We all have read about various churches and their protestation about various ills - many of which I agree with them. FYI: I am a member of a church and believe the good book. Why is it then, that we rarely hear about:
* Sloth?
* Gluttony?
* Gossip?
* Coveting? (SP?)
I think it's because these type of "internal" sins are not readily seen by the public. If you smoke and are a drunk you probably smell bad and embarrass yourself and those around you (plus worse); but, if you overeat and are consumed with food (pun intended) you're okay - maybe inconvenient when we're sharing a booth, but okay. Both people have issues - they are just expressed differently. For instance, I believe homosexuality is a sin. And, I've committed many, many sins - just different ones. As far as I'm concerned that makes me equivalent as we've both fallen short. It's sad; because living in liberty involves truth and transparency and the Western church seems to stifle those two.
I think that your observation is definitely part of it.
I would add that IMO many (including myself at times) struggle with the Spremacy of God vs the supremacy of man...
But you are spot on that sin is sin and that is the reason we need to discuss sin and hold each other accountable with the utmost humility. As we all are born depraved and do not deserve eternal salvation.
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"It's easier to convince a person that a government should be doing something for them it currently isn't than to convince a person that government shouldn't be doing something for them it currently is."
If Christian preachers focused any attention on gluttony they would drive away half of their congregation. Many conservative Christians don't believe the government should recognize gay marriage because the Bible says it is a sin. They also don't believe the government should tell us what we can eat or drink because it is none of their business. The sinning aspect of gluttony doesn't seem to be important.
I can hardly wait to hear the sermon. I dont know what would be funnier, the southern baptist version or the AME.
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"The danger to America is not Barack Obama, but a citizenry capable of entrusting a man like him with the Presidency. It will be far easier to limit and undo the follies of an Obama presidency than to restore the necessary common sense and good judgment to a depraved electorate willing to have such a man for their president. The problem is much deeper and far more serious than Mr. Obama, who is a mere symptom of what ails America. Blaming the prince of the fools should not blind anyone to the vast confederacy of fools that made him their prince. The Republic can survive a Barack Obama, who is, after all, merely a fool. It is less likely to survive a multitude of fools, such as those who made him their president." Author Unknown
"The arrogance of officialdom should be tempered and controlled, and assistance to foreign hands should be curtailed, lest Rome fall." Cicero 55 BC
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"It's easier to convince a person that a government should be doing something for them it currently isn't than to convince a person that government shouldn't be doing something for them it currently is."
Great questions...Banks can steal billions from us, borrow trillions, spy on us, oil can spill billions, factories can poison our water and soil and there is no outrage from the people...but fool around with an intern and all of a sudden we have to take action.
No, it's not okay to cheat on your wife, but damn if we aren't just a bunch of simpletons.
Great questions...Banks can steal billions from us, borrow trillions, spy on us, oil can spill billions, factories can poison our water and soil and there is no outrage from the people...but fool around with an intern and all of a sudden we have to take action.
No, it's not okay to cheat on your wife, but damn if we aren't just a bunch of simpletons.
The sins that get the most attention from the churches are the ones that aren't going to bring the government down on them. We all know good and damn well who's really calling the shots. Hint: it's the gang demanding three to five times as much of your money as the church expects.
__________________ To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under Heaven.
And for the people who like to keep track of sins, they overlook one as grievous as any:
"Thou shalt not kill.'
It is a cruel irony that some of the otherwise kindest and caring people in America enthusiastically countenance Caesar's wars. Amazingly, conservative Christians are typically the demographic most enthusiastic about American wars.
In light of this, I'd prefer to see the church take concerns for sin off the table altogether.
Dream: is the scripture "Thou shalt not kill?" or is it "Thou shalt not murder?"
Christians argue back and forth about how to construe 'kill', but it is difficult, I should think, to reconcile love for Jesus with love for wars. And American conservative Christians do love their wars.
Christians argue back and forth about how to construe 'kill', but it is difficult, I should think, to reconcile love for Jesus with love for wars. And American conservative Christians do love their wars.
Christians argue back and forth about how to construe 'kill', but it is difficult, I should think, to reconcile love for Jesus with love for wars. And American conservative Christians do love their wars.
And perhaps love for Caesar is a larger issue ...
I don't think you will find that many people Christian or otherwise that love war...
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"It's easier to convince a person that a government should be doing something for them it currently isn't than to convince a person that government shouldn't be doing something for them it currently is."
And for the people who like to keep track of sins, they overlook one as grievous as any:
"Thou shalt not kill.'
It is a cruel irony that some of the otherwise kindest and caring people in America enthusiastically countenance Caesar's wars. Amazingly, conservative Christians are typically the demographic most enthusiastic about American wars.
More sadly still, good luck finding a demographic that is truly opposed to them.
__________________ To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under Heaven.
John Hagee and George Morrison, pastor of Faith Baptist Chapel in Arvada, Colorado have called for or support war.
At the 1:25 mark Hagee is heard to pray:
"Father, in the name of the Lord Jesus I pray for our president tonight. I pray that you would give him the wisdom of Solomon to lead this nation into war against the enemies of righteousness. I pray for the good men and women in Washington, D.C. that they would stand in righteous boldness for this righteous cause..."
Gary Bauer is on the board of directors of Hagee's Christian Zionist lobby, CUFI, Christians United for Israel. Until his death in 2007 Jerry Falwell was also connected with CUFI
And lest we forget - Pat Robertson called for the assassination of Hugo Chavez in 2005.
One would hope that to be the case, but our country's repeated enthusiastic calls for war indicate otherwise.
You make it seem as though our leaders enthusiastically want intelligence to show our country is in danger. I don't think that is the case...
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"It's easier to convince a person that a government should be doing something for them it currently isn't than to convince a person that government shouldn't be doing something for them it currently is."
I don't think you'll find many Christians who actually love Jesus, based on the way they campaign for Caesar and clamor for war.
Okay...
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"It's easier to convince a person that a government should be doing something for them it currently isn't than to convince a person that government shouldn't be doing something for them it currently is."
John Hagee and George Morrison, pastor of Faith Baptist Chapel in Arvada, Colorado have called for or support war.
At the 1:25 mark Hagee is heard to pray:
"Father, in the name of the Lord Jesus I pray for our president tonight. I pray that you would give him the wisdom of Solomon to lead this nation into war against the enemies of righteousness. I pray for the good men and women in Washington, D.C. that they would stand in righteous boldness for this righteous cause..."
Gary Bauer is on the board of directors of Hagee's Christian Zionist lobby, CUFI, Christians United for Israel. Until his death in 2007 Jerry Falwell was also connected with CUFI
And lest we forget - Pat Robertson called for the assassination of Hugo Chavez in 2005.
So wait . . . is support for Israel (the enemies of Israel included, of course) a good thing . . . or a bad thing ?
I get mixed up on that issue, depending on the speaker.
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On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.
You make it seem as though our leaders enthusiastically want intelligence to show our country is in danger. I don't think that is the case...
Really?
Since WWII, we've been engaged in wars and other covert military actions almost non-stop... which of those were we legitimately in danger from the "enemy"?
I'll buy AQ. But of course we effectively created them with our prior meddling in Afghanistan and throughout the Mideast.
USSR, if we had ever gone to war, was certainly a credible threat. Explains why we didn't go to war with them (or them with us). And why we'll never go to war with China... at least not in the foreseeable future.
Next to that, Korea's first round of Hyundai vehicles was probably the greatest threat.
Quote:
Naturally the common people don't want war; neither in Russia, nor in England, nor in America, nor in Germany. That is understood. But after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine policy, and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is to tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country. - Hermann Goering.
The man was clearly correct from the govt's POV.
Although I believe he underestimated the blood lust among many in our population... and others.
People around this very forum talk about "turning the desert to glass" like they're rooting for the Gators kick butt on the Dawgs.
Too many people are too cavalier about the idea of raining down death and dismemberment on peoples we don't know, who've done nothing to us, and pose no credible threat to us.
Why are some "sins" overlooked vs. others?
To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under Heaven.
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