Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Christianity in America has changed. It’s not about helping those in need. Christian churches have become political. Many pastors preach unrelenting right wing messaging from the pulpit. It’s pretty crazy.

Have you visited any leftist churches lately?
ELCA Lutherans, Presbyterians (“PUSA” not “Presbyterian Church in America”), Episcopal, and most recently United Methodist (not Global Methodist) are all completely ideologically captured by the left. Leftist doctrine, not scripture, is what leads the teachings in these churches now.
If scripture or prior doctrine of their denomination does not support the approved political leftist agenda, then they just re-interpret that part or change the doctrine, then they take a vote and split the denomination.

The interesting thing is that every single time a denomination goes through this, all the activists show up en masse to force the vote, and after the split, the pews in the liberal churches are empty and the church budgets are cut to 1/3, which leaves these newly-formed enlightened churches struggling to sustain. Why? Because the people who are making this happen aren’t interested in supporting a church or in worship or in tithing or making a difference in their spiritual lives or in the spiritual lives of the community by revealing God, obeying God, and worshipping the creator. They are interested in advancing agenda that promotes the interest of self above all.
They want a church of self worship that validates and lifts up self indulgence.

And ultimately they want no church at all.

You mean the leftist ideology such as Reverend Budde to "have mercy?" You know you lost your salvation when the teachings of Jesus himself offend you.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Often, Christians look down on atheists, thinking they’re stupid or evil.

Meanwhile, a lot of Christians voted for Trump, an obvious atheist. Why do you think that is?

Trump is not an "obvious" atheist. He has said many times that God saved him this summer from the assassin's bullet.

Frankly, OP, how dare you judge someone else's relationship with God.

I'm assuming it's because in order to really call yourself a Christian you'd have to practice Christianity on some level. He doesn't do that with his language or deeds.

This is a fallacy.
Only one thing must be true in order to “call yourself a Christian” and that is that you have professed to believe that Christ is your savior who died for YOUR sins.
Perfection is not expected or required.
A certain set of behaviors is not expected or required.
Why?
Because we are all sinners. Every one of us. We cannot possibly earn this free gift of salvation. It is not earned. It is given.
We are saved not by what we do or have done but by grace through what HE has done for us.

So while many Christians may try to live a “good life” by following the example of Christ in loving and serving our neighbor in order to honor and glorify God, this is NOT what saves ANY of us. At all. Not thise you consider to be “good Christians” nor Trump. Relying on self is a certain failure.
Relying on Jesus Christ is certain eternal life.

Christians are not people who live perfect lives. Christians are sinful people who are forgiven by Gods Grace and who accept His gift of salvation through Christ Jesus.

So you ask Jesus into your heart and then go shoot up a school full of kids and all is good because you have Jesus in your heart? Uhm, I don't think so. I think you need to go back to Sunday School.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Christianity in America has changed. It’s not about helping those in need. Christian churches have become political. Many pastors preach unrelenting right wing messaging from the pulpit. It’s pretty crazy.

Have you visited any leftist churches lately?
ELCA Lutherans, Presbyterians (“PUSA” not “Presbyterian Church in America”), Episcopal, and most recently United Methodist (not Global Methodist) are all completely ideologically captured by the left. Leftist doctrine, not scripture, is what leads the teachings in these churches now.
If scripture or prior doctrine of their denomination does not support the approved political leftist agenda, then they just re-interpret that part or change the doctrine, then they take a vote and split the denomination.

The interesting thing is that every single time a denomination goes through this, all the activists show up en masse to force the vote, and after the split, the pews in the liberal churches are empty and the church budgets are cut to 1/3, which leaves these newly-formed enlightened churches struggling to sustain. Why? Because the people who are making this happen aren’t interested in supporting a church or in worship or in tithing or making a difference in their spiritual lives or in the spiritual lives of the community by revealing God, obeying God, and worshipping the creator. They are interested in advancing agenda that promotes the interest of self above all.
They want a church of self worship that validates and lifts up self indulgence.

And ultimately they want no church at all.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Often, Christians look down on atheists, thinking they’re stupid or evil.

Meanwhile, a lot of Christians voted for Trump, an obvious atheist. Why do you think that is?

Trump is not an "obvious" atheist. He has said many times that God saved him this summer from the assassin's bullet.

Frankly, OP, how dare you judge someone else's relationship with God.

I'm assuming it's because in order to really call yourself a Christian you'd have to practice Christianity on some level. He doesn't do that with his language or deeds.

This is a fallacy.
Only one thing must be true in order to “call yourself a Christian” and that is that you have professed to believe that Christ is your savior who died for YOUR sins.
Perfection is not expected or required.
A certain set of behaviors is not expected or required.
Why?
Because we are all sinners. Every one of us. We cannot possibly earn this free gift of salvation. It is not earned. It is given.
We are saved not by what we do or have done but by grace through what HE has done for us.

So while many Christians may try to live a “good life” by following the example of Christ in loving and serving our neighbor in order to honor and glorify God, this is NOT what saves ANY of us. At all. Not thise you consider to be “good Christians” nor Trump. Relying on self is a certain failure.
Relying on Jesus Christ is certain eternal life.

Christians are not people who live perfect lives. Christians are sinful people who are forgiven by Gods Grace and who accept His gift of salvation through Christ Jesus.

Anonymous wrote:Christianity in America has changed. It’s not about helping those in need. Christian churches have become political. Many pastors preach unrelenting right wing messaging from the pulpit. It’s pretty crazy.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Often, Christians look down on atheists, thinking they’re stupid or evil.

Meanwhile, a lot of Christians voted for Trump, an obvious atheist. Why do you think that is?

First OP, if your title contains a genuine earnest question, your first post negates that with a LOT of hefty assumptions upfront.

As a Christian myself, the presumption that Christians “look down on” atheists or think they are stupid or evil is bewildering to me.
I don’t think that at all. And I don’t know Christians who do.
But I know of some non-believers who think the kind thing for Christians to do is to live and let live and not attempt to share their faith.
But to a Christian—that’s like seeing that a car is about to run you down in the road, but deciding not to share that fact with you because you don’t believe in cars so we should just respect that and let the car hit you because it’s none of our business.
I mean—sure, I could do that. But you can see where it doesn’t make sense for me to keep quiet about it if I live and care about you? If it can save you—I’d rather risk offending you if there is a chance you could be saved just by my telling you to step out of the way if the incoming car.

As far as voting goes, my vote has never been tied to whether or not someone is a Christian.
The thing that bugs me about Trump is that he does not appear to be a believer and yet pretends that he knows Christ. And that’s a tricky one because I cannot truly know someone else heart.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Often, Christians look down on atheists, thinking they’re stupid or evil.

Meanwhile, a lot of Christians voted for Trump, an obvious atheist. Why do you think that is?

Trump is not an "obvious" atheist. He has said many times that God saved him this summer from the assassin's bullet.

Frankly, OP, how dare you judge someone else's relationship with God.

I'm assuming it's because in order to really call yourself a Christian you'd have to practice Christianity on some level. He doesn't do that with his language or deeds.

This is a fallacy.
Only one thing must be true in order to “call yourself a Christian” and that is that you have professed to believe that Christ is your savior who died for YOUR sins.
Perfection is not expected or required.
A certain set of behaviors is not expected or required.
Why?
Because we are all sinners. Every one of us. We cannot possibly earn this free gift of salvation. It is not earned. It is given.
We are saved not by what we do or have done but by grace through what HE has done for us.

So while many Christians may try to live a “good life” by following the example of Christ in loving and serving our neighbor in order to honor and glorify God, this is NOT what saves ANY of us. At all. Not thise you consider to be “good Christians” nor Trump. Relying on self is a certain failure.
Relying on Jesus Christ is certain eternal life.

Christians are not people who live perfect lives. Christians are sinful people who are forgiven by Gods Grace and who accept His gift of salvation through Christ Jesus.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Often, Christians look down on atheists, thinking they’re stupid or evil.

Meanwhile, a lot of Christians voted for Trump, an obvious atheist. Why do you think that is?

Trump is not an "obvious" atheist. He has said many times that God saved him this summer from the assassin's bullet.

Frankly, OP, how dare you judge someone else's relationship with God.

I'm assuming it's because in order to really call yourself a Christian you'd have to practice Christianity on some level. He doesn't do that with his language or deeds.

Anonymous wrote:He knows how drop little pearls that some Christians want. Access to guns. No more yucky trans kids. (I'm being sarcastic ... that's how his Christian right followers think.) No brown people murdering blonde women. He inflames their fears and offers them what they want. It's sick.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Often, Christians look down on atheists, thinking they’re stupid or evil.

Meanwhile, a lot of Christians voted for Trump, an obvious atheist. Why do you think that is?

Trump is not an "obvious" atheist. He has said many times that God saved him this summer from the assassin's bullet.

Frankly, OP, how dare you judge someone else's relationship with God.

I'm assuming it's because in order to really call yourself a Christian you'd have to practice Christianity on some level. He doesn't do that with his language or deeds.

This is a fallacy.
Only one thing must be true in order to “call yourself a Christian” and that is that you have professed to believe that Christ is your savior who died for YOUR sins.
Perfection is not expected or required.
A certain set of behaviors is not expected or required.
Why?
Because we are all sinners. Every one of us. We cannot possibly earn this free gift of salvation. It is not earned. It is given.
We are saved not by what we do or have done but by grace through what HE has done for us.

So while many Christians may try to live a “good life” by following the example of Christ in loving and serving our neighbor in order to honor and glorify God, this is NOT what saves ANY of us. At all. Not thise you consider to be “good Christians” nor Trump. Relying on self is a certain failure.
Relying on Jesus Christ is certain eternal life.

Christians are not people who live perfect lives. Christians are sinful people who are forgiven by Gods Grace and who accept His gift of salvation through Christ Jesus.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's like how the Pharisees saw Pontius Pilate as a useful tool to do their bidding of crucifying Jesus. They like his policies, but not necessarily him.

I know plenty of Christians who like him. They are mainly white male Christians though.

I know plenty who don't, including white male Christians.

Can we all stop painting with such broad brushes and using language that over inclusively suggests "all" of anything.

seems to me that neither pp is painting with a broad Brush - just expressing their own opinion.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's like how the Pharisees saw Pontius Pilate as a useful tool to do their bidding of crucifying Jesus. They like his policies, but not necessarily him.

I know plenty of Christians who like him. They are mainly white male Christians though.

I know plenty who don't, including white male Christians.

Can we all stop painting with such broad brushes and using language that over inclusively suggests "all" of anything.

Sorry, Trump's ICE is painting a broad brush against Hispanic people by rounding up US citizens, some vets, along with illegal immigrants.

It appears applying a broad brush to groups of people is now the thing. Just following Trump's lead on that.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Often, Christians look down on atheists, thinking they’re stupid or evil.

Meanwhile, a lot of Christians voted for Trump, an obvious atheist. Why do you think that is?

Trump is not an "obvious" atheist. He has said many times that God saved him this summer from the assassin's bullet.

Frankly, OP, how dare you judge someone else's relationship with God.

I'm assuming it's because in order to really call yourself a Christian you'd have to practice Christianity on some level. He doesn't do that with his language or deeds.