Posted on 04/19/2004 4:36:17 PM PDT by Destro
It won't be made at all if nobody sticks around to hear it. The Orthodox already know all this. It's the Heterodox that need to be made aware. Running them off with insults is probably not the smartest way to get our message across.
Are There Any Christians in America?
That is a good question. It has an answer:
John 13
34"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved
you, so you must love one another. 35By this all men will know that
you are my disciples, if you love one another."
[In case someone imagines that we are only required our "brother," this verse:]
Luke 3:
27"But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those
who hate you, 28bless those who curse you, pray for those who
mistreat you.
Therefore, if Mr. Weber wishes to find if there are any Christians in America, he only needs to search for those who LOVE each other, AND their ENEMIES, also.
It think that the reason Weber has not used this particular BIBLICAL yardstick, is that doing so would invite a similar inspection of the entire Balkan peninsula. There are undoubtedly individual Christians, there, who love their enemies, but, if there is a substantial GROUP who both practices and teaches this, I would like to hear about it.
DG
ping
Many of the Serbian Orthodox monasteries gave sanctuary to fleeing muslims during the earlier wars. In March they had their monasteries burned to the ground and were nearly killed by the same people whom they had helped to stay alive.
I rejoice at this excellent report, and to any report from the Balkans which demonstrates any compassion toward one's (perceived) enemies.
In March they had their monasteries burned to the ground and were nearly killed by the same people whom they had helped to stay alive.
Unfortunately, this report of vengeance against those who have been kind is much more common. It is this kind of thing which perpetuates the continuing cycle of violence there.
Although we know that Muslims are not taught Christ's command to "Love Your Enemies," it is my understanding that neither Orthodox or Roman Catholics (in the Balkans) are (effectively) taught to Love Their Enemies." Until the leaders of both the Orthodox and Roman churches COMMAND their flocks (and their local shepherds) to utterly cease to harbor hatred and vengeance in their hearts, the Balkans will continue to be a "hiss and a byword."
Lest anyone think that I imagine that such is the case only in the Balkans, allow me to suggest the obvious example of the problem of Ireland. There, again, the religious authorities on both sides have failed to utterly condemn violence and vengeance and bigotry, against the "enemy." There are probably many other places, of which I am unaware, where this kind of problem is happening.
DG
p.s. Maybe, it can be seen right here in FR, in some of the more rancorous "religious" discussions.
p.p.s. I cannot not exclude myself, from being guilty of this attitude.
Tito was extraordinarily effective in his 35-year struggle tomarginalize the Orthodox Church. Throughout the Tito era, it was a major disadvantage to putone's toe in the church door. Those who wanted to advance in life had to join the CommunistParty, in which atheism was obligatory.
"It was thus a weakened Serbian Orthodox Church that had to define its response to the eventswhich tore Yugoslavia to shreds in the nineties. Serbian priests I have interviewed estimatethat perhaps five percent of the population is engaged in the Church in a significant way, whilethe vast majority is unbaptized. There are few cities in Europe more secular than Belgrade."
"Few bishops east or west have spoken so tirelessly against ethnic division, hatred and war. "Let us grasp the teaching of the Holy Apostle Paul, that one cannot accomplish good by evilmeans -- a lesson our mothers taught us through the ages, warning us that evil never bringsgood," he said on one occasion. "Oh, that God would help us to understand that we are humanbeings and that we must live as human beings, so that peace would come into our country andbring an end to the killing." The principle was summed up in a statement issued by the Serbian bishops on March 23, twodays before the NATO attack: "The way of nonviolence and cooperation is the only wayblessed by God."
Still more significant are the special prayers the Serbian Church added to theHoly Liturgy early in the breakdown of Yugoslavia, including this petition: For all those whocommit injustice against their neighbors, whether by causing sorrow to orphans, spillinginnocent blood or by returning hatred for hatred, that God will grant them repentance,enlighten their minds and their hearts and illumine their souls with the light of love eventoward their enemies, let us pray to the Lord.
The church in Serbia is struggling to overcome years under atheism, just as the Russian church is. But you can be sure that the majority of church leaders in Serbia are teaching love for all, including enemies. Last March a large group of angry Serbs began to burn a mosque in Belgrade and a bishop of the church stepped in front of them, alone, and spoke to them and asked them to stop. It worked. I have the story in the press around somewhere - it is an awesome read, I think. The courage of the bishop who stepped up in front of this mob, while the police declined to do so, was very inspiring.
Much love to you DG.
"While lamenting those closest to us by faith and blood, for all the hardship that came upon them, destroyed homes, churches, irretrievable destroyed treasures of historical and cultural significance, we lament the Croatian people also, for their misfortune and suffering as well as the destruction of their property and churches, their cultural and historical monuments, knowing that had we been better Christians and better men, this disaster could have bypassed us."
"The most serious unrest was in front of the Serbian government building, the United States embassy and the seventeenth century Bajrakli mosque, the only mosque in Belgrade. The mob broke through the police line, then set the mosque on fire just after midnight.
Fresh police, firefighters and ambulance crews, who arrived shortly after the fire broke out, did not dare to come closer to the mosque in fear of the mob, which mostly consisted of young fans from Belgrade's sports clubs. Several reporters were also injured and their cameras destroyed.
Soon after the fire broke out, the Orthodox Metropolitan Amfilohije (Radovic) of Montenegro and the Littoral came out to the front of the mob and pleaded with them to stop the violence. Then, surrounded by a small number of people protecting him, he went to the police and firefighters standing nearby, asking them to react and preserve "what could be preserved". "The children are playing dangerous games, but grown men should react," he told them. After initial hesitation, the firefighters did intervene, so the Belgrade mosque, which is "under state protection", was saved from complete destruction.
Hamdija Ephendi Jusufspahic, a retired leader of Serbia's Islamic community, told the press later in the night that he was unable to enter the mosque and that this was "a terrible day for us all". He also thanked Metropolitan Amfilohije for his intervention.
Posted by Gone_Postal to chance33_98 On News/Activism 05/23/2004 2:28:51 PM EDT #54 of 86
The boldness of Satan versus the meekness of most Christians. Very rarely do I take advantage of this forum to share my personal views, but today is an exception. If there is one thing in this world that upsets me more than anything else, it is the bold way that satan shares his message of sin with this world, and how afraid most Christians are to share our message! Satan brings the world a message that is designed to kill, steal, and destroy lives. He has NO FEAR in presenting that message as boldly as he is able to.
Yet we, those who have placed our faith in Christ, who have the ONLY true message of everlasting life, who have the ONLY message of hope for this hurting and lost world, meekly, almost ashamedly, present our message in the most low-key form possible! WHY??????
Satan knows the weaknesses of man. He has man's nature down to a science. Greed, sex, alcohol, drugs, gambling, food are the most base weaknesses. So satan uses the modern day media to flaunt his message of "greed is good," sex is great any way that you can get it no matter what form it takes, alcohol is socially acceptable, drugs are the "in thing," gambling is just harmless entertainment, and food is a necessity of life that we should enjoy no matter how much of it we eat.
These messages permeate the world that we live in. We are bombarded endlessly with them by the media to a point that we accept them as fact. Satan knows that this strategy works because there will be nobody bold enough to counter or challenge his message. His message in the mainstream media goes mostly unchallenged. HE REALIZES THAT VERY FEW CHRISTIANS IN A SECULAR FORUM WILL CHALLENGE WHAT HE SAYS!
The FACT IS, greed is NOT good, it is evil. Sex is designed ONLY in the confines of marriage. Alcohol affects your brain and is a crutch that many turn to, to numb their way thru life. Drugs are an escape from reality that will destroy you. Gambling is a misuse of the resources that God has entrusted to you and is poor stewardship. Food is necessary, but only when you consume the right kinds of food and the right amounts. Who out there is telling THIS SIDE, the TRUE SIDE, GOD'S SIDE of this story to the world at large???? Answer...not many!!!!
My friend, it is time for God's people to stand up, to say, "DEVIL, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH." Our churches are just as much to blame!!! Many don't even deal with the needs of their congregations, let alone the world outside the doors of the church. It is time to stand up and accept the responsibility God has given to those in leadership, those who call themselves Christians, and take His message of hope and everlasting life through Jesus Christ to this lost and sin-filled world. How can the devil be so bold with lies, and God's people so timid with the truth????
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