kodischild

I think WSB might have been a bit quick to judge on this one. We all grew up knowing you can't judge a book by its cover and all that. Apparently that is what he did anyway.

Hey! I think I know you. You're the guy who keeps all the gays from even wanting to know any Christians. Seriously, do you think that any homosexual is ever going to want to leave his/her lifestyle and become a Christian if they think this is how Christians think? I've said in other postings, and I will say again here, I have homosexual friends. One of them in particular wants to know God, she longs for the relationship with Christ that she had when she was a child. Her stumbling block is the fact that she feels hated by Christians. We as Christians ask her to give up a part of her identity, her culture, her relationship, the lifestyle she has been living for years. Yet instead of offering her the love of Christ to replace those things, we offer her judgement and fear. We ask the gays to give up their sin before coming to Christ, where we allow everyone else to come to Him first and be forgiven, then give up their sins with his power. I'm not saying it isn't a sin, but I am saying that if we consider it the unforgivable sin then we are never going to convince anyone to leave it.

Sounds like he has a custom made religion. That is a lot of levels of scary. You said that you are having trouble praying and reading the Bible since you got with him. It sounds like you are going to have to make a choice between your boyfriend and God. The sooner you choose God the less heartbreak there will be for both you and your boyfriend. It sounds like you have a good heart and you are trying to do the right thing. Don't let what you know is right go by the wayside because of "love." Because your love won't last without Christ at the center of the relationship, and it doesn't sound like your boyfriend wants to put Christ at the center.

But it DOESN'T teach the morality that Jesus taught. What did Jesus say? Matthew 5:18 - For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. And what does the LAW say? Leviticus 19:31 - Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God. Leviticus 20:6 - And the soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits, and after wizards, to go a whoring after them, I will even set my face against that soul, and will cut him off from among his people. Leviticus 20:27 - A man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with stones: their blood shall be upon them. Deuteronomy 18:11 - Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. Exodus 22:18 - Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. Deuteronomy 18:10 - There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch. Is it not true that these books portray diviners, sorcerers(sorceresses), witches and wizards as "Good" characters? If so, and it is, then I rest my case. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> If we are still discussing the Narnia books then no, it is not true that they portray the witches as the good characters. Witches and magicians are always the bad characters, and they always get what is coming to them.

Am I wrong? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> No, you aren't wrong that some people get a little carried away and end up driving other people away from God because of personal opinion. The example of the lady who said you will go to Hell for listening to the wrong music was a good example. However, whyso has a point, too. There are a lot of books and movies that lead people down the wrong path without the person even knowing that they are being misled. Some people are susceptible to different things and have to watch out for those things. I for one can't drink. I'd make a fine alcoholic, but I don't allow myself a single drink. I find that I have a problem with anyone drinking at all and find myself preaching at them even though I suppose drinking (in moderation) isn't wrong for everyone. I think that has direct bearing on the arguement being had here because what will lead one person wrong (in fantasy books/movies/games) will not affect another person the same way. But we seem to be looking at it in black and white where this might actually be a shade of gray question. (Wow! HOpe that didn't just open a can of worms.) All that being said.........we were discussing Narnia? Maybe the issue would be a bit less confusing if we wandered back to jus the Narnia books and discussed those.

When you feel depressed it is hard to feel God. When it is hard to feel God it is easy to feel depressed. The two things go hand in hand. But just because you can't feel him there next to you doesn't mean he isn't there. I try to think of it as a cloudy day, sometimes I can't see the sun but it is still there behind the clouds. When I was 18 I felt a lot like you do now. I walked away from God. I have come back since, but I am still dealing with the consequences of that choice. God forgives, but the consequences still belong to me because I chose them. I'll even admit that when I first walked away from God and started living my own life it felt pretty good. I was still doing the right thing in everyone's eyes, I was in control, it wasn't much different from where I had been before except that i didn't concentrate on God anymore. Only it turned out to be a bit like drugs. I started out just not loving God anymore, and that slowly turned into worse and worse things until I was into all kinds of things that I would have sworn I would never get into. Does that make sense? People don't start out homeless drug addicts, they start out with that first smoke or first huff. Deciding you don't need God anymore is like that first step. Ok, I'm not going to be able to describe the journey. I wish I could ask you to trust me that staying close to God is the only road to real true happiness and peace on earth as weel as the road to Heaven. But I don't think I can ask you to take my word for it. I will pray for you that something happens to make this easier for you and that you don't make any decisions that will affect the rest of your life.

There really are a lot of places where the Chronicles pattern themselves after the Bible. If you read almost everything that Lewis wrote he really had a talent for taking the Bible and bringing it down to a level that everyone can understand. When I first got my kids they were 6,8, and 9. They had never had a Christian background of any type, so when we took them to church they just didn't understand the vocabulary or the key ideas that they needed for church to make sense. Those of us who have been raised as Christians find, "Jesus died and rose for our sins" slipping off our tongues like it is obvious, only that is a strange concept the first time you hear it. Anyway, the kids didn't want to sit around and listen to Bible stories, and I didn't want to use the Bible as a punishment for them by making them sit there. They we started the Narnia Chronicles. They would sit and listen to me read those for hours at a time. Then at the end of the book I could open up with, "Wouldn't it be great if that were based on a true story? Well the fact is........" and then they actually asked to be read the Bible stories. Now, I'm not saying that anyone should use Narnia as a substitute Bible, but I am saying that I think Christian fantasy has an important role in opening up doors to people that might not be interested otherwise. I also think that Christian fiction is a good form of entertainment for those of us who are Christians. Personally, I'm going to read one way of the other. I find it wonderful that there is Christian fiction for me to read so I can learn/grow closer to God while I'm reading. I think I got way off topic there......what was the question again?

I have been wondering about tv's morals while I watch commercials in the middle of the day lately. There I am watching sitting with my kids watching a program when a movie preview with swearing in it comes on. Or when those horrible commercials for the men's body scent comes on. I know you have seen those commercials, they are pretty graphic. I think it is for Axe body spray, but I could be wrong. Anyway, my point is I'm scared to even let my kids near a tv if I'm not holding onto the remote. Even if I approve of the program they are watching, I can't be sure what else is going to be slipped in during the commercials. And I never let them watch the news without me in the room to discuss it with.

Animals also live in dog houses, poop in the yard, hike on trees, eat raw food, lick their own rear-ends instead of using toilet paper, and many other things. Wonder if homosexual people want to try those things too? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> No matter how politically correct the world gets I'm going to stick with shaking hands. I refuse to walk up to people and sniff their backsides to say hello.

What you are feeling is common to almost all teens. I felt the exact same way you do now when I was your age. Try not to take it personally. I'm sure when people discount your opinion because of your age it has a lot to with us remembering that we were geniuses at 13, and now we know how much we didn't know then.

Some people who live through it might still not know how you feel. Grief is a very individual thing and we don't all experience it the same way. Even the same person grieving for different people will experience it a different way. However, that doesn't mean we can't express love and try to support people in their grief.

I prefer smaller churches. I am just more comfortable with the closeness, and with knowing everyone. And I like to feel like I'm an important part of the church community. When I wen to a larger church it didn't matter if I didn't show up for a few weeks. Nobody would even notice my absence. I guess I need the encouragement of knowing that if I don't go to church snacks won't be served, or at least people will call and ask me if I am ok. I will say that I think larger churches who do home groups and small classes are a lot better than larger churches where people can get lost easily. I guess I am just biased. I go to church for social reasons. I figure I can sit home and watch a sermon, I can sing along to my music here, I can read my own Bible. What I go to church for is to have the Christian fellowship. I never feel like I get that in larger churches.