(POL + REL) An Easter message to reclaim the Christian faith

[Uncle Briggs]

Fair enough .

[EagleFan]

Originally Posted by Rizon

I guess there really isn't any way for me to respond your post without a flame-war starting (not necessarily with you), which is pretty sad and ironic given the subject of the article.

Originally Posted by Toddzilla

As one of them "rational athiests", I agree with this 100%.

Problem is, it's the differing opinion of the definition of "act like fools" that athiests and religious folk get all worked up over.

Funny how Toddzilla was able to respond to WVU without a flame war starting.... I guess what you meant was "I only start flame wars about religion", or something like that.... Respond with reason and without having to act like some militant athiest who feels that it is their duty to be an ass every time religion is mentioned and there will be no flame war. It's like people who hate NASCAR continually going into NASCAR threads just to stir up trouble and the act gets old.

Many people believe in religion of some sort, get over it. What I don't seem to notice from you (maybe missing it if it's there) is the same kind of responses with religions other than Christianity are mentioned which seems to prove what your agenda is. Maybe I've missed it though, it wouldn't be the first.


Anyway, sorry for the tangent. The article is true, to a point. At least nationally that seems to the be focus. There are plenty of religious organizations that do concentrate on other areas but abortion and gay rights are major political hot buttons for many so it's just natural that these things get more air time. Plus today's media would rather only mention something that is potentially inflamatory over a positive story in general (I guess no one would watch if most of the news was about good things happening, or that is the perception anyway).

[Axxon]

Originally Posted by WVUFAN

I think my definition is more the latter of what you said.

Then I understand your view. Thanks.

From that perspective you are correct.

[Axxon]

Originally Posted by CraigSca

What's wrong with testifying about your beliefs? You have good news to share and others should be able to make a decision about is as well. If it's not for them, so be it - you tried. I don't know how testifying about Jesus dying on the cross for one's sin puts me in the same place as a person picketing at an abortion clinic. That's just silly.

Hey, if you choose to be a telemarketer for God that's fine but understand when you are treated like, well, a telemarketer.

Of course, most of us place telemarketers in a lower circle of hell than abortion clinic picketers.

[Drake]

Originally Posted by Uncle Briggs

Poorly paraphrased example: a man came to Jesus and asked...

I think the key issue here is "a man came up to Jesus and asked" vs. "a Christian comes up to this guy and tells him".

[MizzouRah]

Excellent reading.

[CraigSca]

Originally Posted by Axxon

Hey, if you choose to be a telemarketer for God that's fine but understand when you are treated like, well, a telemarketer.

Of course, most of us place telemarketers in a lower circle of hell than abortion clinic picketers.

Well, I don't call strangers at dinnertime to talk about Jesus, so I suppose that puts me ahead of the game.

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by MizzouRah

Excellent reading.

Agreed- a good REL/POL thread that's been civil yet good food for thought. Bravo.

SI

[WVUFAN]

Originally Posted by CraigSca

Well, I don't call strangers at dinnertime to talk about Jesus, so I suppose that puts me ahead of the game.

I think what you call "testifying" is great, but I think for many people the standard stereotype of someone doing it is much more ... aggressive. That's what I have the problem with.

[PSUColonel]

I am just wondering at what point in time it suddenly became so terrible to be a christian in today's seemingly "secular progressive" society. Why are christians suddenly getting the brunt of blame from this group in America? Yet these are the same group of people who appear to be defending every other religion under the sun, regardless of what their actions may be.

[CraigSca]

Originally Posted by WVUFAN

I think what you call "testifying" is great, but I think for many people the standard stereotype of someone doing it is much more ... aggressive. That's what I have the problem with.

Agreed, but I can also count on one or two fingers the number of people who aggressively testified to me about Jesus in my 38 years on earth. Really, I think it's quite overblown, but the stereotype lives on.

[Axxon]

Originally Posted by CraigSca

Agreed, but I can also count on one or two fingers the number of people who aggressively testified to me about Jesus in my 38 years on earth. Really, I think it's quite overblown, but the stereotype lives on.

Or it could very well be regional. In the deep south I ran into it often.

What I see as the problem is this:

What's wrong with testifying about your beliefs? You have good news to share and others should be able to make a decision about is as well.

See, in JC's time most people would have no way to hear about him and his teachings so it made perfect sense to share the "good news" and enlighten them so they could indeed share. Now, basically all you have to do is turn on a television or go to a motel and you'll hear/read the "good news."

This whole, "my fellow american is living under a rock and has never heard of christianity or Jesus so I simply have to share the "good news" with them is condescending at best. Now, if a person is lost and asking for help then absolutely I feel it is a christians duty to share this with them but that's a different story than the guy on the bus this morning interrupting my reading to wish me a happy easter and ask me if I'd found Jesus and give me a fabulous Jack Chick tract.

Oh, and by the way, to everyone on this thread who is a christian "Happy Easter!!!!!"

[sabotai]

Chick Tracts rule. My favorite is the D&D one.

[Axxon]

Originally Posted by sabotai

Chick Tracts rule. My favorite is the D&D one.

Would you call "The Passion of the Christ" a Chick flick?

[BrianD]

Originally Posted by PSUColonel

I am just wondering at what point in time it suddenly became so terrible to be a christian in today's seemingly "secular progressive" society. Why are christians suddenly getting the brunt of blame from this group in America? Yet these are the same group of people who appear to be defending every other religion under the sun, regardless of what their actions may be.

This post would seem to indicate that you haven't read any of the rest of the thread.

[sabotai]

Originally Posted by Axxon

Would you call "The Passion of the Christ" a Chick flick?

I never saw it, but unless it has an atheist that is screaming in bold type with veins popping out his neck and forehead with a hideously evil look on his face, no I wouldn't.

[-Mojo Jojo-]

Originally Posted by BrianD

This post would seem to indicate that you haven't read any of the rest of the thread.

You must be new around here...

[BrianD]

Originally Posted by -Mojo Jojo-

You must be new around here...

I realize that is what he does, but this one annoyed me enough that I had to say something.

[PSUColonel]

Originally Posted by Axxon

Would you call "The Passion of the Christ" a Chick flick?

mo way..many women refuse to watch it in fact

[PSUColonel]

Originally Posted by BrianD

This post would seem to indicate that you haven't read any of the rest of the thread.

Actually I only had a chance to quickly skims over a few of the posts, so I am sorry if I misinterperted the premise of what was being said. My fault.

[CraigSca]

Originally Posted by Axxon

a fabulous Jack Chick tract.

Oh, and by the way, to everyone on this thread who is a christian "Happy Easter!!!!!"

What's a Jack Chick tract?

While I agree with you, it's not nice to interrupt people and yes, you have to be living under a rock not to know what Christianity IS, I do offer a different scenario.

While at a customer site I was installing one of our products and it was taking a heck of a long time. The customer and I began talking about our kids and that eventually led to a talk about religion. He considered himself an atheist and we began talking about Christianity a bit. There was no pressure, no "you better find Jesus or else" to it, but what was enlightening to him (and I can only say this because he told me so) is that there was no judgment, no "homosexuals and abortionists are going to hell" from me. I said to him that the one thing I wanted him to get from the conversation was that Christians aren't just what you see on the news - that's not what we and our beliefs are about. So, while you DO probably have to be living under a rock not to know what Christianity is, it's sometimes refreshing to meet someone and find out that it's also not what is sometimes portrayed.

[SirFozzie]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chick_tract

is a Chick Tract

Basically, the exact opposite of your last paragraph.

[SirFozzie]

Dola: Some enterprising soul got the list of members of our RPG group (Dungeons and Dragons) at the college I went to and stuck one of those things (the anti-D&D one) in all of our mailboxes. Weekly. It took going to the college administrators to tell this guy to stop.

[Axxon]

Originally Posted by CraigSca

What's a Jack Chick tract?

While I agree with you, it's not nice to interrupt people and yes, you have to be living under a rock not to know what Christianity IS, I do offer a different scenario.

While at a customer site I was installing one of our products and it was taking a heck of a long time. The customer and I began talking about our kids and that eventually led to a talk about religion. He considered himself an atheist and we began talking about Christianity a bit. There was no pressure, no "you better find Jesus or else" to it, but what was enlightening to him (and I can only say this because he told me so) is that there was no judgment, no "homosexuals and abortionists are going to hell" from me. I said to him that the one thing I wanted him to get from the conversation was that Christians aren't just what you see on the news - that's not what we and our beliefs are about. So, while you DO probably have to be living under a rock not to know what Christianity is, it's sometimes refreshing to meet someone and find out that it's also not what is sometimes portrayed.

Now, if a person is lost and asking for help then absolutely I feel it is a christians duty to share this with them

This is along the lines of what I meant here. You were having a conversation and the subject came up and you presented your beliefs to an interested person who indeed was getting something out of the exchange.

I really don't think anybody is talking about this stuff when they talk about testifying. Oh, and for what it's worth I would and do the same thing when the subject comes up and I don't consider myself a christian.

I do think though that practiced correctly it's a heck of a positive belief system that can enhance the rexeptive persons life. That, and the fact that I grew up in christianity and my beliefs are still based in it's roots.