The Bible and Love and Christians

[frogboy4]

Equal Rights for *Everybody* would be nice!

I enjoy hearing people of other cultures and beliefs share their experiences and that includes Christians. I personally don’t believe in converting someone to my way of thinking – I just want to create a dialogue of mutual respect and understanding.

However, there are particular folk, including some Christians and Atheists, who believe in persistent badgering of unsolicited information and trying to force beliefs through legislation, intimidation and/or bullying. Personally, my only agenda is an inclusive one that means equality for everybody. Too many folk want to prevent me from having certain civil rights based on what they have chosen to believe. I refuse to live a half-life here because of someone else’s beliefs and cannot understand how my marrying a partner of the same sex denies any Christian their right to live and thrive under their selected dogma.

I was raised under Christianity. I studied it, attended private religion-based schools, Sunday school, seasonal retreats and weekly church into my teens. I understand the gist of it and have discovered that it’s just not for me. There are some presumptuous people who feel that I must of missed something along the way in order for me to reject that so they're intent on pestering me. It's rather insulting. I understand what my non-belief of Christianity means under that theology, but that will not keep me from being a faithful Agnostic. (Just to make that clear, an Agnostic is one who believes in a higher power yet does not subscribe to any particular religious affiliation. I'm not an Atheist, but like everybody else they're okay too in my book.)

Christians do make up the majority of religious America so they should be extra mindful in how they share their beliefs as not to act as bully. That’s the point of the initial YouTube video that began this thread. Most Christians I know in daily life are extremely thoughtful, but most in the media are not. It would be nice if the thoughtful ones received more screen time than the toxic Dobsons and Robertsons of the Christianverse.

My being a gay Agnostic shouldn’t affect a heterosexual Christian or vice versa. It would be nice if we all respected one another instead of trying to change each other to our way of thinking. Let everyone live, worship and love the way they see fit.

 

[lotusoftheleaf]

I have a picture of Jesus in my room. When I look at it, it makes me feel calm and peaceful. Sometimes it feels like the picture is looking back at me, but it never makes me feel scared or creeped out the way you'd think something like that would.

Whether people believe in Jesus, Buddha, multiple gods or whatever, in a way they're all the same. They all help motivate people to be decent human beings and assure them they'll get some reward for it in the end. That should be all that matters, and to me it is, but to some it's not.

I think things will eventually change for homosexuals, just as they changed for women and voting. My family is heavily against same-sex marriage and seem to think it's some evil thing. I refuse to believe that. Regardless of gender, I think true love is a beautiful miracle (you know, unless it involves children or animals.)

 

[CensoredAlso]

Most Christians I know in daily life are extremely thoughtful, but most in the media are not. It would be nice if the thoughtful ones received more screen time than the toxic Dobsons and Robertsons of the Christianverse.

It's important to separate the media from reality. The media often gives the impression of adversity and competition between sides but in reality a lot of it is for ratings. Unfortunately we all keep falling for it!

 

[frogboy4]

I have a picture of Jesus in my room. When I look at it, it makes me feel calm and peaceful. Sometimes it feels like the picture is looking back at me, but it never makes me feel scared or creeped out the way you'd think something like that would.

Whether people believe in Jesus, Buddha, multiple gods or whatever, in a way they're all the same. They all help motivate people to be decent human beings and assure them they'll get some reward for it in the end. That should be all that matters, and to me it is, but to some it's not.

I think things will eventually change for homosexuals, just as they changed for women and voting. My family is heavily against same-sex marriage and seem to think it's some evil thing. I refuse to believe that. Regardless of gender, I think true love is a beautiful miracle (you know, unless it involves children or animals.)

That is exactly how I feel too!

It's important to separate the media from reality. The media often gives the impression of adversity and competition between sides but in reality a lot of it is for ratings. Unfortunately we all keep falling for it!

That is very true. I canceled my cable because too much of it is exploitation and infotainment for profit. This ranges from cable news to reality television. It's all highly addictive and far too toxic for me. I'd say the media is today's cocaine. It just rots your brain in a different way.

---

On another note. This is not directed toward any particular post, I always feel weird when people use the technical term "homosexual" because straight folk don't categorize one another by sexual preference. It's about all parts of love and not just that one element of it. I use "gay" but still wish someone would come along with a better casual term than gay, homosexual, queer or LGBT.

Furthermore, a popular movie used the term "gay" as a pejorative in its movie trailer in a way that upset me and many people. Of course it's their right to do so in a free country; however I found it disingenuous that they pretended that somehow they didn't mean "happy" or "homosexual", but "inferior" instead. To me that's just like a character taking Jesus' name in vain and pretending that their intention is not to upset Christians.

I think we all could employ more of a sense of humor about ourselves as well as sensitivity. We really do need both. It’s not always an easy thing to do.

 

[lotusoftheleaf]

I'm never really sure what term to use. It's the same with people of different color. Do they prefer to be called "blacks" or "African-Americans"? It's sad that we even need to be concerned with it. All people should just be called people.

I always felt "gay" to be an offensive term since I hear people, especially children, use it as slang for something bad all the time where I live. To me, using that word in that way is like cursing, which is something I try to avoid.

 

[frogboy4]

I'm never really sure what term to use. It's the same with people of different color. Do they prefer to be called "blacks" or "African-Americans"? It's sad that we even need to be concerned with it. All people should just be called people.

I always felt "gay" to be an offensive term since I hear people, especially children, use it as slang for something bad all the time where I live. To me, using that word in that way is like cursing, which is something I try to avoid.

I'm the same way. I've learned to say what seems right at the time and let the other person inform me of what makes them most comfortable. I guess to me the only way to treat everybody equally is to treat them like individuals. If that makes any sense at all.

 

[RedPiggy]

See, you don't fully understand. When the holy spirit is in you, you know. God impresses on the hearts of believers what to do and what is right and wrong. I have felt his spirit on me many times.

Truth is objective, but what it means to us as individuals is not. The Spirit talks to me too. The Spirit is what guided me to talk to others who may have a different take. The Spirit is what impressed upon me from my late childhood that it was important not to just take the word from someone who may be benefitting from the message. It's why people should take with a grain of salt any study that was done by the very industry that profits off the thing that is studied. A study on the usefulness of oil by an oil company? No one should really be surprised if the company declares oil vital to the national interest. A particular pill's safety? Gee, wonder what the company that makes it is going to say?
The Spirit leads down the path of understanding that fits us. To repeatedly claim that those who disagree aren't touched by the Spirit can be rather insulting.

What I have a problem with is the issue o seperation of church and state.

But what you don't seem to realize is that it benefits YOU too. If the Government isn't dealing with religion, it also means they aren't telling YOU what to believe.

And at least the second half of that is now a reality.

Yes, and I'm so happy. Sending non-criminals home in a time of war is outright stupid, just as it was when minorities such as any non-white or women showed up to serve. George Washington himself had to learn the hard way that sending away people you are bigotted against during a battle is a profoundly dumb idea.

Fraggline: All I can say is, when I'm feeling really frustrated and down, I can almost see this kind face smiling at me and comforting me --- the face of Jesus. He never yells at me, but He coaxes me to do the things that I know I should.

That's why I stick with Him instead of changing over to something else (that I respect), like Judaism or Buddhism. Still, I just stopped equating being cynical about certain followers with disagreeing with Jesus Himself. There is hardly anything to respect about Peter and Paul, yet to me they take nothing away from Jesus, despite their best efforts to make Christianity more about them.

But Christ makes it clear that there is no other way to Heaven but Him and that if people reject Him, then they will cast away from His presence eternally.

I can agree with the statement without agreeing where His followers took that statement. Jesus was speaking in an environment where rebels against the Romans were hostile against those Jews who just didn't want to make waves. Jesus is claiming that if you follow Him, you can avoid all the doom that will certainly happen if either extreme gets their way on the political scene. Jesus was differentiating Himself from the Roman suck-ups and the rebels. For followers who wanted more than their 15 minutes, however, this context-needed statement got turned into "buy the Jesus brand or die". However, God has been willing to speak to people out of the group (Hebrews, Jews, Christians) all throughout the bible. Thus, I'm led to the conclusion that the latter interpretation is to pump up a follower's rep and not accurate to Jesus' intentions.

Many won't believe our message but it's still important to get the word out there.

And many can't conceive of the simple concept that an Omnipresent God can talk to whomever He wants.

They all help motivate people to be decent human beings and assure them they'll get some reward for it in the end.

Agreed. They are sources of inspiration, a way of looking at the world.

The media often gives the impression of adversity and competition between sides but in reality a lot of it is for ratings.

LOL, yeah, that's why I think Paradise will never come. It's bad for ratings, LOL.

I use "gay" but still wish someone would come along with a better casual term than gay, homosexual, queer or LGBT.

Homosexual = liked
Heterosexual = unliked
LOL
I realize that can be taken several ways, but all I'm doing is translating the prefix.

I always felt "gay" to be an offensive term since I hear people, especially children, use it as slang for something bad all the time where I live. To me, using that word in that way is like cursing, which is something I try to avoid.

Well, there are other words that have a problem as well, like adjectives regarding mental ability. On the other hand, a bully will use ANY word as an insult, so I have to question where we permit them to use any word as an insult. We don't ban the word "girl" because boys like to say "you throw like a girl". I say take it back, y'know?

 

[bingboingcutie]

Thanks Bananasketch! Glad to be welcomed here.

And thanks, GonzoLeaper, for "amen-ing" me--glad others believe in Jesus also!

Also, thanks for liking my messages Fraggline! I like that feeling God gives me; comforts, ya know?

 

[GonzoLeaper]

However, there are particular folk, including some Christians and Atheists, who believe in persistent badgering of unsolicited information and trying to force beliefs through legislation, intimidation and/or bullying.

Christians do make up the majority of religious America so they should be extra mindful in how they share their beliefs as not to act as bully. That’s the point of the initial YouTube video that began this thread. Most Christians I know in daily life are extremely thoughtful, but most in the media are not. It would be nice if the thoughtful ones received more screen time than the toxic Dobsons and Robertsons of the Christianverse.

Well said- I agree with this for the most part. But I can't call James Dobson or Pat Robertson toxic. I can't say I agree with all that they've said and the ways that they've presented the Gospel all the time- but they have been faithfully presenting the Gospel of Jesus Christ and that's what's most important and for that I rejoice. But yes- Christians should never share Christ through intimidation and/or bullying- Jesus certainly never did that. "Freely you have received; freely give." (Matthew 10:8)
As to legislation, well, I believe it was Abraham Lincoln who said that you can't legislate public morality- people must choose how they want to live. And the whole point of the First Amendment (among other important things) is that Congress can't make a law to establish a national religion or prohibit one. But "the separation of church and state" phrase is not in the Constitution or The Declaration of Independence- just for clarification.

There is hardly anything to respect about Peter and Paul, yet to me they take nothing away from Jesus, despite their best efforts to make Christianity more about them.

Well, I would say that we should respect Jesus above anyone else of course and worship Him alone because He's God. Christianity is following Christ and He's at the center of everything. I really don't see how Peter and Paul tried to make Christianity about them though. God's Word even addresses this and God used Paul to write down the words- see 1 Corinthians 1:10-31 and 1 Corinthians 3. And God also uses Peter to talk about it in 2 Peter 3:14-18.
Seems like when Philippians 1:21 says that for Paul to live is Christ and to die is gain- and then Philippians 3:8 that says Paul counted (and so should we) everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus the Lord - and when Paul ranks himself as the chief of sinners in 1 Timothy 1:15 - I don't think he was trying to build himself up. 1 Peter 3:15 commands us to revere Christ as Lord in our hearts. 1 Peter 4:11 says that in all things God should be praised through Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.
The whole Bible exalts Jesus Christ and we're expressly forbidden to worship anyone else.

I can agree with the statement without agreeing where His followers took that statement. Jesus was speaking in an environment where rebels against the Romans were hostile against those Jews who just didn't want to make waves. Jesus is claiming that if you follow Him, you can avoid all the doom that will certainly happen if either extreme gets their way on the political scene. Jesus was differentiating Himself from the Roman suck-ups and the rebels. For followers who wanted more than their 15 minutes, however, this context-needed statement got turned into "buy the Jesus brand or die". However, God has been willing to speak to people out of the group (Hebrews, Jews, Christians) all throughout the bible. Thus, I'm led to the conclusion that the latter interpretation is to pump up a follower's rep and not accurate to Jesus' intentions.

Christ's followers didn't take His statements anywhere. Jesus took His statements there. Jesus said in John 8:24 that if we don't believe He is who He says is, we will indeed die in our sins.
Jesus also said in Matthew 10:28 that we shouldn't fear man who can only kill the body, but we should fear the One who can kill both body and soul in Hades.
And He also clearly declares that He is The Way, The Truth and The Life- No man comes to The Father but through Him. (John 14:6) Acts 4:12 also says that there is no other Name given to us under Heaven by which we must be saved except for that of Jesus Christ. Jesus' parable of the sheep and the goats in Matthew 25 also makes it pretty clear that those who truly follow Christ will enjoy eternal rewards in the eternal Heaven and those who don't truly follow Christ will suffer eternal punishment in the eternal lake of fire.
I know it's not something everyone likes to think about, but it is what Jesus said, like it or not. Jesus didn't come just to be a religious leader or teacher or philosopher or rabble-rouser or anything else but Savior and Messiah. He came to die and rise again so we could have salvation from sins and avoid the flames and go to Heaven instead by putting our faith and trust in Him.
The context is pretty clear- the stakes are eternity. But there's no need to gamble when Jesus made it clear that He is Emmanuel-God with us. And He's made it clear that He is the only Way to Heaven. And He's also made it clear that He doesn't want any to perish but all to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:8-9) He came to save us all (John 3:16-17). That's what I celebrate at Christmas and Easter and every other day. Christ the Savior has been born, lived a perfect life, died a cruel death on a cross, had a glorious Resurrection, ascended into the clouds and will return again one day. I just want everyone to have a chance to hear His desperate and incredibly passionate entreaty of love and decide for themselves what they will do with it.

Thanks Bananasketch! Glad to be welcomed here.

And thanks, GonzoLeaper, for "amen-ing" me--glad others believe in Jesus also!

Also, thanks for liking my messages Fraggline! I like that feeling God gives me; comforts, ya know?

You got it, dude. Definitely good to find fellow followers of Jesus always.

 

[Bannanasketch]

Amen. gonzoleaper. You are a true man of faith. I can't wait to meet you in God's kingdom someday. Until then, God bless.