Hi Everyone,
Blessings to you through Messiah Yahushua, My YAHWEH and My ELOHIM!
Shabbat Shalom!
Years ago while in college, I had the pleasure, because I majored in English Literature, of taking a course devoted to John Milton's "Paradise Lost". The purpose of "Paradise Lost" was to justify the ways of ELOHIM to men. I was drawn to take John Milton seriously because in studying about his life, I saw where he suffered greatly and was persecuted by religious authorities because of his rejection of the doctrine of the Immortality of the Soul. I do not know why, but it seems that it is my nature to favor the persecuted underdog. I am often moved to come to their aid.
About the same time, one of my college courses involved translating Plato's Dialogue of Socrates' "Defense on the Immortality of the Soul". It seems that committed individuals do suffer persecution. While Socrates was martyred for his political views which made me sympathetic towards him, I began to wonder how a pagan such as Socrates could express so well my then Christian belief in the immortality of the soul. In considering this issue, I determined that John Milton was correct about the soul, and I began to understand that the accepted Christian teaching on the soul actually came from Greek philosophy and not from the Hebrew or Christian Scriptures.
My acceptance of Milton's viewpoint on the soul, did not move me to agree with Milton's justification of the ways of ELOHIM to men. I felt him to be lacking in that regard although I now no longer remember why.
A little later another teacher entered my life. His name was Herbert Armstrong. For those of us who were fortunate enough to hear Mr. Armstrong preach, no matter the subject of the sermon, Mr. Armstrong invariably was moved to go back to the beginning thoroughly castigating Christianity for their lack of understanding concerning the beginning of human nature. The problem with Mr. Armstrong was that his concept of the beginning was no more correct and true than traditional Christianity.
The actual doctrine that endeared me to Mr. Armstrong was his teaching that the ELOHIM through the creation of humans were working to reproduce themselves. This teaching found acceptance with me even though today my belief and understanding concerning this issue has been greatly modified.
So, folks, you all like myself have had experiences and previous beliefs, and if you are here reading this post, you yourself are into religion. Why are we here? What is the purpose of human existence?
Thanking anyone brave enough to be moved to reply, I am,
Sincerely, Latuwr
Blessings to you through Messiah Yahushua, My YAHWEH and My ELOHIM!
Shabbat Shalom!
Years ago while in college, I had the pleasure, because I majored in English Literature, of taking a course devoted to John Milton's "Paradise Lost". The purpose of "Paradise Lost" was to justify the ways of ELOHIM to men. I was drawn to take John Milton seriously because in studying about his life, I saw where he suffered greatly and was persecuted by religious authorities because of his rejection of the doctrine of the Immortality of the Soul. I do not know why, but it seems that it is my nature to favor the persecuted underdog. I am often moved to come to their aid.
About the same time, one of my college courses involved translating Plato's Dialogue of Socrates' "Defense on the Immortality of the Soul". It seems that committed individuals do suffer persecution. While Socrates was martyred for his political views which made me sympathetic towards him, I began to wonder how a pagan such as Socrates could express so well my then Christian belief in the immortality of the soul. In considering this issue, I determined that John Milton was correct about the soul, and I began to understand that the accepted Christian teaching on the soul actually came from Greek philosophy and not from the Hebrew or Christian Scriptures.
My acceptance of Milton's viewpoint on the soul, did not move me to agree with Milton's justification of the ways of ELOHIM to men. I felt him to be lacking in that regard although I now no longer remember why.
A little later another teacher entered my life. His name was Herbert Armstrong. For those of us who were fortunate enough to hear Mr. Armstrong preach, no matter the subject of the sermon, Mr. Armstrong invariably was moved to go back to the beginning thoroughly castigating Christianity for their lack of understanding concerning the beginning of human nature. The problem with Mr. Armstrong was that his concept of the beginning was no more correct and true than traditional Christianity.
The actual doctrine that endeared me to Mr. Armstrong was his teaching that the ELOHIM through the creation of humans were working to reproduce themselves. This teaching found acceptance with me even though today my belief and understanding concerning this issue has been greatly modified.
So, folks, you all like myself have had experiences and previous beliefs, and if you are here reading this post, you yourself are into religion. Why are we here? What is the purpose of human existence?
Thanking anyone brave enough to be moved to reply, I am,
Sincerely, Latuwr
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