I applaud you for being a true journalist, willing to touch the third rails of politics in the search for truth. I applaud David Bagley for having his strongly held beliefs and being willing to have them tested in the arena shared by other men who are, themselves, honestly seeking truth.
We are all on a path, not at our final destination, when it comes to finding truth. My dust bin is full of beliefs that I considered immutable truth as a younger man. I thank God for allowing me to live long enough to learn that a lot of things I thought I knew just weren’t so.
I completely concur with your second paragraph. This is, or should be, the experience of everyone of us, holding stoutly to our beliefs and not being afraid to discard them in favor of something better when we finally discover that they are wrong. This process is lifelong and will, or ought to, continue until the moment of death. God help us all in our journey!
Nevertheless, it is my "strongly held belief" that people of the type described above are simply not willing to admit any lack of understanding. They have the attitude that 'God said it, I believe it, and that settles it.' It is impossible to rationally discuss such a divisive topic with them because they KNOW beyond a shadow of doubt that they, and they alone, hold to the truth on the matter and everyone else is deluded. They literally suffer from an insufferable amount of arrogance in this and have no idea that their adamant blindness causes an untold amount of suffering on the part of others, mostly innocent others, who have done nothing to deserve what they receive.
But time goes on and fortunately for the future of the world (if we can make it through until tomorrow), this particular "blind faith" is dying out as its adherents, all steadily growing older, pass on to their own just rewards. What that entails, I will not make any assumptions about. However, it is clear that younger generations do not see things the same way and are far more likely to discard and abandon any notion about the political state of Israel being God's "chosen" people. This reality gives me hope that someday, someday, we can get past the idea that there are two classes of people and that God loves them more than he does us. Scofield is long gone (although his legacy lingers on), John Hagee will soon be transitioning, as will those homicidal maniacs in the "land of milk and honey", and over time, all this will be sorted out and rectified.
BTW, speaking of the land of milk and honey, I cannot bring myself to see that dry, tortured landscape as one which conjures up such an image. But that is neither here nor there, only my strongly held belief.
Excellent work, Dan! I would probably not be as gracious.
You, sir, are exhibiting the patient of a saint with brother David Bagley. I doubt very much that the Patriot Pilot is correct in his reading of brother David Bagley. The brother's mind is not his own. Zionism is not a belief that a Christian could come by honest reflection and prayer. It stands antithetical to the atonement of our lord and Savior. While l of course pray that the brother shall be released from the grip of the mortal error, l would be careful as to what further actions he should take will under its spell.
I applaud you for being a true journalist, willing to touch the third rails of politics in the search for truth. I applaud David Bagley for having his strongly held beliefs and being willing to have them tested in the arena shared by other men who are, themselves, honestly seeking truth.
We are all on a path, not at our final destination, when it comes to finding truth. My dust bin is full of beliefs that I considered immutable truth as a younger man. I thank God for allowing me to live long enough to learn that a lot of things I thought I knew just weren’t so.
I completely concur with your second paragraph. This is, or should be, the experience of everyone of us, holding stoutly to our beliefs and not being afraid to discard them in favor of something better when we finally discover that they are wrong. This process is lifelong and will, or ought to, continue until the moment of death. God help us all in our journey!
Nevertheless, it is my "strongly held belief" that people of the type described above are simply not willing to admit any lack of understanding. They have the attitude that 'God said it, I believe it, and that settles it.' It is impossible to rationally discuss such a divisive topic with them because they KNOW beyond a shadow of doubt that they, and they alone, hold to the truth on the matter and everyone else is deluded. They literally suffer from an insufferable amount of arrogance in this and have no idea that their adamant blindness causes an untold amount of suffering on the part of others, mostly innocent others, who have done nothing to deserve what they receive.
But time goes on and fortunately for the future of the world (if we can make it through until tomorrow), this particular "blind faith" is dying out as its adherents, all steadily growing older, pass on to their own just rewards. What that entails, I will not make any assumptions about. However, it is clear that younger generations do not see things the same way and are far more likely to discard and abandon any notion about the political state of Israel being God's "chosen" people. This reality gives me hope that someday, someday, we can get past the idea that there are two classes of people and that God loves them more than he does us. Scofield is long gone (although his legacy lingers on), John Hagee will soon be transitioning, as will those homicidal maniacs in the "land of milk and honey", and over time, all this will be sorted out and rectified.
BTW, speaking of the land of milk and honey, I cannot bring myself to see that dry, tortured landscape as one which conjures up such an image. But that is neither here nor there, only my strongly held belief.
Excellent work, Dan! I would probably not be as gracious.
You, sir, are exhibiting the patient of a saint with brother David Bagley. I doubt very much that the Patriot Pilot is correct in his reading of brother David Bagley. The brother's mind is not his own. Zionism is not a belief that a Christian could come by honest reflection and prayer. It stands antithetical to the atonement of our lord and Savior. While l of course pray that the brother shall be released from the grip of the mortal error, l would be careful as to what further actions he should take will under its spell.
You had me at "Christian Zionist". Do tell...