Someone else said.. "They will soon be attackin *Lord of the Rings*", the movie coming next that is from another great Fiction novel . I think they will too. There are always this type of judgemental Christians. They give Christianity a black eye.
As I said before, this type of radical element is a deterrent to the cause they claim to promote. Be it pro-lifers who kill in the name of the unborn, or anti-government types like Timothy McVeigh who KILL in the name of our Constitution, or Religious zealots like the Taliban who JUDGE and punish even to death everyone and everything that doesn't think and act EXACTLY like they want them to. They loose more followers than they gain.. THANK GOD!! There always seems to be people like that. I think they probably need our prayers the most.
I firmly believe that we bring more people to have a personal relationship with the Lord when we love unconditionally, when we leave the judging to HIM,..and when we use the good sense the Lord gave us. I think you get it. Just ignore the radical elements of anything. God teaches through love, and by example.
I do think some of us felt compelled as Christians to intercede when we saw some professing to judge this movie as evil and any who watched it as Non Believers. I don't profess to speak for all Christians, but I do know I speak for some. I just don't want people to think ALL Christians are this shallow minded. Yes, those people who profess to be Christians have a right to voice their opinion, but not to say they speak for God or for me or like minded people like me. But they are really getting old with all their ranting and raving about this movie. I think they have spurred a lot of people to go see it. A lot of us have seen it now,..and now realize they are hypocrits in this regard and are LYING.
I honestly think the people who "blindly" follow their Ministers are dangerous. I can't help but think of the people who followed "Jones". They committed Mass Suicide.
The Lord expects us to USE the gift of cognitive process that he gave us. Some choose not to do so on their own, and the religious leaders who they follow, prefer it that way!! I would consider THAT sinful. Just food for thought.
I do understand where your coming from NoPardons. I think you probably "GET" Christianity better than most of those who proclaim they know all about it.
For me,.. I'm a "PRACTICING" Christian, in that I'm constantly learning!!! Until the day I die.. I'll be learning.
I think it is really frightening for anyone to say they know EVERYTHING,.. There is only ONE entity that is ALL KNOWING!! Maybe one day when I die I will be blessed and given the purest form of that knowledge. I hope I will be blessed by seeing God face to face one day. God Willing I will :o)
Until then, I will just continue to realize I don't know all,..and continue to learn with the best of my ability.
In closing, I have to say that every time I read the Bible, I find it fascinating. One time I read a verse one way,...and it means one thing. Then the second or third time I read a verse it will be like a light went on. A new meaning will just come to me from it. I don't think we are meant to read the Bible just once. I think it is the "LIVING" word of God. If we ask for knowledge,.. if we really delve into the Word,.. we will continue to grow. I think it is meant to be that way. It is meant to be ALIVE, and to give me the comfort and knowledge I need. Knowledge will just keep pouring into our hearts as long as we keep them open. I feel sad to realize that some Christians think that once they've read a verse, their interpretation is the only one. That really limits what God wanted us to learn from the Bible. It just is such an Awesome book.. and God is such an Awesome God!!! :o)
I've read posts by you for a couple years. You seem like a really nice person. I like how you think!! I just wanted you to know I read some of the things written back to you..and I personally think your thinking is on the right track.
God Bless,.. Mary Ann
I have read the Bible, cover to cover 5 times. I have read many passages more often than that. I have read chidren's Bible stories, AND the Bible to my daughter, as she was growing up, and we ALWAYS sang a hymn ( sometimes more than one ) and prayed, after I read her a bedtime story. My mother died when my kiddo was VERY tiny, yet we prayed for her daily and GOD's word helped us live through my mother's illness and death. Afterwards, we prayed that she is with GOD, and ay peace. From a VERY young age,it was my daughter who had to say Grace, for the major holiday meals. This meant that she had to not only understand what she was saying,but had to feel it as well.
Just quoting scripture, doesn't mean that one understands it ( a parrot can do that, but does the grace of GOD engulf the parrot, who repeats, unthinkingly, HIS words ? ) , nor that that person lives according to HIS laws and will. Look at what those who held the witch trials ( there were many. many more here, than just in Salem , Mass. ! ) here , did in HIS name. The same thing is being done to the HP series and movie AND to the author. As I have repeatedly said, bearing false witness is breaking one of GOD's own Commandments. This is what riles me, to a great extent.
Anyone who has read, or read chidren a vast variety of excellent litterature ( which the HP books aren't. LOL ) will have come across wizards ( both bad and good ) , witches ( ditto ) , fairies ( same thing ) , and magic . It's called FANTASY ! Reading stimulates the imagination; something that has been driven out of so many children, for the past 35 years, or so, and that is why some children grow up NOT being able to remove fantasy from reality now. LOok at what happened at Columbine ! Children watch violent movies, play violent video games, watch wrestling on T.V. and some take all of that into reality. Reading a book makes you do your own imagining. When the book is closed, the usually return to reality. I say usually, because some people actually do thing that fictional books, and one in particular ( and it certainly is NOT anything written by Miss Rowling ! ), is a blueprint for politics / life here. That is just silly.
I want to know how many children, or the anti-Harry posters themselves, who after reading one , or the entire series of TARZAN books went to Africa and lived amongst the great Chimps. I also want to know how many people, after seeing or reading Shakespear's " A MIDSUMMER'S NIGHT DREAM " tried to get PUCK to put a love position, in their beloved's eyes; or even believed that this could be true. Then, I want a poll done, to see if EVERYONE , or even five people,believe that the only way, that Arizona beat my beloved Yankees, in the World Series, is because, a la the stage play/ musical, and movie , the Devil and one of his demons made the Yankees lose.
Yes, outside of your kind words about and for me, I do agree with your entire post. We are on the same page, as far as this is concerbed ; probably on a lot of other topics to, my dear. : - )