Let me help you out vicky ...

Genesis 1:27
So God created man[not men] in his own image, in the image of God created he him[not them]; male and female created he them.

So God created man [man kind] in his own image, in the image of God created he him[he created his image into him, man kind] male and female created he them
"Them" as in plural many of the frist of mankind created male and female. Not 1 male 1 female.

Vicky and CG you both seem to have Christ a bit mixed up. He taught about his death and resurrection. He is alive not dead. He said he went to prepare a place for us in his fathers house and that he would return. He told the disciples that he will return one day just how he left - he acended into heaven and will come back in a similar way, but he won't touch the earth - we will be caught up into the air to meet him.

does that sound like a kingdom being in you? he resurected not reincarnated. he is alive not dead. he is coming back for his followers. you cannot be saved by works or beleiving that there is a God. You must believe that you are a sinner, repent, and beleive that Jesus was here, born of a virgin, was flesh, died and resurected. If you don't believe any one of those things then you just may not be saved. Good works do not matter, they follow after you become a beleiver because you are repenting - turning away from a sinful life. You must firt beleive in order to be saved, not just get along with each other and doing good works.

You guys really need to review Mathew, Mark, Luke and John.


Yes I suggest you read Luke
Luke 17:21
Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

Yes, I know this does sound strange. But the Buddha nature is not the Buddha himself. He is, as you say in the grave, or more exactly he was cremated. That is why we do not pray to the Buddha. The Buddha nature means we all have a nature like his in that can find the way out of suffering and the endless cycle of suffering. The Buddhist does not look for someone to intercede for him. The Buddhist does not look outside for help, he looks in for the answers, aided of course by fellow believers and teachers, who by the way to make things more confusing, don't teach Buddhism, they teach the way to Buddhism.

Ok CG, just as the Buddhist looks within for answers, Christians really look within for answers also. The Christian has the Spirit of God living within him, so it is easy for him to look within for whatever he may need!

Christ is interceding for all, not that we request or require Him to do. It is just His nature and desire to continue to intercede for human beings. People who have given their lives to Him probably need little or no intercession, but those who have not, I believe they are the ones most in need of His intercession.

One would think so. One would hope so. But it does to always seem to happen that way.



The actual verses said, "Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, "The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, 'Here it is,' or 'There it is,' because the kingdom of God is within you."

Notice he was talking to the Pharisees, who quite often did not believe Jesus. Notice he said "IS within." Not will be within. He also seem to suggest that the Kingdom does not come, but is here already, within.

I know that scholars have tried to change that passage to mean among instead of within. I can understand why. If we are all born with the Kingdom within, as Buddhists believe we are born with the Buddha nature within, they the Church is not the vehicle that puts it there, nor for that matter is Christ. Christ's whole nature changes. He becomes an awakener of the Kingdom, not a bringer of it.

CG, I wanted to respond to this long ago. I just knew something didn't click.

When you mentioned this passage from Luke 17:21 where Christ told the Pharisees that the Kingdom of God is within you, He definitely could not have been referring to wicked Pharisees whom he had condemned so many times. Christ Himself is the Kingdom, He is the full embodiment of the Kingdom of God (Matt 12:28).

Therefore in this passage (Luke 17:21), Christ was referring to Himself and to born again Christians who have His Holy spirit living within them!!!

CG, I wanted to respond to this long ago. I just knew something didn't click.

When you mentioned this passage from Luke 17:21 where Christ told the Pharisees that the Kingdom of God is within you, He definitely could not have been referring to wicked Pharisees whom he had condemned so many times. Christ Himself is the Kingdom, He is the full embodiment of the Kingdom of God (Matt 12:28).

Therefore in this passage (Luke 17:21), Christ was referring to Himself and to born again Christians who have His Holy spirit living within them!!!

That might indeed be an interpretation, but don't forget, he was talking to the Pharisees.

Perhaps the kingdom within is like the Buddha nature is within, It is there but in many people not "activated" it just lays dormant. Could it be that Christ was the activating force that opened this kingdom? In short, if one believed, it opened if not it remained closed.

As for him being the Kingdom? Yes, but he also called himself the door, the Good Shepherd, the vine and other things. These descriptions were metaphorical of something, we was not a door, or a Shepherd and yet he was a door, a Shepherd and the Kingdom.

CG, I wanted to respond to this long ago. I just knew something didn't click.

When you mentioned this passage from Luke 17:21 where Christ told the Pharisees that the Kingdom of God is within you, He definitely could not have been referring to wicked Pharisees whom he had condemned so many times. Christ Himself is the Kingdom, He is the full embodiment of the Kingdom of God (Matt 12:28).

Therefore in this passage (Luke 17:21), Christ was referring to Himself and to born again Christians who have His Holy spirit living within them!!!

I will give you a challenge Great Demos. Live by the second of the greatest commandments. Love thy neighbor as thy self. Think everyday every situation that when you interact with some one you stop and think “do I want to be treated the way I am treating this person”. Do it with every person even the ones you ignore from day to day. After a month of doing this tell me how you fell

Things always get worse. That is the nature of "things." It seems to hold true for Heavenly things too. God created a heaven, but that failed - Satan spoiled it. God created an earth, that failed to. He flooded the world to end sin, but that failed too.

Not necessarily. I believe Heaven hasn't failed because Heaven was not made to suit Satan's purpose, nor was Heaven made for the angels. They just happen to reside there. Though I will admit that Satan created quite a ripple in Heaven when he attained the one third he got.

A new heaven will be made and a new Earth.
Things always get worse. And then they get better.
Converge-Diverge-Converge.

Though to be able to accurately judge whether or not Heaven has failed, one has to know the purpose and mission of Heaven.

And according to the Bible the earth was flooded because God was sorry He'd made mankind, not to end sin.
As per the Genesis account of Creation, I voiced my views in post 120 at this thread.
http://bahamasissues.com/showthread.php?t=1106&page=8&pp=15

That might indeed be an interpretation, but don't forget, he was talking to the Pharisees.

Perhaps the kingdom within is like the Buddha nature is within, It is there but in many people not "activated" it just lays dormant. Could it be that Christ was the activating force that opened this kingdom? In short, if one believed, it opened if not it remained closed.

As for him being the Kingdom? Yes, but he also called himself the door, the Good Shepherd, the vine and other things. These descriptions were metaphorical of something, we was not a door, or a Shepherd and yet he was a door, a Shepherd and the Kingdom.

You may well be right about the kingdom within [to Christians] being like the Buddha nature within [to Buddhists].

But to the Christian, the Kingdom being within would only apply after someone had accepted Christ as his lord and Saviour.

In the case of Buddhism, is it that the Buddha nature is in EVEYRONE, but in many people it is not yet activated? So that means that much study in Buddhism, meditation, etc, would activate the Buddha nature?

Christ is referred to by many names in the Bible: King of Kings, Lord of Lords, etc, etc.

You may well be right about the kingdom within [to Christians] being like the Buddha nature within [to Buddhists].

But to the Christian, the Kingdom being within would only apply after someone had accepted Christ as his lord and Saviour.

In the case of Buddhism, is it that the Buddha nature is in EVEYRONE, but in many people it is not yet activated? So that means that much study in Buddhism, meditation, etc, would activate the Buddha nature?

Christ is referred to by many names in the Bible: King of Kings, Lord of Lords, etc, etc.

Correct in all points! :cheers:

I will give you a challenge Great Demos. Live by the second of the greatest commandments. Love thy neighbor as thy self. Think everyday every situation that when you interact with some one you stop and think “do I want to be treated the way I am treating this person”. Do it with every person even the ones you ignore from day to day. After a month of doing this tell me how you fell

Vicky, I may as well tell you, this is impossible, ie, to love someone as you would love yourself. I agonised over this and thought seriously over this long ago, many times. This is why I almost got angry with my pastor one day, when he said the Christian life was easy to live.

I thought: What on earth is he saying? You are required to witness to people to lead them to Christ, love everyone, some of whom seem so unlovable! [how would you like to show real love to Bin Laden? As Christians we are supposed to love everyone!]. I mean, all kinds of seemingly impossible things a Christian is required to do! I mean, from time to time I empathise with other people, I try to put myself in thier shoe to see how they would feel in certain situations, etc. I try to show much consideration for others all the time!

But one morning I heard a pastor on TV said it is impossible to love someone as much as you would love yourself, and I had to agree with him. You think it over carefully [I believe you already know what I am trying to say]. I believe if you ever practise loving everyone you deal with as you love yourself, you would end up as a pauper, completely broke and poor. Then you would be almost useless to yourself and everyone else!

I think only Christ can give that kind of love because He was God in the flesh! Yes, He commanded us to do that, but He knows that at most, we can only try our best to do it, but can never fully accomplish it.

There are many laws in the Bible like that, especially the ten commandments. No one can obey them fully, but we have to try. There purpose is to show us that God is perfect and holy and we have to throw ourselves completely on His grace and mercy. We have to be His people, so that He would be our God!

Correct in all points! :cheers:


My My, I guess I am improving! I could be wrong CG, but I have a feeling that the Buddhist life is not as hard to live as the Christian life!

One thing I find extremely hard in Christianity is witnessing to other people, ie, leading them to Christ in an effort to get them saved. Now some people say they find this easy, but not me. Some people you would be asking and beging them to attend church for years, and they een listenin' ta ya! A Christian is required to visit the sick and those in prison, etc, etc.

For now, I mostly try to concentrate on Bible studies and upright living and hope that some would follow the example of my behaviour.

My My, I guess I am improving! I could be wrong CG, but I have a feeling that the Buddhist life is not as hard to live as the Christian life!
That depends! Some find it so, some do not. I find it is not as hard in some ways. For a start there is not the burden of guilt.

One thing I find extremely hard in Christianity is witnessing to other people, ie, leading them to Christ in an effort to get them saved. Now some people say they find this easy, but not me. Some people you would be asking and beging them to attend church for years, and they een listenin' ta ya! A Christian is required to visit the sick and those in prison, etc, etc.
Yes, that is hard, to witness - particularly when one is not welcome.

Buddhists are not required to visit the sick and those in prison, but then again Christian are not either! Those good works spring from a saved life, in the Christian sense, or an enlightened sense in Buddhism. But even so, it can be hard because both those beings, the sick and the imprisoned, are those we really don't want to see. They make us uncomfortable. The sick remind us what might be in store for us. The imprisoned? "there but for the grace of God go I?" Still, there can be a kind of joy in visiting them both, if not for us at least for them.

For now, I mostly try to concentrate on Bible studies and upright living and hope that some would follow the example of my behaviour.
It has been said that the example of a good, upright, life is better than a 1000 sermons.

As for Bible study, I would hope so! The hardest task in any religion is to get people to read their Holy Books. I say, "read on!!" Great Demos!

Vicky, I may as well tell you, this is impossible, ie, to love someone as you would love yourself. I agonised over this and thought seriously over this long ago, many times. This is why I almost got angry with my pastor one day, when he said the Christian life was easy to live.

I thought: What on earth is he saying? You are required to witness to people to lead them to Christ, love everyone, some of whom seem so unlovable! [how would you like to show real love to Bin Laden?If Bin Laden came to my house in need I would welcome him and do my best to help him. I would not hate what he did anyless. But no matter what, he is human living the life the Creator gave him.As Christians we are supposed to love everyone!]. I mean, all kinds of seemingly impossible things a Christian is required to do! I mean, from time to time I empathise with other people, I try to put myself in thier shoe to see how they would feel in certain situations, etc. I try to show much consideration for others all the time!

But one morning I heard a pastor on TV said it is impossible to love someone as much as you would love yourself, and I had to agree with him. You think it over carefully [I believe you already know what I am trying to say]. I believe if you ever practise loving everyone you deal with as you love yourself, you would end up as a pauper, completely broke and poor. Then you would be almost useless to yourself and everyone else!

I think only Christ can give that kind of love because He was God in the flesh! Yes, He commanded us to do that, but He knows that at most, we can only try our best to do it, but can never fully accomplish it.

There are many laws in the Bible like that, especially the ten commandments. No one can obey them fully, but we have to try. :angel: Now you get it. We are only human. All we can do is try. But keep on trying and trying our best. We must realize others are only human as well. :angel: There purpose is to show us that God is perfect and holy and we have to throw ourselves completely on His grace and mercy. We have to be His people, so that He would be our God!

We are all the Creators people even Bin Laden.

If Bin Laden came to my house in need I would welcome him and do my best to help him. I would not hate what he did anyless. But no matter what, he is human living the life the Creator gave him. :angel: Now you get it. We are only human. All we can do is try. But keep on trying and trying our best. We must realize others are only human as well. :angel:
We are all the Creators people even Bin Laden.


what if he came with a machine gun and said he doesn't like transgendered non islamic people?

you could still love him, but I don't know about the welcome in part

One thing I find extremely hard in Christianity is witnessing to other people, ie, leading them to Christ in an effort to get them saved. Now some people say they find this easy, but not me. Some people you would be asking and beging them to attend church for years, and they een listenin' ta ya! A Christian is required to visit the sick and those in prison, etc, etc.

For now, I mostly try to concentrate on Bible studies and upright living and hope that some would follow the example of my behaviour.


bible study is essential for witnessing - but you should try to stick to the subject and not answer questions - tell them their bible and church will reveal the answers in time or invite them to come post here!

I find door to door witnessing rather unproductive. People are too involved with television or cleaning most times or they think you are a jehovah witness, in any event only a few ever got saved when we went out in pairs.

I find it more effective to just work on my close friends - just invite them to church especially if your church has a youth meeting or church fair when they can dress informally. Once you get a friend or 2 saved, they will come back to you with their questions - as you help them grow stronger encourage them to invite their friends out to church as well.

Another tactic I used was to leave tracts in bathrooms or where they will be found - even under a car wiper. My church at the time had a stamp that indicated we were baptist and that they could call the number for help with salvation as well as church hours.

If your church has a bus for pickup, that works well for inviting out your friends. Everyone has a network of friends that they can reach and I feel it is more effective than cold calling at a strangers home.

I once saw this show on TBN and the preacher said to write the names of your unsaved friends that you would like to work with on a card, and take the card along with you in your wallet or purse, whenever you come across the card you should say a quick prayer or a longer pray naming each name if you have the time. I did this and 7 out of 9 of my friends got saved less than 2 months later. They have fallen back into the world consumed by sexual immorality and some had to go to work when church services were held. As they were young they easily fell back into the world after missing a few church sessions.

I fell too after almost 5 years, but have since re-dedicated myself, it is much easier now since I am married.