Facts

[Carbon]

Hello and welcome @JustTheFacts
Hope you enjoy the forum.

Blessings

 

[Arial]

Yes, @JustTheFacts , welcome to the forum.

 

[DialecticSkeptic]

Who?

 

[Carbon]

Who?

What do you mean who?

 

[DialecticSkeptic]

What do you mean who?

It was possibly an entirely too subtle way of noting that he hasn't introduced himself.

 

[JustTheFacts]

Yes, @JustTheFacts , welcome to the forum.

Thanks Arial. I'm probably going to shake things up a bit here because of my background as an expert analyst and fraud investigator. My work proves the story of Jesus to be true, but also finds widespread corruption and fraud throughout the history of the Church. I hope nobody is surprised by that finding. I hope this forum allows an open exchange to get to the truth!

 

[Hazelelponi]

Thanks Arial. I'm probably going to shake things up a bit here because of my background as an expert analyst and fraud investigator. My work proves the story of Jesus to be true, but also finds widespread corruption and fraud throughout the history of the Church. I hope nobody is surprised by that finding. I hope this forum allows an open exchange to get to the truth!

So I take it you don't believe in Protestant orthodoxy?

what is your religion, since you have come to oppose the faith of Christ?

 

[JustTheFacts]

So I take it you don't believe in Protestant orthodoxy?

what is your religion, since you have come to oppose the faith of Christ?

I have no religion, because Jesus didn't create religions, people did. There is one flock and one shepherd and I am 100% believer in Jesus as the Son of God, crucified, and resurrected. If you are pointing me to theology through the Protestant orthodoxy I'd have to address specific opinions they hold and explain why I support or don't. There is the truth through the word of God and there are numerous pieces of theology floating around that I have found no evidence to support.

 

[Arial]

I have no religion, because Jesus didn't create religions, people did. There is one flock and one shepherd and I am 100% believer in Jesus as the Son of God, crucified, and resurrected. If you are pointing me to theology through the Protestant orthodoxy I'd have to address specific opinions they hold and explain why I support or don't. There is the truth through the word of God and there are numerous pieces of theology floating around that I have found no evidence to support.

Like what? I think that is what we are trying to get at here. I think addressing specific opinions and explaining why you don't support them, (since you say that there are some you do not support) is necessary for the conversation to go forward.

Thanks.

 

[DialecticSkeptic]

I have no religion, because Jesus didn't create religions, people did.

Are you a member of a local church, joining together with fellow believers in the worship and mission of God in Christ? If so, how is it identified denominationally (i.e., its designation)? For example, I am a member of a local church that is Reformed in its theology, confessions, and traditions (United Reformed Church in North America).

If you are not a member of a local church, have you ever been? If so, (a) how was it identified denominationally, (b) why did you leave, (c) and how long ago?

If you have never been a member of a local church, briefly state why not.

 

[JustTheFacts]

Are you a member of a local church, joining together with fellow believers in the worship and mission of God in Christ? If so, how is it identified denominationally (i.e., its designation)? For example, I am a member of a local church that is Reformed in its theology, confessions, and traditions (United Reformed Church in North America).

For many years I was a member of Calvary Chapel in several states. Skip Heizig has been a great pastor and I just watches Easter sunrise service.

If you are not a member of a local church, have you ever been? If so, (a) how was it identified denominationally, (b) why did you leave, (c) and how long ago?

God has proven to me that he was with me. Throughout my life, there have been events that could only come from God. Five years ago I had an NDE that was shocking. God was showing me hell. About twenty years before God had shown me a spirit of a friend that had just died 1300 miles away. I knew God existed but had questions about Jesus because I'm an analyst and fraud investigator. There are many unsettled issues in the Bible.

If you have never been a member of a local church, briefly state why not.

Throughout my career, I've had audiences that objected to my findings, but the the religious group has by far been the worst. The Lord has blessed me and I've eliminated my doubts with the truth, but I can't find anyone in the Church to discuss results with. I even have pastor friends and when I start mentioning evidence that rejects some of their theology, they panic because their faith is built on theology. Through my NDE and five-year investigation God showed me that he wants people to believe through the evidence, not theology.

 

[JustTheFacts]

Like what? I think that is what we are trying to get at here. I think addressing specific opinions and explaining why you don't support them, (since you say that there are some you do not support) is necessary for the conversation to go forward.

Thanks.

A prime example of damaging theology is that Protestants reject the Catholic claims but accept the Bible as the fully inspired word of God--even though John warned us that there was a church coup that was happening (1 John 2:18-19). Protestants love end time ART theology (antichrist, rapture, tribulation) and validate it through the seven of Daniel but the seven of Daniel has nothing to do with a great tribulation. Acts 8:1 tells you that the great tribulation started after Stephens stoning death (33-35 AD). The Olivet Discourse from Matthew is used to support ART theology, but that author wasn't present and copied it from Mark again. Why isn't Mark's version used? Because it doesn't support ART theology.

There are many examples of religious leaders twisting the word of God to fit a certain narrative. Try to rein them in and discuss facts and nobody is interested.

 

[Arial]

A prime example of damaging theology is that Protestants reject the Catholic claims but accept the Bible as the fully inspired word of God--even though John warned us that there was a church coup that was happening (1 John 2:18-19).

There are many Catholic claims that Protestants reject, but the Bible as the inspired word of God is not one of them. The difference there is that Protestants adhere to sola scriptura, and Catholicism exalts the Pope, their religion, and their authority, and their traditions, above the Bible.

Protestants love end time ART theology (antichrist, rapture, tribulation) and validate it through the seven of Daniel but the seven of Daniel has nothing to do with a great tribulation.

Many Protestants do and there are many on the forum, including me, who do not. That teaching is not a part of the traditional Protestant church but is new, relatively, on the scene, and unfortunately took over as the one song sung. Many are psychologically trapped in it. The consequence is nobody listening, and nobody able to hear.

We must be careful here to not turn this thread into a discussion on that though. You are welcome to open one in the Eschatology-End Times forum.

 

[JustTheFacts]

There are many Catholic claims that Protestants reject, but the Bible as the inspired word of God is not one of them. The difference there is that Protestants adhere to sola scriptura, and Catholicism exalts the Pope, their religion, and their authority, and their traditions, above the Bible.

Yes, there is that division between the groups, and both claim to be right. If I am right about Matthew's version being edited, then both theologies fall apart. The Catholic claims based on Peter disintegrate, and the Bible cannot be without error because it has been edited. A good place to start with the Sola Scriptura is to locate the requirements for someone to be able to speak the word of God. God was very specific about it in Deuteronomy and Jesus validated it. If you dig into the details you will realize that Sola Scriptura contradicts the word of God.

Many Protestants do and there are many on the forum, including me, who do not. That teaching is not a part of the traditional Protestant church but is new, relatively, on the scene, and unfortunately took over as the one song sung. Many are psychologically trapped in it. The consequence is nobody listening, and nobody able to hear.

I think you are spot on. To support that end time theology, the word of God in many places must be ignored and/or contorted to fit.

We must be careful here to not turn this thread into a discussion on that though. You are welcome to open one in the Eschatology-End Times forum.

Thanks for the heads up. There is so much information I want to share, but I get off on too many tangents because they all connect.

 

[Arial]

Yes, there is that division between the groups, and both claim to be right. If I am right about Matthew's version being edited, then both theologies fall apart. The Catholic claims based on Peter disintegrate, and the Bible cannot be without error because it has been edited. A good place to start with the Sola Scriptura is to locate the requirements for someone to be able to speak the word of God. God was very specific about it in Deuteronomy and Jesus validated it. If you dig into the details you will realize that Sola Scriptura contradicts the word of God.


I think you are spot on. To support that end time theology, the word of God in many places must be ignored and/or contorted to fit.

Thanks for the heads up. There is so much information I want to share, but I get off on too many tangents because they all connect.

Well, I won't encourage the discussion in the welcome forum by responding to the first paragraph above, though there is much there to be addressed. Start a thread. Be specific in the OP about exactly what particular thing you are dealing with. You can cover them in separate threads unless the conversation automatically deals with them. However, our Terms of Service limit the number of threads one member can start in a day, to two.

 

[DialecticSkeptic]

For many years I was a member of Calvary Chapel in several states. … God has proven to me that he was with me. …

It sounds, to me, like you were once a member of a local church but not anymore. But you didn't answer why you left nor how long ago

 

[Carbon]

Thanks Arial. I'm probably going to shake things up a bit here because of my background as an expert analyst and fraud investigator. My work proves the story of Jesus to be true, but also finds widespread corruption and fraud throughout the history of the Church. I hope nobody is surprised by that finding. I hope this forum allows an open exchange to get to the truth!

You seem very excited to get things going. You also seem to be more RC that anything. But go right ahead.

 

[Hazelelponi]

Five years ago I had an NDE that was shocking. God was showing me hell.

Personal private revelation that cannot be confirmed, not even by scriptures themselves since no prophet of God ever "saw hell" in Scriptures.

There are many unsettled issues in the Bible.

And it's a private revelation that leads the person to reject Scripture itself (or confirms an existing rejection).

Throughout my career, I've had audiences that objected to my findings, but the the religious group has by far been the worst

Who then turns and sells his rejection to audiences everywhere...

...Is called a false prophet, in most circles and certainly indicated by Scriptures, Which is why those who are grounded in their faith regect your message.

Welcome to the forum... I'm sure we will meet again in discussion.

 

[JustTheFacts]

Personal private revelation that cannot be confirmed, not even by scriptures themselves since no prophet of God ever "saw hell" in Scriptures.

You're reading too much into this. I have my experiences that PROVE GOD exists, but they cannot be applied to others--unless there is evidence to support them.

And it's a private revelation that leads the person to reject Scripture itself (or confirms an existing rejection).

Again you are drawing your own conclusions. An NDE motivated me to search for the truth--it had nothing to do with what I found.

Who then turns and sells his rejection to audiences everywhere...

...Is called a false prophet, in most circles and certainly indicated by Scriptures, Which is why those who are grounded in their faith regect your message.

Welcome to the forum... I'm sure we will meet again in discussion.

So for giving a bit of my background, you consider me to be like a false prophet? Go to Deuteronomy 18:20-22 for the definition of a false prophet, and reassess your accusation.

 

[JustTheFacts]

It was possibly an entirely too subtle way of noting that he hasn't introduced himself.

I tried to introduce myself and got raked over the coals for pretending I'm a prophet and mentioning my expertise and what led me to share my results.