Hey again IHAQ!
I have a question wrote:
I'll let you have the last word....
Great, because the more I read, the more convinced I am that we have - and will surely continue to have - enormous challenges in engaging each other. Please consider that while I am fairly certain that this is the case with us, I do not assign blame to anyone for this unfortunate mountain-of-an-obstacle we have in front of us - it simply is what it is and although not that common, it happens on these boards.
Just tell me how you are defining 'good' (your word choice) and we can move on.
I don't have the time, energy or desire to write out a 19 page post in an attempt to satisfy your question about "good" for several reasons. (Yes, considering how far apart we are right now, it would take me at least 19 full pages to explain my position/perspective)
A mere couple of them are:
1. I don't think you would understand my (the) position any better if I did extend the enormous effort.
2. Considering the walls of text that I already posted in this thread - and considering that after you read them, your top two take aways (A and B below) were/are so completely bizarre to me and so clearly the exact opposite of what my wall of text suggested, I have no confidence it would do any good (Yes! I used the word good again)
A. "Ceeboo was exhorting us to work towards being good"
B. "It really shouldn't be a difficult question, for the person stating their God wants us to try to be good, to answer"
So, please understand that I'm not very enthusiastic or encouraged to continue our exchanges.
So instead of a 19 page encyclopedia, I offer only a few words.
Context is everything!
in my opinion You have it all bass-ackwards! All of it!
No matter how "good" you are (you can define good anyway you like - it doesn't matter one bit how it's defined or who defines it. We all fall short - We are all broken - We all have vices/struggles/anger/jealousy/selfishness/etc/etc.
At the end of the day - we, as human beings all fail miserably and then when a new day appears - we continue to fail some more.
That is the end of my few words.
Thank you for trying to have an exchange with me - It is why I come and enjoy these boards - unfortunately (for both of us in my opinion) we aren't connecting at all and I am sorry for my part in that.
Peace and best wishes, IHAQ.
Your never-again pastor,
Ceeboo