Sin's Damage to the Human Mind

Originally posted by sonhouse
Well, let Jesus come down and open MY mind. Humans telling me about supernatural things, forget it.

Jesus did come down. He said, "I am the way, the truth and the life..."

There you have it! Do you feel your mind opening? You should. If you don't, maybe it's because you keep it shut of your own free will.

Ya think?

Originally posted by RJHinds
If you do nothing then your mind may be opened to torment in the Lake of Fire and Brimstone.

http://www.gotquestions.org/fire-and-brimstone.html

And if you keep on down your current path, you will suffer a very similar fate at the hands of Allah due to your obvious lack of belief that Mohammed is the one true prophet.

Originally posted by josephw
There you have it! Do you feel your mind opening? You should. If you don't, maybe it's because you keep it shut of your own free will.

Ya think?

No, Sonship quite clearly says in the OP its all the devils fault. Its him and his henchmen keeping my mind closed.

This thread is about Sonship trying to rationalize away the fact that other people disagree with him and cannot see his claims. He knows we are rational people and should be able to understand his claims if they are rational, but rather than realize the truth (that his claims are not rational) he would rather believe that we are being deluded by Satan.

Originally posted by twhitehead
And if you keep on down your current path, you will suffer a very similar fate at the hands of Allah due to your obvious lack of belief that Mohammed is the one true prophet.

Then perhaps I will be one of those mentioned here:

Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.

(Revelation 20:4)

HalleluYah !!! Praise the LORD! Holy! Holy! Holy!

Originally posted by RJHinds
Then perhaps I will be one of those mentioned here:

No, you won't. You will be in hell. Get used to it.

I on the other hand am in very good standing with Thor and will have an excellent afterlife.

Originally posted by twhitehead
No, Sonship quite clearly says in the OP its all the devils fault. Its him and his henchmen keeping my mind closed.

This thread is about Sonship trying to rationalize away the fact that other people disagree with him and cannot see his claims. He knows we are rational people and should be able to understand his claims if they are rational, but rather t ...[text shortened]... h (that his claims are not rational) he would rather believe that we are being deluded by Satan.

"No, Sonship quite clearly says in the OP its all the devils fault."

No he doesn't. Sounds like the old Flip Wilson routine "the devil made me do it".

You and I both know you're fully cognizant about the gospel, so the concept that you are helplessly blinded is false. The "blindness" is that you can't see the truth of the gospel because you buy into the belief system that it's not true. That's how Satan blinds. He has implemented a whole plethora of belief systems that dilute, distract and otherwise causes one to question the truth of God's Word which says that Jesus is Lord of all.

It's just that simple. You can say I'm full of sheet, but so what? This is the world we live in. We all choose to believe this or that, and sometimes in spite of what our conscience tells us.

Originally posted by josephw
No he doesn't.

Yes he does:

Firstly, the spiritual enemy of God and man Satan, has blinded the thoughts of those who do not believe the Gospel.

You and I both know you're fully cognizant about the gospel, so the concept that you are helplessly blinded is false.
Tell that to sonship:

Unbelievers often simply cannot think right about Christ because of a blinded thinking process.

The "blindness" is that you can't see the truth of the gospel because you buy into the belief system that it's not true.
What caused me to buy into it?

That's how Satan blinds.
Make up your mind. Is it Satan or isn't it Satan?

You can say I'm full of sheet, but so what?
So, it would be true. Maybe you should do something about it?

This is the world we live in. We all choose to believe this or that, and sometimes in spite of what our conscience tells us.
The difference being that I try my best to base my beliefs on the evidence. You and sonship do not.

Originally posted by sonhouse
Well, let Jesus come down and open MY mind. Humans telling me about supernatural things, forget it.

Well, let Jesus come down and open MY mind. Humans telling me about supernatural things, forget it.

Okay.

But why ask for a special birth in another town and a special incarnation, perhaps in another city. He "came down" once for all mankind. Provides the gospel for all people since on earth in all times.

Your complaint "Well then, let Jesus COME DOWN this afternoon and come to my office and open MY mind" sounds like you want a personal visitation.

Well, I cannot change your attitude. But I will tell you that a thoroughly PERSONAL visitation is still available to everyone in His form as the Holy Spirit.

I have written this maybe 50 times in the last eight years. I am going to write it once more again. Maybe God would open the minds of some today to see the tremendous significance of this -

"the last Adam [Christ] became a life giving Spirit" (1 Cor. 15:45)

When Jesus Christ resurrected He transformed Himself also to be in a form in which He can meet us, visit us, come into us and give us Himself. He became "a life giving Spirit".

He gives a thoroughly personal, tailor made, individualized, one on one visitation to people all over the globe since as the "life giving Spirit" - the Holy Spirit that He became in resurrection.

Jesus told the disciples just before His death and resurrection that it was expedient for them if He went away.

"But I tell you the truth, it is expedient for you that I go away; for if I do not go away the Comforter will not come to you, but if I go, I will send Him to you." (John 16:7)

That is it is to our advantage.
It is expedient for the sake of God getting INTO your innermost being, that He remove the distraction of His physical presence. It is a closer and more intimate relationship if He come to people to live in their heart as the divine "life giving Spirit" .

You should not think that Christ coming to you in an unseen way today is not intimate and personalized and custom made and tailored specifically for you.

Originally posted by twhitehead
No, Sonship quite clearly says in the OP its all the devils fault. Its him and his henchmen keeping my mind closed.

This thread is about Sonship trying to rationalize away the fact that other people disagree with him and cannot see his claims. He knows we are rational people and should be able to understand his claims if they are rational, but rather t ...[text shortened]... h (that his claims are not rational) he would rather believe that we are being deluded by Satan.

This thread is about Sonship trying to rationalize away the fact that other people disagree with him and cannot see his claims. He knows we are rational people and should be able to understand his claims if they are rational, but rather than realize the truth (that his claims are not rational) he would rather believe that we are being deluded by Satan.

I think the very laws of logic are do to God's existence and God's legislation. I don't think atheists can account for the laws of logic.

I choose to trust the mind of one Jesus, Who said and acted like He was Son of God. He included God in all His reasoning.

To many atheists I have talked to the inclusion of even the possibility of God is a departure from rationality. For example, someone saying that God has no explanatory power for anything.

If someone says that God has no explanatory power for anything, he assumes that rationality is defined by the absence of God.

Rather than rational thought being defined by atheism I think God's existence is the explanation for rational thought and the very laws of logic. A transcendent Legislator, I would believe, is responsible for our ability to reason and the very laws of logic.

Originally posted by sonship
I don't think atheists can account for the laws of logic.

Neither can you. You simply hide the problem and pretend it has been answered.

I choose to trust the mind of one Jesus, Who said and acted like He was Son of God. He included God in all His reasoning.
But why do you choose to do so when you know perfectly well you have been deluded by the minions of Thor?

To many atheists I have talked to the inclusion of even the possibility of God is a departure from rationality.
True. And your best response is to pretend we are all mad and the you are the only sane one. Sorry, I have news for you, you are the mad one.

For example, someone saying that God has no explanatory power for anything.
Because he doesn't.

If someone says that God has no explanatory power for anything, he assumes that rationality is defined by the absence of God.
No, he is stating that invoking God does not explain anything.

Rather than rational thought being defined by atheism I think God's existence is the explanation for rational thought and the very laws of logic.
Except it isn't an explanation.

A transcendent Legislator, I would believe, is responsible for our ability to reason and the very laws of logic.
I pity then that your ability to reason is so severely limited.

Given that you have stated that something is responsible for your ability to reason, lets see your ability to reason in action:
Explain how you know that I am deluded and you are not. On what do you base this claim?

Originally posted by twhitehead
No, you won't. You will be in hell. Get used to it.

I on the other hand am in very good standing with Thor and will have an excellent afterlife.

Dream on - for that is all you got. 😏

Originally posted by twhitehead

Neither can you. You simply hide the problem and pretend it has been answered.

At least I take a position. You tend to just quiz the theist in a maneuver to place all the burden off of the atheist and onto the theist.

There is really not much more to your boasted greater smarts than just keeping little quiz questions coming, hoping to pounce on some little inconsistency.

Chances are this post will be followed by a question - "Explain that".

sonship:

I choose to trust the mind of one Jesus, Who said and acted like He was Son of God. He included God in all His reasoning.

tw:
But why do you choose to do so when you know perfectly well you have been deluded by the minions of Thor?

This seems to me the remark of someone in a kind of despair of giving up all hope that the truth about God could ever be known.

IE. " I can never trust Jesus because Thor, Odin, and hundreds of other names have something said about them about being gods too. "

I have never felt it honest of me to "hide" behind this kind of excuse.
In too many other areas of life a person does not throw up his hands and decide NO possible choice can be made from SO many alternatives.

You weigh the comparisons. You make your best choice.
You did that in many arenas.
You did that in choosing what profession to work.
Perhaps you did that in choosing a place of education.

In many areas, you did not even have ALL possibilities at hand. But you soberly reflected and made what you thought was the best choice.

I have done that between Jesus and Thor.
I have decided that Jesus is more believable.
Not necessarily that I LIKE everything He says and exposes about me.
But in spite of my personal comfort level, I have recognized Jesus as more believable.

sonship:
To many atheists I have talked to the inclusion of even the possibility of God is a departure from rationality.

tw:
True. And your best response is to pretend we are all mad and the you are the only sane one. Sorry, I have news for you, you are the mad one.

Sin's Damage to the Human Mind includes all humans, of which I am one also.

The difference is that I come to The Great Physician to be saved.
You must consider that a weakness of some kind.

sonship:
For example, someone saying that God has no explanatory power for anything.

tw:
Because he doesn't.

Actually, I think the opposite is the case.
If I asked you about how material evolved to gradually become conscious and aware of itself, I don't think you could answer, without question marks aimed at me.

I on the other hand would say the Ultimate Creator and Source of all being has consciousness. And we humans are created in the image and likeness of this Uncreated and Eternal God.

That is where our consciousness comes from.
That is also where our ability to argue for or against His existence comes from.

The main purpose of this thread is to explain from God's revelation, that what was "very good" out from His creative power, became damaged.

Our minds [and I did say OUR] have been damaged by sin.

So let's say you have the right to reply " Well, I am more a good logician and reasoner than you, sonship."

Maybe you are. But we have all been damaged by the sin that has infested us.

A shop may have hundreds of porcelain vases. And earthquake may cause them ALL to fall off the shelves and break. Some may be broken in 50 pieces. Some may be broken in 20 pieces. Some others may be broken in 10 pieces. And maybe some other are broken in 5 or 3 or even 2 big pieces.

Those broken in less pieces then others may think they can boast - "I am in only TWO big broken pieces. But YOU are broken into fifteen little pieces."

But the fact of the matter is that they are ALL broken, ALL damaged, ALL busted up and not whole. Jesus is the WHOLE man who came exposing and teaching that we sinners are all damaged. He is the Healer and the Physician that can restore us.

Originally posted by twhitehead

I pity then that your ability to reason is so severely limited.

No need for pity from anyone.

When the Gospel exposes my need for healing of the soul on many different areas, I sense it coming with the love of God. Rather than argue to be left alone by Christ, I somehow reached out for His help.

You wrote in another thread that I should have my head examined.
The appropriate response, I think, is to explain that fallen man has been damaged in the mind by sin.

This damage is not simply a matter of hindered intelligence. It is a damage that inflicts the very smart and the less smart.

In fact the simplicity of saving action extended to us from God alludes some people who are smart in a tragic way.

So Jesus said at one point -

Matthew 11:25

English Standard Version
At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children;

New American Standard Bible
At that time Jesus said, "I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants.

The wisest and most intelligent person would humble themselves. Perhaps she would say in an honest conversation with God -

" God, if you are real I thank you for my mind and that I woke up clothed in my proper mind this morning. If there is something what Jesus Christ said that is alluding me or I just am not realizing, help my unbelief. Save me from myself if I am too proud. "

Sin has wreaked a damage on the human mind.
If you first felt convicted when you committed an evil act, but afterwards in subsequent repetitions of that act, you felt no more remorse, that is an indication of damage in your mind.

If when you first stole, you wrestled with your conscience and hesitated, but afterwards you could steal with no discomfort, it indicates damage in the mind.

The heart becoming hardened and losing sensitivity is at sinning, is an indication of damage in the mind because of sin. The mind ignoring the conscience can be like a hot iron killing the sensitivity of the skin once having burned it. There is no sensitivity on that scare.

This damage on our thinking the Bible discribes as darkness.

A worse state is when a person regards that darkened mind as his wisdom. So Jesus said the light in them is darkness - great darkness in fact.

Luke 11:35

New American Standard Bible
"Then watch out that the light in you is not darkness.

Matt. 6:23

King James Bible
But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!

Holman Christian Standard Bible
But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. So if the light within you is darkness--how deep is that darkness!

The unbeliever in God is in danger of the intelligence that he thinks he has, is really abject foolishness. And the light in him is great darkness. "How great is the darkness!" Jesus warns us.

Originally posted by sonship

I pity then that your ability to reason is so severely limited.

No need for pity from anyone.

When the Gospel exposes my need for healing of the soul on many different areas, I sense it coming with the love of God. Rather than argue to be left alone by Christ, I somehow reached out for His help.

You wrote in another th ...[text shortened]... s. And the light in him is great darkness. [b]"How great is the darkness!" Jesus warns us.[/b]

It is simply ridiculous that a real deity would be so worried about whether humans believed in it or not. That would be like killing a virus because it didn't believe in humans. Just another proof of the man made nature of religions.

Originally posted by twhitehead

Explain how you know that I am deluded and you are not.

It is not an encouraging sign of your not being deluded when you pretend the Norse god Thor and Jesus of Nazareth are roughly the same.

I am not expert of Thor. But here is what one person provided as comparisons.

1. Thor was sent to earth for his sins; his arrogance pride and disobedience. Jesus was sent to earth for our sins; our arrogance pride and disobedience.

2. Thor was forced to come to earth at the will of his Father. Jesus willingly came to earth to do the will of his Father (Matthew 26:39).

3. Thor came to earth looking to be served. Jesus came to earth not to be served but to give his life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45).

4. Thor was loved by the world he came into. Jesus was despised and rejected by the world he came into (John 1:10-11).

5. Thor is the god of Thunder. Jesus had a few mates who were the sons of thunder (Mark 3:13-17).

6. Thor won a great victory with one big hammer. Jesus won a greater victory with 3 small nails (Colossians 2:13-15).

7.In winning his battle against evil Thor closed the access point between the world of the gods and mankind. In winning his battle against evil Jesus opened up the access between God and mankind (Hebrews 10:19-22)

8. And lastly Thor is mythology. Jesus is real history (Luke 1:1-4; 1 John 1:1-4).