The Christ Within

[WombOfFuturity]

Here are some exotic, fringe interpretations that may be of intellectual interest to a small minority. Approach with caution!

https://www.youtube.com/@cjbbooks8622/videos
Difficult to label concisely other than "somewhat gnostic"; I will let the video titles speak for themselves.

A True Church / www.atruechurch.info
Some of the purest hyper-baptist "fundamentalist" thought around.

 

[facesavant]

That may be, but if that is indeed the case, I have walked down that road the majority of my life. In that sense, I don't think I am risking anything I ever had (at least in this life), maybe I'm just not able to attain something that others have achieved.

I have said that I only recently started reading The Bible, and that is true. A few years ago, a hadn't read a word of it, excepting verses cited by others here and there, or what I might have seen in movies and such. Now, at this point, I have already read the New Testament, and am halfway thru the Old, and do plan on finishing it.

Be all that as it may, there is one thing I have believed and questioned for a long time. Long before I ever read a page of The Bible, longer than I have been a member of this forum, truly, longer than I have have been an adult. And that is why circumcision even exists, and why it is done to young children in particular. It always seemed horrific to me, and horrific that it had been done to me (though I have been experimented on medically in other ways as well, also as a child).

It does seem to be a topic that no one really wants to go into or address that much. Even before Covid, regular vaccines were often criticized on this forum, especially for young children and babies, as there was always a chance (even if slim, by conventional numbers) that those vaccines could injure the child seriously, and even end a child's life.

Well then, why isn't circumcision for babies condemned in the exact same way? The study I posted earlier suggested that it kills over 100 babies in the US each year, and each one of those deaths is 100% preventable, since it is a purely elective procedure with zero medical benefit, and I would argue, much harm. And these numbers surely would have been higher in previously times, when tools weren't sterilized like they are today.

It does seem like the elephant in the room. One that few dare to talk about, probably because of how tied it is into The Old Testament from the beginning, and continues to be an issue in the rest of the Old, and into the New.

It is absolutely the biggest issue that I have, and I don't see how my views on this subject could change. I don't even want my views on circumcision to change, certainly not to any point where I would accept it as okay.

Bottom line, if my salvation depends on me accepting that this practice, or the demand of this practice, is somehow okay, or lying to other people or entities or God himself that somehow yes, I accept that practice, then salvation will never be mine. The true God would certainly know if I was lying, anyway.

Lastly, Charlie, I certainly don't mean to disrespect you or this forum, or any other member in any way. I apologize if anything I said did come across that way. If you don't think my recent posts (this one included) have been appropriate, you can most certainly delete them, and take any other action you deem necessary, including suspending my account. Maybe this is an issue we just aren't supposed to talk about.

I agree with you. Why would we be created in the image of God only to have a doctor or anyone mutilate the body, Rhetorical question of corse.

 

[facesavant]

You're either confusing the ability to choose to do good with the ability to do good, or you're making a ridiculous statement. To the former, Paul described this conundrum and its solution quite clearly in the book of Romans; to the latter, it's simply ridiculous to consider a person satanic for choosing for conscience's sake to not do evil to a person who he wants to be evil towards.

Perhaps free will means you can willfully give yourself to God. Have a meaningful trusting relationship with God and be guided or give yourself to the alternative, which might be the path of least resistance.
I think the 10 commandments say a lot.