Mr Missionary,
In good faith, I believe you have kind intention, so you are welcome to exchange and share different views.
Are you another Lutheran?
Sir, the harder I look at the Holy Books, the more faults surfaced. All there in are gems? Wisphers of the divine? Absolutely no errors?
Sir, how to expect other to buy-in when you can't give your honest answers?
Hi Toronto,
I will be as honest as I am capable of. But sometimes, as always over the internet, the receiving end may not perceive my vantage point correctly, and thus, readily choose to cast a skeptical eye on my opinions. This is your perogative. I respect your right of opinions. Nevertheless, thank you so much for your openness to allow me to share views here and for discussion.
My religious views are molded by life experience, more than anything else.
I was once, a very bad boy. I think I was very ugly deep down inside me, lots of wickedness. I chased away all those who loved me. I did bad things. It may surprise you that how a cynic like me will one day succumb to the altar call.
I believe you have, one way or another, attended church functions. I believe you have, along the way, been put off by the very 'churchy' facade of the followers. They pepper their greetings with "Hey brother .... sister ....God bless .....etc "
You think an ah beng like me bought into all these crappy, hypocritical facade when I first conceded to invitations by christian friends ? I responded very much like how you'll imagine an ah beng will respond.
Even now, when I attend church, I get riled up by all these seemingly politically-correct 'churchy' lingo and pretentious behaviour by church members. This is the failure of people. A failure of church members, of which they will all face judgement of God one day.
God never fails. God is love. The bible is a message of love. It is a message from God that even though I am unlovable, God gives me a chance and God loves me.
But God never intended churches to be like these. The early churches were the anti-thesis of the modern versions in the form of City Harvest, New Creation Church, FCBC etc ........These churches blindly imported deviant versions from the US. Which brings me to another important point .....
After experiential, it should be followed by intellectual .... otherwise, the beliefs will go haywire ...... and end up becoming like all the mal-practising churches.
Intellectual aspect of Christianity is what I can discuss with you here. The experiential aspect, it is personal. If you have an encounter with God, just as I did many years back, you'll know.