Snakes are EVIL!

[Russell]

Originally Posted by kitty

I find nothing so disagreeable as a fanatic-anything ... Baptist, Catholic, Muslim, scientist, artist.

I'm sorry to hear that...I'm a committed snake fanatic...mwa ha ha ha...

[Russell]

SOMEDAY I'm going to do an update to the peice I had written. I just see where I could have improved and have added things. But I love the comment someone else wrote, how that yes, people don't try to THINK for themselves and search out things for themselves. Did you know that's what the bible teaches? There is a passage in there where God wants you to search him out, and to reason with you? The whole bible message is supposed to be at a personal level. Not just going with what someone says. The whole peice that I wrote up was simply me taking out passages straight out of the bible and hopefully showing you what it does and does not truly say.

It's just so much easier to just google something, and you can find any twist and slant YOU want of the bible. People get things out of there that are taken out of context and called contradictions when they really aren't. We as people can't possibly figure things out on our own nor do we totally know it all yet. But when I see the complexity in just a cell...it's just amazing to me beyond belief.

You know, in school we were taught about spontaneous generation, where in the past they believed that different things would just turn into other things. Such as bread into flies and stuff like that. And now we know better. I just have a hard time with the idea that life came from some cess pool and we've evolved into the things we are today. I do believe there is far more going on than we realize. I'll never claim to be some kind of intelligent guru that knows all! Not hardly! I'm just a very simple man who's easily content with my station in life. But I'm independent enough that I don't let others do my thinking for me.

On that note, I do not in any way feel like I'm under some kind of bondage or slavery to what I put my faith in. In fact I feel quite a bit of freedom! Sure one could say, oh but your not allowed to do this, or to do that. But is it a bad thing to stay away from these things? Aren't in fact some of the things we are told not to do. Are they not enslaving themselves?

Case point, take drinking for example. Now, I have read passages in the bible where it DOES say to give wine to the ailing, and things related to that nature. But it does say strong drink is raging, and denounces drunkeness. So you've got several camps on the issue. But we really should be taking the bible in it's entirety, not just selecting out what we want to hear. Man I wish I had more time to squeak on that issue! Something personal came up in a recent sermon I heard preached where I was seriously annoyed the one preaching didn't seem to point out the point Jesus made in the passage. And went on to give his OPINION... Anyhow...back on track...

Drinking...doesn't that kill many people every year? The bible preaches against drunkeness, and is that so enslaving? Or the many other vices we engage in?

Some might be thinking, now Russell, who are YOU to tell me...

Wait! wait wait wait! Please don't shoot the messenger! I'm just talking what's in my bible. The very book that tells me to not make my life one of judging. That my own life is mess enough for ME to handle. So why handle anyone elses mess? Each person is personally responsible for themselves. Now wouldn't that be a way for all people to live? Just imagine how much more peaceable things would be? But none of us are perfect! I'll be the first to admit that!

So for me, this whole thing is about a very personal walk with God, using his bible which is stated to be his inspired word to speak to me and deal with me on a personal level. It has NOTHING to do with having to do some religious duty. In fact my faith sets me free from religious duty of any kind. I don't go to church as often as I can cause I feel it's my religious duty, or cause, oh I want to look good for the community and make others think I'm important too. And some of you KNOW exactly where I'm coming from with that statement! And nor do I do it fearing eternal damnation if I don't go to church!

I do it cause I actually LOVE being there. Not because of the building, but because of like minded believers who share the same faith that I have. They've gone through similar experience with God's word. We stand only on what's in the bible. And then we play ping pong.

That'll get some of you! Yep, at our church, some of us bring our ping pong paddles along with our bibles! *gasp* Christians have fun? Blasphemy! LOL!

In the basement where we have our pot luck gatherings, we also have a ping pong table that we play. We are a SMALL church so we aren't in danger of too many people for one table. And the rest play card games or board games in the mean time. It's not uncommon for us to head for church at 6:30 in the evening and not leave till ten, even eleven at night! And it's not cause the preaching lasts all night! That only goes on for the seven o'clock hour...and then it's just hanging out time.

So all this and more cause of why? Let me tell you...

It all starts with the book. The bible. There is a passage in Romans, that says, Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.

I grew up in a Baptist Church. And I recall as a young child wanting to participate in communion and was told that was only for those who have been saved. So I asked how to pray and someone led me along in some sinners prayer and...

I was hardly saved! There was NO bible really involved, nor was there ANY realization at all that I needed this on a level with God. Just some little repeat chant that I'm sure too many have done once in their life and think they are on the road to heaven. It was all, I asked someone, and talked to someone ELSE, and only doing it cause...I wanted to take communion! I was just some kid wanting to do what the adults were doing. I wanted to be in on the religious act... And I was...for many many years!

Along came college, and new freedom! I got to go wherever I wanted for church. And frankly, it was mostly no church at all! But I was curious, I went to Catholic mass a few times just to see what it was like. Scared the crap out of me! Let me just say, there are some serious differences! Went to a few different Lutheran churches. Didn't do anything for me, and still a bit too weird for me. Tried some Baptist churches that were as stuffy and so formal...blegh! Never went back, and got in the habit of not going at all. Only when I came back home did I attend church. In my third year of college I saw a poster saying, free rides to church. On the bottom was the name of this, yet another Baptist church. And I, having no car, thought to myself. Hey I can do this.

And I then started attending Fargo Baptist Church every Sunday. And hey, what's this? Most of the people were dressed up nice but they were down to earth so to speak and were glad to see you and piling on top of each other to shake your hand and welcome you. Well now THIS was more like the church back home for me. But the preaching was several scales better somehow. And I wasn't sure how to put a finger on it. But it was all straight out of the bible. Nothing added. But certainly nothing left out... As the weeks went by I realized what the difference was. You couldn't go to a Sunday morning message and not hear how to get saved, how to get personal with God. I realized that back home, we really didn't get that strong a message, and not very often! It was usually a message on some other do good topic of some sort. At Fargo Baptist they didn't hold back from pointing out sin. Where back home they tried not to hit on that too much in fear of offending someone... And I found myself totally enjoying the messages. I told them I was a Baptist too and they were ok with that.

And about three months into attending services...I can't explain how, but I can say I felt a heaviness of heart, is the best way I can explain it. I realized that yes, I was a sinner. That wasn't difficult for me. What I was realizing is, that I wasn't truly saved in God's eyes. I had never seen myself as such when I as a child said that little sinners prayer and took communion. I realized that I needed to get personal with God, not involving any person, and nor was it some magic equation of words. No it was simply realizing that I was a sinner, deserving hell because God is holy and righteous according to the bible.

So I jumped up from my seat screaming I need to get saved and ran crying up front and.... You've got to be kidding, no I didn't do any such thing! LOL!

No no no, I didn't have some feeling, or some religious awakening! Nor did I see a dove flying down upon me, or feel shaky, or lose my sight... None of that bologne!

I was merely seeing myself as a sinner, and going to the Lord in prayer, by myself, in that state of mind and heart, and praying. Simply praying to him. I don't recall the exact words I used, but I know that there is no magic set of words that you use. It's merely using what you know from God's word, the bible. It states in there our condition because of sin. Our seperation from a holy God. And that Jesus Christ, his son, died on the cross for our sin. So it's already been paid. There's nothing else you and I can do, to get sin atoned for. It's all been done, taken care of. The bible says, that those who call upon him will be saved. It also speaks of repentance, which is that state of the heart where we see ourselves as who we really are. Lost sinners. And willing to turn from that sin to him. And ask him to forgive us and that we trust in him and his word alone to save us.

That's all. All it was for me. And I know, that what it says in the bible, is what I'm going to stand on. It isn't anything that I do, or can ever do, that will be right in God's eyes. It's about what I'm trusting in. Not my baptism, not my communion, not my church attendance, not cause I helped granny cross the street more times than I didn't so that my good outweighs the bad things I've done. Certainly not cause I've never killed anyone... But simply because I become personal with God on a personal basis by faith. By praying to him in this way. By staying in his word as much as I can.

No where does it state that I'll be saved by baptism, or by communion, or church attendance, or just trying to be a good person! It's about taking God at his word, in repentance and faith, and accepting his gift of salvation by what his Son did for the world. As I stated in the first post in this thread.

Now I'm going to go clean some snake cages and admire their beauty and thank God for letting me to have the freedom to pursue this hobby, and let him show me the neat things he can do....

Merry Christmas!

[kitty]

Originally Posted by Russell

I'm sorry to hear that...I'm a committed snake fanatic...mwa ha ha ha...

Silly Russell. Snake fanaticism doesn't count. :P

[Russell]

Originally Posted by kitty

Silly Russell. Snake fanaticism doesn't count. :P

yeah right, try telling that to the neighbors and other people I rub elbows with at work, ect...LOL! They all think I'm NUTS!

[wendhend]

All I have to say is, "Amen!" Nice post, Russell!

[Jessicat]

As a child forced to go to Sunday school for my whole youth I "dropped out" around my late teen years. I was fed up with the people at my church.. held their heads so high and thought of themselves as better people than others; yet I very strongly suspect that not many of them ever read their bibles!
No, they couldn't possibly be bothered wasting their time on that!

I'm much more interested in reading actual scripture and deciding for yourself what something means. I hate the notion of people being spoon fed information, never questioning it.

I really think that's the main reason snakes are hated. It's just the "norm" to dislike them. Someone decided they were evil, and the majority was okay with that. It's the Christian way to convert or kill. Seriously, that's historical fact. Although I realize such notions are not carried out today, there is quite a lot of blood shed in Christianity's origins. The messge is very strongly,
The "norm" is to be carried out by everyone, those who will not conform are to be shunned/ exterminated.

I think a nice little reminder to the Christian snake haters is one of the role faith should play in their relationship with God. The question of "why are there bad things in the world if all things God created are good" and "why isn't there any proof of God" came up a lot in my youth group. My youth pastors, some of the best people in my opinion who frequented the place, had a great answer. The answer was that faith is how God measures one's true trust in him. If he made himself known then it would be too easy to believe in him.
God tests his people by making them work a bit harder for his trust through their faith. One way to test this faith is through temptation. Those who can withstand temptation are God's true disciples. Perhaps you should throw a few Job passages into your montage.

Thanks for the great post, Russell. I love material like this that actually makes me think for a change!

[jeffreyr]

Originally Posted by Russell

yeah right, try telling that to the neighbors and other people I rub elbows with at work, ect...LOL! They all think I'm NUTS!

My friend at least a few think I'm crazy too for having snakes, I tell them that God made them for a reason, to keep the road kill and the rodent population down. also sometimes they are good for protection.

[jeffreyr]

Originally Posted by FireDrake

I agree...evil is a creation of humans!

Good post!!

I agree also on this

[Russell]

Originally Posted by Jessicat

As a child forced to go to Sunday school for my whole youth I "dropped out" around my late teen years. I was fed up with the people at my church.. held their heads so high and thought of themselves as better people than others; yet I very strongly suspect that not many of them ever read their bibles!
No, they couldn't possibly be bothered wasting their time on that!

A friend of the faith I only know through the internet said it best, there is a serious bible illiteracy with most people! People would rather be spoonfed something NICE out of the bible. Hold the not so nice things, we don't want to hear it. And keep it under thirty minutes please... That last bit is from an awesome sermon I heard years ago that still very much applies today. Religion won't get anyone anywhere. I can't state that enough. People have to take God's word for what it is and make it personal between themselves and God. But yes, just like you say, no one picks up the book. No one truly searches for God.

Originally Posted by Jessicat

I'm much more interested in reading actual scripture and deciding for yourself what something means. I hate the notion of people being spoon fed information, never questioning it.

he he he, yep! That's the way to go! Search out the bible. Don't just take a passage here, and another passage there and let it collect dust! See what it is that's trying to be said within it.

Originally Posted by Jessicat

I really think that's the main reason snakes are hated. It's just the "norm" to dislike them. Someone decided they were evil, and the majority was okay with that. It's the Christian way to convert or kill. Seriously, that's historical fact. Although I realize such notions are not carried out today, there is quite a lot of blood shed in Christianity's origins. The messge is very strongly,
The "norm" is to be carried out by everyone, those who will not conform are to be shunned/ exterminated.

And do you know WHY so many in the earlier years were burned at the stake? Wasn't long after Christ returned to heaven that the Catholic church got started.... Oh the early christians had gotten started, they were called Anabaptists back then... Catholic church was a bigger thing back then and executed many many people who didn't believe like they do. It's all history! This stuff can be found out for those who dare go look! The bible used to be a forbidden book for the public, to only be read and taught out of by the priests of the Catholic Church. They executed people who translated it into English! And who dared to distribute it to the people and let THEM find out for THEMSELVES the truth about so many different things found in the bible. Later on was the Reformation to take place where some in the Catholic faith realized the error of the church and now we have Lutherans and many many other Protestant denominations. Anabaptists became what we now know to be Baptists today. But I'm even shy of anyone who claims Baptist. There are some real wackos out there with that name in their church title! The bible should be the sole authority when it comes to faith with God. Nothing more, nothing less. But anyhow, yes, history reveals there is a trail of blood of people who wanted just the bible, and religious zealots put those people to death! Check out the following links!

http://www.greatsite.com/timeline-en...-wycliffe.html

http://www.greatsite.com/timeline-en.../john-hus.html


Anyhow, it is certainly something to think about. Job also has a few verses I needed for how we should regard the work of God's hands, and are not snakes part of his creation? Sure they are! And I kept thinking tonight as I was cleaning, as I came to each snake, oh, how awesome! LOL!

[jeffreyr]