Bare Knuckle Religious Discussion

6/25/08 | self

[svcw]

Just a thought.

It occurred to me that those on FR need a place to discuss religion, religious thought, denominal issues all things religious without worrying about hurt feelings or bruised egos.

This would be a bare knuckle discussion.

If you have thin skin or are easily offended it would be better not to participate.

[tacticalogic]

If agreeing to that is a requirement to participate, I’ll pass.

[greyfoxx39]

I love what you said about tithes should be brought not collected. One thing that annoys me is churches who spend half of their service begging. To quote Bono, the God I believe in isn't short of Cash.

Tithes should be a gift of love, not seen as a requirement.

[WarToad]

Same here. I was raised in a quiet mid-western country church. The standing, hand-raising, praising-in-the-middle-of-a-sermon thing was never done. Ever. Impolite.

So it seems artificial and contrived to me. Don’t even go into “speaking in tongues” while rolling on the floor. I’ve actually left churches where the congregation gets into that stuff. Too distracting.

I know it’s just the way I was raised, but it seems odd.

[jmc813]

(I'm Roman Catholic). I don't know about you, but hand-holding in church creeps me out. I go alone and sit where there's space.

Other than the Catholic part, that describes my situation to a tee. Thankfully, the only time that happens is occasionally when there is a guest pastor.

[mnehring]

I don't know about you, but hand-holding in church creeps me out.

Ditto that, and all the huggy people. Here in Texas, the latter is real bad. You can't even go to a formal service without everyone wanting to hug you. There are a lot of things I question as being 'man' inspired 'look at me' moments. My rule is, if you wouldn't act that way visiting the President or Queen, why would you act that way visiting God?

[Gamecock]

It’s not just you.

I thought I couldn’t get on because i had been sent to the FR outer darkness.

[colorcountry]

Just a smile and a wave to all the drama queens.

It seems that you might be the only one on this thread that fits the definition.

But U're cute. Post on!

[jmc813]

(excluding children who have died before reaching whatever God determines to be their own age of accountability)

What about people in African jungles, for instance, who have had no way of being exposed to Christian teachings?

[Fantasywriter]

I think you summed it up perfectly. So many Christians seem fixated on what divides us as opposed to the far more important truths that unite us. I had three members of a church I don’t belong to come to my house recently and try to strong arm me into going to their church—even after I explained that I was deeply involved in the ministry of the church I attend. They just kept probing and prying, trying to find a doctrinal gotcha so they could explain how wrong I was, and how only their denomination could set me straight. Even more recently I ran into an online guy who speaks in tongues, and who regards as inferior Christians—or as outright non-Christians—those who do not. My message of ‘the greatest of these is love’ fell on deaf ears. To me, that is very sad.

[mnehring]

The bottom line for religious discussions is that we ought to be able to agree that Jesus Christ IS the Son of God, there is Salvation in NO other Name but His, He IS Resurrected and alive forevermore, He and the Father are One (He said so!) and that He will return to this Earth just as He promised.

Aren't you now disqualifying all our FRiends who are Jews, Buddhists, Hindus, etc, etc, from religious discussion?

[mkjessup]

God will deal with those people in His Own Way. The important task before us is to determine the condition of our own soul(s), and whether or not we have made Christ the center of our lives.

[Revelation 911]

Im off it - like water off a duck -dont be insulted by it - just an opinion - as is yours

[jmc813]

Ditto that, and all the huggy people.

That's weird, I'm totally with Rudeboy on not liking the hand-holding thing, but if someone wants to give me a big ol' bear hug, I really don't have a problem with it.

[1rudeboy]

Yes, if you completely disregard what's been happening over the past few weeks, and the impetus for posting this thread in the first place.

I hate selective amnesia.

[ThisLittleLightofMine]

God is just in His judgements, completely righteous and worthy to judge.

[mnehring]

Or all the people who’ve only been exposed to ‘Christian’ sects that don’t hold the same beliefs and have not had a chance to see Salvation as we believe it?

[mkjessup]

Aren't you now disqualifying all our FRiends who are Jews, Buddhists, Hindus, etc, etc, from religious discussion?

Not at all. They are free to discuss anything they like, as are we. If we as Christians believe in what is called the 'Great Commission', we should be witnessing to our non-Christian FRiends, and stressing the importance of what Jesus said: "In my Father's House are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you."

[ejonesie22]

I believe there is some merit to what you say, however there are certain things that are very straight forward and not open to interpretation, like the ten commandments, or “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

On can twist the words or meaning to fit anything, but all of that is additive, it requires adding meaning to the verse, for example even the Muslims can take John 14:6 and support their faith as they do here

http://www.answering-christianity.com/john14_6.htm

So now we support Islam because we don't want to be judgmental. Of course not, it is not judgment, but defense of ones faith. Judgment is when I tell a fellow Christian they are not going to heaven, defending the faith is supporting the fact that ours is the way, because that is what has been told to us by the highest authority. Otherwise what is the point of good and evil, of belief itself?.

[mnehring]

That's weird, I'm totally with Rudeboy on not liking the hand-holding thing,

(I find I usually agree with Rudeboy, even if he is a little blunt at times.) As for the hugging, I understand all of the old grandmothers (and I don't mind the hot college girls) but at times it seems everyone wants to hug you, even the big old burly biker dude and the six year old with the flu.

[jmc813]

I had three members of a church I don’t belong to come to my house recently and try to strong arm me into going to their church

My church has a door-to-door ministry. I'm not involved with it, but I like their style. If the door is answered, they identify the church they're from, ask if the person has any specific prayer requests they'd like the congregation to pray for, let them know they're always welcome, and that's that. No proselytizing allowed.