Matthew 6:24

[tingkagol]

i really agree on this.. i really don't understand what's their real goal in life... because if you try to look it in our perspective, they isolated themselves from anybody else... i dunno what's your opinion in this... they're not that open to others, though they always spread their faith... they're kinda already dominant here in cebu... they have a very strong faith the same way the muslims have theirs...

for me, since am not that enlighted yet... i really don't see any significance on this matter... it's like some old fashioned way of living that isolates them from the rest of the modern day people and ideology...

I wouldn't say it's "old-fashioned" living, more like living a misconception. Ideally, when a religion says "spread the good news", it actually means spreading it to all people who walk the earth, regardless of differences, and by doing so, by exuding your religion's goodness and ideals, maybe outsiders will want to convert to your faith, making your congregation grow in the process.

However, nowadays it only seems to mean "spread the good news amongst yourselves", saving yourself the headache of converting outsiders who are already members of other established ideologies, concentrating all your strength to your own members and to people who are already willing to convert to your faith. As to why they do that, probably from fears of having their own members "poisoned" by the outsiders' philosophies, etc. It's all about self-preservation in my opinion.

[prukutung]

in that case then the term "self-preservation" is evident on their belief that it's illegal to marry someone outside their faith... even though we're both christians (they don't consider we catholics as christians though, they have their own reason and explanation, but their stand is not like Pein's, if you're familiar with him)...

following your statement based on my understanding, when outsiders marry one of them, the outsider, converted or not, might tend to influence the resident one to change course or weaken her faith... then in that way i can agree on your term "self-preservation"...

but i can't affirm that they only focused their faith among themselves, they conduct weekly(?) tasks wandering around and spreading their word (it's a must, and their preaching hours is recorded and will be reported, individual).. but in a passive way not like those noisy sects in the sidewalks using megaphones and etc... IMO they need not worry upon themselves anymore because they're confident that everybody on their grounds have strong faith.. as what she manifested... if one of them astrays, then it's understandable that he/she abandoned their faith, and will be disfellowed... they all know that... so as of now they're spreading themselves fishing out those individuals who have weak, troubled faith...

so aside the given verse, is there any other biblical passages that says not to marry other individual outside their doctrine?

and bdway, i ain't a god of wealth or anything... am not even rich... she just pointed me out this verse...

[tikud]

@TS prukutung:
Before both of you decides on what would be the faith of your relationship, ask her this simple question:
If ever you two break up your relationship ... matawag ba na nga GABA or PAG-SULAY lang sa Guinoo.

[prukutung]

we broke up already....


if GABA.. she can readily answer that... her favorite dog died around months ago...

if PAGSULAY... she already commited a sin.. it's absolute for her... the test is over...

[tingkagol]

Good for you. Move on with your life and good luck.

[Existanz]

"No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon."

Hehehe...it simply mean that we should not trust people who heads a large congregation of religious sect while at the same time wants to run for a sit in the government office (a good reminder for this coming election).

You're girlfriend got it all wrong in using those verse to dumped you...maybe it was just an excuse from too much family pressure on her side...

Same with me, I was planning to die quietly without religion murmuring something in my grave, but then I meet my over zealous catholic wife- there goes my 'principle' down the drain hehe...its not so baddd..considering what King-Emperor Edward VIII did to be with his wife (man, history repeat itself since from Eve).

well, if you love her you could always 'convert and repent later'..hehe...(nahh..just joking seriouly).

[cptn_star]

she pointed out this verse as some sort of analogy...

honestly, she's having a hard time trying to explain to me everything... that at one point to simplify things out she simply said it's all about her family....

i really can't digest biblical/theological/whatever explanations so easily... for me they're all impractical... like any other else, my only objective in life is to be good to others... that's it...
i believe faith is important because it helps you become a better person.. but too much of it i believe isolates you from the rest of the world...

@Malic,

yes she did once but i kinda refused... one reason was that they're too complicated and it won't fit my lifestyle... i'm entirely her opposite.. and since the start what bind us was the common mutual relationship we felt for each other... and since we're on we adjusted to each other... i changed my usual lousy/untidy lifestyle, i even managed to suppress my verbal insensitivity, since she can't stand hearing a single bad word... in return she always tried to understand me...

i understand now what you're pointing out... but based on your explanation (and james'), i agree that it really have nothing to do about a relationship... but as i said, this might be her some sort of little way to make me understand...

this, i guess, is the root of it...lisod jd kng di mo magkasinabot especially in terms of faith...

[prukutung]

wa man koi problem if faith lang ang issue.. kai ever since we started I always understood her the same way she understood me.. so basically we cancel out our differences, though there are times nga magSermon na siya and i'm usually open to it... there are times pud nga muabot mi ug usa ka argument similar ani but in the end we will just neglect it and accept ourselves as of who we are... it aint affect our love and everything, as long as we keep on neglecting it....

that's it, if we just keep on neglecting it...

[cptn_star]

mao gani...gineglect man ninyo so the problem gets piled up all the more..

[prukutung]

yah... i admit mao na ang nahitabo...