Rick Perry has proclaimed April 22-April 24 to be "Days of Prayer for Rain in the State of Texas." (Howe: to live, store)

[Westerner92]

Originally Posted by TexasReb

On lots of things/issues, I would -- like you --lament it, Westerner.

In this case, I really don't. I am sick and tired of us Christians rolling over and playing dead in the face of ridicule and condecension. Thinking these silly little "Christers" and "imaginary man in the sky" actually passes for anything other than what they really are. Sophomoric barbs. Might as well write a line on the boys toilet in high school.

Anyway, I like this little video and I love the song. Dallas Holmes sang it and he got the inspiration to write it as he thought this might be something Jesus Christ would say. I am going to share it with fellow Christians and hope y'all enjoy it.

If it were played in a school? The ACLU would probably sue. As it is? I am sharing it and if they -- or any hateful atheist -- don't like it? If it offends them?

Wellll....?

Tough SH*T. I aint' as nearly as turn the other cheek as He was/is...

With Easter love to all my fellow Texans...


YouTube - I'll Rise Again

Thanks for the video.

I will say though that I don't see Christians as a whole rolling over and being overly apologetic. If anything, the rhetoric is just as shrill as ever. I only wish my fellow Christians would do a little more cheek-turning and act less like a desperate interest group. Faith needs less defending than it does living.

[catman]

I had a bad feeling about this thread from the beginning; namely, that it would become something best left to the Religion forum.

[TexasReb]

Originally Posted by Westerner92

Thanks for the video.

I will say though that I don't see Christians as a whole rolling over and being overly apologetic. If anything, the rhetoric is just as shrill as ever. I only wish my fellow Christians would do a little more cheek-turning and act less like a desperate interest group. Faith needs less defending than it does living.

Well, then we are gonna have to agree to disagree, somewhat, on this one, Westerner. Because IMHO, we Christians spend too much time turning the other cheek and not fighting (literally or metaphorically) for our beliefs.

Yes, Jesus said to turn the other cheek. But He didn't say stand there and get beat to death, fer gawds sake! LOL

To me, the problem with many of my fellow Christians is that they don't know WHAT they really believe. And it is hard to fight for something or stand up for it if you don't even know what it is you are standing up or fighting for. They are intimidated by the ACLU or the riduclue of their peers, or the condecension of the mass media. Everything in the secular world mocks Chrisitans and yet? Seems like we (or many of us) just passively take it. Kinda like the Christians who were thrown to the lions back in the days of Caligula.

I want to make it clear that I don't make any pretensions whatsover to be an epitome of a good Christian in the sense of a good example to follow. I'd be the worst preacher in the world. I drink a ton of beer and tell a lot of dirty jokes.

But I just know there are certain things I believe in -- such as God and His son Jesus -- because I KNOW They are real. Laugh, scoff, whatever, I KNOW it.

Like TTDave said, it is REAL to me because it was actually experienced. I can't explain it nor would try to to someone else if they didn't want to hear it. I am not a "witnessing" person. If you experience it, then NOTHING is going to convince you it is NOT real. If you don't believe? Then nothing is going to convince you it is.

Whatever on that. I go back to that I think Christians are TOO pacifistic sometime. We let others run all over us and apologize and try to explain too much.

Well, I am not going to do that. My reply to those who ridicule and mock is where were YOU when God made the world? The best scientists we have cannot begin to create much less understand the simplist forms of life? Yet some of them scoff at the existence of God...?

[Cowboys fan in Houston]

Originally Posted by TexasReb

In this case, I really don't. I am sick and tired of us Christians rolling over and playing dead in the face of ridicule and condecension. Thinking these silly little "Christers" and "imaginary man in the sky" actually passes for anything other than what they really are. Sophomoric barbs. Might as well write a line on the boys toilet in high school.

What the...???

Especially in this part of the country, more times than not, Christian are the source of ridicule and condecension not the other way around. Religion is so in your face in this part of the country that it sends those of us moderate Christians to the hills in search of religious solitude. I see Christianity on bilboard, hear the commercials on the radio, and see mega-behemoth chruches everywhere I turn. This is not specific to one part of the state either. Ive seen it in the Dallas, Houston, and Austin areas, as well as small towns through out the state. In Fort Worth, the a North Texas Atheist group advertised and the local Christian community got up in arms? Yet its ok for Christians to do it and they do it liberally. Its not any better anywhere else in the South. Atlanta just as bad.

Conservative Christianity is the overwhelming majority in Texas, why should you feel bad for yourself?

[Bo]

Keep it in Texas to keep it on topic.

We have Religion and Philosophy forums for discussing religion.

[TexasReb]

Originally Posted by justme02

What the...???

Especially in this part of the country, more times than not, Christian are the source of ridicule and condecension not the other way around.

You have a certain point there. I don't like my Sunday afternoon of football games and beer drinking interputed by someone knocking on the door and insisting on "sharing the Good News" with me, either. Some Christians can be as overbearing and self-righteous as anybody else.

Reminds me of that classic joke:

Budists don't recognize the authority of the Pope
Jews don't recongize the authority of the New Testament
Southern Baptists don't recognize one another in liquor stores!

But no one said that life is not going to be without interuptions sometime. And, be real, the grain of ridicule, in the long run and overall, is against Christians. Especially those of us in Texas/South.

[Westerner92]

Originally Posted by TexasReb

Well, then we are gonna have to agree to disagree, somewhat, on this one, Westerner. Because IMHO, we Christians spend too much time turning the other cheek and not fighting (literally or metaphorically) for our beliefs.

Yes, Jesus said to turn the other cheek. But He didn't say stand there and get beat to death, fer gawds sake! LOL

He didn't have to say anything. He led by example, and frankly, he willingly became the doormat for all humanity. He was never one to fight... Yeah, we're definitely going to have to agree to disagree.

Anyway, I'm pretty sure this thread could not get more off topic, so happy Easter.

[Bo]

Strike Two. Last Warning.

Originally Posted by Bo

Keep it in Texas to keep it on topic.

We have Religion and Philosophy forums for discussing religion.

[Lucidus]

Originally Posted by TT Dave

I think prayer is very valuable. In my personal experience I have prayed to God and have actually seen God dramatically change things in my life after I prayed for help. Those things that changed in my life after I prayed for help defy any other logical explanation. For me that makes prayer very meaningful. IMO, God certainly can change anything he wants. Why he chooses to change certain things and not others is a mystery at times. However, as a believer, I trust that God has my best interests at all times. For example, sometimes I have prayed for a certain outcome and when it didn't happen they way I wanted it, it actualy turned out better another way. In some cases I learned something very valuable from the experience, etc. I don't always know what's best for me, but God does. The reason I believe in God and in prayer is because I have seen God not only change major things in my life but I've also seen God dramatically change things in other people's lives as well, after prayer.

Ok, to keep it on topic here let's talk specifically about the request for us to pray for rain during the current drought. God knows we need rain already, our prayers will not add to his knowledge about that. According to what you stated above, God will do what is best for us regardless of what we pray for. So God will make it rain when he decides to, not when we want him to.

So why should we pray? So far no one has been able to answer this seemingly simple question.

[TexasReb]

Originally Posted by Lucidus

Ok, to keep it on topic here let's talk specifically about the request for us to pray for rain during the current drought. God knows we need rain already, our prayers will not add to his knowledge about that. According to what you stated above, God will do what is best for us regardless of what we pray for. So God will make it rain when he decides to, not when we want him to.

So why should we pray? So far no one has been able to answer this seemingly simple question.

Perhaps because it is a totally loaded and dumb question...and you know it. It is not intended to do anything except stir up trouble. I can almost even see the smirk...

Why in the heck should it matter to YOU if someone DOES pray for rain? For some reason though, I get the distinct impression that that is what it is all about for you.

What is your point here, really? Trying to make a clever little maze of "logic" to "prove" that prayer is pointless? If so, then why not just step up to the plate and say hey, I don't believe in God and think anyone who does is an idiot? Might as well pray to a store window dummy. There is no need to knock yourself out and try and impress with all these if this and then that type stuff, fer gosh sakes....
Whatever....

**********************

BTW -- BO? I understand the warning. You're a fair person/Moderator and I'm sorry if I got out of line. I hope what I said didn't violate the 2nd strike. But just in case it did, then I am no longer going to post on this thread. I said all I have to say, anyway...and I do not want to be responsible for ruining it for others.