Evangelical Christians

[burnem]

This thread is being created to continue the discussion about Christians and unhijack Wade’s thread concerning ISIL.

First, an apology to Pole Lock for bring his morals into question as a result of my getting heated about his comments in the above mentioned thread.  I hope you understand I was angry when you compared Christians to ISIL.

I’ll start by saying that I consider myself to be an Evangelical Christian, but probably not in the sense that most people understand or use that term.  I have never knocked on anyone’s door, never accosted anyone in the street, never marched with whacked out signs about Hell, in an attempt to get others to believe as I do.  I believe my God meets us with a spirit of Grace and Love rather than hellfire and damnation which I heard preached plenty as a child. I try to live my life in a manner consistent with my faith to the point that I hope to attract interest rather than promoting Christianity. My God’s glory is complete in His own Triune being as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and He doesn’t need me to push Him one those that do not want to hear His message.  I believe that He does, however, desire community while all who seek community with Him.  If asked, I will take all the time necessary, or allowed, to discuss what my God means to me and how my life has changed because of that fact to anyone, anywhere and anytime. So in that respect, I identity as an Evangelical Christian.

As a decent human being, I try to practice love, tolerance and understanding in all regards, even concerning touchy spiritual issues.  I do not attack others for their beliefs or complete lack thereof.  Nor do I believe that spiritual identity necessarily leads to moral conduct nor lack of spirituality to immoral conduct.  For simplicities sake, I’ll just define moral conduct as living by the Golden Rule. 

Certainly, members of every organized “religion” have committed outrageous acts in the name of their gods over the course of human history.  Likewise “godless” peoples have committed outrageous acts for reasons we would all consider barbaric.  The point is that we all imperfect and more often than not, tend to live out of our own self-interest…..creatures of The Fall if you will.

So why the long post?  I simple ask that if you don’t hold to the same beliefs as I, please don’t disparage my choice of spiritual identity by likening my “group” to ISIL or any other stated hate group for that matter.  Please don’t take every opportunity to bring the faults of Christian up and I’ll try to continue practicing tolerance to all who believe differently than I. 

We have so many challenges facing our nation that I don’t think it wise to invest time and energy being divisive…..the politicians are quite capable of that without our help. 

If you wish to promote another spiritual path, or atheism for that matter, then start a thread devoted to furthering that ideology instead of tearing another down (this is not directed at any individual).  I realize I will probably take some of heat for sharing my faith and opinions, but that’s ok, I’m a big boy with an identity rooted in and loving and faithful Father.

[vinnyvega]

Thank you for your tolerance.  It is greatly appreciated. :bigup:

[zepp69]

Right on brother! :clap:

[JohnE1000]

burnem:

Please excuse me for adding something to your thread. I don't mean to hijack it. I just want to add something that some people tend to forget.

Christ never advocated for hate, slavery, nor killing. His massage with simple and clear. Love, tolerance, and peace. The bad things that happens and happened in the name of Christ were/are intentional misinterpretation of his teaching for self-serving purposes.

On the other hand, Isil prophet advocate and taught a whole set of different principals/values.

It is very easy to confuse what a religion stands for with how some people interpret it.

[packerjh]

Preach it brothers!  The BZ just took me to church and I'm likin it!

:clap: :bigup:

[hookfish84]

[quote author=JohnE1000 link=topic=37192.msg157223#msg157223 date=1456246737]
burnem:

Christ never advocated for hate, slavery, nor killing. His massage with simple and clear. Love, tolerance, and peace. The bad things that happens and happened in the name of Christ were/are intentional misinterpretation of his teaching for self-serving purposes.[/quote]

Agreed.

[quote author=JohnE1000 link=topic=37192.msg157223#msg157223 date=1456246737]
On the other hand, Isil prophet advocate and taught a whole set of different principals/values. [/quote]

Disagree.  First of all, I think what you refer to as " Isil prophet" you mean Imam (The religious leader of ISIS)?  You are saying that Isil is somehow different?  They did the exact same thing as mentioned above. "intentional misinterpretation of his teaching for self-serving purposes."

I am not saying ISIS and Christians are the same.  In fact they couldn't be more different with regards to Jesus Christ.  The thing we are seeing now is equivalent to the "Dark Ages" when the crusades happened except the rest of the world has evolved far beyond that.  The guys out here (where I currently am) are still in their own "Dark Ages" so to speak.  They missed their Renaissance and industrial revolution.  When you go from tribal rule and mud huts straight to cell phones and skip your revolutions, it causes great divides in beliefs and ideals.  The forceful excursion of one's beliefs on another are irrefutably the same between the two events in question (crusades vs. ISIS caliphate).  It does seem more dramatic now to us since we are seeing it in real time and have much better technology in which to record current events than reading a limited amount of historical references for events that are 100's of years old.

I will never degrade or talk bad about someone's religion.  I will however, point out that someone is a nut job if they misrepresent what religious text preaches.  I want people to be the best they can and if having a religion is what they need, so be it.  I actually get pissed off with all these groups trying to remove every trace of religion such as no prayer at schools, removing bible quotes, etc.  These types of people only want tolerance if you are tolerant to their ideas which is total BS.  We need to stop fighting and just chill out.

My 2 cents
Off my soapbox now.

[sigsauer]

The best of men are but men at best.