Who Wrote The Gospels?

[headinhands]

"Matthew contains 606 of Markâ??s 661 verses. Luke contains 320 of Markâ??s 661 verses. Of the 55 verses of Mark which Matthew does not reproduce, Luke reproduces 31; therefore there are only 24 verses in all of Mark not reproduced somewhere in Matthew or Luke."

A good diagram here

capsium, although we disagree on many points I admire you for your tenacity, your ability to hold your cool despite the often hostile arena here.
Yes I do consider myself a spiritual person, but I don't need religion or faith in a deity to live my life.

atthestroke As is your choice, which I respect.

capsium, thank you for sharing my post.

The difference is that I don't believe in extrinsic deities. I do think that human potential is underexplored, practices like accupuncture, reiki and hypnosis are extremely interesting and of value, but none need faith in god.

atthestroke

none need faith in god

I know you do not need Faith in God to practice things like acupuncture, reiki and hypnosis. However when talking about esoteric practices which can have powerful outcomes I believe Faith in God provides discipline,from within the Christian belief system. I have known people to be quite frightened concerning what they have encountered whilst practicing witchcraft, for example and Christian belief has been able to reassure them.

Again we will have to disagree. I have been a practicing witch for almost 30 years. I need no reassurance from god.

Your experience of witchcraft was different to the people I know then. 'Do no harm' was a moot point...

There are negative individuals in all walks of life. Even the church.

There are negative individuals in all walks of life. Even the church.

I agree with that. However I would not call these individuals entirely negative. Take care.

talking about esoteric practices.

caps when reading your explanations for how faith in Jesus works how can you honestly label witchcraft esoteric!!!?

head easily... Maybe you haven't read some of the stuff I have read, but there are a lot of esoteric beliefs out there, I am quite interested in folklore too.

I studied Elizabethan and Jacobean literature too, at uni, now they were esoteric!

Mind you the modern stream of consciousness stuff was pretty out there too....

maybe you haven't read....

I've read plenty of different beliefs on here caps. It just occurs to me that there's as much body to yours as anyone else's.

Well none of those beliefs have particularly moved or connected / clicked with you then head.

However belief is a choice. The nature of belief is that it is without proof, because with undeniable proof, it is knowledge. Hence the conversations we have had concerning Faith.

I have seen some experiential evidence for my beliefs, which I have talked about, but this is not conclusive in the scientific sense, just anecdotal and never would be conclusive scientifically. Spiritual entity as a causal agent is difficult to prove, but then it is very difficult to prove causal links between physical agents too.

I find my Christian Faith centres me though and I am deeply moved by it.
I am surprised though head, in one sense, because MN is constructed of advice backed up with anecdotal evidence. To baulk at Christian belief would seem somewhat contradictory. Maybe you are more indoctrinated, although not in the Christian sense, than you think?

If you wanted to stop being a witch, you can be forgiven atthestrokeoftwelve
[I am praying for you as before]

caps the point I'm making is that your belief makes no more sense, has no more basis and is no less 'out there' than any other belief. I make the point because when a Christian I erroneously felt my faith deserved more respect or was somehow more logical than less popular belief systems.

head I don't regard esoteric as derogatory at all. Indeed some would say aspects of Christian mysticism are somewhat esoteric as they concern the metaphysical.

I don't know why you think esoteric would denote a lack of respect...well maybe I do since you value human logic and reasoning to such a degree.

However I like the challenge and mystery of metaphysics, which some would deem esoteric. Christian belief, although popular has much that is metaphysical, ie. spiritual implicit in it, which is has an aspect of the esoteric about it.

value human logic and reasoning to a degree

You don't? The gadget you're posting on, the medicines in your bathroom, your car outside, all your white goods, your vacuum cleaner, your toilet, your makeup, your bed sheets, your sauce pans, your tv, your light bulbs and your dish cloths were brought to you using human logic and reasoning. If you don't value it every bit as much as me, you should prove it by emptying your house of anything that relied on human logic and reasoning to develop. In fact your house was constructed using years of logic and reasoning. You should sit outside.

Sorry, I realise I misquoted you: you said to such a degree

shirlswhat

"If you wanted to stop being a witch, you can be forgiven atthestrokeoftwelve
[I am praying for you as before]"

How touching. Forgiven by whom for what exactly?

I will be performing a spell for you tonight that you may be free of the shackles of christianity. It's coming your way.

caps can you think of a problem you or I could have that wouldn't require human logic and reasoning to solve?

head is knowledge and the resulting technology a product of human logic or Divine inspiration and revelation, though?

A problem which does not require human logic and reasoning to solve, is one that is solved through an insight or hunch.

The answers to these questions are a matter of Faith. We were designed in God's image, as He is creative, so are we.

atthestroke how ironic, we are already free in Christ. So any shackles do not result from true Christianity.

capsium I was replying to shirlswhat, she was being extremely rude in suggesting that i need forgiveness.

atthestroke so you have never made a mistake or done anything wrong?

Personally, I want forgiveness for my own wrongdoings. I have made some mistakes, so need it.