"I am who I am" wants you to be who you are.
Hello Observer,
I didn't read every word of the "infidels" link you posted, but I did notice this...
"I recollect not a single passage in all the writings ascribed to the men called apostles, that conveys any idea of what God is".
Acts 17:24
"The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in shrines" (church buildings/temples, worship centers).
That is the most forthright and accurate explanation/description of the creator I have ever heard.
What I'm going to write here is completely contrary to conventional wisdom, but, no doubt, will be more easily understood by you and all who have resisted mankinds' "moneychanger" empire and the feeble "mammon" explanations of the creator.
It may be overly cynical of me to say that NO pastor would agree with what I am about to say (because it would destroy their livelihood/put them out of business) and that churchgoers would also be reluctant to agree with my unconventional views(because it would destroy their 'empire of fame', but there is a SECOND (deeper) message in scripture ("depths of God", 1 Corinthians 2:10) for all the sincere who reject "mammon".
It makes sense to believe that the creator would send someone in His name to purify us. It is not only the GOSPEL that identifies who this messiah/savior is, there are also dozens of old testament prophecies about the activities of this messiah (but enough with the identity of the messiah, if you will ever agree, it will be of the creator's convincing, not mine).
Contrary to what the world has always believed, the "bible" (word not found in scripture) is NOT the "word of God". The bible CONTAINS many words that God spoke up until 2000 years ago. We are to live by every word that PRESENTLY proceeds from God's mouth and "Hear His voice" (John 10:27). The bible is the INTRODUCTORY doctrine (Hebrews 6:1) that is correctly called "the word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15, Ephesians 1:13). Just about now, you are beginning to understand why roughly 95% of the world's population would crucify me or villify me as a demon for saying that the bible is the "word of truth", yet, it's all in plain black and white. The true understanding about the creator requires that you first reject/forsake mammon (and you certainly have done that).
The next logical question would be "Then, what is the word of God?"...
Ephesians 6:17
"the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God".
Right is right and wrong is wrong AND NEVER THE TWAIN SHALL MEET. This is no secret, but few people actually FEEL (attitude) this way and live this way. Many people add excuses like "Well, sometimes there is a NECESSARY EVIL" or "What I did is only NAUGTHY" or "It's only SNEAKY", etc., but not many people make a CLEAR division (as a "sword" would) between right and wrong so that there is no middle ground ("no variation or shadow", James 1:17) so that the change from right to wrong is clear and abrupt. People who have a peaceful and just character/SPIRIT make the clear division between right and wrong (God's spirit can "indwell") because they have been transformed by the renewal of their MIND (Romans 12:2).
Originally, Jesus devotion was called "THE WAY" (I believe the only references to this are in ACTS, but Jesus also says in John 14:6 "I am THE WAY,...")...
Acts 24:22
"But Felix (a Roman official), having a rather accurate knowledge of THE WAY,..."
Acts 11:26
"in Antioch the disciples were for the first time called Christians".
It was probably Roman slang meant out of disrespect/mockery for "Jesus devotion" that the name "Christianity" came into use (or is it to be supposed that God wanted a new DELUXE name?), but Jesus said "I am THE WAY".
It is also universally believed by "Christians" that the bible is "the final authority", but Jesus said that...
Matthew 28:18
"ALL AUTHORITY in heaven and earth has been given to me".
Christians like to fear God and believe that He is a "punisher" (and somehow also love Him at the same time...Christian logic). Reprobate unbelievers should learn to fear not knowing God (it is the BEGINNING of wisdom), but once we come to know God, our love for Him should be made PERFECT...
1 John 4:18
"perfect love casts out fear".
God tells us to love Him with ALL our heart, soul, mind, and strength (leaving no room for fear, Mark 12:30). In speaking of those who worship by using their lips (publicly, buildings/worship centers), God says that fearing Him is a commandment of MAN...
Isaiah 29:13
"And the Lord said: "Because this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment of men learned by rote (routine).
The "moneychanger empire" needs to maintain the FEAR of God so that churchgoers will continue to pursue 'Godworthiness' and GIVE MONEY and time/effort/"work". The ONLY "works" that we should do are to let the "works OF GOD" be sufficient for us...
John 6:28
"Then they said to him, "What must we do, to be doing the works of God?"
John 9:3
"that the works of God might be made manifest in"...us.
Yes, the works that God did by sending His son are completely sufficient for me (and are made MANIFEST IN me). Jesus built the new temple in HIS BODY (the OUTER temple) and by His spirit, we are the INNER temple.
John 2:19
"three days I will raise it up"....verse 21 "He spoke of the temple of His body".
1 Corinthians 3:16
"Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?".
1 Corinthians 6:19
"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you...".
In order to maintain the fear necessary for the "moneychanger empire", the abolition of laws, rules, COMMANDS/COMMANDMENTS, guidelines, obligations, and requirements must remain a secret. And the notion that there is an "OUTSIDE" ENEMY who CAUSES EVIL (we like that because it removes personal responsibility, this is why "lawlessness" remains a "MYSTERY", 2 Thess. 2:7) that we need "moneychanger" protection from,...is what has kept the "strong delusion" so strong all throughout history. Humanity (not just "Christianity") has never wanted to see the truth of God (who is 666?...we are). Humanity has always laid claim to the 3 dispensations/gifts of God (creation, salvation, holiness) as though we (the 6th day creation) are independent of Him (3 sixes is not the number of a "new creation", it is the number of the 6th day creation, Revelation 13:18).
God gives us so much good advice (wise counsel) and insight into the human mind and human nature, but humanity rather see "commandments", requirements, and obligations of a "MASTER"/taskmaster instead of the wise counsel of "Abba Father" (DEAR Father) and be slave/servant instead of "FRIEND of God"
Romans 8:15
"For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the spirit of sonship. When we cry, "Abba! Father!"...".
James 2:23
"Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness"; and he was called the friend of God".
The bible serves well to identify the savior who was sent by the creator and is good for "TRAINING" (self discipline righteousness, 2 Timothy 3:16), but true Godliness means having a 2 way relationship with Him (Colossians 2:9) so that He knows each of us PERSONALLY (with all of our idiosyncracies, habits, misgivings, etc., He "yearns jealously", James 4:5) and living under the "law of liberty" James 1:25 and 2:12) so that we REST IN THE LORD (and be bored, we have to solve the 'bored' part ourselves).
The reason "Christian" logic doesn't work well is that the teaching that we should reject/deny "SELF" (our persona) is dehumanizing. God warns/CAUTIONS against "self abasement" (Colossians 2:18), but humanity doesn't want to hear good things about God, humanity has always INTERPRETED (don't "interpret", UNDERSTAND the will of God, Ephesians 5:17) scripture to mean something different from what God is actually saying (moneychanger and fame empire bias).
WE are 666.
(from the movie "Ten Little Indians"...That there is a devil, there is no doubt, but is he within us, or is he without?).
God is integral with all. The bible identifies who the savior is, but after that, we need no spiritual teachers, just acknowledge that we are His offspring and also COMMON SENSE...
1 John 2:27
"and you have no need that any one should teach you; as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true".
1 Corinthians 15:45....IN THE KJV.
"the last Adam [was made] a quickening spirit. (other versions say "life giving spirit").
All verses unless otherwise noted are from the RSV.