How are you celebrating Halloween? Or are you? Why or why not?

[walla299]

20 minutes ago, Starise said:

@Marathoner well said. You have less than 1000 posts. Me even less. I think LadyKay was referring to something that has come around before.

I can imagine it's "here we go again". 

@BeauJangles I think you would make a nice John Lennon.

As Christians we have three choices

- Detach totally away from all society except when absolutely necessary

- In a backslidden state blend in operfectly with the world. Do everything they do all the time.

- Go into the world. Ask to be used to further the kingdom. 

Food for thought- Jesus ate with publicans and sinners. He didn't sin though. I think there's a Christian culture that seems to think they should only hang with other Christians. 

Maybe I'm backslidden but I play some Irish music in bars. I can't say who is saved and who isn't. Yes, I even buy a beer sometimes. * ducks and runs* 

The "here we go again" is quite accurate. I've been around here for years, and every year the "X Holiday is Evil" threads start up. Christmas and Easter are big favorites for that, but there are a few that will include Thanksgiving, New Years, and yes, even Halloween.    I'm equal opportunity and ignore just about all of them these days, but that's just me. I'm not saying everyone has to do the same.

We do not as Christians get the privilege of abstaining from life in this world just because the world systems hates God and Christ. That's the very reason the Lord sent us out to share the gospel of Christ. I believe there is a balance to be struck, because in my experience spending too much time among the lost is not good for my walk with the Lord. I think that's true for everyone: There should be a balance of time spent with other believers and those of the world. Its also a part of being the salt and light Jesus talked about.

There's nothing wrong with Irish music in a bar either, but it fits much better in an Irish bar!  Scripture does not condemn alcohol as evil, something I've always found interesting. It does roundly condemn drunkenness. Therefor there's nothing wrong with the occasional beer in moderation. No back sliding needed - or running away either.  

 

 

[Starise]

1 hour ago, walla299 said:

The "here we go again" is quite accurate. I've been around here for years, and every year the "X Holiday is Evil" threads start up. Christmas and Easter are big favorites for that, but there are a few that will include Thanksgiving, New Years, and yes, even Halloween.    I'm equal opportunity and ignore just about all of them these days, but that's just me. I'm not saying everyone has to do the same.

We do not as Christians get the privilege of abstaining from life in this world just because the world systems hates God and Christ. That's the very reason the Lord sent us out to share the gospel of Christ. I believe there is a balance to be struck, because in my experience spending too much time among the lost is not good for my walk with the Lord. I think that's true for everyone: There should be a balance of time spent with other believers and those of the world. Its also a part of being the salt and light Jesus talked about.

There's nothing wrong with Irish music in a bar either, but it fits much better in an Irish bar!  Scripture does not condemn alcohol as evil, something I've always found interesting. It does roundly condemn drunkenness. Therefor there's nothing wrong with the occasional beer in moderation. No back sliding needed - or running away either.  

 

 

Thanks for these comments walla299. Nice to meet you here. Are you Australian by birth? Just trying to figure out the kangaroo. Maybe there's a few of those hopping around in Arizona too.

I hear you loud and clear on spending time with believers. I am so glad our church meets again after the virus, although with some restriction. I realize not everyone is getting the fellowship they need at church. My advise...look for another church. Churches where people get together in the name of the Lord and then backbite and gossip about members aren't good either.

The guys I play with are good people, although that won't get a person into heaven. I keep hoping for an opportunity to discuss spiritual things with them. I have dropped hints here and there. They probably know where I stand. Since the virus we have been playing at someone's house because bars are still closed. The meet was to last from 2-5. It was something like 5:15 and I reminded the host to see if he minded if we stayed past the alotted time. I thought I was being polite in trying to keep with his time. His comment to me was, " If you aren't having fun go the F home."....So yeah that crowd is more than a little different. I doubt I'll hear anything like that at prayer meeting. I stayed for another hour.

 

Edited October 28, 2020 by Starise

[David1701]

18 hours ago, leah777 said:

I think the US people have different ways of reasoning from cause to effect than we do in Europe. Same with a certain type of lateral thinking.

You could be right; but I must admit that I don't know about this.

Quote

Certainly words and phrasing is not the same.

The differences tend to be slight, except for slang.

[David1701]

3 hours ago, Marathoner said:

Life as a wanderer and outsider predisposed me toward abstaining from the idolatrous pride which is common to these nations of earth. I gladly render that service which the Lord expects of us who are called by His name: obey laws, pay taxes, and conduct ourselves circumspectly while we sojourn in this world. I am an alien for the nation to which I belong is not of this world.

And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain man said unto him, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head. 

And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.

And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house. And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. (Luke 9:57-62)

I'm in agreement with @David1701. He wrote,
 

I don't festoon myself with emblems of prior military service, reminders of that time when I served under the banner of men. I avoid celebrations of the same (i.e. Veterans Day), remembering the words which a certain sergeant spoke after I graduated from advanced training: "Never let anyone thank you for doing your job. Doing your job is the minimum required of you."

What use do we have for such things? The worldliness of which our brother writes is the fruit of a poisonous tree. When my experience of "holidays" becomes known to those beholden of the world, they cannot comprehend why I avoid them all with equal fervor. Let the dead bury their dead... let them bid farewell to those who are in their house... but I will not turn to look back upon the world which the Lord delivered me from.  

This whole post is excellent.

[JohnR7]

5 hours ago, BeauJangles said:

Indeed they were when inspected by x-ray scanners, including some of the candy found by police finding mysterious oddly wrapped candy in recent years here in our city having been laced with the hallucinogen, LSD. Our local press may not be the New York Times, but there are cases such as these that are not all that rare. It does happen and this is why parents who allow their children to to "trick-or-treating" should thoroughly investigate the so-called, "treats". 

There are people who check a package to make sure the seal has not been compromised and there is still air inside. Some pkgs like potato chips is half air so you would know right away if the seal on the pkg was broken. 

They say the odds of someone tampering with something are slim to none. There is nothing wrong with being careful and having an abundance of caution.  I would be a lot more worried about buying food from a restaurant because people get sick from that all the time.  People have been known to tamper with food from the salad bar or employers may not practice safe food handling.  They have two requirement to work in fast food: a smile on your face and the ability to handle food in safe was so as not to contaminate it. The last thing we need is a typhoid mary. 

[teddyv]

Here's a fairly even-handed article on this.

[Starise]

3 minutes ago, JohnR7 said:

Some pkgs like potato chips is half air so you would know right away if the seal on the pkg was broken. 

 

IF this were a critical theological discussion someone would be saying this>>>> You have no idea what you're talking about. You should read more about potato chips!!!!!

How do you know it's only half full of air? Has anyone ever tested to see?  How can you be sure they were all real potato chips? Is the person who tested the potato chips qualified to test potato chips?

Some packages??? How many packages were tested? Were they all the same?? There's no way to be sure.

See there. All of your comments are unfounded!! Go back and look at those potato chip bags again.

Sorry..I had to go there.

[walla299]

20 minutes ago, Starise said:

Thanks for these comments walla299. Nice to meet you here. Are you Australian by birth? Just trying to figure out the kangaroo. Maybe there's a few of those hopping around in Arizona too.

I hear you loud and clear on spending time with believers. I am so glad our church meets again after the virus, although with some restriction. I realize not everyone is getting the fellowship they need at church. My advise...look for another church. Churches where people get together in the name of the Lord and then backbite and gossip about members aren't good either.

The guys I play with are good people, although that won't get a person into heaven. I keep hoping for an opportunity to discuss spiritual things with them. I have dropped hints here and there. They probably know where I stand. Since the virus we have been playing at someone's house because bars are still closed. The meet was to last from 2-5. It was something like 5:15 and I reminded the host to see if he minded if we stayed past the alotted time. I thought I was being polite in trying to keep with his time. His comment to me was, " If you aren't having fun go the F home."....So yeah that crowd is more than a little different. I doubt I'll hear anything like that at prayer meeting. I stayed for another hour.

 

No, I'm not Australian by birth, though I spent some time there while in the military and have some relatives there. The avatar is a wallaby, and I chose it mainly because others were using dogs, cats, and other critters. I just wanted something different.

As it turns out we do have a few marsupials hopping around Arizona from time to time:

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2015/08/19/Authorities-search-for-escaped-kangaroos-in-Arizona/4861439999234/

https://www.azfamily.com/news/pets_animals/arizonas-family-photojournalist-finds-missing-wallaby-in-tempe/article_7b1e86dc-97c1-11e9-8bc1-77406b1313e1.html

 

I get the find another church thing since that's part of what I'm doing, but not because of gossip and back biting. Its because I need some more Christian men in my life. Found a great men's meeting at another church that meets twice a month at another church, so we'll see where that goes. I'm not in a hurry and I'm in the process of changing careers so enough stuff is getting turned upside down at the moment.

 

[Starise]

5 minutes ago, teddyv said:

Here's a fairly even-handed article on this.

I wouldn't take the chance, but that's me.

[Starise]

1 minute ago, walla299 said:

No, I'm not Australian by birth, though I spent some time there while in the military and have some relatives there. The avatar is a wallaby, and I chose it mainly because others were using dogs, cats, and other critters. I just wanted something different.

I get the find another church thing since that's part of what I'm doing, but not because of gossip and back biting. Its because I need some more Christian men in my life. Found a great men's meeting at another church that meets twice a month at another church, so we'll see where that goes. I'm not in a hurry and I'm in the process of changing careers so enough stuff is getting turned upside down at the moment.

 

walla299, Thanks for sharing. I apologize if I seemed nosy. Not my intention. Just curious.

I'm so glad you found a group of Christian men to fellowship with! Holding one another accountable is important. Praying for one another is important. I just changed churches. Not something I'm proud of. I felt for my own spiritual heath I had to do it. Finding a church isn't easy in some locales. Yes there are plenty of church buildings, just not a lot of churches.