I suppose what everyone is saying is that ebay have worked to build their name and image, so it wont be fair for you to take advantage of this without any benefit to ebay, pecuniary or otherwise.

I'm afraid your argument does not hold water, when you compare naira.com to nairaland.
Naira is our legal tender, hence, no one single organisation may lay claim to any use of the term.
Except if the federal govt, for security reasons or otherwise, may decide that no businesses should use any name derived from the word 'naira'

To that end, I would agree with everyone else here that if you use your own trade name, and market your concept creatively, the only way is up.

Dont forget that before ebay, there were a few online eAuction sites.

@Goodguy
I suppose what everyone would like is a situation where there was no lucifer, and hence, no need for man to sin. However, this would also mean that we wont be really made in God's image.

Besides we should not ask 'why did God create lucifer', since luficer was created before man.

Shall we go deeper? I suspect you would say yes, but I believe that we need to carry others along. Hence, let us still keep it simple.

Now, let us understand that their were several Arch Angels in Heaven. God created the angels and attributed the highest position to Lucifer. Satan also had in his authority the government of the earth. These angels also had 'freewill'. It was out of freewill that Lucifer chose to sin. It was not God that made him do it!

A reason for his sin was that he wanted to take Gods place and rule the universe. Read Isaiah 14:12-15

A consequence of this sin was that he was cast down to earth and the heavenlies with a 3rd of the fallen angels.
Their existence on the earth led to earth being without form and void.


Hence, In the begining, 'Begining of Man's existence in flesh'(as opposed to the begining of the universe), the devil already existed on the earth. It was God's plan for man to regain dominion over the earth. God then created man in His image. Man's main purpose was to have dominion on this earth, using his freewill.
The 1st Man fell, just like the devil.
Again, It was not God that made him do it.

The overall plan is this , In order to choose God you must have another choice to turn down. God has created the entire earth, nature, and even our physical compostion such that it all points to this dichotomy; left/right. Light/dark, white/black, Good/Evil etc

Freewill:
-Some angels chose to fall
-Some Men are choosing right now to fall.

OmniScience:
-God, knowing this, has provided a way: Jesus Christ (Who Himself applied His freewill to our benefit)

God's omnipotence is evident in the fact that could have decided to destroy lucifer outright, even before the creation of Man. But then the main purpose of man's existence is for man to reject and effectually destroy satan and his works through Jesus Christ.

Therefore, I make bold to say that if lucifer was not in existence, then neither would mankind.

@Oluchia
My point of contention is that in the past, Christians refused to reason out of the box. They were simply content with saying 'its the word of God'. It was not until people started reasoning the issues out that you then had protestants, and Pentecostal reforms.

Hence, when someone asks, Is God omniscient?, and does man have free-will? , The person already knows its in the scriptures, but wishes to clarify seeming inconsistencies or conflict in both concepts.

Its our duty to rightly divide the word! Rather than re-state that which seems already obvious!

Why do you think the Lord rebuked the religious people of His day? They felt their actions and traditions were in the scripture, and refused to reason it out. (read Christ as the Lord of the Sabbath, others).

This said, I do appreciate your standpoint as well.

@oluchia
If we all carried on with your advise, then there wont be much advancement in the world. You simply couldnt convert a non christian by saying 'the bible says so'.

If you take time and study the origin of the bible, the early church, the middle ages, the dark ages,and the present time. You would realise that those who refused to reason together with God Isaiah 1:18 were usually the same people who insisted on following the word of God blindly. e.g. The world is flat. There were no dinosaurs, The earth was formed 10,000 years ago according to our biblical interpretation. The list goes on,

We have to reason together with God. Then we may recieve insight. God made the Christians, Muslims, Hindus and pagans alike. So just because one person was born a christain and finds it logical to become 'born again', does not mean a muslim or anyone else would easily find the same faith, especially when there is a lot of in fighting within this one body of Christ.

N.B.
Even Peter whom you quoted nearly missed the WAY, on few occassions (Read Galatians).

@ KDK asked:
where does God's pre-destination and omni-potence fit into all you said? Don't worry, I will be able to follow your line of discussion as you proceed.

Ans:
My point is that a better argument would be in terms of comparing God's Predsetination of Mankind. The scriptures tell us that some have been pre-destinated, called, pre-ordained before the foundations of the world. (Read Romans 8: 28-30)

If according to the scriptures, we have already been predestinated, then how can our free-will help us? There is a separate thread on this forum, where we are trying to determine if God is fair or not. Feel free to contribute to that.

Just a poser: If God, as the potter, has made some vessels unto honour, and other vessels unto dishonour. What say does the vessel have in the matter?

I suppose we need to first agree on a definition of religion:

A specific fundamental set of beliefs and practices generally agreed upon by a number of persons or sects: e.g. the Christian religion; the Buddhist religion, Islamic religion.

Furthermore, we need to identify if we are speaking of the same God.
Most Monotheistic religions already believe that their God has instructed a specific way which His true followers must relate with Him.
However other faiths have their gods who may not require a specific method of devotion.

I beleive however that these instructions have been grossly mis-interpreted by mankind.
Since we know that all the 3 main monotheistic religions have their root in the judaic God, and yet each of these religions differ in the way the instructions are applied, isnt it clear that its either mankind has missed the WAY completeley, or God has deliberately allowed us to miss it.

I personally believe that religion does not matter much to God. Least especially when it has consistently been subject to gross abuse, used as a tool for oppression and suppression. It has been the source of enduring hatred between people who would otherwise have been brothers. However, Jesus did mention that He came to bring Fathers against Sons and brothers against brothers, so what do you make of that?

"Do you suppose that I came to grant peace on earth? I tell you, no, but rather division; for from now on five members in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three.", (Luke 12:49,51-53 NASB)

Sister,
I would not call that a very illminating answer to my question. I believe the Lord expects us to reason before we conclude.

Now, in the light of the pointers in the scripture that I highlighted, why would you conclude that the Lord was fair?

@Goodguy, I'm not calling you a liar because I understand that you simply sent us a 'forwarded' mail. I also understand that these stories can encourage people, but I feel that God is not really about hype. He can do these things and has done many times in the past and present.

He probably saved the girl on the said event, but surely someone introduced the picture aspect just to 'glorify' the glorious Christ.

He is the King of Kings, The Lord of Lords. We dont really need miracles in our day. We just need to access the blessings already secured for us by his Life, Death and Resurrection.

So are you really saying to us that this girl saw a picture of an actor, or a painting by some artist who never saw Christ, and correctly identified the person as her saviour.

That must be a miracle that even the Lord will not take credit for.

We must know by now that most pictures or images of christ are anglo saxon origin, whereas Christ was JEWISH mediterranean, or BLACK.

The era of the dark ages sought to portray Christ as a white man, and as such Images showed Hiim with Blonde hair and blue eyes. Even if the Lord wasnt black, tell me how many Israelis you have seen with blonde hair/blue eys?

All the time I see people feeling the need to impress God and sometimes we circulate fibs on the internet and in Churches, of very 'miraculous' events and testimonies attributed to God. We must realise that if or when these things are proven to be false, Our lord looks bad, as if it was Him who sent us to lie for Him.
I believe in miracles, but I also believe that God doesnt need us to lie in order to glorify him. That's counter- productive and takes a few steps backwhen we should be marching onwards.

I seek the Lord and as we all know, he is unsearchable:
Here are just a few questions a good Christian who really seeks God should ponder:

Why would God state in the bible that Pharaoh was created just for destruction so that His glory on the earth will be revealed? Doesn't that mean that Pharaoh had no choice from his birth and therefore his free-will could not help him in this instance.

And God says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy. ” (Romans 9:14-16, NASB95)

Why are some people healed by faith and others are not, even though it appears they applied the same faith? Does this not subject the person who is not healed to a lack of belief in the word of God, which incidentally, as we are told, does not return void.

Why did God say: The older will serve the younger.” Just as it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.””(Romans 9:9-13, NASB95)

Again, “The Lord said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders which I have put in your power; but I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go. ” (Exodus 4:21, NASB95)

Good guy asked:
He already knows those that will receive the preachings at the end of the day. So why appoint pastors to preach the Word at all?

Ans:
You just answered the question. God appoints the pastor. But he doesnt force you to accept the preaching. Your freewill takes pre-eminence. Only those who willingly accept will make heaven. How is it God's fault simply because he for-knew these ones, For knowing is different from 'for-choosing'. There are other concepts that may well contradict mankind's free-will, viz;
God's Pre-destination, pre-determination, Pre-ordination, and even Omni-potence. But since no one is worried about these, then I wont complicate issues further.

But, on a more profound level, do we not know that we are spirit? If so, are we not simply returning to our source after this brief sojourn here on earth.

Do we not also know that spirits dont die? This is why there is talk of lake of fire, Hell, Hades, Heaven etc in the after-life.

Isnt it then possible that before the foundation of this world, we existed as spirit, and God decided to create a separation between the good, and the not so good spirits by creating out of eternity, a period called time - here on earth, so that we, as mankind, would make that ultimate decision of destination by ourselves.

Quote from: KDK on Yesterday at 11:25:47 PM
So what is the essence of the preachings we do if those that will make heaven are already known by God?

Ans:
It is those who receive the preachings and let the word effect their lives that would make it to Heaven. God knew these ones.

God is omniscient. Because he created and designed it all, It must mean that He knows it all.

Also, He has given man free-will. To make our choices during our sojourn here on earth. Our decisions will determine for us where we spend eternity.

Hence, even though God knows which of us will make it and who wont make, since we are not omniscient, its for us to use our free-will to determine where we end up.

God for-knowing where we end up does not mean that He is the one choosing our destination for us.

I doubt if God will reveal our final destination to us. Even His own son did not take God's omniscience for-granted. He (Jesus) worked out his own distiny by accepting the cross.

Its really that simple. but sometimes we choose to complicate things.

Do you have a website and portfolio for the SEIC Construction company?

I gather from your message that you do not wish to work 9-5. I am rather surprised that no one has asked you how you intend to get by while your business is in its infancy.
Many Naija's out here initially have great plans for running their own businesses. But a few years down the line they realise that they've been sucked into the system, which (regardless what anyone else here says) is designed to take back everything you have earned.

I would frankly advise you to consider working 9-5 initially. This will provide stability, while nursing whatever business you have decided upon. It also provides the seed money you need to start up you venture. When your biz proves a hit, then you can de-emphasize the 9-5 thing.

There is nothing as demoralising as working so hard on your little biz empire and frequently staring at huge unpaid bills, overdrafts and bank loans, while your fellow mates in IT do little or nothing at work but yet come away with £5-£10k earnings per month.