Fez Posted March 27, 2012 Group: Royal Member Followers: 3 Topic Count: 683 Topics Per Day: 0.12 Content Count: 11,128 Content Per Day: 2.00 Reputation: 1,352 Days Won: 54 Joined: 02/03/2009 Status: Offline Birthday: 12/07/1952 Share Posted March 27, 2012 Are we more worried about being played or the fact that there are people out there that hate us and need saving? Mat 5:11 "Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Mat 5:12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Mat 5:13 "You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet. Mat 5:14 "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Mat 5:15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. Mat 5:16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. So, is this a wake up call for us? Maybe an attitude adjustment towards each other? I have just finished a home group discussion on Philippians. A good example on how the body should be acting. We need to look inward. The trolls and attacks will always be there, Jesus told us they will. But do we act like Jesus before, during and after a "discussion" among ourselves on almost any subject? I know I have been guilty of swapping the altar for the stage at times... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mizzdy Posted March 27, 2012 Group: Royal Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 173 Topics Per Day: 0.03 Content Count: 3,911 Content Per Day: 0.66 Reputation: 212 Days Won: 10 Joined: 03/21/2008 Status: Offline Share Posted March 27, 2012 Are we more worried about being played or the fact that there are people out there that hate us and need saving? Mat 5:11 "Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Mat 5:12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Mat 5:13 "You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet. Mat 5:14 "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Mat 5:15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. Mat 5:16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. So, is this a wake up call for us? Maybe an attitude adjustment towards each other? I have just finished a home group discussion on Philippians. A good example on how the body should be acting. We need to look inward. The trolls and attacks will always be there, Jesus told us they will. But do we act like Jesus before, during and after a "discussion" among ourselves on almost any subject? I know I have been guilty of swapping the altar for the stage at times... This is the center of so many problems! How many have ever sat and watched a bunch of Jewish men midrash? lol We could all learn a thing or two from them. They sit around and it looks like they are arguing, fighting, then they finished get up shake hands hug and know that not one of them is angry over their readings and opinions on scriptures havent been taken as the whole truth of Yahweh. People take themselves way too seriously when it comes to their understanding of the bible. I am thankful to be apart of a fellowship where we can disagree, and often we do see things a bit differently, but we still can sit down at the table and break bread together, worship and love Him as a family. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nebula Posted March 27, 2012 Group: Royal Member Followers: 10 Topic Count: 5,823 Topics Per Day: 0.75 Content Count: 45,870 Content Per Day: 5.95 Reputation: 1,897 Days Won: 83 Joined: 03/22/2003 Status: Offline Birthday: 11/19/1970 Share Posted March 27, 2012 Going back to the OP: Goodness, the way they are howling over there is remarkable. Hughsie - yes you were polite, but still your words testify you were here to mock us: I may not have the time to get into any proper atheistic discussion until next week, that will be the point where we see whether they are tolerant or not. I'm planning on making a thread about biblical attitudes towards women and gays. What does anyone think? And you were ring-leading the others over here: You need to stop thinking Lucradis. You need to become your Christian alter ego. To be honest I'm quite enjoying it. I've not had a single post deleted yet and everyone's been nice to me, even if they don't agree with me. I thought my thread on Biblical contradictions would have been deleted but it's doing quite well. I'm just still a little disappointed that I can't post in most of the sections. I woulda been interesting to post as an atheist in the more casual sections. There is a reason Non-Christians became restricted to one section of the Board. When non-believers entered a thread, the thread rapidly veered off the topic and became yet another debate on the existence of God. It benefited no one. If debating the existence of God and Christian beliefs concerning controversial issues (evolution, homosexuality) are the only things you all end up discussing, what difference does it make? lucradis - In reading you posts, I am reminded of the expression, "Would you like a little cheese with that whine?" Really, what do you gain or lose by being here or not being here? Why declare war on us? I am going to open a thread reviewing them, and intend to do this for every Christian site I can find. I want to recruit Hughsie and Erx. Continue the three man tradition. Kc too, if he wants but he seems to have a harder time looking into the abyss then the rest of us. We're more used to it I guess lol. One man H, goes in full atheist, one me, moderate christian, and one E that goes in full preacher mode. It's the only way to get the full story with these people as they are very restrictive to members by nature it seems. ** the only reason I signed up at the uber happy worthy forum was because Hugshie reported not having access to the rest of the forum due to his unbeliever status. I don't know what you are angry about deep inside, but taking your bitterness against rules and authority out on others isn't the way to handle it. (Yes, I know you are going to howl an mock me for saying this, but it doesn't take a psychologist to discern you have anger and resentment in you.) kingschosen - You were included in the ban for reasons such as this: Not really going to assault, but yeah, I can be as brash as I want to be with them. Why? Because I am one of them! For someone boasting of being the better Christian, you sure are reacting like a non-believer. Please take care of that log in your eye first, will you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gdemoss Posted March 27, 2012 Group: Royal Member Followers: 8 Topic Count: 59 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 4,402 Content Per Day: 0.99 Reputation: 2,154 Days Won: 28 Joined: 02/10/2012 Status: Offline Birthday: 04/26/1971 Share Posted March 27, 2012 As long as Christians continue believing that they cannot stop sinning or be like Jesus Christ, they will live out their faith and others will continue to see the infighting and debate, using it as an excuse to not believe. The end times church (us) has been label by God himself in his word to be just as others accuse us of being many times. 1This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 6For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, 7Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 8Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. 9But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was. God woke me up one day and told me that I was headed in this direction and needed to repent. In the church, the bible teaches that we will have dogs who lick up their own vomit, pigs who go back and wallow in the mud, the concision, evil workers etc. We are warned that the quickest place we will be betrayed is when we break bread together as Judas betrayed our Lord. As the Corinthian church was told that there must be heresies among them that they that are approved should show. Not to mention that their are tares growing up with the wheat. And knowing all of this, we are to love one another as Jesus loved us. Laying down our lives for one another. We are to be leaders and not rulers like the unbelieving gentiles. But we must be careful and walk circumspectly as our perils will be rejected and the swine will turn and rend us. We must though much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God but it is each of our choice what role we play in the church. In a great house there are vessels unto honor and unto dishonor. God the Father is the potter. Let us pray that each of us is molded in Jesus image rather than a counterfeit. In Jesus Name, Gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nebula Posted March 27, 2012 Group: Royal Member Followers: 10 Topic Count: 5,823 Topics Per Day: 0.75 Content Count: 45,870 Content Per Day: 5.95 Reputation: 1,897 Days Won: 83 Joined: 03/22/2003 Status: Offline Birthday: 11/19/1970 Share Posted March 27, 2012 LOL - now that I just painted a target on myself... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fez Posted March 27, 2012 Group: Royal Member Followers: 3 Topic Count: 683 Topics Per Day: 0.12 Content Count: 11,128 Content Per Day: 2.00 Reputation: 1,352 Days Won: 54 Joined: 02/03/2009 Status: Offline Birthday: 12/07/1952 Share Posted March 27, 2012 LOL - now that I just painted a target on myself... We all got one of those in this fallen world! The trick is not to shoot ourselves.......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Believer1997 Posted March 27, 2012 Group: Royal Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 66 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 6,363 Content Per Day: 1.12 Reputation: 119 Days Won: 9 Joined: 11/07/2008 Status: Offline Share Posted March 27, 2012 My heart aches to think of people who are so sure... so certain that they are all 'there is'.... what a sad and frightening life to be living. I feel that each day, I gird my loins and put the full armor of God on to deal with some of the challenges I face. People who have no morals, no scruples, and more important to my heart - the people who do want to have some faith and just need reinforcement of their basic beliefs.... it is for those people that I pray and ask God to surround them and strengthen them with His Love and Grace. I always remember what someone close to me has always said 'Sometimes we are the only "Church" and Bible many people ever see". I don't really care what atheists think about me ... it is my job to pray for them and love them in my heart ... to show them what my God can do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nebula Posted March 27, 2012 Group: Royal Member Followers: 10 Topic Count: 5,823 Topics Per Day: 0.75 Content Count: 45,870 Content Per Day: 5.95 Reputation: 1,897 Days Won: 83 Joined: 03/22/2003 Status: Offline Birthday: 11/19/1970 Share Posted March 27, 2012 We all got one of those in this fallen world! The trick is not to shoot ourselves.......... I don't know, with that crew, I wonder if there's a difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Robinson Posted March 27, 2012 Group: Senior Member Followers: 6 Topic Count: 22 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 903 Content Per Day: 0.20 Reputation: 516 Days Won: 0 Joined: 11/01/2011 Status: Offline Birthday: 05/03/1952 Share Posted March 27, 2012 I also would like to second what Dani said. I grew up in the deep South in the 50s, and I saw for myself how our own local church treated divorced people. That was one thing (of many) that drove me to athiesm in my late teen and early adult years, and only after I encountered "real" Christians in the old Jesus Movement did I dare to consider rethinking my path. After my wife and became born again through their ministry, I wish I could say we and our "Jesus hippie" friends were welcome at the various local churches, but we got the hairy eyeball from enough of them that we ended up just having church wherever we were. Yes, that was years ago, but there's still kind of an "us four and no more" mentality at a lot of fellowships that drives the genuinely needy away. May God forgive us all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest shiloh357 Posted March 27, 2012 Share Posted March 27, 2012 There are plenty of churches here in the US who, while not necessarily stooping to actively "ban" those that they don't feel are "holy" enough to be a part of their congregations, do in fact make them feel unloved and unwelcome. I have witnessed it in many ways, applied to many people, in more than one church. My own mother was treated as though she was the one that was "wrong" when my parents separated. Didn't matter what my father had done, she was the one who was treated as a pariah, she was the one who was "preached at." It happens. It shouldn't, but it does. Those churches are the exception, not the rule. No one says it never happens, but that it is not part of the normative experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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