Anonymous wrote:

I'm not saying we should pad the truth. The truth itself is clear and powerful, but you are not meeting a person first and foremost with love. You want them to repent because that is what is best for them, but your message is to strike immediately from the point of condemnation.

Obviously we have different approaches.

And both approaches work. It is the Holy Spirit, not us, that presses upon one's heart to repent. God uses both the abrasive, salty blunt-force Gospel truth tellers to
bring his beloved children of mankind unto himself, and he uses the soft, gentle words spoken from a wise and knowing woman to bring others.

Jesus said we are to be salt. Salt stings, it burns, it is unpleasant when rubbed into a wound. Being too soft and accomodating to sin risks one's salt not being salty.

And I agree, it must be done in love. Tough love is needed sometimes whereas with others just a gentle nudge with loving kindness is all that is needed for the
Holy Spirit to draw the sinner unto Christ.

I mean, really -- who cares what Jesus says? seems more like people use the words of a guy 2,000 years ago to do what they want to do anyhow.

I'm not saying we should pad the truth. The truth itself is clear and powerful, but you are not meeting a person first and foremost with love. You want them to repent because that is what is best for them, but your message is to strike immediately from the point of condemnation.

Obviously we have different approaches.

And both approaches work. It is the Holy Spirit, not us, that presses upon one's heart to repent. God uses both the abrasive, salty blunt-force Gospel truth tellers to
bring his beloved children of mankind unto himself, and he uses the soft, gentle words spoken from a wise and knowing woman to bring others.

Jesus said we are to be salt. Salt stings, it burns, it is unpleasant when rubbed into a wound. Being too soft and accomodating to sin risks one's salt not being salty.

And I agree, it must be done in love. Tough love is needed sometimes whereas with others just a gentle nudge with loving kindness is all that is needed for the
Holy Spirit to draw the sinner unto Christ.

Anonymous wrote:

Well then how about a socially-inept Christian who doesn't understand how to keep from shutting down others to a message by improving the delivery.
Sanctimonious Christian, get thee to a public speaking class!

See, this is where you are wrong. You, like many others in the puffy comfy padded "don't say nothing to scare people away!" crowd are getting it wrong.

When John the Baptist came, he preached hard words, not soft, syrupy words we mainly hear from the pulpits these days. Jesus spoke hard words too, to jolt people into
thinking more clearly about the state of their souls.

If Jesus or John the Baptist tried to become a pastor in today's churches, they would be turned away because they are not ear-tickling enough, they don't make the
adulterous woman giggle at her sins, don't cause the drunkard, child abusing bastard to put away the bottle and turn over a new leaf.

Nope, John the Baptist would be turned away back into the wilderness. He's too rough and socially inept. Today's Christians would say "Don't Jesus and John the Baptist know you can't tell people they are sinning which lands them a spot in Hell?" No, no no! You gotta tell people God is a smoothie, lovey-dovey grandpa kind of guy who winks and nods with at your sinful behavior.

I'm not saying we should pad the truth. The truth itself is clear and powerful, but you are not meeting a person first and foremost with love. You want them to repent because that is what is best for them, but your message is to strike immediately from the point of condemnation.

Obviously we have different approaches.

Anonymous wrote:

Don't they know that homosexuality is normal?

Can you point to where Jesus addressed homosexuality at all?

http://www.jdgreear.com/my_weblog/2011/01/is-homosexuality-a-sin-2.html

This explains things in more detail but I will summarize here:

1) Jesus did not come to abolish the law, but fulfill it.

The Mosaic law clearly stated that homosexuality was sinful, an abomination.

2) Positively, Jesus affirmed the Mosaic on marriage as between a man and a woman (Matthew 19:4)

And He (Jesus) answered and said, “Have you not read that He who created them from the beginning made them male and female,
and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’?

Where did Jesus read that? From the Old Testament (it was not called that then of course). He read it from the Bible.

This right away sends a clear message: marriage is between male and female. That is the natural order of things the way God made it.
By extension, we can say God made male and females for one another, not male for male or female for female. All Jews in the time of Jesus knew
what their scriptures said concerning homosexuality. It was common knowledge at the time. It really was not necessary for him to address the issue,
just as he did not have to come out and say "You know, it is still wrong to lie, cheat, steal, and murder."

It is really obvious there is nothing positive to say about homosexuality in the Bible but amazing that there are people whose brains are
so befuddled they cannot understand this. It is not so much they do not understand but they do not want to understand, they want to be willfully ignorant of the truth about the purpose of human sexuality.

3) Jesus’ followers, to whom he committed the job of explicating his teaching (John 14:26), were more than clear on the issue when it became relevant to address.

Don't they know that homosexuality is normal?

Can you point to where Jesus addressed homosexuality at all?

JESUS is REAL!!! The is this emptiness, frustration, and drowsiness within you.... Wowww but time will come for that

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Busted. Telling people to up their meds just makes you look even more sad and needy.

PS. Re your cut-and-pastes, even evangelists know better than to quote the King James bible at people. That might have worked in the 1800s. But these days, even the secret fire and brimstone types know don't convert people by tongue-lashing them.... Get with it, troll

I said to reduce meds, not up them. The point being that someone who thinks a Christian quoting from the Bible is bogus speech is a person who is not thinking clearly.
Overly-medicated could be the cause of such thinking.

Quoting the King James Bible, or any version, is telling people what the Bible says. Some people think all Jesus said is love love love and that if you smile emough and be happy enough the sunshine god in the sky will bring you to heaven with him.

That is false.

Furthermore, it is the Holy Spirit which convicts a person of sin, not anything a person does.

Some people need a good tongue-lashing to jolt their senses, to wake people up from the false sense of security they have. Many seem to think "Well, I am good person and that is all it takes for me to get to heaven. Just think about being good and trying to be good." They have such thoughts even if they are a liar, a whore, a murderer, an abusive, violent drunk, or a homosexual.

The bible says otherwise. You get to heaven only by calling upon the name of Jesus to cleanse you of your sins. If you become a legitimate Christian you will eschew the aforementioned sinful behaviors.

These days, too many Christians are too milk-toast in their evangelism. They think if they play rock-n-roll music at church trying to win over the stoner crowd, and think by telling people being a Christian is a peaceful life and you go to heaven where it's even more peaceful, that all this will win converts.

We can see the declining membership in churches that this weak, milk-toast approach does not work. Most people are already comfortable and lead pleasant lives. They have no fear for their soul.

Uh huh. The bolded part is exactly why you're obviously NOT a Christian. Goodbye, doofus.

Church membership IS declining. I suppose you can be a Christian without going to church, though. There were no churches in Jesus' day.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Busted. Telling people to up their meds just makes you look even more sad and needy.

PS. Re your cut-and-pastes, even evangelists know better than to quote the King James bible at people. That might have worked in the 1800s. But these days, even the secret fire and brimstone types know don't convert people by tongue-lashing them.... Get with it, troll

I said to reduce meds, not up them. The point being that someone who thinks a Christian quoting from the Bible is bogus speech is a person who is not thinking clearly.
Overly-medicated could be the cause of such thinking.

Quoting the King James Bible, or any version, is telling people what the Bible says. Some people think all Jesus said is love love love and that if you smile emough and be happy enough the sunshine god in the sky will bring you to heaven with him.

That is false.

Furthermore, it is the Holy Spirit which convicts a person of sin, not anything a person does.

Some people need a good tongue-lashing to jolt their senses, to wake people up from the false sense of security they have. Many seem to think "Well, I am good person and that is all it takes for me to get to heaven. Just think about being good and trying to be good." They have such thoughts even if they are a liar, a whore, a murderer, an abusive, violent drunk, or a homosexual.

The bible says otherwise. You get to heaven only by calling upon the name of Jesus to cleanse you of your sins. If you become a legitimate Christian you will eschew the aforementioned sinful behaviors.

These days, too many Christians are too milk-toast in their evangelism. They think if they play rock-n-roll music at church trying to win over the stoner crowd, and think by telling people being a Christian is a peaceful life and you go to heaven where it's even more peaceful, that all this will win converts.

We can see the declining membership in churches that this weak,t milk-toas approach does not work. Most people are already comfortable and lead pleasant lives. They have no fear for their soul.

Uh huh. The bolded part is exactly why you're obviously NOT a Christian. Goodbye, doofus.

It's milquetost. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milquetoast

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Stop generalizing please. Thanks. I am catholic and have never spoken to anyone about my beliefs unasked. I'd never try to convert anyone. Neither would any Christian I know. It's mostly the American 'saved' Christians that do this stuff...not all Christians.

The Pope just came out and said that Catholics shouldn't try convert people by words.

I think it's more born again Christians that do this. They truly believe that you are going to hell if you aren't Christian.

Wish my mother-in-law knew this.

Hard to believe this is a 21 century person who is computer literate, but a suppose it's true.

Your condescending attitude is noted. It is the attitude typical of people who think that those Christians who take what Jesus said seriously, as he said in the Bible
concerning sin and repentance, are stupid. Such people as yourself seem to say "Well, those Christians are old time fuddy-duddies, behind the times, illiterate, and ignorant.
They don't belong in our enlightened modern society! Don't they know that homosexuality is normal? That thieves and murderers are not bad people they
just did not receive enough psychological counseling? Good really isn't good, it is evil. It is evil that is good. Those Christians and their misogynist patriarchal
society had it backwards for centuries. WE know better now, we have evolved and stuff and it's true because the experts say it is true."

In Romania in the 1960s, when the communists took over the government and churches they threw all the evangelical pastors into prison work camps to work them
to death building the Danube-Black Sea canal. Those wicked communists had the same snotty, condescending attitude that you have just exhibited.

I am not saying that you are a communist (you could be), I am saying you have a snotty, disgusting attitude that turns my stomach because you seem to place the value of a person based upon education and income. Because I am a Christian you automatically assume I am illiterate and poor thus beneath your dignity.

Somewhere, you developed the erroneous idea that someone who believes what Jesus said in the Bible to be true is uneducated, cannot use a computer, an i-phone, or any
21st century technology. Is this what they taught you in college? I had foolish professors like that in college too but I dismissed them for the ignorant buffoons that they are.

2 Timothy 3-7
This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with diverse lusts,
Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Anonymous wrote:

Busted. Telling people to up their meds just makes you look even more sad and needy.

PS. Re your cut-and-pastes, even evangelists know better than to quote the King James bible at people. That might have worked in the 1800s. But these days, even the secret fire and brimstone types know don't convert people by tongue-lashing them.... Get with it, troll

I said to reduce meds, not up them. The point being that someone who thinks a Christian quoting from the Bible is bogus speech is a person who is not thinking clearly.
Overly-medicated could be the cause of such thinking.

Quoting the King James Bible, or any version, is telling people what the Bible says. Some people think all Jesus said is love love love and that if you smile emough and be happy enough the sunshine god in the sky will bring you to heaven with him.

That is false.

Furthermore, it is the Holy Spirit which convicts a person of sin, not anything a person does.

Some people need a good tongue-lashing to jolt their senses, to wake people up from the false sense of security they have. Many seem to think "Well, I am good person and that is all it takes for me to get to heaven. Just think about being good and trying to be good." They have such thoughts even if they are a liar, a whore, a murderer, an abusive, violent drunk, or a homosexual.

The bible says otherwise. You get to heaven only by calling upon the name of Jesus to cleanse you of your sins. If you become a legitimate Christian you will eschew the aforementioned sinful behaviors.

These days, too many Christians are too milk-toast in their evangelism. They think if they play rock-n-roll music at church trying to win over the stoner crowd, and think by telling people being a Christian is a peaceful life and you go to heaven where it's even more peaceful, that all this will win converts.

We can see the declining membership in churches that this weak, milk-toast approach does not work. Most people are already comfortable and lead pleasant lives. They have no fear for their soul.

Uh huh. The bolded part is exactly why you're obviously NOT a Christian. Goodbye, doofus.

Anonymous wrote:

Well then how about a socially-inept Christian who doesn't understand how to keep from shutting down others to a message by improving the delivery.
Sanctimonious Christian, get thee to a public speaking class!

See, this is where you are wrong. You, like many others in the puffy comfy padded "don't say nothing to scare people away!" crowd are getting it wrong.

When John the Baptist came, he preached hard words, not soft, syrupy words we mainly hear from the pulpits these days. Jesus spoke hard words too, to jolt people into
thinking more clearly about the state of their souls.

If Jesus or John the Baptist tried to become a pastor in today's churches, they would be turned away because they are not ear-tickling enough, they don't make the
adulterous woman giggle at her sins, don't cause the drunkard, child abusing bastard to put away the bottle and turn over a new leaf.

Nope, John the Baptist would be turned away back into the wilderness. He's too rough and socially inept. Today's Christians would say "Don't Jesus and John the Baptist know you can't tell people they are sinning which lands them a spot in Hell?" No, no no! You gotta tell people God is a smoothie, lovey-dovey grandpa kind of guy who winks and nods with at your sinful behavior.

Hard to believe this is a 21 century person who is computer literate, but a suppose it's true.

Well then how about a socially-inept Christian who doesn't understand how to keep from shutting down others to a message by improving the delivery.
Sanctimonious Christian, get thee to a public speaking class!

See, this is where you are wrong. You, like many others in the puffy comfy padded "don't say nothing to scare people away!" crowd are getting it wrong.

When John the Baptist came, he preached hard words, not soft, syrupy words we mainly hear from the pulpits these days. Jesus spoke hard words too, to jolt people into
thinking more clearly about the state of their souls.

If Jesus or John the Baptist tried to become a pastor in today's churches, they would be turned away because they are not ear-tickling enough, they don't make the
adulterous woman giggle at her sins, don't cause the drunkard, child abusing bastard to put away the bottle and turn over a new leaf.

Nope, John the Baptist would be turned away back into the wilderness. He's too rough and socially inept. Today's Christians would say "Don't Jesus and John the Baptist know you can't tell people they are sinning which lands them a spot in Hell?" No, no no! You gotta tell people God is a smoothie, lovey-dovey grandpa kind of guy who winks and nods with at your sinful behavior.

Busted. Telling people to up their meds just makes you look even more sad and needy.

PS. Re your cut-and-pastes, even evangelists know better than to quote the King James bible at people. That might have worked in the 1800s. But these days, even the secret fire and brimstone types know don't convert people by tongue-lashing them.... Get with it, troll

I said to reduce meds, not up them. The point being that someone who thinks a Christian quoting from the Bible is bogus speech is a person who is not thinking clearly.
Overly-medicated could be the cause of such thinking.

Quoting the King James Bible, or any version, is telling people what the Bible says. Some people think all Jesus said is love love love and that if you smile emough and be happy enough the sunshine god in the sky will bring you to heaven with him.

That is false.

Furthermore, it is the Holy Spirit which convicts a person of sin, not anything a person does.

Some people need a good tongue-lashing to jolt their senses, to wake people up from the false sense of security they have. Many seem to think "Well, I am good person and that is all it takes for me to get to heaven. Just think about being good and trying to be good." They have such thoughts even if they are a liar, a whore, a murderer, an abusive, violent drunk, or a homosexual.

The bible says otherwise. You get to heaven only by calling upon the name of Jesus to cleanse you of your sins. If you become a legitimate Christian you will eschew the aforementioned sinful behaviors.

These days, too many Christians are too milk-toast in their evangelism. They think if they play rock-n-roll music at church trying to win over the stoner crowd, and think by telling people being a Christian is a peaceful life and you go to heaven where it's even more peaceful, that all this will win converts.

We can see the declining membership in churches that this weak, milk-toast approach does not work. Most people are already comfortable and lead pleasant lives. They have no fear for their soul.

Anonymous wrote:religion is the source of all evil.

As is alcohol. Alcohol is for the mainstream masses to keep people doing stupid things in the name of a good time. Alcohol makes sure people abuse one another, hurt one another, kill one another (drunk driving) and it is all socially accepted to binge drink this liquid drug. Alcohol and religion have destroyed more lives than almost anything else on the planet and will continue to do so because the masses cling to
their made up religions and their liquid drug.