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Well Ozzy, I was totally enjoying your thread and found it refreshing until the one size must fit all crowd showed up and destroyed the harmony. I appreciate your looking beyond what may very have been your comfort zone and recognizing that not everyone will think the way you do about organized religion and whether there is a god or not. It was very respectful and thank you for that.
This morning I attended a more evangelical style church. Something I had not done in a while. In my mind, during the last few weeks, I have been convincing myself that they were really not so bad. But I rediscovered that they are not for me. The opening songs and hymns were great. All about Jesus and his love. But the sermon really let me down. Nothing at all about love. Nothing about how to treat people, nor any encouragement to do good works. Nothing biblical in the message, though a long passage was read, and just very depressing. Just the redemptive role of Jesus that everyone better get in line with, or else. Nothing that I ever found in my Bible readings.
I also would like to offer an apology to the non-religious people I have offended during this time, while in this frame of mind in these recent weeks. They already knew what I had forgotten. Please forgive me. I hope I don't fall back into that thinking ever again.
So the pastor talked about how Jesus redeemed sinners that hated God rather than giving them the just punishment they deserved? Wow.....interesting you don't consider that loving.
So the pastor talked about how Jesus redeemed sinners that hated God rather than giving them the just punishment they deserved? Wow.....interesting you don't consider that loving.
May I ask the denomination?
I'd rather not. But you are well aware that there are many evangelical churches and denominations that teach this. My point was that I had not attended one in a while, and had almost convinced myself that they were okay. But that kind of thinking just depresses me. I don't understand how the church members can sit through that and find any enjoyment in it. To me, there is zero value in listening to a sermon if that's all it is. Supposedly the church members there already believe it, right? So what is their purpose in listening to it week after week? It doesn't make sense, which tells me that it isn't even true.
I think church should encourage people to show God's love to others. If church doesn't do that then it's evil in my opinion.
Well Ozzy, I was totally enjoying your thread and found it refreshing until the one size must fit all crowd showed up and destroyed the harmony. I appreciate your looking beyond what may very have been your comfort zone and recognizing that not everyone will think the way you do about organized religion and whether there is a god or not. It was very respectful and thank you for that.
Thanks. I actually don't mind the debates that always show up in a harmonious thread. It happens every time so inevitable. I've even done my share from the liberal theistic side.
So the pastor talked about how Jesus redeemed sinners that hated God rather than giving them the just punishment they deserved? Wow.....interesting you don't consider that loving.
May I ask the denomination?
I don't call that loving; I call that ruling by fear.
I'd rather not. But you are well aware that there are many evangelical churches and denominations that teach this.
Fair enough. Reason I ask is that some have different styles of doing that. Some kind of talk about it...but don't actually really get very deep. Others, you may feel like you've been to a seminary class afterward.
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My point was that I had not attended one in a while, and had almost convinced myself that they were okay. But that kind of thinking just depresses me. I don't understand how the church members can sit through that and find any enjoyment in it. To me, there is zero value in listening to a sermon if that's all it is.
Supposedly the church members there already believe it, right? So what is their purpose in listening to it week after week? It doesn't make sense, which tells me that it isn't even true.
I think church should encourage people to show God's love to others. If church doesn't do that then it's evil in my opinion.
And that's why church isn't for non-Christians. Church is to worship God and to proclaim his goodness. It's not to entertain those that don't believe. While they should certainly be welcomed in, they aren't the reason Christians meet on Sunday morning. If you aren't interested hearing about how good God is by saving his people, then that's a big indicator.
Fair enough. Reason I ask is that some have different styles of doing that. Some kind of talk about it...but don't actually really get very deep. Others, you may feel like you've been to a seminary class afterward.
And that's why church isn't for non-Christians. Church is to worship God and to proclaim his goodness. It's not to entertain those that don't believe. While they should certainly be welcomed in, they aren't the reason Christians meet on Sunday morning. If you aren't interested hearing about how good God is by saving his people, then that's a big indicator.
How is OzzyRules talking about how he thinks churches should promote God's love rather than blasting sinners anything about entertaining non believers? As a non believer any message about god setting up rules so that he can save people who breaks those rules sounds silly but that is not the way that OzzyRules thinks as he sure sounds like a believer not an unbeliever.
Possibly the best secret weapon that irreligion has, is that those who battle for organised religion think that all they have to do is smash down the unbelievers. Little do they know that, all the time they do that, believers are watching and then quietly slipping away to irreligious Theism.
Possibly the best secret weapon that irreligion has, is that those who battle for organised religion think that all they have to do is smash down the unbelievers. Little do they know that, all the time they do that, believers are watching and then quietly slipping away to irreligious Theism.
lol, funny, you have to rely on fundy to bring it down. Your statements of belief are not good enough.
something is far more reasonable than nothing. lmao, deny everything, too funny. There are people willing to buy bridges everywhere.
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