Amen!
Why is it that peace filled cordial Christian discussion forums are not as busy as those featuring conflict & POE Trolls?
- Thread starter QuintessenceOfDust
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Amen!
Yup.
Avery time we discuss this particular issue, I can't help but think of one particular person, Joann Fowler, who use to be one of my military subordinates back in the lats 80s. She was my senior enlisted non-commissioned officer and someone who just lacked any evidence of social grace.
As Desert Storm was kicking off, she was in charge of my enlisted soldiers. We had another soldier, female, who was sent to the hospital and miscarried. Right after the miscarriage, Joann decided to write the soldier a counseling statement for having gotten pregnant out of wedlock. She did htis, while the soldier was still recovering in the hospital. At around the same time, Joann had also started a prayer group that got together at her office, during the work day, to pray in preparation for what they believe was the pending second coming. Since we were engaged in an armed conflict in the middle east, many people thought this was the beginning of Revelations.
I do not believe Joann meant any harm, but she sure did cause a great deal of stress and drama to those she was suppose to lead. My issues with her were not so much about her faith (actually, it had nothing to do with her faith), but her constant desire to judge people as unfit Christians. Also, I just did not consider it appropriate to hold prayers during the work day. Granted, I am now not all that sure of my decision, but we were soldiers at the time and war was what he did.
It did not end well with Joann, as her performance was well below what was expected and she ended up taking an early, and forced, retirement. At the time, she was in her early 50s, never married, no children, and had managed to upset pretty much everyone she had contact with. I always recall that our battalion commander had written a comment in her evaluation that was devastating. The comment was: "Sergeant First Class Fowler has reached her potential and put;ived her usefulness to the US Army..." I really thought that was a bit too much, but it was honest. Last I heard, which was over 20 years ago, she moved to Montana and had started some type of a clam farm (yes, I said clam farm).
rtm3039
Why, whats the point of debate it doesnt actually get you anywhere because people just stick to their positions. How can you say you win a debate anyway? Its it the person who has the last word. Maybe you just run out of things to say.
Some people have no business in trying to operate with others. A "Clam" farm is probably a really good place for her.
The worst thing is a busy body. Apparently worse than a murderer in the Bible.
It would seem like she liked interfering in things that werent her business to interfere with.
In these cases its better for everyone if they started their own business, cos then they get to be the boss.
Jesus for example, didnt step over the line and try and interfere with the Pharisees established rules and regulations all the time. He didnt try to change them he just went about his Fathers business. Where it clashed with the Pharisees there was tensions but he didnt try to take over.
Ultimately everyone has to answer to God so dont put yourself in the unenviable position of doing Gods job. Some things only God can do. We can be ambassadors for Christ but that doesnt mean we get to BE God.
Well, in a debate, there is usually an audience. How you do, it based mostly on how your audience judged the logic of your argument. There is a movie, I believe it is called "A matter of faith." The movie includes a debate between Evolution and Creationism. Both sides had a compelling argument; however, I found that the argument for creationism was better presented and, again in my opinion, more logical. That's how you win a debate.
rtm3039
Well, it would be interesting, but highly unlikely. War appears to be part of our DNA.
rtm3039
In 1961 President Dwight Eisenhower warned the US about the threat to democratic government posed by the military-industrial complex, a union of defence contractors and armed forces. He said...……...
‘In the councils of government we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.’
The result is that profits and jobs depend heavily on America being at war.
It seems that he was a prophet!
The more I thought about your post, it occurred to me that those Christian ( ? ) web sites that allow more intense discussion winds up being a "Denominational" argument.
The Baptists rail against the Catholics. The 7th Day Advantists argue their "Investigative Judgment". The Catholics condemn all who are not Catholics,
and the Jehovah Witnesses want to get everyone address so that they can come and visit everyone.
It always winds up in turmoil because once again, we have to right!!!
Is it, its not really in mine.
I think the only war that Jesus asks us to fight is the one where the saints are in His army. When you read revealtion there is a war on saints. The saints are clothed in white robes. They dont have weapons because the Lord goes before the, with a sharp sword comign out of His mouth.
Do you know a bit of history. Joan of arc went to battle right, she was female but she dressed as a man to lead France. The british were fighting and raping and pillaging Normandy. Anyway when she was in the front of the battle lines, she basically told the British to retreat and guess what they did. Just because she said it.
GOd gave her the words to say.
Thats power.
That's the human condition isn't it? Someone doesn't agree with our perspective, when that is intertwined with our sense of self, feels like a personal attack on how we live our entire life. Denominations having different beliefs as to what it means to be a Christian set that conflict in motion. Because the way one leads their life is part of what gets them to Heaven. Being right for that to occur becomes deeply personal .
Could be. But how would they ascertain they have the right answer when engaging with those who are not credentialed theologians?
Luke 4:5-6 King James Version (KJV)
5 And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.
6 And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.
"Delivered unto me", get it? Satan is the god of this world, and he commands constant war.
There once was a city in the Indus Valley, population two million, with no preparation at all for war. One day the people got up and went away, and the world has had constant war ever since.
I have no idea. Maybe they sniff each other out like psst hey buddy you got a degree?
Supposedly those that do have letters after their name, but I have never actually used mine. Its probably as long as the alphabet now. It could be like oneof those secret handshake things where if you from the same fraternity or denomination, they just know from your name and the way people loudly proclaim I am of calvin, I am of xxx church the one true church and everyone else that isnt part of that one is unelected and wrong.
While the rest of us are scratching our heads and going what is your problem??? Cant you just be a christian and love Jesus? Why do you have to constantly debate every single verse?!
Nah but christians dont answer to the god of this world, we serve the God almighty of the entire universe. Who's kingdom never ends. So others can fight their petty battles for they know they have a short time before it all gets eventually crushed.
"The Catholics condemn all who are not Catholics," that's no lie.
"Jehovah Witnesses want to get everyone address so that they can come and visit everyone." That's no lie either.
rtm3039
Saul Mine:
I agree; however, we must admit that war is often times called for. The best examples of this would be WW2 and Desert Shield, right?
How should one interpret Matthew 5:39: "But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also."? To me, this passage speaks about revenge, not justice. War against people like Hitler, Saddam Hussein, Osama bin Laden is not about revenge (or it should not be), but rather about justice. It is this war that I was making reference to being in our DNA; however, one could make the same argument for those seeking revenge.
Turning the other cheek is not in the human nature of things, but is done because it is the will of God.
Well, this is just my opinion, so I reserve the right to learn more and change my mind.
rtm3039
The phrase was Jesus telling us to contole our vengeance nature. He will take care of what vengeance is needed if any.
Sometimes, we have someone talk to us in a hard, rude manner and we immediately feel the need to take their cap off and throw it on the ground.
What we do not know is that the person may have just been told that they have been fired from their job.......or a loved one just died or that a parent just had a heart attack.
God know and He will do what HE knows needs to be done...…..not us!
When those things happen, it has been my experience that a day or two later, the person involved has come to me and apologized for what they said or did and I know right then that God fulfilled Matthew 5:39.
Yes. That is exactly what I mean.
Many years ago my wife and I attend a Lutheran church. (50).
It was a nice church and the pastor asked over to his home for dinner. When we arrived, he had about 6 or 7 bottles of alcohol sitting on a table and asked us what we were drinking. We did not drink and do not to this day.
When I asked him about this he was very clear that the reason why was because he could drink alcohol without any guilt or fear from the Lutheran hiarchy.
IN other words, he was a Lutheran because the denomination allowed its ministers to consume alcohol.
I am not condemning either the alshohol or the Lutheran church, only making a true comment on WHY this man was what he was.
War began in Genesis 4:8......…..
"Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.""
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