[George]

Originally Posted by Tandi

"My point in quoting Proverbs 30 was that the word “people” does not necessarily mean “humans.” Why was Geologist not given an opportunity to clarify his remarks before such a cruel denunciation and diatribe? And even if his views differ from those of others, must we all walk in lockstep in our understanding of the Bible?

The persecution heaped on Geologist leads me to take his Ruin-Reconstruction research more seriously, just when I was tending to dismiss it due to some of the counterpoints offered on another thread. I appreciate ministries that “think outside the box” of religious dogma, while fully accepting the authority of the Scriptures.

I can see how a dog can be “man’s best friend” when people (the human kind) can be so heartless sometimes. Special pets DO give and receive love.....and never judge us or question our devotion to God.

Shalom, "

Tandi

Aloha sister Tandi,

I will try one more time to get my point across.

"My point in quoting Proverbs 30 was that the word “people” does not necessarily mean “humans.” Why was Geologist not given an opportunity to clarify his remarks before such a cruel denunciation and diatribe? And even if his views differ from those of others, must we all walk in lockstep in our understanding of the Bible?

Please read through the Posts again. Geologist was "given an opportunity" to "clarify his remarks", and all he did was make a bad situation worse! He went from stating his personal opinion about a matter, (which was in error and contrary to the Scriptures) to - DENYING, CORRECTING, CHANGING, and ADDING to the Holy words of God! WHY can't you see that? Your "point" was irrelevant, because it had nothing to do with the issue - which was: geologist was claiming that his dog (and other animals) possess some of the SAME ATTRIBUTES AS PEOPLE (human beings) - which, according to the Bible, is UNTRUE. What is so hard to understand about that? The fact that ANTS are called "a people" has no bearing on the subject under discussion - at all.

Geologist made his comments (His original Thread) on 3/15/09. After 11 Posts by others (3/16/09), I made my comments in regards to "speculation" and to the truth about the attributes of men as compared to those of animals. I only stated the TRUTH - that's all that I did (re-read the Posts). I never "attacked" geologist; or judged him; or questioned his "devotion to God".

Galatians 4:16 Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?

My wife tried to console geologist with her Post (3/16/09), and after quoting two verses in reference to the future, she forgot to include the word earth in her final comment (but the word was in one of the verses that she used in empathizing with geologist). {I didn't know (at the time) that she even made the Post.}

Up to this point, everything was "hunkydory". Everyone, who was interested, had made their point, and I (for one) was willing to leave it at that. BUT - geologist came back (3/16/09) with his unscriptural reply, wherein he DENIED the Holy words of God {"NAY"); and then CHANGED them to suit his private interpretation; and then ADDED to them to suit his purposes.

Can you not see WHAT he did? Do you not understand the gravity of WHAT he did? Do the Holy words of God mean so little that we can DENY them; CHANGE them; and ADD to them whenever we please - because we may have a "good end" in mind, or because we want to support our own private opinion on an issue? I trow not!

Your reply to geologist was: "What a beautiful story! I agree with everything you said, and can relate. Good thing your comfort comes from the LORD and Scripture and not us miserable comforters here, myself included. " Although it truly was a touching story, geologist had DENIED God's word; CHANGED it; and ADDED to it in order to support his "feelings" about his dog. {"'I'm not going to argue doctrine on this matter, but I will speak what I know in my heart."} In other words, he not only disregarded God's Holy words - He DENIED the truth of them and then CHANGED God's words to justify himself.

What a person "knows" from their heart is NOT always the SAME as the "Scripture of truth".

Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

Ecclesiastes 9:3 This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead.

Even after geologist made his blasphemous claims I was going to let them slide (since I already had ascertained, from some of his Posts, that he indulges in a lot of "speculation" - when it comes to the Scriptures). It was only after he took his "cheap shot" at my wife ("straining at gnats"), that I decided to reply to his shoddy treatment of my Bible.

There are a few things that get "my dander up": #1. Denigrating my Lord; #2. Corrupting His Holy word; #3. Criticizing, casting aspersions, or impugning my wife. And #4. Criticizing, casting aspersions, or impugning my friends. And geologist "crossed the line" on half of them.

My reply (3/18/09) to geologist was in the form of a rebuke (for CORRECTING the Holy words of God) and a reproof about his hypocritical attitude towards my wife (for forgetting the word "earth") - while he was CHANGING the words of God. {Which is more important - FORGETTING or CHANGING?}

Your reply to me was a disappointment, because, by some of your Posts, I expected better from you. To take one single, solitary verse (out of the context of the issue under discussion), and ignore the egregious error geologist is promoting, and all of the the rest of the points that I made, is incomprehensible to me. The Biblical principal is that a "LITTLE LEAVEN LEAVENS THE WHOLE LUMP".

1 Corinthians 5:6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?
Galatians 5:9 A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.

To throw up one verse, as if it was applicable to the issue at hand, and without any comment, is a sign of immaturity (no matter how old one is). Practically everyone who has commented on this issue knew exactly WHO geologist was comparing his dog to (people - i.e. human beings), and no matter how you or geologist "feel" about dogs and other pets - they are NOT PEOPLE.

There is not an animal on earth that shares our unique attributes (other than the fact that animals have bodies and so do we - that is where the similarities end). To "think" that animals have "feelings" like we do, is not Biblically sound. All animals are incapable of loving God; knowing God; understanding spiritual matters; loving others as they ("love themselves"?); and a host of other human emotions, feelings, and thoughts.

In the course of 48 years of marriage, my wife and I have had at least 10 or more pet dogs (we had seven children). When the time came that those pets died don't you know that we were saddened and that our hearts were broken more than once because we loved and cared for them? Do you think that I am a "heartless" old curmudgeon? BUT, in all the time that we had those pets we never once ever thought of them AS PEOPLE! We never thought that they possessed some of the SAME ATTRIBUTES that we possess. I personally never thought of any one of our pets as "my best friend". They are "animals" after all - NOT PEOPLE.

I may be an old curmudgeon - but I'm not a "heartless" old curmudgeon, I am not "cruel" and I don't "persecute" people. As a matter of fact, I allow for a whole lot more "Christian Liberty" than most of the brethren. If you think that rebuking or reproving or admonishing a brother in Christ is "cruel", or that it is a form of "persecution", you need to read about real cruelty and persecution in the Holy Bible. Or you might consider reading Foxe's Book of Martyrs where Christians down through the centuries endured real cruelty and persecution!

Where would a Christian get the idea that a rebuke, or a reproof, or an admonishment is "cruel" or that those words are equivalent to "persecution"? I submit to you that our Humanistic "culture" teaches these things - not the Bible.

Whenever anybody on this Forum attacks or denigrates My Lord; His word; my wife; or my friends, you can be sure of one thing - as long as there is breath in my body, I will defend them with all my strength, and earnestly contend with the offender (man or woman - saved or lost).

Jude 1:3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.