Posted on 09/21/2006 3:50:33 PM PDT by DaveLoneRanger
Claim: Crocodile hunter Steve Irwin became a born-again Christian a few weeks before he died.
Status: False.
Example: [Collected via e-mail, 2006]
Yes, we now have confirmation of Steve Irwin's decision for Christ.
|
(Excerpt) Read more at snopes.com ...
"All of this information, however, is second-hand, so while at the moment all signs point to this tale about a last-minute conversion being false, we'll leave the "Undetermined" status in place until such time as a member of the Irwin family or someone speaking on its behalf addresses the rumor, either to confirm or dismiss it."
Which is unusual, because the page declares the rumor false, not undetermined.
I never watched the guy's show, but I was sad he died, and posted about the jerks who say he deserved to die. But I have reached saturation level on stories about his death. He's gone, he's been memorialized, let him rest in peace. (And no, I'm not saying you can't post about him, merely expressing one opinion from someone who wasn't one of these life-frightened Irwin bashers/) Enough already.
It is false, sad to say.
http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/s06090076.htm
Sunday, September 17, 2006
"A Wrestle With the Truth"
Steve Irwin fought crocodiles but now it’s rumours that need to be tamed
By Ramon Williams
Special for ASSIST News Service
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA (ANS)
I would have thought that he would have been a devotee of the Egyptian deity SOBEK ;-))). Sobek was the crocodile god.
It's sad to spread lies about someone, regardless of how good the intentions are. Let God decide on Steve, he certainly has more info on his heart than us mere mortals. Rest in peace Steve.
There you go. I hadn't considered the religion question until now. It looks to me like Irwin lived a good clean life and I'm a believer in a mercifull God.
What possible business is it of anybody's? He spread Love and Joy and inspired Love and Joy - and that's all that really matters, to me.
God is the one who decides life and death. There is no telling what might pass between God and any man at the moment of his death.
It's simply not my call.
No one really knows the answer to this except God. How silly this is.
But it doesn't sound like he was baptized. Hmmmm.
Steve jumped on his back and gave him hell.
Born-again or not, I thought he had previously been a Christian.
We can hold onto the hope, still, because only God can judge a heart. Yet "by their fruit ye shall know them" and one does not observe much inherently Christian fruit. :-(
From the article you list:
---
One little boy was crying bitterly as he could not obtain a ticket, when a young man noticed his disappointment and gave him his own ticket. A nearby lady had obtained two tickets, so gave one to the young man, so that he too could gain admittance.
---
Wow.
What possible business is it of anybody's? He spread Love and Joy and inspired Love and Joy - and that's all that really matters, to me.Those of us who are sure of a future in Heaven hold hopes to meet many people there, and since Steve was a favorite of many of us, we'd love to hold out hope that he will be there as well.
I didn't even realize this was a rumor.Nor I, until I heard it this morning.
But it doesn't sound like he was baptized. Hmmmm.Heck, the guy was in the water in his last minutes. But Christ alone is sufficient to gain access to the kingdom. Not Christ and sacraments, or Christ and baptism. Christ alone.
I understand that, as I also have Christ as my Lord and Savior. I'll get Steve a guest pass, if it comes to that, but I'm not worried about it and really wish the subject hadn't come up.
If he coulda been prayed into Heaven, he woulda been the past two weeks, lol.
I do not subscribe to the belief that Christianity is something you can fall into and fall out of. Either yer in, or ye ain't.
Darn you. LOL!
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm........
Two nights ago, one of the cable stations aired numerous Irwin TV shows. In one episode, Irwin's infant son, Bob, was "baptized" by several Buddhist nuns in the zoo's arena. Showmanship aside, I presume this "event" would never have taken place if the Irwin's adhered to a Christian belief in baptism.
They were VISITING buddhist nuns who happened to be there the day Baby Bob was introduced to the public that offered a blessing for the child.
He was the personification of goodness. How anybody can question his standing with God is puzzling to me.
Because if you believe the Bible, no man is good. In our eyes, he may be good. Just like in your eyes, I may be good.
But we're not good. Steve wasn't, I'm not, no one is. No one is good except God alone. That's why he would need the covering of Christ to enter heaven.
Do you disagree?
P.S. I like Josh Groban's voice too...
I agree. I just meant by most accounts, Steve seemed to be one of the most decent, kind and generous human beings around.
By the way Josh's new CD will be out 11/7. He'll be on GMA, and Regis and Kelly that week. Don't normally watch either one of those shows, but I will tune in for Josh. He is a sweetheart too--I've been able to meet him a few times. Very down to earth and not in the least full of himself.
Which Commandment was that?
Jesus even corrects a man that called him Good Master.
Matthew 19
16 And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?
17 And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
I'm not familiar with the concept, but I don't believe that any works can save a man, even following the law.
I know some people use the verse you list to deny Jesus' deity, but Jesus was only pointing out that if the man is calling him good, he should be prepared to recognize him as Lord.
That's what christianity claims he means, but he didn't say that. ET read the text as is, without converting it to something else (sheqer).
Matthew 19:16-17
And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?
And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
Mark 10:17-18
And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?
And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.
Luke 18:18-19
And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God.
Jesus also corrected those who falsely accused him of blasphemy (that he was claiming he was god), but the church spins it to say that the Pharisees understood perfectly well what he was saying! According to Gospel accounts, they didn't understand much or anything else of what he said, yet when they picked up stones, we are supposed to believe it was because these Pharisees were suddenly [uncharacteristically] perceptive. :-/
Mat 13:57 And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.
Luk 24:19 And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people:
Paul tells us that Jesus was a man.
John 8:40 But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God:
He was a man.
Act 2:22 Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:
Jhn 20:17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and [to] my God, and your God.
Jesus makes no distinction between himself and others. We are explicitly told that he is a man, and a prophet. Jesus never explicitly says that he is God. Why do people accept vague verses over explicit statements?
Psalm 146:3 - Put not your trust in Princes, nor in the Son of Man, in whom there is no help.
Luke 1
5 THERE was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.
6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless
though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord YHWH.
though Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, as I live, saith the Lord YHWH, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness.
1 John 5:3
For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
Revelation 22:14
Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
Rev 20:12And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is [the book] of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
Deut. 4
2 Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish from it, that ye may keep the commandments of YHWH your God which I command you.
Deut 6
25 And it shall be righteousness unto us, if we observe to do all this commandment before YHWH our God, as He hath commanded us.'
Proverbs 12:28
In the way of righteousness is life: and in the pathway thereof there is no death.
Ecclesiastes 12
13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
Ezekiel 18:21-22.
But if a wicked man turns away from all his sins which he has committed and keeps all my statutes and does what is lawful and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die. None of the transgressions which he has committed shall be remembered against him; for the righteousness which he has done he shall live.
Proverbs 24
16 For a righteous man falleth seven times, and riseth up again, but the wicked stumble under adversity.
Genesis 26:5
Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws. Genesis 6
8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of YHWH.
Noah was given grace, that's why he was saved from the flood.
Jeremiah 31:2 Thus saith YHWH: the people that were left of the sword have found grace in the wilderness, even Israel, when I go to cause him to rest.
God promises the descendants of Israel who, through captivity, exile, and intermarriage with Gentiles became assimilated and inculturated Gentiles today that they will find "grace in the wilderness".
The exile mentioned in Isaiah
From the JPS (1917) Jewish Bible Tanakh
8 In full measure, when Thou sendest her away, Thou dost contend with her; He hath removed her with His rough blast in the day of the east wind.
9 Therefore by this shall the iniquity of Jacob be expiated, and this is all the fruit of taking away his sin: when he maketh all the stones of the altar as chalkstones that are beaten in pieces, so that the Asherim and the sun-images shall rise no more. Their exile was their atonement.
Psalms 84
11 For YHWH God is a sun and a shield; YHWH giveth grace and glory; no good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly.
And last but not least, here's an example from the NT.
Act 10:2 [A] devout [man], and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway.
4 And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God.
Act 10:34 Then Peter opened [his] mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.
This is true. While there is no hope apart from Christ, we don't know what may have transpired in those last moments.
Ever read Ambrose Bierce's What I Saw at Shiloh? The battlefield was named after Shiloh Church house, for the people of Shiloh were religious, but whether like the ancient Egyptians they worshiped the crocodile or like modern (i.e., of 1865) Americans they worshiped themselves, he could not tell.
So are you, then, trying to assert that works can save a man, according to the Bible?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.