# My Life **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [July 30, 2010, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-life/548607 "2010-07-30T17:53:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-life/548607/41 "2010-07-31T02:46:00Z")
Just don’t let your mom see you doing it. That can be real embarrassing, and potentially dangerous. It sent George’s mom to the hospital. ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-life/548607/42 "2010-07-31T02:47:48Z")
> [@Curtis LeMay](#): > > That may be true. But I’m certain there was no decisive moment when I believed-it was very quiet and unnoticed and I don’t think I understood the significance of salvation at the time. I’m not convinced that everything that is true and real _has_ such a decisive moment associated with it. Sometimes it sneaks up on you, so that it seems like you’ve always known when you do realize it. And sometimes you still have doubts in some part of your mind, even if rationally you know something is true. Just because something is true, doesn’t mean that it feels like it’s Truth. Sometimes all you get is “Well, this is kind of nice, you know…”. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-life/548607/43 "2010-07-31T03:35:09Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > If there is a Creator, the fact that He provided us with arms long enough to reach our genitals proves His love for us. “Despise the unholy beasts known as centaurs, for they bear the mark of the damned!” ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-life/548607/44 "2010-07-31T04:06:24Z")
Wow, this guy sounds like he hangs out with Jack Chick! (Not **Curtis** , Rev. MacArthur) **Curtis** , once again, what sins could a thirteen-year-old have possibly committed? Honestly, I was mostly just a snotty adolescent at that time. Unless you’re a sociopath who’s abusing animals and starting fires, I think you’re okay. (Um, you DON’T abuse animals and start fires, do you?) ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-life/548607/45 "2010-07-31T07:38:15Z")
> [@Todderbob](#): > > And if you really like that Jesus Guy, John 10:35. I don’t get it ?? ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 7:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-life/548607/46 "2010-07-31T07:55:06Z")
I may not know where it comes from in the Bible, but I know it well enough: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Or, as Bill and Ted would have it, “Be excellent to each other.” That, it seems to me, sums it up well. **Curtis** , I believe that if you follow this rule you’ll be where you want to be. ---
**Author:** ![BrightNShiny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@BrightNShiny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrightNShiny)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 10:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-life/548607/47 "2010-07-31T10:27:09Z")
> [@Curtis LeMay](#): > > I began learning more about theology and the Gospel and began reading the Bible You _began_ reading the Bible. Have you actually read the whole thing yet? ---
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-life/548607/48 "2010-07-31T10:52:38Z")
I’m hoping a renowned biblical scholar like **Curtis** will be able to answer this one for me… if man was created in God’s image, how come we’re not all invisible? ---
**Author:** ![raindog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@raindog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raindog)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 11:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-life/548607/49 "2010-07-31T11:17:20Z")
> [@Todderbob](#): > > > [@Curtis LeMay](#): > > > > I’ve also been concerned that my church is weak doctrinally speaking and that I can’t stay focused on God. > > You’d prefer they followed doctrine closer? > > Deuteronomy 17:12 > Exodus 21:15 > Leviticus 20:10 > Leviticus 20:13 > etc, etc? > > And don’t give me that bullshit about “it’s the old testament, we don’t have to listen to it anymore!” > > Luke 16:17 > Timothy 3:16 > Mark 7:10 & Matthew 15:4-7 (Precedent, Jesus encouraging parents killing their children.) > And if you really like that Jesus Guy, John 10:35. Jesus encouraged parents to kill their children? ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-life/548607/50 "2010-07-31T11:35:19Z")
> [@ivan\_astikov](#): > > I’m hoping a renowned biblical scholar like **Curtis** will be able to answer this one for me… if man was created in God’s image, how come we’re not all invisible? Original Sin. Adam and Eve started out invisible, but turned visible due to the Fall. That’s why the first thing they did was find some clothes. ---
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-life/548607/51 "2010-07-31T11:43:10Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > > [@ivan\_astikov](#): > > > > I’m hoping a renowned biblical scholar like **Curtis** will be able to answer this one for me… if man was created in God’s image, how come we’re not all invisible? > > Original Sin. Adam and Eve started out invisible, but turned visible due to the Fall. That’s why the first thing they did was find some clothes. If they were invisible, how did the snake see them to ask them to consider making an apple crumble? Oh, and can someone just clarify for me - why exactly did God create a talking serpent? ps. First person to say “It’s an analogy!” gets an “I Love Jesus” sticker. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-life/548607/52 "2010-07-31T12:36:43Z")
> [@ivan\_astikov](#): > > If they were invisible, how did the snake see them to ask them to consider making an apple crumble? It was a pit viper - it tracked them by their body heat. ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-life/548607/53 "2010-07-31T12:57:10Z")
It’s really heart warming to see the response when a young man expresses his concerns. Some of you just couldn’t resist stopping by to relieve yourselves. We were just talking about this habit in a recent thread. Thanks for providing a another example. Our adolescent OP is more mature. ---
**Author:** ![Latro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a87d85/32.png) [@Latro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Latro)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-life/548607/54 "2010-07-31T12:58:09Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > > [@ivan\_astikov](#): > > > > If they were invisible, how did the snake see them to ask them to consider making an apple crumble? > > It was a pit viper - it tracked them by their body heat. So , you think we could track God by his body heat too? ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-life/548607/55 "2010-07-31T13:07:01Z")
> **[John MacArthur (American pastor)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_F._MacArthur)** > > John Fullerton MacArthur Jr. (born June 19, 1939) is an American Sovereign Grace Baptist pastor and author who hosts the national Christian radio and television program Grace to You. He has been the pastor of Grace Community Church, a non-denominational church in Sun Valley, California since February 9, 1969. He is currently the chancellor emeritus of The Master's University in Santa Clarita and The Master's Seminary. > MacArthur is a proponent of expository preaching, and has been acknowledged ... Is this your reverend, Curtis? Or does he just have a similar name? It does help if we understand your theology. A Baptist Calvinist? ---
**Author:** ![Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Attack_from_the_3rd_dimension)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-life/548607/56 "2010-07-31T13:19:03Z")
> [@cosmosdan](#): > > It’s really heart warming to see the response when a young man expresses his concerns. Some of you just couldn’t resist stopping by to relieve yourselves. > > We were just talking about this habit in a recent thread. Thanks for providing a another example. Our adolescent OP is more mature. Good point. **Curtis** - The only thing I can add to help you along on your personal spiritual journey is this: Don’t be too hard on yourself. It seems unlikely that a just and loving God would put you on earth just to beat yourself up about how you aren’t focussed enough on God. Consider that he made you exactly as you are, and perhaps your doing just fine and he’s very happy with your performance, and He’d like you to get on with doing whatever it is you’re meant to do in life, and stop worrying about Him all the time. Kind of like how a just a loving parent wants their kid to run along and have fun and stop mooning about the kitchen. I should also point out that I’m serious, and I’m not screwing around with you. Good luck, buddy, you’re going through a tough couple of years, and you’re doing fine. ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-life/548607/57 "2010-07-31T14:03:39Z")
> [@Curtis LeMay](#): > > I feel compelled to share at least some of my life as it relates to God. > > Well throughout most of my later childhood while I did go to church I didn’t attend services as I was kind of frightened of some of the biblical accounts (such as that of the Flood) and didn’t really believe in God. Instead I stayed outside. Well my father is Christian but he never strongly pressured me although he did push me gently from time to time and my mom is Buddhist (well we’re Korean-Americans so it isn’t too surprising). However gradually around two or three years ago as I increasingly began to know of God I inched closer toward salvation. > > Finally around two years ago (I think) I got saved. Of course I was ignorant of most doctrine and I was reluctant to attend church because it seemed awkward to suddenly attend services. At the same time I struggled with various sins. About a year ago though after the church split up my dad moved to a new church founded by many members of the first church and I, starting from scratch, began attending services there. Slowly my pattern of sinning decreased and I began learning more about theology and the Gospel and began reading the Bible and praying constantly. However at the same time I have been worried and frightened whether I’m not truly saved because I wondered if I had truly understood the Gospel and salvation when I was saved two years ago and the fact that I had no distinct memory of my salvation. I also agonized over the fact that I rarely had communion with God (although I know I’ve had that communion sometimes) despite what Rev. John MacArthur said: > > > [@](#): > > > > ``` > > Have you experienced communion with God and Christ? Have you sensed Their presence? Do you have a love for Them that draws you to Their presence? Have you experienced the sweet communion of prayer--the exhilarating joy of talking to the living God? Have you experienced the refreshing, almost overwhelming sense of grace that comes upon you when you discover a new truth in His Word? If you have, then you have experienced the fellowship of salvation. > > > > ``` > > I’ve also been concerned that my church is weak doctrinally speaking and that I can’t stay focused on God. Curtis, I have to wonder why you decided to air this on the SDMB but since you have I’ll add my 2 cents and you can take it or leave it. I hear where you’re coming from. I remember from my own journey through Christianity the feeling of communion with God. Those moments when you feel so connected to that mysterious something more and with everything. The warmth and sense of peace is wonderful. You don’t get that all the time but I find as we learn and grow and engage life those moments continue to come. They’ve continued for me apart from Christianity and organized religion. You need to work it out in your own time and in your own way so because of that, I’d advise you not to be too wrapped up in finding and following the correct doctrine. Life and however we perceive God is a mystery that varies a lot from person to person, group to group, culture to culture. Look within and follow the connection you feel.Dedicate yourself to being honest with yourself and seeking love and truth where ever you find it. You can listen to advise and opinions but in the end it’s up to you to choose and be responsible for those choices. There will always be people who are eager to tell you “what God wants” for you. They don’t know. That is for you to discover. Don’t let’ the beliefs of others and desire for their approval hinder that discovery. I’ll share a few things I think I discovered along the way just for consideration. There are no written words with divine authority that we need to adhere to. Words can move and inspire us but that is within us, not any particular book. It’s okay to trust that inner connection and not rely on some external authority. As others have said. Beyond a wholesome discipline, don’t be to hard on yourself. Love your neighbor as yourself and keep in mind that love doesn’t mean giving people everything they want. Remain true to yourself and compassionate to others and you’ll be a positive part of people’s lives. ---
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-life/548607/58 "2010-07-31T14:13:30Z")
> [@ivan\_astikov](#): > > I’m hoping a renowned biblical scholar like **Curtis** will be able to answer this one for me… if man was created in God’s image, how come we’re not all invisible? I can create a painting in my image\*, but that doesn’t mean that that painting is made of flesh, has a mind, can walk about etc. Being made in the image of something doesn’t require being a total likeness. \*Ok, that’s a lie. I can’t paint. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-life/548607/59 "2010-07-31T14:17:22Z")
> [@Latro](#): > > > [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > > > > [@ivan\_astikov](#): > > > > > > If they were invisible, how did the snake see them to ask them to consider making an apple crumble? > > > > It was a pit viper - it tracked them by their body heat. > > So , you think we could track God by his body heat too? God maybe if he shows up. Not Jesus, since he’s either a zombie or a vampire. ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-life/548607/60 "2010-07-31T14:27:23Z")
> [@ivan\_astikov](#): > > I’m hoping a renowned biblical scholar like **Curtis** will be able to answer this one for me… if man was created in God’s image, how come we’re not all invisible? Invisible? Isn’t being irrelevant enough? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-life/548607.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-life/548607.md?page=4)