Anonymous
Post 05/24/2020 09:51     Subject: Evangelicals: Can you explain to me the desperation to open churches?
Anonymous wrote:Oh yes, WHITE evangelical, correct.

That full merging with the GOP was orchestrated by GOP operatives, notably Paul Weyrich (the guy who planned to redefine abortion, where before him, evangelicals believed life started at first breath.)


I feel about the same about evangelicals of all races tbh. And the Catholics, frankly.
Anonymous
Post 05/24/2020 09:51     Subject: Re:Evangelicals: Can you explain to me the desperation to open churches?
Anonymous wrote: "it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God".

Jesus was too extreme for everybody. If you live in the DC area you’re probably rich and therefore already wrong.


This quote sounds like something Bernie Sanders would say
Anonymous
Post 05/24/2020 09:50     Subject: Re:Evangelicals: Can you explain to me the desperation to open churches?
Anonymous wrote: "it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God".

Jesus was too extreme for everybody. If you live in the DC area you’re probably rich and therefore already wrong.
\

Ok. You know, it’s always seemed weird to me that rich people absolutely CANNOT be considered moral and righteous. That’s just way too black and white for me.

A rich person who earned his/her money legally and does a lot of charity work is plenty moral, in my book.
Anonymous
Post 05/24/2020 09:49     Subject: Evangelicals: Can you explain to me the desperation to open churches?
Anonymous wrote:Pesky first amendment. Should we close the newsrooms as well?


No one is saying you can't worship or have zoom services. You just can't do it in large physical groups at the moment without crossing the line between your religious freedom to worship in a particular physical way and someone else's physical safety (which has a ripple effect on the safety to everyone). You can't perform human sacrifice killings in the name of religion either.
Anonymous
Post 05/24/2020 09:49     Subject: Evangelicals: Can you explain to me the desperation to open churches?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Pesky first amendment. Should we close the newsrooms as well?


A lot of them did, actually (at least by Trump’s definition of closed vs open since most churches never closed, they just stopped using their buildings). San Francisco Chronicle closed their newsroom, and I believe WashPost and NY Times as well.

+1 even Fox News did.

And closing the churches temporarily doesn't violate the first amendment. The government is not stopping them from preaching or worshiping, just temporarily preventing mass gatherings for the public safety.

-signed a long time churgh goer
Anonymous
Post 05/24/2020 09:49     Subject: Evangelicals: Can you explain to me the desperation to open churches?
Oh yes, WHITE evangelical, correct.

That full merging with the GOP was orchestrated by GOP operatives, notably Paul Weyrich (the guy who planned to redefine abortion, where before him, evangelicals believed life started at first breath.)
Anonymous
Post 05/24/2020 09:49     Subject: Re:Evangelicals: Can you explain to me the desperation to open churches?
"it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God".

Jesus was too extreme for everybody. If you live in the DC area you’re probably rich and therefore already wrong.
Anonymous
Post 05/24/2020 09:48     Subject: Re:Evangelicals: Can you explain to me the desperation to open churches?
You will understand American Christianity a lot better if you start translating “church” and “ministry” to “untaxed business” in your head.
Anonymous
Post 05/24/2020 09:46     Subject: Re:Evangelicals: Can you explain to me the desperation to open churches?
Being a WHITE evangelical is more than just a religion now--it is political. It's fully merged with the GOP. I grew up evangelical and have since left the faith but my parents haven't. Seeing their transformation from the non-partisan people who raised me into the Fox-news watching, Trump-voting, disgusting right-wing meme FB posting people they are now has been such a shock. These are people who talk about Jesus as if he were sitting next to them yet still think being asked to wear a mask is akin to slavery.

White evangelicalism is full-on nationalistic religion.
Anonymous
Post 05/24/2020 09:45     Subject: Evangelicals: Can you explain to me the desperation to open churches?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Christianity—especially Evangelical versions—have gone far beyond what Jesus said.

If Christians stuck to what Jesus said, it would be less alienating.


“I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.”


― Mahatma Gandhi


Precisely. In addition:

“Jesus was all right, but his disciples were thick and ordinary. It’s them twisting it that ruins it for me.” — John Lennon
Anonymous
Post 05/24/2020 09:44     Subject: Evangelicals: Can you explain to me the desperation to open churches?
Anonymous wrote:Christianity—especially Evangelical versions—have gone far beyond what Jesus said.

If Christians stuck to what Jesus said, it would be less alienating.


“I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.”


― Mahatma Gandhi
Anonymous
Post 05/24/2020 09:38     Subject: Evangelicals: Can you explain to me the desperation to open churches?
Christianity—especially Evangelical versions—have gone far beyond what Jesus said.

If Christians stuck to what Jesus said, it would be less alienating.
Anonymous
Post 05/24/2020 09:37     Subject: Evangelicals: Can you explain to me the desperation to open churches?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Money. People aren’t mailing in enough checks.


Our giving has ironically been the highest ever. We aren’t concerned about money at all.

Also, OP remember that “evangelicals” on TV are a whole different type of evangelical than the people in your community. 99% of us are not crazy!



Depends. Do you vote for Republicans? If so, you are crazy — or just deceived. Judges that will decide to ban abortion (following the fake bible translation changes in the 1970s) aren’t worth screwing children and the poor by cutting social safety nets and funneling all money to the top 0.01%. Jesus would be a Democrat today — Jesus was an SJW. Just read the sections of the Bible on Jesus condemning the rich and the pursuit of money, and warning his followers against the Pharisees and money changers. And Jesus advocating for giving money to the poor and to children.

If you vote for Democrats, then I agree. You’re not crazy and we support your church and community. And tell us the name of your church so we can go there!


I haven’t voted for a Republican, but wouldn’t rule it out entirely based just on party. Currently I would not vote republican because I want my immigrant husband to stay here and also I’m very pro-life. Not to be confused with pro-birth, I believe in helping everyone stay alive whether rich, poor, black, brown or white. I don’t want abortion to be illegal, I want it to be unnecessary (in most cases) because women are safe, have adequate support, adequate medical care, access to birth control, etc.

I also think Jesus would be too extreme for the Democrats.


Good for you. These are all reasonable positions.

Just to add: Jesus told us to care about others all the time, not just when it was convenient for us. You should support allowing immigrants to stay here at all times, not just based on whether your household is affected.

Setting that small point aside do you think the rest of the congregation mostly agrees with you?
Anonymous
Post 05/24/2020 09:25     Subject: Evangelicals: Can you explain to me the desperation to open churches?
My Protestant church is going to be distance church for a long time. So many elderly congregants. It’s not worth it.
Anonymous
Post 05/24/2020 09:23     Subject: Evangelicals: Can you explain to me the desperation to open churches?
Money?
If you are on unemployment, your tithe is a lot less than when you were earning a salary

But yes, money is very important to churches.