Jun 29 2009
Truth verses Opinion verses Gullibility and The Anti-Christ
Let your anchor in life be truth. People are forever directing me to other blogs to read the words they have chosen as truth. However, what it seems they fail to realize is blogs are written by everyday people. Few are motivated by truth only opinion. Opinion, as defined by the dictionary is “the view somebody takes about an issue, especially when it is based solely on personal judgment.
Truth, on the other hand is a statement that corresponds to fact or reality. Now in order to form an opinion about something, you first have to have the truth about it because truth based on lies is not truth at all. In fact truth based on lies is manipulation which I see a hell of a lot of in today’s world and in a lot of the blogs I am directed to.
Manipulation is defined as an act to change or present something in a way that is false but personally advantageous. Those who are easily manipulated are said to be gullible. Gullibility is tending to trust and believe people, and therefore easily tricked or deceived.
This is where thinking for one’s self comes into play. Most things put forth are generally a mixture of truth and opinion. The key is to know what is true in order to discern what is opinion thereby lessening your gullibility and preventing you from being easily manipulated.
As I look around the world and see governments which are suppose to be designed for the benefit of the people yet the people suffer, living below the poverty level, inadequate medical care, unemployed, oppressed, without a voice of their own, while their leaders live a life in luxury and comfort, I have to ask how manipulated are the people. When I see a country like North Korea whose leader is a narcissistic dictator, I have to wonder how gullible the people are.
When I view the cover-up in Gaza and Iran as the powers that oppress the people fight hard to keep this oppression from the eyes of the world I feel I am witnessing how easily manipulated the people in these countries have been, how gullible they have been in following a leader that does not have their best interest at heart.
The Anti-Christ as many are beginning to refer to Obama as being giving false descriptions of what they claim are verses from the Bible to use as proof that Obama is indeed the Anti-Christ – however, these are opinions, motivated by the manipulative desires of the authors of such nonsense.
Rather than do a little research for themselves, people are inclined to believe what they read of others interpretations of the Bible. 1 John, chapter 2-4 discusses the antichrist as does 2 John, chapter 1 – “For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.”
According to this verse, there are many who are anti-christ in the word and have been throughout the history of the world since Jesus. Now unless you know the truth as it is printed in the Bible, it would be easy to manipulate you with words that are untrue like the words spoken in these blogs and forum threads that are claiming “Obama is the antichrist and I can proof it” – their proof is their words that they are quoting Revelations and anything else they can throw together to sound as though they are the true authority on the subject and their ‘opinion’ is the ‘truth’.
Again I reiterate, learning to think for yourself involves understanding truth and being able to decipher between truth, as you know it to be and opinion as used to manipulate. Now the other day, I got a rant from a guy who was down on God telling me that my belief in God was just that, a belief and he just happens not to believe, yet he tried to quote the Bible in reference to Obama saying he was “a wolf in sheep’s clothing” which is found in the Gospel of Matthew.
What I am talking about does not stop with religion, it relates to relationships, politics, friendships, work etc. There is not one amongst us who has not felt manipulated on one level or another in life however, the key is to learn from that encounter which does not seem to be happening as we become manipulated by one politician after another and enter into one relationship after another only to end up feeling used or being the user based on your knowledge that most people are easily manipulated.
Bernie Madoff was a master manipulator preying on the gullibility of many who obviously were not easily manipulated because they had achieved significant wealth and power yet, through lies he was able to gain their trust and manipulate them out of their cash for his own personal gain.
Politicians are manipulators by nature that is why each person needs to take the time to review the legislation placed before them before it is voted in as law. Do not rely on what other people say regarding the legislation, but instead, get your own understanding of the proposed legislation by taking the time to review it. It is easy to sit in judgment of anything or anybody but it takes an intelligent person to think for them selves based on truth.
Once you have an understanding of the legislation then you need to ask yourself are the objectives relevant and obtainable. While some may be obtainable, others may not be; then you have to ask yourself if those that are obtainable out weigh those that are not obtainable – you have to look at the total picture and decide if what needs to be obtained can be obtained.
As I watched the debate regarding the stimulus package, and now the climate legislation, I witness how with the stimulus package Republicans were calling the package ineffective however when asked to be specific they only came up with maybe 10 or 12 things that were truly ineffective yet, the way they expressed their dislike for the bill you would assume the whole thing was ineffective.
So it is with the climate bill. While I am not in total agreement with the bill, I do believe this bill is a step in the right direction. If they can come up with an alternative to that part of the bill that still allows for some companies to pollute the air but be penalized for the pollutions they emit while rewarding those that lessen their pollution, it would become a stronger bill because the key to the bill is supposedly to lessen the emissions that are affecting the environment.
The anti-christ is amongst us and has been, always, my worry is that like Bernie Madoff, one will rise up and captivate the masses who are too lazy to seek the truth nor the understanding as to how to discern the truth, but would rather follow those who have a personal agenda presented to you in the disguise of working in your best interest. Wise up people before the antichrist you are waiting for materializes and leads you to your self fulfilling prophecy of destruction and eternal damnation; which is where I see mankind heading.
And that’s the way I see it!!!!
2-Way Stretch Gored Skirt
Interestingly enough, you too are opinionating like the blogging masses. Nothing wrong with it - just stating. Unfortunately even opinionating so strongly makes it no more true. Like with everyone else I see identifiable truth peppered through; nothing wrong with that… Simply pointing out that no matter how strongly an OPINION is stated, it is no more true than another.
Respectfully judy
I feel that some truth is undeniable, definitive while other truths are debatable and yes, based on what I see as definitive truths, I am very opinionated. I agree these are just my opinions when I am writing in these blogs, opinions which are based nonetheless on truth as I see it, have experienced it and truths that are happening in the world. My only motivation is to hopefully get people to think for themselves, to look beyond the words to what is truly truth and come up with something more than unfounded rants, accusations, name calling and divisions as they draw those lines in the sand in an attempt to seem better than others, to erase some of the hate that I see happening, being directed and intense, as I read these blogs based purely on those divisions.
And yes, some opinions hold more truth than other opinions because the basis of the opinion is truth - that’s kinda the point of this blog - to say: when you form an opinion, at least have it based in truth not truth as you want it to be, or truth that you have heard from someone else, but truth based on fact.
While I don’t believe Obama is the Anti-Christ, you fail to actually attack any of the arguments people use to suggest it. Instead you just say its wrong, baselessly. I would be interested in seeing a post from you systematically debunking the reasons people say Obama is the one described in the Revelation.
Its hard to argue against the fact that Obama has “[risen] up and captivate[d] the masses who are too lazy to seek the truth nor the understanding as to how to discern the truth, but would rather follow those who have a personal agenda presented to you in the disguise of working in your best interest.”
The Bible does very clearly discuss ONE Anti-Christ who will come in the last days and lead the people astray. Using 1 John 2:21-23 to argue that there is no one particular Anti-Christ (which I think you may be hinting at) is a ludicrous prospect.
To give you a starting point for discussion, let me give you a list of accusations to counter.
Just using Revelation 13:
The Bible tells us that the Anti-Christ (false savior) will be a powerful military leader - Obama is commander in chief of the most powerful nation in the world.
The Bible tells us he will be arrogant - if you’re denying Obama’s arrogance, I can give you some speech transcripts.
The Bible tells us he will draw adoration from all nations - I can give you some evidence there, too, if you haven’t seen it.
The Bible tells us he will lead people away from the truth - Obama believes there are many paths to heaven, which the Bible plainly says is a lie.
Again, just playing Devil’s advocate.
The main path to heaven is through the belief in Christ but if you understand Christ and his teachings you would understand that just saying you believe does not make it so, does not make you Christ-like. This thought is backed by the ways of the Pharisees and the Sudducees (I forget which ones) but they “believed” in God before Christ came but they had hardened their hearts to the point of not truly being acceptable in “God’s eyes”
So then it becomes a thing of works - now some say works do not count that only the belief counts but the whole point of belief is to walk as Christ walked and his walk was about “works” that he did as well as understanding and love that he brought to the “Word”
The Bible also tells you how to discern what is real and what is fake. It is one thing to talk the talk but another thing to walk the walk and for me Obama is talking the talk and walking the walk in his belief of peace, equality and a genuine belief that all mankind are brothers and equal. This is not a sign of the anti-christ.
I can not deny that sometimes Obama comes off as arrogant but he is arrogant in a way that I can relate to (not condone - just relate to) not in the ways of the Ayatollah in Iran.
That person, that comes from the water in Revelations was not called the “anti-christ” and besides that, on some levels I am torn about Revelations - In the Bible when Jesus was asked by his disciples when all of this would take place, Jesus said something like this generation will not pass… (it is Matthew, Luke or one of those chapters, I do not have my Bible where it is highlighted). But the essence of that statement is that these things that were predicted would be actualized during that time period - and to a large extent they were.
On some levels the second coming could be viewed as Jesus raising from the dead - like I said I have mixed thoughts on the book of Revelations and when it takes/took place. Even his disciples were confused about Jesus because truth was they were expecting a different type of “savior” so the words Jesus spoke were hard to truly comprehend for some of those that followed him and are still confusing to most today.
I’m sorry I can only speak in the general because to locate specifics on the computer is time consuming - but I know what’s in there - I also know that you should not trust in your own understanding or the interpretations of mankind but ask “God’s” guidance in understanding the “Word” - I also know that you should not take “a” verse to back your beliefs - it’s about the totality of the “Word” as well as the “spirit” of the “Word” that makes it relevant.
I need to say this to you as well - for this is the way of discernment.
Matthew 24:4-5 states “Take heed that no man deceive you; For many shall come in my name, saying I am Christ, and shall deceive many.”
Clarity is important - “to come in his name” is different from “to come for his doctrines” - Coming in His name is important (Confessing Christ with your lips) but to deliver His doctrine is the ultimate!! It is the defining characteristic between the deceiver (or anti-Christ) and the real thing.
John 1, I believe, says in the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God…. And the word was made flesh.” Jesus is the Word that was made flesh and that makes he and his father one - for God is and Jesus is His Word therefore those carrying deeds and actions in accordance with the “Word” are not those with a deceiving mission.
John is my favorite book in the Bible - and I love me some Jesus!!!
What I get from you is that you decide an alternate interpretation of things and there is nothing anyone can say to change your mind. That is your opinion to hold and you are welcome to it.
I am however surprised that you so often try without basis in actual fact to say that things aren’t as they appear because your interpretation doesn’t allow for that.
Cheers and keep at ‘er!
Oh yes that bible truth; story’s about 900yo men who collect every animal on earth and put them on a boat. Sure bible truth. How the world is about 6thousand years old. Not the 4.5billion scientists would have us believe. Wow dude this is religious stuff why are you in US politics? Today.com is starting to remind me of Iran people trying to rationalize politics through religious eyes. Fantasy stuff if you ask me, I don’t have one good reason to believe the bible is anything but a book and I don’t understand what would compell an otherwise reasonable person to buy into that stuff in this day and age. I mean I really dont care what you post but if you want to post religious stuff then why not do it in a religion venue. Why polute the political area with religious posts? Are you evangelizing? Are you trying to save our souls?
OMG lol, dsent! You always know how to say just the right thing!
Judy, I’m not sure I truly understand what you are saying when you say: “What I get from you is that you decide an alternate interpretation of things and there is nothing anyone can say to change your mind. That is your opinion to hold and you are welcome to it.”
Without quoting straight from the Bible because like I said I do not have my Bible with me, there are some things I remember clearly from the Bible - which I read some years ago from cover to cover in the space of a couple of months as opposed to the way they do it in Bible study skipping around from one book to the other. At the time that I read it, I was on a mission, I needed to understand - I prayed to understand and me, the Bible and Webster’s Dictionary, which incidentally has a “biblical definition” on many of it’s pages, went on a journey of understanding.
Prior to the ugliness that happened in my life that led me to understanding the Bible, I had attempted to read it many, many times before but I could not grasp the meaning because of the different way of the dialogue (ye, thee, leadeth etc.) but this time the Lord saw fit to give me understand.
Everything that I spoke to in my post and comments on this page are things that are said in the Bible and if I took the time to find the scripture you would see I did not misinterpret - Things like Revelations and the “Second Coming” may be based strongly on “my opinion” and I know that (however Jesus did say “this generation will not pass…) - like I said I have mixed ideas about Revelations (I think it already happened - yet to some degree it happens in each of our lives but I can’t get into that here).
dssent would have you believe that if it is not scientific it is not relevent but science is just that - a study of any given situation based on some fact, some assumption and some theory that can be true for today (until other scientific data comes to light) but proven wrong tomorrow. Whereas God’s Word was relevant then and now with many of the laws in place in this country being based on (even the seven year debt forgiveness) to this day.
I do not attempt to brow beat anybody into believing as I believe because I know that ultimately, I stand alone in the judgement due me and I could be wrong but I only try to save my own soul by being truthful in sight and understanding to my beliefs, my opinions, if you will, and I will attempt to share those opinions if for no other reason than to hopefully show another perspective on a given situation - in the end you believe what you believe and I will continue to believe as I believe unless you convincingly show me where I have erred.
Either way I know that my God is with me, guiding me and though some hate me and pass judgment on me, that hate and judgment does not change me or inhibit me because I believe I am on the right path and I feel comfortable with who I am.
May you find peace, comfort and love in your beliefs as I have in mine!!!
Read my comment here, then you will recognize why that is all I have to say on religion. Nothing else period. http://nakedemperor.today.com/2009/07/05/christian-mullah%e2%80%99s-invade-todaycom/
As for the comment about an alternate interpretation, look back at the bulk of your comments. You judge by blind faith alone, the masses do not. No one should be told that the beliefs they have are right or wrong, they just are. You going on blind faith trying to always twist the arms of the many into believing with no other proof than your blind faith based ‘wisdom’… Just leaves me often a scratchin’ me ‘ead…
Oh by the way, I hate no one :0)
whatever
Everyone has an opinion…as the saying goes. Truth2u has an opinion and I enjoy reading others perspective. As for Obama being the “anti-christ”..that is absolute bs. I’m agnostic so I can’t really speak for any Christians but to believe that…well…they do believe in a book written by men.
I don’t care about Obama’s policies so far, but I do not hate the man. I just started blogging and wish I would had been blogging when Bush was President. I didn’t like him running up the defecit or getting us into Iraq. I also didn’t like the Patriot Act (well, parts of it).
Truth2u, post whatever you like, inject your opinion into whatever you like. Its your right and don’t let anyone hold you back. That’s what the 1st Amendment is for and if someone tries to take that away, the 2nd Amendment will cover you!
That is what I said, the same as scotty… knock yourself out. I just added for you to not bother evangelizing to those that do not have the reason to hang on to it.
For basic information sake, I have a close friend that is a nun. She once told me that in the Roman Catholic Church, it has become recognized that religion only applies to those that need it. This is a sweepingly large statement. Think about it.