that both the Calvinists and the non-Calvinist here read the same bible, the same verses and yet end up almost diametrically opposed to each other?
Many in both camps are older believers, many have post-graduate degrees, many pastor churches, yet we see things so differently, and that from the same God and the same Gospel?
I think the reason is that there are some workings of God that we will never fully understand this side of glory.
But we know that God is good, just and righteous so we can have full faith that whatever the truth is, it's right.
:)
I wonder the same thing too Robert. I believe on thing is perspective on how you look at particular Bible passage. Another difference is how you interpret passages. Is this literal of figurative? Of course some of it is that there are things that God has not revealed to us, so there are going to be things(like the sovereignty of God vs man's free will) that we will never fully understand. We also have to make sure we look at all the Bible and not just parts. Some people over emphasize on portion at the expense of another. Hyper Calvinist for instance over emphasize God's sovereignty to the point that they deny human responsibility. To me, the same God that said we are chosen before the foundation of the world also commanded us to believe.
Though this will be a gross generalization, I believe the problem is the difference between indoctrination and education.
Both Calvinists and Arminians engage in indoctrination--hence the more Palagian-types and the hyper, non-missions types.
On the other hand, there are both Calvinists and Arminians who engage in good education.
And, as such, the educated Calvinists and the educated Arminians are much closer together.
One over-arching problem is a lack of biblical acumen in the general church population.
Most persons have a biblical acumen akin to "Noah built and arky-arky" than what would be a true biblical acumen.
That lack of acumen, coupled with no desire to study the deep things of God and His word lead to complacency so that even the once-educated turn out to be no better than the indoctrinated.
And if you have uneducated Pastors who grow fond of being dictators vs educated, you have sheeple only to glad to have the Pastor dictate doctrine. You must admit the problem becomes more complex.