Faith is being viewed more and more negatively, it makes it easy to adopt this view. I mean be careful here. Not all who possess faith are bigots, hard headed, etc.. Get ready to roll eyes as you find me to be a believer in a God who will succeed in restoring the entire creation into perfection. Apokatastasis meaning the restoration of all things spoken by the apostle Peter acts3. Posted an article on rethinking hell conference 2015 held by Fuller Seminary might want to check out, esp Peter Hiett. This to me has the true meaning of "gospel" which is actually good news to everyone. What was done by the Jewish messiah was able and will accomplish this "salvation" for all mankind, somehow, someway. That is faith in something I not only want to believe in, I do, and I don't wish anyone to sink into despair which I believe is the hell Jesus means when weeping and gnashing of teeth. I don't understand why all this suffering but things are not right yet. I have experienced faith as positive and don't think it's a bad case of "wishful thinking". Only One has the power to make something true
The reason I view faith negatively is because faith is not a valid method of identifying truth. If you want to believe everything you just wrote that's fine, go right ahead. But presenting faith as some sort of virtue rather than vice is something I will always take exception to. Until you can justify why we should take your beliefs on faith but reject the faith of those who assert I'm destined to eternal torment for the crime of not believing, faith has no authority.
It doesn't take much convincing to reject an assertion of a loving God who tortures a creature who didn't live up to a standard. I think we can agree there. I did indeed see something worth believing in, and I hold to it not with an expectation of reward but as expectation of wrong made right, justice if you will. A trust in that judgement is a good thing like hoping the teacher comes out quickly to the playground to stop a couple of boys from beating the snot out of each other. I do not think faith as self produced virtue, I want to lay it down for what I hope to be behind reality. Too much spark to our personalities to think I will be looking at a void when it is done instead of you all. All together in a wonderful place. But now we have spoken of hope.
Faith is being viewed more and more negatively, it makes it easy to adopt this view. I mean be careful here. Not all who possess faith are bigots, hard headed, etc.. Get ready to roll eyes as you find me to be a believer in a God who will succeed in restoring the entire creation into perfection. Apokatastasis meaning the restoration of all things spoken by the apostle Peter acts3. Posted an article on rethinking hell conference 2015 held by Fuller Seminary might want to check out, esp Peter Hiett. This to me has the true meaning of "gospel" which is actually good news to everyone. What was done by the Jewish messiah was able and will accomplish this "salvation" for all mankind, somehow, someway. That is faith in something I not only want to believe in, I do, and I don't wish anyone to sink into despair which I believe is the hell Jesus means when weeping and gnashing of teeth. I don't understand why all this suffering but things are not right yet. I have experienced faith as positive and don't think it's a bad case of "wishful thinking". Only One has the power to make something true
The reason I view faith negatively is because faith is not a valid method of identifying truth. If you want to believe everything you just wrote that's fine, go right ahead. But presenting faith as some sort of virtue rather than vice is something I will always take exception to. Until you can justify why we should take your beliefs on faith but reject the faith of those who assert I'm destined to eternal torment for the crime of not believing, faith has no authority.
It doesn't take much convincing to reject an assertion of a loving God who tortures a creature who didn't live up to a standard. I think we can agree there. I did indeed see something worth believing in, and I hold to it not with an expectation of reward but as expectation of wrong made right, justice if you will. A trust in that judgement is a good thing like hoping the teacher comes out quickly to the playground to stop a couple of boys from beating the snot out of each other. I do not think faith as self produced virtue, I want to lay it down for what I hope to be behind reality. Too much spark to our personalities to think I will be looking at a void when it is done instead of you all. All together in a wonderful place. But now we have spoken of hope.