I read #98 with interest and did some reading myself. I always like to read around a subject. I did come up with more questions though, but – with difficulty – I’m going to refrain from asking them because I don’t want to overwhelm you with questions when you’re still dealing with previous ones. It gets muddly that way. I’ll let you continue and post my questions later.

Just received this joke from my daughter and I know you’ll
get a laugh from it too.

“I was in a restaurant yesterday when I suddenly realized I desperately needed to pass gas.

The music was really, really loud, so I timed my gas to the beat of the music.

After a couple of songs, I started to feel better.

I finished my coffee and noticed that everybody was staring at me.

It was then I suddenly remembered that I was listening to my iPod!”

What do you think….brought a chuckle didn’t it?

Iris…I know it’s difficult for most people to be aware/accept a selfish, controlling, abusive, detrimental power that has a destructive attitude towards the majority of our world’s population, , but throughout history, there have been knowledgeable, intelligent leaders who have seen this movement and they’ve expressed their views and fears. I’ve finally arrived at a similar view (which I also see that the Bible acknowledged and informed us would be happening with mankind)

I know that most often people look at this be “conspiracy stupidity” but once you start delving into this area, you come across too much to write if off as a “improbable plot theory.”

Just for starters, here’s one interesting site I located “World Leaders and Famous People Promoting a New World Order and a One World Government” – it was compiled by Wes Penre, in February 2004.

It could be updated with many more recent pronouncements by prominent persons but I know you see my point without going into a longer list of quotes.

Let the truth speak for itself:
* * *
The real truth of the matter is, as you and I know, that a financial element in the large centers has owned the government of the U.S. since the days of Andrew Jackson.”– U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt in a letter written Nov. 21, 1933 to Colonel E. Mandell House
* * *
“Fifty men have run America, and that’s a high figure.”
Joseph Kennedy, father of JFK, in the July 26th, l936 issue of The New York Times
***
“From the days of Sparticus, Weishaupt, Karl Marx, Trotski, belacoon, Rosa Luxenberg and
Ema Goldman, this world conspiracy has been steadily growing. This conspiracy played a definite recognizable role in the French Revolution. It has been the mainspring of every subversive movement during the 19th century. And now at last, this band of extraordinary personalities from the under- world of the great cities of Europe and America have gripped the Russian people by the hair of their head and have become the undisputed masters of that enormous empire.”–Winston Churchill to the London press in 1922
* * *
“The real rulers in Washington are invisible and exercise their power from behind the scenes.”– Justice Felix Frankfurter, U.S. Supreme Court
* * *
“Some of the biggest men in the United States, in the field of commerce and manufacture, are afraid of something. They know that there is a power somewhere so organized, so subtle, so watchful, so interlocked, so complete, so pervasive, that they had better not speak above their breath when they speak in condemnation of it.” – Woodrow Wilson
* * *
“I believe that if the people of this nation fully understood what Congress has done to them over the last 49 years, they would move on Washington; they would not wait for an election….It adds up to a preconceived plan to destroy the economic and social independence of the United States!” –George W. Malone, U.S. Senator (Nevada), speaking before Congress in1957.
* * *
“We can’t be so fixated on our desire to preserve the rights of ordinary Americans…”
Bill Clinton (USA TODAY, 11 March 1993, page 2A)

People of such caliber can’t be dismissed without seeing what
they’re talking about.

Iris, I’ll get to your other comments shortly.

I agree that many people in power may not always act in the right way or in the best interests of the general public. I think that’s a given really. They have their own interests to promote (eg multi-national companies) and even individuals can be swayed by their own views or beliefs. Also, power can corrupt – sometimes horribly so.

You talk of a global conspiracy, but, to be honest, I don’t believe such a level of co-operation would ever exist. Each country/company/person would have their own interests to look after, and would always protect their own interests from any real or perceived threat. Therefore a global conspiracy wouldn’t work because of self-interest and mistrust.

Finance/Economy – not my specialism, I’m afraid But I see the collapse of various banking systems around the world and the ensuing recessions as more of a domino effect (if that’s the right phrase) because they are connected. Loss of faith in one country’s economy will have a knock-on effect on other countries. Trade between countries will be affected, as will stocks and shares (because they’re owned by those outside the affected country aswell as inside), and something like, say, a fall in the price of oil will affect many countries in many ways. I see this as just the way finance works, not as some kind of planned conspiracy.

“The Bible states that one day the antichrist will be able to track and control all financial transactions and that NO MAN will be able to buy or sell anything unless he has the mark of the beast.”
Ah, now isn’t that the barcode bit? Barcodes being believed to have the mark of the beast and to be being used to track people? Well, I don’t believe that’s true personally. Also, even if it was, it’d be a pretty poor system as not everything has a barcode (eg the loose vegetables I bought today). If you’re talking about tracking people through the banking system by noting when we use our bank cards, then that’d work poorly too because people can and do use cash.

*A question – why do you think the Anti-Christ would be so interested in money? Isn’t that a very HUMAN concern?

“To add more to the progressing NWO goal, To go along with a financial crisis, it was necessary to have an “internal government crisis” that will permit the country more control over American citizens – and this crisis came from a group of Muslims on Sept. 11, 2001 with their highjacking and crashing airplanes into our major buildings.
Reading various websites worldwide, NWO globalists everywhere celebrated the attack on America as their goals were now being accomplished — and they saw their desire to instill fear into the hearts of Americans beginning to be accomplished because Americans now were willing to exchange their freedom for a false feeling of security through government setting up various controls.”

Now I do PARTLY agree with this. I have NOT seen any evidence to suggest that the 9/11 attacks were anything other than the work of Islamic terrorists, so I don’t believe that that attack was engineered by the US Governemnt in any way. However, I DO believe that many Americans live in a state of fear and insecurity. There’s always an ‘enemy’, whether it be Communists or Terrorists – or, dare I say it, LGBT people…. I DO agree that it can be to a Government’s benefit to maintain a sense of general fear and unease (because that makes people easier to govern). But – and this isn’t an attack on your faith – I also believe that the Christian Right are guilty of this same fear-mongering.

An example is gay marriage. There’s no way that that would harm ‘traditional’ marriage – no way at all. Nor would it bring down society or whatever. To say that it would is just fear-mongering by picking an easy target (the LGBT minority) and playing on people’s natural fears about anything or anyone different to themselves. This is how some fundies spread lies. They whip up a state of fear (just like you’re saying that the US Government has done) by spreading mis-information.

Don’t fall for it, Hank. I respect your Christian faith and I respect your right to believe in the NWO, but don’t let people with their own agenda mislead you. I’m talking about groups like Focus on the Family and NARTH, to name just two. I admire you for coming onto Pink News so that you can see both sides, and I hope you’ve been reassured that LGBT people are no threat to you or the world.

The experiments you’ve listed there are quite obviously deplorable, but why they were done, I don’t know. Certainly governments were more paternalistic in the past (“We know what’s best for you”) and less concerned with individual’s rights – especially if they were disabled/black/female/children maybe. I think the situation has improved greatly, but part of the reason for the improvement is the understanding that all humans are equal and deserve to be treated with respect and dignity.

The society I hope to see is one where everyone is always treated as equal, no matter what their gender, race, sexuality, age, ability, etc. Gay Rights movements are part of the push towards that equality and towards ending discrimination. That’s a good thing for everyone.

*Do you still think that LGBT people are part of the NWO conspiracy? And if so, why do you think that?

Again, I look forward to your reply when you have time. I know we always cover a lot of subjects!

Too many people think it’s bizarre to talk about the reality of the New World Order, that it’s a silly conspiracy theory or something similar. But a person has to look into it with an open mind and be observant enough to see all the connections of what’s going on – many of the earliest actions that began well over a100 years ago – involving specially-motivated people and groups , which changes as time goes on, but the goal hasn’t changed.

“New World Order,” is a term used to describe the uniting of the world’s superpowers to secure and maintain “global peace.” World leaders are excited at the prospects for peace and there has been much talk about entering a “new era” and the establishment of a “New World Order.”

A New World Order has been a long time in the making – sometimes its action and behavior is apparent and sometimes can only be understood by “reading outside the box,” and looking at how various acts are heading toward a certain direction and goal.
One part of the agenda is economic control of the world. The Bible states that one day the antichrist will be able to track and control all financial transactions and that NO MAN will be able to buy or sell anything unless he has the mark of the beast.

As we can see, there’s worldwide financial problems, with countries heading toward bankruptcy .How many banker bailouts will it take before people understand the international financial elites are stealing our pension funds and enslaving us to a lifetime of debt?

“SIGNIFICANT QUOTE: “It is well the people of the nation do not understand our banking and monetary system, for if they did, I believe there would be a revolution before tomorrow morning.” – Henry Ford (said this around 1900 – very prophetic as we see things happening today).

To add more to the progressing NWO goal, To go along with a financial crisis, it was necessary to have an “internal government crisis” that will permit the country more control over American citizens – and this crisis came from a group of Muslims on Sept. 11, 2001 with their highjacking and crashing airplanes into our major buildings.

Reading various websites worldwide, NWO globalists everywhere celebrated the attack on America as their goals were now being accomplished — and they saw their desire to instill fear into the hearts of Americans beginning to be accomplished because Americans now were willing to exchange their freedom for a false feeling of security through government setting up various controls.

It’s always been the NWO’s goal to destroy our free constitutional Republic. And we’re not only allowing the government to further intrude into our private lives in the name of “national security” but we’re demanding that they continue to expand whatever they want to give us “greater security.”.

The NWO’s agenda is being further advanced with the “War on Terror”, and by the “Patriot Act” – all with significantly increased surveillance and investigative powers of law enforcement agencies in the United States. Then the emergence of “Homeland Security” further permitted government intrusion into the private lives of Americans

To show how desperate the NWO powers are in furthering their goals, look at just a few things that have happened in the USA in our recent history:. There are so many “secret” experiments that have been part of the control of Americans.

In preparing America for nuclear attack during the Cold War years following World War II, thousands of US citizens became the innocent victims of over 4,000 secret and classified radiation experiments conducted by the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) and other government agencies, such as the Department of Defense, the Department of Health, Education and Welfare, the Public Health Service (now the CDC), the National Institutes of Health, the Veterans Administration (VA), the CIA, and NASA

Secret Radiation Experiments
Only recently, with the forced release of Top Secret documents, have details been revealed about the unethical and inhumane radiation studies conducted during the Cold War years from 1944 to 1974. The initial story broke in November 1993 in a series of articles in the Albuquerque Tribune which identified the names of 18 Americans secretly injected with plutonium, a key ingredient of the atomic bomb and one of the most toxic substances known to man. Some, but not all, of the patients were terminally ill. This horrifying story by journalist Eileen Welsome (who later won a Pulitzer Prize) unleashed a storm of nationwide protest prompting Department of Energy Secretary Hazel O’Leary to order the release of secret files and documents pertaining to these Cold War experiments.

The extremely dangerous plutonium experiment was performed under the auspices of the government’s Manhattan Project, which brought together a revered group of distinguished scientists to develop and test the atom bomb. The purpose of these secret experiments was to establish occupational standards for workers who would be producing plutonium and other radioactive ingredients for the nuclear energy industry.

Some of the classified government experiments included:
* Exposing more than 100 Alaskan villagers to radioactive iodine during the 1960s.
* Feeding 49 retarded and institutionalised teenagers radioactive iron and calcium in their cereal during the years 1946-1954.
* Exposing about 800 pregnant women in the late 1940s to radioactive iron to determine the effect on the fetus.
* Injecting 7 newborns (six were Black) with radioactive iodine.
* Exposing the testicles of more than 100 prisoners to cancer-causing doses of radiation. This experimentation continued into the early 1970s.
* Exposing almost 200 cancer patients to high levels of radiation from cesium and cobalt. The AEC finally stopped this experiment in 1974.
* Administering radioactive material to psychiatric patients in San Francisco and to prisoners in San Quentin.
* Administering massive doses of full body radiation to cancer patients hospitalised at the General Hospital in Cincinnati, Baylor College in Houston, Memorial Sloan-Kettering in New York City, and the US Naval Hospital in Bethesda, during the 1950s and 1960s. The experiment provided data to the military concerning how a nuclear attack might affect its troops.
* Exposing 29 patients, some with rheumatoid arthritis, to total body irradiation (100-300 rad dose) to obtain data for the military. This was conducted at the University of California Hospital in San Francisco.

The Internet has revealed many horrible experiments conducted on Americans, and probably similar things have/are happening in other countries.

No, that wasn’t the motivation for my making my decision for accepting Christianity, though there’s a valid purpose for my “fearing Hell, and desiring Heaven.” in my Christian behavior.

First, I have to believe there is a rationale for punishing evil and rewarding good.

The only major differences are what standards a person uses in judging an evil deed and in a good deed. By using Biblical standards I have less problems in having making judgments about absolute and relative acts and their value.

Also, I believe human life is the greatest creation, and taking somebody’s life is the ultimate in rejecting God or rejecting one’s philosophical, psychological, sociological, or intellectual standard that exists in civilized life. And I feel justified that the punishment of execution is in accordance with act, but of course it has to be 100% confirmed that the person was guilty. I realize there are a variety of circumstances in each case, but it some cases, there is no question as to the evil behavior.

I believe mankind has degenerated to where it no longer views life as precious and crucial beyond all value. And later I’ll connect the NWO and its goal as it’s involved in this lowering view of life. There are some serious and evil activities dealing with population problems, worldwide war issues, diminishing individual privacy, education, and so many major topics that are increasing and are being recognized by more experts in all areas. That in itself is an extremely fascinating examination of the direction of countries and societies worldwide. Much of it is being organized and carried out in the USA.

I’ll send this comment for now and get back again soon with other
issues you’ve brought up.

Hey Iris…happy to see your comments/questions and I’ll get
back to you later this afternoon. I truly enjoy communicating
with you and you do have a “teacher’s mind” so to speak, from
what you ask and how you’re thinking.

Very briefly, he reason I look to the Bible as a primary source for my direction and understanding of life, is that I approach it with an open mind because it has great philosophical principles,
deep psychological understanding about human nature
behavior in today’s world, it even gives some diet information

And how can anyone argue with the Christian tradition of pointing out the serious impact on spiritual/social development that’s listed as as “deadly sins.” While not inclusive, wouldn’t the world be better by following and obeying this list of
negative and hurtful acts: gluttony, fornication, avarice, anger, dejection , sloth , vainglory and pride. (Who of us
wouldn’t be better (and our fellow man), if we didn’t do any of the above?)

Anyway Iris, I’ll be back shortly — don’t some short trips now.

But – to continue my comments – I was interested that you chose the Bible and Christianity as a way of improving your life. We all (I hope) try to make ourselves better people by trying to avoid the mistakes we’ve made before, especially when we’ve hurt others, and by trying to live well, but not all of us choose as you did. In fact, I would guess (and it’s only a guess) that most people fix on something else for self-improvement, eg diet, exercise, voluntary work, studying, a new hobby, etc.

I was trying to understand why you chose Christianity and I think that maybe the clue was in what you wrote – you said that you read the Bible and were scared to read about Hell, and that inspired you to concentrate on being a proper Christian in order to get to Heaven. Please correct me if any of that’s wrong.

But when I re-read the Bible as an adult, it made me believe LESS not more. This was because of the contradictions, the amount of killing, the historical inaccuracies, the omissions, the misogyny, the downright weird things it said in some places. This convinced me that the Bible wasn’t an accurate representation of the ‘word of God’ and was, indeed, a convenient tool of power for men.

So, I don’t think Christianity is necessarily what one needs to improve one’s life and be a good person (although I respect your right to belief it is).

But – 1)where do LGBT people fit into this? Where’s the bit in the Bible condemning loving, adult, consensual relationships??

2) Is your belief in the NWO sanctioned by the born again Chrstianity you believe in? I accept that you use Revelation as proof of that, but it that accepted and allowed by your religion, or is it something that you personally have added to your own belief? (and that’s not a criticism)

3) Did you see, when reading the pdf link above, how easy it is to twist and distort things to suit one’s own prejudices, and to make non sequitur type generalisations?

4) I understand that you come here to open our eyes to the good things that you think Christianity has provided you with – so are you saying that you can’t be gay and Christian?

Take those questions one at a time if it’s easier. I do sympathise about your time issues. I look forward to your replies, and to more information about that @Altruistic Punishment’ study you mentioned above.

Anonymous Sources = Lies

You now asked, “I see what you mean about CINO, as you call them. But don’t you ever worry that some of the people calling themselves born again Christians are just saying that without committment”

I’m not sure that I “worry” about that, but I definitely question their sincerity and wonder if they know the true meaning of being a Christian ….or are they just fooling themselves without commitment. This is a very dangerous situation because Jesus made the below comment that should make a person do serious introspection about their beliefs.

Scripture: Matthew 7:21-29
21 “Not every one who says to me, `Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, `Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, `I never knew you; depart from me, you evildoers.’

The Bible definitely has a black/white statement as to how and what a “Christian” should believe, think and act. A person can “fool themselves and others” but when it comes down to the bottom line, they’ll answer to God without any kind of excuse.

Yes, I believe there are way too many CINO who don’t go beyond the surface in self-examination about their belief. Not that I’m anywhere near being a non-sinning person, though I do try – we’re all sinners throughout our lives, but we should be “less sinners” as we become stronger in our Christian walk.

And yes, when those kinds of CINO do hurtful things against others, it casts a poor picture about Christianity for society, and even makes it harder for others to accept the good that Christianity does offer. Those kinds of people will have a more severe judgment to face after they die.

I’ll get back to you about your questions about hell, God, religion, sexual immorality, but right now that’ll take more time as it’ll be more detailed.

Also, I came across a fascinating article “A study of altruistic punishment” that opened up a totally new view to me that might have some meaning as to why many Christians are so opposed to homosexuality. I may be way “off base” as I read into it, but it’s very challenging to see if there’s a connection and it’s rather detailed and will take time to “digest” and put it to use.

I see what you mean about CINO, as you call them. But don’t you ever worry that some of the people calling themselves born again Christians are just saying that without committment? I ask that because people could, just as they say they’re Christians but only in name – so they could also do that with the born again idea. I specifically ask that because I’ve met a most repulsive, nasty and, by any judgement, totally unchristian person who claimed he’d been ‘born again’. While I don’t doubt your committment to Christianity at all, he is, in my opinion, less of a Christian, than me in the way he speaks, thinks and acts.

I guess you’ll say that God knows who’s a true Christian so he’ll be caught out in the end, but I’m sure he’s not the only one bigging himself up and saying he’s a Christian when he’s not. We talked about TV evangelists once, didn’t we, and you said that most didn’t impress you. Now, what I hope you’ll consider is that the ideas you have about LGBT people could have been planted in your head by unscrupulous ‘christians’ like those mentioned above – people who pretend they’re Christian to make themselves seem important, yet have only chosen Christianity as a route to their own aggrandisement. People like that would still have their all to human prejudices and nastiness, and, by saying that they ‘spoke for god’ they could use God’s name to advance their own bigotry.

I do NOT think that’s what you’re doing, by the way. I think you’re a genuine Christian.

I understand what you wrote about fear. Everyone feels afraid and uncertain at some point in their life, especially as you get older (you feel immortal when you’re young ). Most people are afraid of death – life’s too short and the future’s unpredictable. Who wouldn’t want to live forever? In a nice place, of course! I know you’ll say that you have total faith in God and total belief in Heaven and Hell, and maybe you’re right, who knows? But, to me, the idea of Hell, of punishment, is a human one – or at least, it’s been manipulated by humans. It’s a good threat to make to a child, isn’t it? “Don’t do that else you’ll burn in HellIt can be a way to make people obey – not God’s laws, men’s laws. It stifles dissent. It’s a tool of power.

I have nothing against God or Gods, but I do have a problem with religion. I think it’s often cruel, exclusive and motivated by human greed for power.

You talk of sin in #85 (thank you for the explanation of what being born again means with regard to a person). I know you’ll probably say that ‘sexual immorality’ includes homosexuality – but I don’t think it does (and my position would be the same if I was straight). Loving another adult in a faithful, caring, respectful and consensual relationship isn’t wrong.

So – can you explain why you think it is? And, when you have time, can you respond to the section above, which I hope I expressed clearly, where I said that human beings are using god as an excuse to promote their own prejudices?

Thank you again for your frank comments above. I may come back to them – a lot to say

I came across this and it’s an important part of knowing if one is “born again.” or “saved” as some people use either phrase but they mean the same thing
.
George Fox was a distinguished writer and 17th-century Christian leader. When George Fox was approached by people pleading that they were saved because they believed in Jesus, Fox’s response to them was: where is the evidence of your belief?

Jesus himself said: The evidence of belief of a true follower is to produce much fruit, John 15:8,

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, Gentleness [or meekness], and self-control.
This involves ridding yourself of the sinful nature which includes adultery, sexual immorality, uncleanness, lack of restraint, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, arguments, jealousies, rage, selfishness, divisiveness, envies, murders, drunkenness, revelries [partying], and the like.

Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Gal 5:19-24
Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Mat 7:19

So, you must crucify your sinful nature to produce fruit.

This is a great summary that a person should use to see where they stand in their belief system.

Actually, I look at a strict usage of being called a Christian – you can only call yourself that if you’re “born-again.” If you aren’t, you don’t deserve to call yourself a Christian, as I’ll try to explain.

To be “born again” comes out of the passage from the Bible that Jesus spoke.

Iris…I’ll quote Scripture and then I’ll give you my personal testimony.

John 3:1-21. The Lord Jesus Christ is talking to Nicodemus, a prominent Pharisee.

As Jesus talked with Nicodemus, He said, “’I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.
How can a man be born when he is old?’ Nicodemus asked. ‘Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!’

Jesus answered, ‘I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again’” (John 3:3-7).

The phrase “born again” literally means “born from above.” Nicodemus had a real need. He needed a change of his heart—a spiritual transformation. New birth, being born again, is an act of God whereby eternal life is imparted to the person who believes (2 Corinthians 5:17; Titus 3:5; 1 Peter 1:3; 1 John 2:29; 3:9; 4:7; 5:1-4, 18). John 1:12,13 indicates that “born again” also carries the idea “to become children of God” through trust in the name of Jesus Christ.

The question logically comes, “Why does a person need to be born again?” The Apostle Paul in Ephesians 2:1 says, “And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins…” (NKJV). To the Romans in Romans 3:23, the Apostle wrote, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” So, a person needs to be born again in order to have their sins forgiven and have a relationship with God.

My testimony:
I believe all that’s above and that it has changed my life entirely. I used to give in to my fleshly desires and was my “own god” and did whatever I wanted. I had my “self” govern my life.

I had my share of enjoyment and also my share of unhappiness. At different times, I paid dearly for my sinful behavior, hurting myself and others. Then after many years, I looked at my life and what I was and what I had to look forward to.

It’s not as if I didn’t have a full life, but something deeply was missing and I started to go to a fundamental church – one that preached the basics – sometimes hell, fire and damnation which really got to me. I finally looked at the Bible seriously and studied it deeply. To me, the reality of heaven and hell came to be real. I admitted to myself, the life I’d been living
was leading me to hell, and from what I read about hell, scared me. Because you begin to understand that after this life, there is an eternal afterlife, and I’ll spend it in heaven or hell –
the choice is mine.

So after studying and soul searching, I knew what I had to do – turn my self and my life over to
following Jesus Christ. To ask Jesus to “come into my life and to take it over from that day on.”

I can’t explain the peaceful feeling that started to take over my life. I had a strong feeling that I wasn’t living for myself, but that I was “born again” with Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior and with a new purpose for me. Not that everything turned “into roses” and I didn’t feel thorns at different times of my life, but there was a deep sense that I would never be alone – that Jesus was with me today, and more importantly after I die and actually be with Him for eternity. It’s a satisfied feeling that’s impossible to put into words, but I have all the
confidence that my future is sealed in Christ.

Again Scripture, because it says it perfectly.

Ephesians 2:8-9 states, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” When one is “saved,” he/she has been born again, spiritually renewed, and is now a child of God by right of new birth. Trusting in Jesus Christ, the One who paid the penalty of sin when He died on the cross, is what it means to be “born again” spiritually. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation: the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Because I trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ as my Savior, I have been “born again.”

“But the good news is that “to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God” (John 1:12-13).

Iris, I hope that gives you a better understanding of who I am, and what I try to do when I post my comments. All I want to do is offer this experience to people who don’t know Jesus Christ,
and that doesn’t necessarily mean what many erroneously think about Christianity.

I know this won’t make sense or any meaning to readers here,
but I have to say to atheists and agnostics, I once felt, thought,
and believed as you do now…but to me I found the Truth and
that’s the important thing in my life.

No problem, Hank. I totally sympathise – time flies by for me too (I never understand how people can say they’re bored – there’s always too much to do, I find!) Just reply as and when you can.

Sorry I haven’t responded to your much earlier comments/questions, seems like I focused on Riondo. But
I’ll get to your “original site” and respond fully — I haven’t
ignored you, just seems like time is too short during the day.

Above, you said, “Jefferson: “Millions of innocent men, women, and children, since the introduction of Christianity, have been burnt, tortured, fined, and imprisoned.”

I won’t argue that statement because using “Christianity” as a
motivation/reason/justification, etc. has caused much heartache.
But the problem arises in who, what, why the grounds for conducting harmful acts is done in the “name of Christianity,” True believers in what Jesus Christ taught will never
justify, approve, or support such non-Christian behavior, but
those doing such are not followers of Jesus, but or their
deluded interpretation of what they want to get out of their
behavior.

I’ve learned to accept that knowing what Christianity really
means is that one has to give up one’s self and turn everything
over to doing what Jesus preached, not what man has interpreted
Christianity to mean.

Basically, man doesn’t search or desire God. That’s mankind’s
basic nature — to make themselves gods and deluded themselves
into thinking they’re doing “God’s” work.

This is a very serious thing and causes the downfall of most of
humanity — in the past, today, and in the future. This is why
it’s fascinating to read the Book of Revelation (and to get
authoritative comments by qualified Biblical scholars who’ve
studied the writing for most of their lives. These dedicated
teachers have so much to offer and yet most people are ignoring
it, for whatever reason. Well, it’s their loss, and I’ve learned
so much in the past couple of years — it’s done more to broaden
my understanding of human nature than all my years of college.

I’ll also comment on “born-again” shortly.