Doctrine is out and tolerance is in. We are being told that for the sake of unity, doctrine should not be tested or contested.
We are not supposed to declare any absolutes but to tolerate every wind of doctrine. Doctrinal and moral issues, which were once seen as black and white, are now being painted gray. The state of the church is in a state of confusion.
Paul forewarned of this when he wrote: “The time will come when they [the people in the church] will not endure [tolerate] sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires; and will turn away their ears from the truth, and will turn aside to myths” (2 Timothy 4:3-4).
When “Christians” turn to popular teachers who tickle their ears with messages on selfesteem and self-improvement, they are also turning away from God’s Word. Without a steady diet of Scripture, they will not hear sound doctrine and therefore be unable to discern truth from error. Ultimately, they will not know if they are following Jesus Christ or His adversaries.
Without discernment, the 21st century church is headed for serious trouble because the enemies of the Gospel are more determined than we are. What the Body of Christ needs now are soldiers of the Lord who are committed to battle for truth! We all need to do our part to reverse the pending death of discernment in the church.
No, I think Christians are just fine with pluralism. It's another religion that seems it wants to fight, to the death, with the unclean infidels.
What an arbitrary set of divisions. Where do the Zoroastrians fit in?
Barna seems like a loon. Claims to be Christian but speaks anti-Christian agit-prop constantly.
I don’t have a problem with other religions...as long as they don’t advocate blowing stuff up and cutting off people’s heads.
Remind me again which of those 7 “faith tribes” do that?
Now what was the reason the House of Israel got sent into captivity to that Assyrian king? Paul says what happened to them was written for our admonition as to what would be again to bring in the end of this 'age'.
Hey Charles,
The German pagans simply wanted champagne (732, a good year). The Saracens only wanted baguettes.
Take a chill pill will you?
Good thing Martel wasn’t a liberal.
NEVER EVER EVER EVER! This man is a wolf among the sheep and he must be thrown out! Dispicable!
Muslims: “accept us now!... we kill you later!”
this reads like a Steven Waldman piece
Uh, this author (whether it is Barna or the "journalist" I do not know) needs to understand history. The truth is that Christians DO accept multi-culturalism and pluralism. That is how America got started...not perfectly, to be sure--but steadily.
The ones who are INTOLERANT are the atheists and liberals who gain power.
Facts are stubborn things. :)
A delusion. There never was a melting pot. The idea was what 19th century "progressives" wanted to happen but never did.
There was never any common vision except that the Federal government should not interfer with state religions or individual beliefs. The country nearly broke apart immediately along religious lines. Oliver Wolcott of Connecticut said in 1796 the north should leave the union if Jefferson were elected president. He was prescient. Jefferson attempted to foment a second American revolution to break the Congregational power structure in New England.
Fisher Ames, who drafted the 1st amendment, wrote in 1805 that the American republic was a failure. Federalists had overestimated the virtue of the people and a corrupt aristrocracy (Jefferson and his Jacobins) allied with an ignornant underclass and aided by a venal press had destroyed the vision of those who pushed for the constitution.
We can accept “pluralism” when Islam accepts such, kkthx.
1.Casual Christians 2.Captive Christians 3.Skeptics 4.Jews 5.Mormons 6.Pantheists 7.Muslims To renew America, each tribe must seek common ground, open dialog, and shared moral values with the other tribes, Barna writes.
And he has a firm -- and somewhat controversial -- message for Christians from his own tribe: It's time for Christians to accept the realities of multi-culturalism and religious pluralism.
Or America could just return to it's Calvinistic roots upon which it was founded, which it prospered under, and can prosper again.
See, I have taught you statutes and rules, as the LORD my God commanded me, that you should do them in the land that you are entering to take possession of it.
Keep them and do them, for that will be your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, 'Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.'
For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the LORD our God is to us, whenever we call upon him?
-- Deuteronomy 4:5-7
The author of this article only obfuscates the facts. America was founded on the basis of religious freedoms. Ours is the only country where these freedoms are guaranteed. As such, we recognize the right of others to believe as they believe, but we are permitted free open discussions on the differences too.
What this want to do is force all to CONDONE other beliefs rather than tolerate. Big difference.
What does the Bible say about pluralism? First, pluralism is a theory that states there is more than one reality, or that at least two or more kinds of reality can exist at the same time. One has said this regarding pluralism: “pluralism is a situation…that embraces a diversity of contrasting cultures, values, ideas, religions, or other independent elements seen as valid.” Pluralism implies that Christianity is just another religion and not the only religion wherein salvation is promised. This philosophy claims that Judaism, Mohammedanism, Mormonism, Catholicism, Protestant Denominationalism, Arianism—formerly the Jehovah’s Witness of today, and any eastern religion that fits the category of an ism would all be okay, just different ways to different places. In other words, if a true pluralist is honest with himself he would have to say that one’s choice determines the only truth. To claim this is to deny the Christ or make His words a lie (c.f., John 14:6), thus making the pluralist his own sovereign without need of an eternal absolute God. Pluralism is a widely accepted philosophy of this day, but one with countless terrible conclusions if not considered and corrected. The philosophy of pluralism is the antithesis of Christianity and the Bible!
Pluralism is the politically correct giant of the day. Politicians love to appeal to its proponents for their votes. However it is simply a self impregnated arrogance that regards everyone as okay while at the same time regarding non-pluralists as not okay. Pluralism tries to establish that man’s desires, whether they be good or bad are all okay because, “after all we’re all sinners.” And, if we are all sinners, we are all the same—pluralism would demand. But, the facts are, Jesus’ way is the only way, and anyone not found washed by His blood cannot be saved (Romans 3:24-25; 6:23; I John 2:2-3; John 14:6; Acts 22:16; Revelation 1:5). Further, if all religions are okay and one church is as good as another, then why be anything at all? These ideas are all associated with pluralism and undermine the only church Jesus promised to build and buy with His own blood (Matthew 16:18; 26:28; Acts 2:41-47; Romans 16:16)!