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Bob Hannaford's avatar

Thank you for clarifying.

First, I will say that I still greatly respect you for your fight against antisemitism.

Secondly, I now know how to pray for you more specifically.

And that is because I believe the message of the Bible as a whole condemns anything remotely connected with the occult as a worship of Satan.

I believe you have embraced a different gospel from the one presented in the Bible.

And therefore, apart from complete repentance of such, you have no hope of an eternity with God. No need to hash this out further. I am as convinced of my position as you seem to be of yours.

I say all this from a sincere belief, and concern for your soul. I will continue praying for you.

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David Swindle 🟦's avatar

Thank you, Bob.

When you say "the occult" what specifically are you referring to? "Occult" can mean many different things. Because we may not be referring to the same thing. I worship the God of Israel, not Satan. And mystical or "occult" practices aid toward that end. There is a long tradition of Judeo-Christian belief and mystical-occult practices being compatible rather than enemies.

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Bob Hannaford's avatar

I am at least partly referring to such things as king Saul consulting the witch of Endor.

I believe that at least part of his condemnation was due to this.

By the way, I also believe that universalism is a doctrine engineered by Satan.

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David Swindle 🟦's avatar

Yes, the witch of Endor story is a common fundamentalist misunderstanding when it comes to these matters.

I believe that fundamentalist Christianity is “engineered by Satan” and is really a form of paganism.

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Bob Hannaford's avatar

What do you consider fundamentalist Christianity?

Please tell me you’re not painting with a broad brush any Christian who takes a strong stand on historic doctrine.

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David Swindle 🟦's avatar

Synonyms include: literalism and Evangelicalism. The theology of Billy Graham and others in his ideological territory. Those who take an overly simplistic view of scripture and insist everyone who disagrees with them is going to hell.

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Bob Hannaford's avatar

No one is going to hell for disagreeing with me.

Only for disagreeing with God.

As far as having a “saving faith“ goes, God makes it very clear how to come to him and to please him. It only makes sense that a loving God would do it like that.

Unfortunately, so many people, determined to be God themselves, create a false religion that makes them feel all warm and fuzzy, and then claim that they have the truth.

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David Swindle 🟦's avatar

Disagreeing with your personal subjective theological interpretation of God. You speak for yourself. You don't speak for God.

"God makes it very clear"= fundamentalism. You're thinking that it's all much more simple than it is once one starts digging deeper into the Bible and the history around it.

"create a false religion that makes them feel all warm and fuzzy" Fundamentalism does this by emotionally manipulating those who believe in it. That's among the reasons why I oppose it so loudly.

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