Vickilynn

Hi Vickilynn, Perhaps we should try and keep each thread separated. For myself, again my weak conscience is showing, but I do find it highly offensive when someone drags things from thread to thread. Shalom Richard, I am sorry that you are offended and I have not intentionally offended you. Let me explain. When we have topics that over-lap sometimes it is helpful to put the threads in perspective by relating them to one another. When we have the SAME people railing against one thing in one thread and then turning around and DOING that behavior which they rail against in aother thread, I believe that needs to be brought out and exposed for BOTH threads' sake. I would not offend you for the world, so I will do my best to refrain from offending you in the future. Please forgive me.

Jackie has tried VERY hard to find things that are not there and coming to wrong judgements, and attacking and condemning us based on how she has created us to be in her mind. I am guessing she never answered this and never will. (I have her on ignore) I really think she WANTS to believe us to be telling her she cant wear pants, or etc., etc. She argues based on that, except...NONE of us have said that! Shalom Emily Anne. You have that correct. And that is a continuing source of misconceptions and perpetuating arguments. The ignore feature is very helpful BTW, I pray that more people use it rather than continuing in personal problems.

Shalom Emily Anne, AMEN and AMEN Sister!!

Shalom, I also WONDER how some of the same people that are condemning playing the Lotto and calling it sin when the Bible does not are being the "Legalists" they are condemning in THIS thread. If someone rails against so-called legalists for pushing THEIR personal views on others, and then turn around and do it themselves (for example playing Lotto), they are worse than legalists in my book, they are hypocrites.

Shalom Bibs, Only seeing your reply, but it's am excellent one. You are so right on and Scripturally-based about this. I wonder at the arguments. No need to wonder. I posted my 'argument' against this just up a couple posts. I don't know if jackie has another answer but this is my feeling on the subject. I believe it is also scripturally based. Your results may vary... Shalom Red, I wasn't addressing you at all, but Bibs' reply to an argument and THAT is what I'm wondering, not about you. I believe the Scriptures and comments posted by Bibs are correct. Your results may vary. I've read your posts, but I don't agree. Simple as that. There's nothing wrong with differing views. The problem comes in when they are attached to personal attacks, which is why some people ignore other's posts.

Shalom Bibs, Only seeing your reply, but it's am excellent one. You are so right on and Scripturally-based about this. I wonder at the arguments.

Alright now LadyC, them there's fightin' words meet ya out back with a big stick in my hand! My thread...leave Starbucks out of it! Shalom Ddddddddavid, Now we know why you stutter! I'd bet on it!

Shalom Bibs, The whole article here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mark-joseph/...mo_b_88451.html Larry Norman, the most amazing artist you've never heard of has died. I found Norman's 1976 record "Only Visiting This Planet" on vinyl when I was a kid and was amazed at Norman's creative genius-later I wrote a chapter on him in my book The Rock & Roll Rebellion. Norman will be mentioned in obits as the Father of Christian Rock, but that's a misunderstanding of who he was. Someone once said "I'm too saved for the Sinners and the Saved don't want me around" and that best described Norman's amazing life and career. He first cracked the pop charts in the late 60's with his band People and their smash hit "I Love You," but became disgruntled when Capitol Records wouldn't let him call his album "We Need A Whole Lot More Jesus and A Lot Less Rock & Roll" and put a painting of his Master on the cover. That led Norman to quit the band and go solo, recording for MGM Records, but they too tired of his religious imagery and Norman soon formed his own label, Solid Rock Records. The Christian world was freaked out by the blond hippie and had little use for his music and despite his association with the term "Christian Rock" he was always an outsider and always strived to make his records for everybody. While Christian Rock is sometimes assailed as formulaic and derivative, Norman was anything but and his admirers included Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan, The Pixies, Van Morrison, John Mellencamp and Sammy Davis, Jr. among others. Martin Luther, no slouch of a songwriter himself once said "Why should the Devil have all the good tunes," and Norman took that line and wrote a memorable song "Why Should the Devil Have All The Good Music" which included these lines: "I want the people to know that He saved my soul but I still like to listen to the radio/They say rock and roll is wrong give you one more chance/I say I feel so good I gotta get up and dance/There's nothing wrong with playing blues licks/If you gotta reason tell me to my face/Why should the Devil have all the good music" Norman further alienated many churchgoers with his song "Why Don't You Look Into Jesus" which went: "Gonorrhea on Valentine's Day/You're still looking for the perfect lay/You think rock and roll will set you free/But honey you'll be dead before you're 33" And only the eclectic Larry Norman could write a song about his Master Jesus, comparing him to a U.F.O. and singing this memorable line: "If there's life on other planets than I'm sure that He must know and He's been there once already and has died to save their souls" Norman gave the world one last gift as he lay dying dictating these words shortly before his heart gave out. Who wouldn't want to go out like this? "I feel like a prize in a box of cracker jacks with God's hand reaching down to pick me up. I have been under medical care for months. My wounds are getting bigger. I have trouble breathing. I am ready to fly home... I won't be here much longer. I can't do anything about it. My heart is too weak. I want to say goodbye to everyone...My plan is to be buried in a simple pine box with some flowers inside... I want to say I love you. I'd like to push back the darkness with my bravest effort...Goodbye, farewell, we'll meet again Somewhere beyond the sky. I pray that you will stay with God. Goodbye, my friends, goodbye."

Shalom Emily Anne, 2 Thessalonians 3:13-16 13As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good. 14 If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed. 15 Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.

Shalom Yod, Oh, you mean like telling people that if they gamble they are sinning? Yeah, I see your point. Oh, that's another thread, my bad!

Shalom LadyC, As an aside, I've never been to Hooter's and really have no desire to, but I've heard it's not very family-oriented, more like a topless bar. I find it interesting that you say it's not like that. Still don't wanna go though!

Shalom LadyC, Right! Too many old "mob" movies?

Shalom Smalcald, Seriously, you are over-dramatizing this. I'm really surprised. You don't usually go overboard like this. Anyway, your comments about Hooters are nothing but Straw Man arguments. Please, let's discuss this maturely. that is your OPINION and FWIW, I hold a different one. You don't have the right to push your opinions on everyone else since this is not a Scriptural command, but your personal choices. I do not believe playing the state education lottery has anything to do with our culture and YES, it is a choice, simple as that. You are again making ridiculous Straw Man arguments. NO. As Christians, we are NOT defined by our culture. We are defined by our lives for Jesus, your judgment of them notwithstanding. Your statements have never been said in this thread, except by you. Please stop inventing arguments and arguing them! No one ever said this. We are talking state lottery tickets dude. As for your ranting about culture and the "mob" (like you know! ) that's not even what this thread is about. You are just going off on a tangent. Let's look at the Op again, shall we? It's about STATE EDUCATION LOTTERY. Not restaurants and not casinos and certainly not our culture. We need to stick to the topic.

Shalom, A good article here: What Is Legalism? Excerpt:

Shalom David, Yup. I believe I said the same thing. Although "Hooters" isn't my idea of a freedom that I would participate in.

Shalom Suzanne, Yes, there ARE many Biblical absolutes and they cannot be compromised. We, as Christians, must be willing to die for these absolutes and the essentials of our faith. However, there are other things that are not absolutes and that's where we get into personal convictions. Yes, I agree with you that there are those who throw stones and cry "Legalist" and "Pharisee" when people define absolutes and it is wrong. A legalist, in the purest term is one who believes the LAW of G-d is literal and is willing to stand up for it. That's not a bad thing at all. According to the dictionary a legalist is someone who "adheres strictly and literally to the law." In regards to the Word, you can call me a legalist any day because I believe the Word is G-d's Law and I seek to live it, literally. Oh, well then count me in, I'm a legalist too!!!! Shalom Emily Anne Somehow I knew you were! You've been missed around these parts, BTW!!

Shalom David, Actually, we pray about things and see what G-D says about them. We really don't live our lives by what other people say, but rather what G-d says. It's only "questionable" to those who have a problem with it. It's not "questionable" to everyone. AND, as I have said before, if I know that someone is offended by something that I am doing, even if I am not convinced that it is wrong, I WILL lay it down rather than offend someone, or cause them to stumble. There are people who refuse to do even that with other things, yet condemn lotteries. I believe we as Christians should lay down our convictions concerning freedom that causes a brother to stumble, otherwise that thing could be an idol. That includes drinking alcohol, playing Lotto, women wearing pants , etc.

Shalom Suzanne, Yes, there ARE many Biblical absolutes and they cannot be compromised. We, as Christians, must be willing to die for these absolutes and the essentials of our faith. However, there are other things that are not absolutes and that's where we get into personal convictions. Yes, I agree with you that there are those who throw stones and cry "Legalist" and "Pharisee" when people define absolutes and it is wrong. A legalist, in the purest term is one who believes the LAW of G-d is literal and is willing to stand up for it. That's not a bad thing at all. According to the dictionary a legalist is someone who "adheres strictly and literally to the law." In regards to the Word, you can call me a legalist any day because I believe the Word is G-d's Law and I seek to live it, literally.

Shalom Smalcald, I don't see that they are the same at all. Obviously, if you feel this strongly about it, YOU should avoid it. However, making that blanket decision for other Christians is not right, nor is it Biblical. Your views are for you, and you must allow others to have their differing views. It's not about the "culture" at all. It's about CHOICE. And FWIW, we live in NC and the ONLY ones who can sell legal liquor is the state! LOL! Yup, we live in an ABC state and they own all the liquor stores and the proceeds go to the state and I'm sure some of the profits end up in schools. So what? We don't drink, but if we did, there's nothing wring with our purchases being used to help our state's children. I'd rather it go that way than the proceeds going to fund other things such as abortion or homosexual agendas. I think you've over-stating this whole thing and making a wide, sweeping condemnation of our "culture" when it's simply the same as going to see a movie.

Shalom, Just to clarify, I believe the author states that we should be willing for die for what is IN the Bible (to me that means Jesus, the faith and the Gospel. I believe he is saying if you are not willing to die for Jesus, don't send $$ for Bibles, because the more Bibles we have the more CHRISTIANS we have, who will be martyred for the faith.

Shalom Bibs, Thank you!! I do believe though that he's talking about dying for the faith, the Gospel and for Jesus for he says>>>> He's not talking about dying for Bibles (as I read it), but rather for what is contained IN the Bible - our faith and our L-rd.

I hope that I am too, but if I was put to the test? I really hope that I would not fail the test! Shalom Afal, You raise a REALLY good point. We may not KNOW for sure until we are actually faced with the situation. We (like Eric and you) HOPE and PRAY we would be willing, but until we are walking it, we won't know. Look at Peter, he made some bold professions of what he would do for Jesus, but when it came down to it, he folded. However, did Jesus turn away from him? NO! Jesus forgave him and restored him and filled him with the Holy Spirit. The same goes for us. G-d knows our humanity. We pray that He would empower us and enable us to die for the Gospel if faced with that situation, that His Holy Spirit would work through us to do that, for I don't believe ANY of us could do it on our own, without the Holy Spirit. But, my point is, we need not fear. G-d will be with us and enable us to do what He calls us to do.