tdion, the bible does state we we're made in God's image, But if you were to look at my face would that give you a full image of who I am? I think not! Because we have to find out what is in a person beyond they're looks, or what or eyes first see. What is at a person's core, inside there mind. What they like to eat, ware, work ethic, thing they like and dislike etc etc. That's how I find out the image of any one person. God is all things my friend. The fact you tdion asked that question tells me you are already apart of God and all that God has to offer. You are in God's image.

How do I know what my mingle2 profile page address is so I can put a link to it on another web site?

It's me again Tom. PapasFunFactory here.
Another of your quotes Tom "A God that put all of existence into reality. Created the heavens and the Earth. A God that is able to create everything from nothing. This God, able to do all that, MUST be able to govern its own creation. If not, Is it really God?
As it is, reality, I have a lot of trouble with some of the ideas that make up the foundation of my belief."

I get it Tom, I went through years of frustration not sure of squat when God/Christ and religion came up against my beliefs. Did I finally reach nirvana with God/Christ and religion? Nope, not yet because I‘m ever learning. But am I stable with it all…you betcha! That said I still check myself to make sure my stability with religion God/Christ at any given time are where I need to be. To make it simple I look at God/Christ like this. So he is able to do all and could also govern his own creation. The fact that he doesn't does not put him into question with me. He IS real and here's why? The creator God/Christ could have created us to do and live life just the way he would want. But then we would be mindless robots saying yes Sir, no Sir. He gave us free will and the freedom of choice to love him and take on his beliefs. That free will allows us the choice to sit back and look things over. To decide for our selves to love or not to love him because of his actions and what we see.

Is the good book the Bible the word, the one and only word and way? NOT!!! If you think Christianity is the only way to God/Christ and religion, think again! The path I chose is one of many roads that lead to the Cosmic Universal Power of God/Christ. I added a sprinkling of a few other things I‘ve picked up along the way.

The Bible has been translated from the original Hebrew language so many times over centuries. Because there were no books back then (at least not in the way or to the amount we have today), how do we know the scribes wrote it all down word for word without adding a little of their own flair? We know that the Hebrew language and English language do not translate word for word either. Most other languages to English do not as well. But the book does have some core writings within that just make since. Like free will or do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Those two sayings for me above all make the most sense! Those sayings work even if God/Christ were to cease to exist. I still want free will and do unto others in my life. There are things in the Bible that let me know God and his core beliefs are real.
Knowing I was given the fundamental right of free will and the ability to choose is huge. Some religious beliefs countries and religions tell you who and what to believe.
I have robots, gadgets and other electronics around my house that I put batteries in so they’ll do what I program them to. Now how is that love, they don’t love me they do what they’re told. Thank freedom of religion and my country that I get to choose! And thank God/Christ for the free will to make that choice. Because God doesn‘t do everything for me is why I love him. I get to see the fruits of my labor for working with him and the understanding of why I do so.

Tom, wouldn’t you rather see the whole of your subjects all around you because of your actions, your acts of love for them and all they‘ll give in return? Or would you rather see the mindless robots you’ve created that have no soul follow you because they’re told to. They don’t love you, they’re told to. They don’t worship you because you‘re one cool dude, they’re told to. Even if you were to pick a partner. She wont love you because you’re better than the other choices, she’s there because she has no soul and she’s told to. How boring is that. She wont do anything because she made her choice for you or appreciates you, she has no soul she was told to. She listens but doesn’t hear you. Even if she wont talk back, that’s not a choice I’d want. I can go buy a sex doll if that’s all I want from life.

It’s OK to question anything and everything about God/Christ and the beliefs therein. That’s how we learn and understand. Through our learning we can discern who is and is not a false profit, false preacher, false pastor or any cracks within God‘s/Christ‘s core teachings.

“Where do you draw the line?
At what point do YOU try to interpret the mind of God?
What gives you the authority?”

Where do you draw the line?
Where ever you feel the line stops at and works best for you, everybody has a different idea of what that is. With open communications we’ll all know where each others is and respect it.

At what point do YOU try to interpret the mind of God?
No one can interpret the mind of God. But to the best of our ability we can and should try to understand the word that was given and written. We should sift through what words are his, what words are mans and what makes sense to our minds of what we read.

What gives you the authority?
We all have that authority! He gave it to each and every one of us through free will and freedom of choice, his love.

I hope this helps buddy.
Again I thank you Tom4Uhere for a captivating read.

For me, even when God makes it rain the Son is always shining.

God bless you my friend, God bless.

Hey Tom, PapasFunFactory here. First off, thank you for this posting. I like reading things that make me think.

Your quote - "I as a lowly man, know if I do not want my children playing with something, I put it out of their reach. It only makes sense, right?"

For me I think most things we individually believe or choose in life are on a case by case basis. That said I feel if you take something out of ones reach you take it away from their ability to learn from what ever it is. I think we learn from hands on experience. Whether experimenting or discovering ones own body in private. Or learning about other things throughout life in public or with guidance be that guidance from a friend, college, parent, adult, instructor, instruction sheet/video or even monkey see monkey do. All things available to us through learning have unanticipated consequences that’s why it’s called learning. Some unanticipated consequences are inconclusive outcome, death or maiming, but can include accomplishment, gratification or satisfaction as well. If all things are not available to us for learning then we block parts of our learning leaving us open to misunderstandings one to another. In my book these misunderstandings are where and why we are as a society today.

Another quote you said Tom "If there is a choice to obey society or not, that choice is a personal conviction to adhere to society's rules.
Inner belief is not a choice as much as it is an imperative to 'being'."

To think there is a choice to obey society but feeling belief is not a choice cannot be. I think belief is also a choice or we would not have groups and individuals such as; Jews for Christ, Catholics and Lutherans, Atheism or myself who was raised Baptist and am now a Universal Spiritualist Christian. That goes for anything else that are our beliefs in life. I chose to change my religious beliefs away from what I was raised. Also, everything there is to me and my choices/beliefs in life are subject to change at any time for I never stop learning. When people hear my religious beliefs they say you can't be a Universal Spiritualist and a Christian, the two don't mix! For me the two do mix. As Darwinism and Christianity together also work for me. My belief that I come from a power greater than myself and years of soul searching have lead my thinking about life to be where it is at this time. I'm an open book that has no ending chapter until I expire. Even then I think my soul goes on and goes on learning. Everything in my life are choices that become my beliefs.

Again, thank you for your post Tom4Uhere. A thought engaging read Sir.