Significant Questions of Belief

[_moksha]

1. Does God possess a complete knowledge of the future?
Not sure when other sentient beings muck about with the time stream. Being able to be pleasantly surprised is always nice I have found.

2. Was the flood of Noah local or global? (A favorite topic of Harmony's)
Just a story based on another oral tradition. It goes back to the Epic of Gilgamesh, at least. I have wondered if there were even older tales dating from the flooding of the Black Sea area.

3. Was Christ both fully God and fully human during his ministry or did he relinquish his divinity for a season?
I choose a constant duality in one.

4. Are only the predestined saved or do all people have a potential for full salvation? (This kind of ties in to the knowledge of the future subject)
I think all will be saved. I go with the Universalists on this point.

5. Do men and women enjoy eternal security from the moment of their spiritual rebirth or must they endure faithfully to the end to have a hope of eternal life?
They should do their own spiritual dance, but in the end God will love us all.

6. what happens to babies who die?
They will get to grow up in the sweet hereafter.

7. The fate of the unevangelized.
Blessed are the unevangelized for they to shall know of God's love.

8. Is baptism essential to salvation and to whom should it be administered - infants or mature believers?
Whatever the spiritual requirement of the person's religious beliefs, these are right for them.

9. Should women serve in certain ministerial capacities?
If they would like to do so, that is acceptable to me.

10. Does man play a role in his own salvation beyond an initial confession of Christ as Savior? What is the meaning and place of works?
I think people should help one another all they can. The First and Second Declaration of Principles for Secular Humanism has some good thoughts on how we can help one another.

11. Is man a child of God or a mere creation of God? What are the psychological effects of each of these views?
We are all the shining Children of God.

12. Should wives submit to their husbands and if so how and in what way?[/quote]
Missionary, superior, couvade, canine (where are those smilies?). I believe in the co-equality of men and women.

[_Gazelam]

I wanted to revisit this thread, One: In hopes that others who have yet to contribute to it might add their opinions on the matters at hand. and Two: to bring up everyones disagreement with the story of the Flood.

Vegas (Who has yet to contribute here) stated that he didn't believe that a man named Noah even existed at all, while others seem to attribute the account to a Noah, but believe that he was wrong in his statement that the whole Earth was flooded.

I can understand how an athiest like Vegas (If that is in fact his stance) can disagree with the Flood story, but how can anyone with a testimony of the Bible and/or the Book of Mormon disagree with the account? How do you reconsile a belief in Christ with No belief in the story of Noah? And to add to the mix, how does a person reconsile a belief in Christ with no belief in the story of the Fall?

[_The Dude]

1. Does God possess a complete knowledge of the future?

Even if God exists, how would I know the answer to this?

Okay, if I were God, and I had access to "complete knowledge of the future," I would try very hard to never look up the answers. That would be too boring.

2. Was the flood of Noah local or global? (A favorite topic of Harmony's)

If based on real events, it was local. Even as believable fiction it would have to be local. The global flood is sibling to the flat earth.

3. Was Christ both fully God and fully human during his ministry or did he relinquish his divinity for a season?

Geez, I never really thought about it. Sure, why not. Christ was fully Flying Spaghetti Monster while he walked the earth.

4. Are only the predestined saved or do all people have a potential for full salvation? (This kind of ties in to the knowledge of the future subject)

I would like to think all people have potential for salvation -- meaning God does not have complete knowledge, or if He has access to that information He almost never looks at it.

5. Do men and women enjoy eternal security from the moment of their spiritual rebirth or must they endure faithfully to the end to have a hope of eternal life?

Last time I believed in such things, I believed one had to endure to the end.

6. what happens to babies who die?

They probably cease to exist except as memories, photographs, and video recordings. If their parents had the foresight, they might also exist as cord-blood cells in some repository. They could be recreated as delayed-twins (clones) someday.

7. The fate of the unevangelized.

Unless they actually cause harm to others, they should manage to live a largely guilt-free life. What more could they hope for? What more could we wish for our children? Keep your religious baggage away from my children!

8. Is baptism essntial to salvation and to whom should it be administered - infants or mature believers?

That really depends on the rest of the belief system. If all you have to do is get baptized, then infants should be baptized. Baptism should be performed in the delivery room.

If baptism is an entry to higher responsibilities, then it should coincide with mature belief. Still, I think 8 years old is too young to qualify as mature belief. 18 or 21 seems more like it.

9. Should women serve in certain ministerial capacities?

If men are wasting their time on such things, then women should be allowed to do the same if they want.

10. Does man play a role in his own salvation beyond an initial confession of Christ as Savior? What is the meaning and place of works?

I don't know. I don't know.

11. Is man a child of God or a mere creation of God? What are the psycological effects of each of these views?

This question seems loaded towards man as a child of God. In fact, we are merely human beings. On top of that, one could ask about our relationship with God -- child or creation?

I think the parent-child relationship supposed by LDS and some other theologies is kind of arrogant, but it is a logical extension of belief in a personal god.

12. Should wives submit to their husbands and if so how and in what way?

They should strive for equality and mutual goals. I want to retire in comfort with my wife, owning a home, putting our kids through college, etc. My wife wants this too. So we both make sacrifices.

[_twinkie]

1. Does God possess a complete knowledge of the future?
Yes
2. Was the flood of Noah local or global? (A favorite topic of Harmony's)
Local
3. Was Christ both fully God and fully human during his ministry or did he relinquish his divinity for a season?
Both
4. Are only the predestined saved or do all people have a potential for full salvation? (This kind of ties in to the knowledge of the future subject)
all
5. Do men and women enjoy eternal security from the moment of their spiritual rebirth or must they endure faithfully to the end to have a hope of eternal life?
They have eternal security as long as they do not fall away from the lord
6. what happens to babies who die?
they go to heaven
7. The fate of the unevangelized.
I guess they will be judged on their own merit
8. Is baptism essntial to salvation and to whom should it be administered - infants or mature believers?
i don't believe it's essential but I believe it should be a choice
9. Should women serve in certain ministerial capasities?
Only if they want to
10. Does man play a role in his own salvation beyond an initial confession of Christ as Savior? What is the meaning and place of works?
Man plays a role. Works only count if they are done freely and not because we "have to" for some eternal reward
11. Is man a child of God or a mere creation of God? What are the psycological effects of each of these views?
Child of God. I am not a psychologist.
12. Should wives submit to their husbands and if so how and in what way?
Wives should submit to their husbands only if they want to.

[_twinkie]

I wanted to revisit this thread, One: In hopes that others who have yet to contribute to it might add their opinions on the matters at hand. and Two: to bring up everyones disagreement with the story of the Flood.

Vegas (Who has yet to contribute here) stated that he didn't believe that a man named Noah even existed at all, while others seem to attribute the account to a Noah, but believe that he was wrong in his statement that the whole Earth was flooded.

I can understand how an athiest like Vegas (If that is in fact his stance) can disagree with the Flood story, but how can anyone with a testimony of the Bible and/or the Book of Mormon disagree with the account? How do you reconsile a belief in Christ with No belief in the story of Noah? And to add to the mix, how does a person reconsile a belief in Christ with no belief in the story of the Fall?

I think the flood is what killed the dinosaurs, personally : )
I think it was local because how else do you explain Australia and it's strange animals? I doubt that Noah put a platypus and a Kangaroo on his ark and then dropped them off in Australia. I doubt that Noah knew how big the world was. When he said the whole world was flooded, it probably appeared that way to him.

[_Roger Morrison]

I wanted to revisit this thread, One: In hopes that others who have yet to contribute to it might add their opinions on the matters at hand. and Two: to bring up everyones disagreement with the story of the Flood.

Vegas (Who has yet to contribute here) stated that he didn't believe that a man named Noah even existed at all, while others seem to attribute the account to a Noah, but believe that he was wrong in his statement that the whole Earth was flooded.

I can understand how an athiest like Vegas (If that is in fact his stance) can disagree with the Flood story, but how can anyone with a testimony of the Bible and/or the Book of Mormon disagree with the account? How do you reconsile a belief in Christ with No belief in the story of Noah? And to add to the mix, how does a person reconsile a belief in Christ with no belief in the story of the Fall?

Hi Gaz, sounds AS IF these questions have my name on them ;-) I think i've covered these with you before?? However, why not again, eh?

Two schools of thought re Bible authenticity regarding its historicity:

1, Literalist, it's "God's" word. Inerrantly preserved by the Holy Spirit.... Many fundamentalists, evs. and LDS believe this to be the case. Do you?

2, Not to be take
n literally. But as a story of creation imagined by our ancients. Handed down as 'true' but not beliveable. (Today?) Mythology, legend and traditions of those who added their stories to the compilation. Some of which are more believeable than other mystic imaginings that appeal to superstition seeming valid in a vacuum of knowledge... More people of all sects and traditions, including LDS, subscribe to this understanding today, than in past times... As I do. Hence the contraversy...

"Testimony of the Bible"... Poor choice of words... I have a "Testimony" of the Bible. It just differs from yours. As I have "Testified" before: There was NO FALL! That is the major package in the miswrapped parcel of Christianism delivered by the misinformed to the gullible, IMSCO!

That "Fact" OK, "supposition" has absolutely nothing to do with the reality of THE MAN Jesus & HIS MESSAGE!!

Gotta close off for now. It's after 10pm and i've been up since 4am... not at my best ;-0... Sleepy regards, Roger

[_cksalmon]

Just for sectarian fun, I can't resist throwing in a thoroughly Calvinistic (and if Beliefnet's religions quiz is to be believed, a thoroughly 100% Orthodox Quaker) perspective.

1. Does God possess a complete knowledge of the future?

Absolutely. God ordained all that is to transpire, so to deny him knowledge of his decrees would seem a bit presumptuous.

2. Was the flood of Noah local or global? (A favorite topic of Harmony's)

Who knows.

3. Was Christ both fully God and fully human during his ministry or did he relinquish his divinity for a season?

Both. Kenosis does not imply lack of divinity.

4. Are only the predestined saved or do all people have a potential for full salvation? (This kind of ties in to the knowledge of the future subject)

Yes, only those predestined for salvation are destined for salvation. Color me theologically-deterministic at this point.

5. Do men and women enjoy eternal security from the moment of their spiritual rebirth or must they endure faithfully to the end to have a hope of eternal life?

Calvinists believe in the perseverance (i.e., preservation) of the Saints. So, I'd say both yes and yes.

6. what happens to babies who die?

Christ said that heaven is full of children. From a Calvinistic position, that would include aborted fetuses, young children, etc.

7. The fate of the unevangelized.

Without knowledge of Christ, salvation is impossible.

8. Is baptism essntial to salvation and to whom should it be administered - infants or mature believers?

No. The thief of the cross was not baptized. Christ told him, "Today, you shall be with me in paradise."

9. Should women serve in certain ministerial capacities?

Ooh. skip.

10. Does man play a role in his own salvation beyond an initial confession of Christ as Savior? What is the meaning and place of works?

Works are the evidence of salvation. Not its precursor, nor its guarantee.

11. Is man a child of God or a mere creation of God? What are the psycological effects of each of these views?

Creature. This may be semantics, but anything created by God, de facto, is a creature. Child of God is a term reserved to the elect.

12. Should wives submit to their husbands and if so how and in what way?

Yes. And husbands should love their wives as Christ loved the Church. In other words, if a husband concocts a plan that harms his wife, he is obviously at fault for not loving her the way Christ loved the Church.

If I haven't offended the sensibilities of enough MD participants as of yet, I can try again! ;-)

Best.

CKS

[_Bond...James Bond]

I think the flood is what killed the dinosaurs, personally : )

Personally I think the dinosaurs were either killed by a huge meterorite or those demons that flew out of the Ark of the Covenant at the end of Raiders of the Lost Ark.

by the way: When they find that cave on the Hill Cumorah do you think we should send in a tomb raider such as Indiana Jones or Lara Croft just in case there are booby traps or giant rolling rocks?

[_twinkie]

Can you say Laura Croft and booby in the same sentence? Is that allowed?

[_Bond...James Bond]

Can you say Laura Croft and booby in the same sentence?

Can you not say Laura Croft and not include mentioning boobies?

PS: Sorry liz for the derailment into the mountain range of a fictional character.