You're too quick to jump to conclusions AYFR. This is the biggest problem with Christians. They think there is only one way to interpret the bible. Any thing that sounds different than what their pastor teaches them has to be wrong.

The thing about the gifts. I do use my gifts, don't you think. My gifts have lead me to believe as I do now. Before I used them I had faith in God. Why would God give me a gift that destroys my faith? Just because I believe that true knowledge can not be taught by Rick Warren or anyone; what I believe is that true knowledge comes from learning by going to the source directly. I won't take Rick Warrens interpretation as my own, because it is not my own. I will not take Pat Robertsons as my own because it is not my own. I will not take the spin or bias of another who has studied a book that I can read myself.

Why should anyone trust the fate of their soul to someone elses interpretation? Because it feels right? In persuasion the goals is to make one feel. Because they know more than I do? Then fix that yourself. Go learn. Those who stake their soul blindly on the words of another are in my book lazy. Now I mean nothing bad to those who have read the bible, but you have to read it without preconcieved ideas. Look some will trust their soul to the words of another man who may or may not have your best interest at heart. Some very dirty things are done by men and pastors and preachers are no exception. I trust me. I don't have just a heartful of trust for someone who smile at me on sundays.