I totally agree with you on the matter of searching for Turth, yes, it could take many lifetimes but we Christians should continue to search for God’s Truth, together. So long as you recognize and have patience with this sometimes challenging process, I am more than willing as a Christian brother to continue to talk to you on theolgical matters so through you and others, I can come closer to God’s wisdom.

I also agree with you on the different variations of Christian church worship. Or on not making quick judgments. Or on disciplining our immaturity in our freedom within Christ.

In fact, for the 1st time I ever came to this blog I think I am in 99% agreement with some one!! So long you and I are committed to faciliating “peace and respect” among different Christians who disagree but are still trying to search God’s Truth, I am in agreement with all your views!!

Thank You for your patience and understanding, Mr. Bill. I am joyful that I actually reached a common agreement with a more conservative-leaning brother in Christ. (Why can’t more conservative christians be like you?). God bless you for dedication to God’s truth and compassion for your fellow brothers. I too have enjoyed our disucssions very much and give me hope that in spite of some harsh words, miscommunication, and hurt feelings, we Christians can grow together in Christ our Lord.

As for your discussion on Church emphesis – I see that many different churches emphasize various aspects of worship and gifts. I do not find this at all in conflict. In fact, I believe that it allows for our various gifts to be utilized in the most effective ways.

In your discussion on Corinthians “Like in Corinthians, some Christians may occassionally drink alchol but others may decry it as setting wrong example before others(and runing your body the Temple of God).” I believe Paul discussed not causing your brother to stumble. This was written to many who were immature in their freedom within Christ. He declared a priority – our Brother’s security in Christ over our Freedom in Him. Our freedom to be allowed when not causing our brothers to stumble. In this case I don’t think it was intolerance as much as immaturity and lack of full understanding of Grace.

I also agree on “quick judgements” of others. I hope you don’t feel that I was judging you as I have no right to do so – it is not my place. I have been actually enjoying our discussions.

My interest was assuming hyptohetically that we did discuss on evolution, for days, for months, for years,(I did with my Christians friends, and I am sure you did as well), and hyptohetically we couldn’t reach an agreement because of our firm commitment to our beliefs. Then, what? Evolution, predestination, etc. in many issues I or any Christian can argue with you and very likely, we will not convince each other. That is my chief concern, when theolgical agreement can not be reached after discussions.

Should we then assume something is terribly wrong with other’s theology and ask him for repentance? Or perhaps realize I, he, or perhaps both of us need to go back to scripture and study again His Word, so perhaps next time we meet we might find the Truth? That is why, going back to reason I asked you the 1st question in the first place, I strongly believe Christian campuses should allow Christians of different Biblical interpretations to make their cases heard and debated.

To what extent your personal Biblical interpretation differs from mine was not my interest of discussion, only on “how Christians in general should respond to other Christians when they debate”

But may I slightly tweak your framework twice? A. This discussions may take long, long time. For an instance, evolution(the issue that I WILL NOT GO INTO FURTHER) Christians have discussed since………1920s, and we have not yet reached an agreement. Assuming that we are in for another 50,80 years of disucssions on this one issue, I think churches should allow every Christians to think about it, pray about it, and keep disucssing this issue. (But certainly after return of Christ, WE WILL KNOW FOR SURE WHO IS RIGHT).

B. There is one truth, but perhaps there can be different aspects to the Biblical Truth that churches may emphasize? Like for an instance, Pentecotals emphsizes the spiriutal blessings like healing, speaking in tongues. Presbytarians are more traditional in worship. Like in Corinthians, some Christians may occassionally drink alchol but others may decry it as setting wrong example before others(and runing your body the Temple of God). In such cases, couldn’t the problem be that one church simply is intolerant of the worship style and decisions of other church?

I will gravely take your advice on walking a fine line of diversity(after all I recognize there are hereises, like Jehovah’s Witness for an instance). But I also think there is a fine line on conviction in one’s faith and quick judgments on fellow Christians.

I don’t think that the discussions between “different sides” of any debate should be nasty, rude or dogmatic. But I also believe that we cannot accept that “both” truths are acceptable as there is only one. If the views are mutually exclusive one or both are wrong.

I need to know your answers first, so I can know what framework we are discussing creationism, a matter of “differed theolgical interpretation”, or a matter of “absolute right vs. wrong”(meaning if one side is wrong, that side will be condmened by God as heretics, just like Jeohovah’s Witness).
Before I give my testimony, I will first wait for your resposne.

If the former, no big deal, just a little odd, to my taste. If the latter, it means that particular church has some concept of salvation that involves church authority and ritual instead of choice by a knowing moral agent acting in faith. That’s simply not Biblical, and belief in it undermines a person’s ability to understand God’s plan for salvation.

The point: what may seem trivial to you may not be trivial. It just depends.

Melody, I beleive in the central tenets of Christian faith written in the Apostle’s Creed. Yet, in theology there are fundemental elements(say divinity in Jesus) that requires unity of the church, but also minor elements where disagreement will happen. By essentials I mean the beleifs essential to salvation, for an instance recognition of person’s sinful nature and Christ’s universal atonement. (surely you are not saying by rejecting literal creationism, by salvation is jeopardized?). While I have my views on Bible that seems so clear to me, I continue to have discussions with other christians to further deepen my understanding(for an instance, I too once supported literal creationism but not any more), and realize my Christian brothers may not always agree with me on some theolgoical issues. Wouldn’t you also extend such courtesy to your fellow Christian brothers and sisters as well.
For an instance, suppose you oppose infant baptism theologically and your church decides to adopt the ritual. Would you leave the church in protest?

Mr. Harmonicminer, I have lot to say to you, but since my question was to Melody cheifly, I will respectfully ignore you in this particular discussion.