Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
One of the reasons I confront/debate/dislike fundamentalism and fundamentalists is because they use fear to sell their product -- kinda like underarm deodorant companies make you think you stink unless you use their product.
Some of these things just come up - like being asked what we are saved from... I try to be matter of fact about it. It is what it is. I am not going to lie and make the issue seem better than what it is.
Fear is probably much less likely to work than many other approaches. That's why I responded to Denverian as I did about him being scared into "getting saved".
People are not saved through fear... they are saved through faith.
Some of these things just come up - like being asked what we are saved from... I try to be matter of fact about it. It is what it is. I am not going to lie and make the issue seem better than what it is.
Fear is probably much less likely to work than many other approaches. That's why I responded to Denverian as I did about him being scared into "getting saved".
People are not saved through fear... they are saved through faith.
Which is sold through fear. MY GOD will give you eternal life..(FEAR STARTS) don't you want to live forever with your family? (FEAR GROWS) you do not want to be in the eternal burning room do you? (FEAR SOLD the conversion.)
Isn't such a conversion supposed to be based on LOVE, ACCEPTANCE and FREEWILL? Not FEAR, OPPRESSION and COERCION?
If you're sold on faith by fear, you're doing it wrong. Man centered theology is all about love, acceptance, and free will. God centered theology takes God at his Word and puts man in his rightful place. It's cats and dogs, and the whole 'Love wins' crowd has an incomplete view. Not incorrect, just incomplete.
*Dogs-- A dog looks at you and says, you feed me, you care for me, you love me. You must be God. A cat looks at you and says, you feed me, you care for me, you love me....I must be God.
If you're sold on faith by fear, you're doing it wrong. Man centered theology is all about love, acceptance, and free will. God centered theology takes God at his Word and puts man in his rightful place. It's cats and dogs, and the whole 'Love wins' crowd has an incomplete view. Not incorrect, just incomplete.
*Dogs-- A dog looks at you and says, you feed me, you care for me, you love me. You must be God. A cat looks at you and says, you feed me, you care for me, you love me....I must be God.
I would say a man fully furnished in love is complete. According to the scriptures it is love that we are not only rooted in but also established in. Col 2:7.
If you're sold on faith by fear, you're doing it wrong. Man centered theology is all about love, acceptance, and free will. God centered theology takes God at his Word and puts man in his rightful place. It's cats and dogs, and the whole 'Love wins' crowd has an incomplete view. Not incorrect, just incomplete.
*Dogs-- A dog looks at you and says, you feed me, you care for me, you love me. You must be God. A cat looks at you and says, you feed me, you care for me, you love me....I must be God.
Again, what is God's word and where is the evidence?
That's a really weird dog. I have NEVER equated being fed and loved with the giver being God. They were my parents, NOT GOD.
One of the most POPULAR antics of every television evangelist is THE ALTAR call...that moment of LIFE (if you leave now) and spiritual death (if I stay I'll die) decision making.
We have all seen them,maybe a few of us were blessed enough to have witnessed an honest to goodness fall-flat-lie-prostrate-and-crawl the 100 yards to the altar while whining I AM NOTHING BUT A DYING COCKROACH--actually there was a teacher in my middle school back in the 1970s who offered a few whacks with his technologically advanced aluminum paddle or rolling around on the floor proclaiming you were a dying cockroach unworthy of the teacher's grace--I typically chose the cockroach play, but gotta admit that aluminium paddle was a blast...
Anyways, resisting that temptation to digress....the ALTAR CALL is one of mankind's all time GREATEST shtick.
I actually knew an altar call junkie. It is true, she just could help herself and felt compelled to respond to continuously affirm her faith in that softly spoken magic spell.
What are your favorite ALTAR CALL moments?
I don't do them in my church...I just don't view them as Biblical. I encourage people to speak to God and consider what Jesus did for them, and if they have any questions, I'm available after church..but I don't call anyone down front.
The cartoon you have is interesting. I've had the debate about "Who Jesus is" on these boards before, pointing out that many people that are considered "Christian" have entirely different views of who he is, and I've been shouted down because I have suggested that yes--what we think of him does matter.
The issues I am most concerned with, are those relevant to the things Jesus/Holy Spirit teaches.
So as far as what other men had/have to say are admirable, but NOT more important.
In my entire 54 years of being Catholic I have never been told that I would burn in hell if I did not have Confirmation or Communion so I am curious who gave you that information as truth.
Plenty of fundamentalist Christians. People in my own family believed/believe this way.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
