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Lies and false accusations have alot in common with the Father of Lies.
Selling off your soul for a bit of temporary lust is pretty dumb. Pray and ask the Lord for help for your grievous sin. I am confident if you are sincere He will give you the strength to overcome your discretion.
Soul? What's that. Most atheists view the thought of a god about as relevant as one of the leprechauns. Your admonishments really don't resonate. Think what you feel like if you were told you needed to bow down to Allah?
Soul? What's that. Most atheists view the thought of a god about as relevant as one of the leprechauns. Your admonishments really don't resonate. Think what you feel like if you were told you needed to bow down to Allah?
It would mean nothing to you.
This is a Christianity forum. So, I talk spiritual and God stuff. If I want talk about atheism and Leprechauns, I would go to a Notre Dame site.
I still have shame about sex from growing up in this culture. Sin is sin and Jesus died for it all. But the shame associated with sexuality from this culture is not healthy and I agree that it has led to improper dealing with one's sexuality in many. Sexual misconduct is hammered into you as the worst kind of sin you can get into. No wonder we are messed up in the south.
The more I read the bible, the more I don't see God being as prudish about sex as his people are, especially the evangelical American branch of his people. Of course you can't say that here without being accused of allowing wanton promiscuity and encouraging immorality, but that seems to be the choice for many that aren't taught how to properly experience their sexuality.
Wondering if statistics about alcohol abuse run similar.
No. Alcoholism is greatest in the Northwest and North Plains states. The cold areas. And it is so stupid to drink when it is cold as it reduces blood circulation.
But sex---the Bible Belt is really into sexual sin because of the awful sex education that fundamentalists demand for their schools.
Quote:
Over 23% of schools in the country teach students sexual health information based on an abstinence-only curriculum, and here’s why that just doesn’t work. According to The Guardian, some of these programs give false information to make abstinence seem like the better (or the only) option, such as condoms cause cancer, the first sexual experience should be painful and ovarian cancer in women is caused by promiscuity.
A study done by former State Representative Henry Waxmann revealed that 80 percent of schools in the nation who use an abstinence-only curriculum are providing this kind of distorted information. Not only that, but these programs exclude all non-heterosexual and non-cisgender persons. In a growing and evolving world this is not only unfair, but dangerous.
Those who oppose the idea of comprehensive sexual education do so because they believe that it encourages teenagers to become sexually active and result in pregnancy.
However, according to a study done by the National Survey of Family Growth, kids aged 15 to 19 are 50 percent less likely to experience teen pregnancy after receiving comprehensive sex ed.
You're right it is. What would you think would convince an atheist to change their mind? I know quoting texts is not the way.
For many athiests, there is no way to change their mind. You could have a published journal accrediting by the world's greatest university documenting supernatural healing verified by a thousand doctors and they would still find some way to reject it.
They have crossed that line and harden their hearts against God. At some point, God gives up on them. That's why they can only try to fill their inner void by coming on these kind of forums and attacking Christians.
There's nothing sinful about loving someone and being loved.
Except to fundie bigots, of course.
Welll that's hypocritical thinking. We are suppose to love those who will don't agree with yet "fundies" are the exception? If the call is to love everyone then that includes "fundies". The bigot label is just the lowest form of pathetic pedestal posturing.
It's a tough call for all evangelical churches. There will be a cost to be open and welcoming as too many will harken back to what others here state and call said churches back slidden, liberal, fallen away, etc, etc. It was obviously in the heart of the local NYC pastoral team to let this young man be a leader, but when the head dog in Australia started getting heat from conservative Christians, they had to readjust.
I can see this happening in lots of churches. The mega ones will be the place where it is most duplicitous. They fear the income stream from tithers that find being that open TOO open. As a church musician, I have been aware of this situation. Have seen sites and blogs where churches stopped singing songs from the Hillsong Churches (some of the most prolific praise and worship writers today come from Hillsong) with the same fundamental zeal that we see from posters here.
I think the answer will be what the young man found, a welcoming church that isn't conflicted on the issue. Old wineskins can't handle new wine.
It really is sad that this one issue is such a dividing line that would cause people to leave. Evangelical churches have lost congregations over it.
I am glad that the guy in the article found an affirming evangelical church close by---but that's NYC. People in small towns have little choice.
I wish I could remember the quote and who said it, but I heard someone say that unless Christianity becomes more mystical, it will die. Christianity will become irrelevant if it stays in the realm of behavior police or thought police. So the numbers may stay up, in the short term, if they hold to the rule book model. But overall, this faith will lose its relevance and die if it doesn't make its focus connecting people to a real experience of the living God. The worship music experience is a taste of that. And then they had to interject their rule book.
I love Hillsong music by the way. I don't mean to single them out. That was just an example of when "welcoming" doesn't mean welcoming.
Soul? What's that. Most atheists view the thought of a god about as relevant as one of the leprechauns. Your admonishments really don't resonate. Think what you feel like if you were told you needed to bow down to Allah?
It would mean nothing to you.
Quote:
Originally Posted by KJoe11
This is a Christianity forum. So, I talk spiritual and God stuff. If I want talk about atheism and Leprechauns, I would go to a Notre Dame site.
Quote:
Originally Posted by normstad
You're right it is. What would you think would convince an atheist to change their mind? I know quoting texts is not the way.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jeffbase40
For many athiests, there is no way to change their mind. You could have a published journal accrediting by the world's greatest university documenting supernatural healing verified by a thousand doctors and they would still find some way to reject it.
They have crossed that line and harden their hearts against God. At some point, God gives up on them. That's why they can only try to fill their inner void by coming on these kind of forums and attacking Christians.
The existence of God is a given in the Christianity forum; therefore, take this type of argument to R&S general, please.
It really is sad that this one issue is such a dividing line that would cause people to leave. Evangelical churches have lost congregations over it.
I am glad that the guy in the article found an affirming evangelical church close by---but that's NYC. People in small towns have little choice.
I wish I could remember the quote and who said it, but I heard someone say that unless Christianity becomes more mystical, it will die. Christianity will become irrelevant if it stays in the realm of behavior police or thought police. So the numbers may stay up, in the short term, if they hold to the rule book model. But overall, this faith will lose its relevance and die if it doesn't make its focus connecting people to a real experience of the living God. The worship music experience is a taste of that. And then they had to interject their rule book.
I love Hillsong music by the way. I don't mean to single them out. That was just an example of when "welcoming" doesn't mean welcoming.
I know Andy Stanley at Northpoint in Atlanta is one who is "semi-welcoming." My friend Paul found it a welcoming place his years in Atlanta. But there was no openly gay person in leadership. He didn't seek that so it was fine for him at that place in his life.
It is a difficult thing to turn a whole ship. If Andy Stanley or the Hillsong's Houston were to go the step further and be as welcoming as some of the more liberal denominations, the fundamentalegalists would start a smear war. It has already started on both these too anyway. Several on my Facebook feed love to share posts decrying how both of these churches have fallen away, not necessarily on this subject, but on others.
Your post here is so point on and hits me right between the eyes. Thank you for your challenging soft yet powerful words that move me so much more than the hammers from the other side.
You're right it is. What would you think would convince an atheist to change their mind? I know quoting texts is not the way.
I don’t think you can convince anyone into believing God. But there are different approaches that some may respond and understand. Quoting Scripture on a forum, a personal discussion, or perhaps a small tract would spark an interest on knowing more about the God of the Bible.
Different ways for different types of people.
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