Did it occur to you that your labeling may be seen as offensive, prejudiced?
Well, I certainly didn't mean to come off that way. All I was doing was giving an example of how confusing some of the labeling such as the above can get, and how many in different categories can overlap. I tried to carefully plan out my post to be something everyone could relate to, but apparently, it came out wrong. Perhaps my choice of words was a bit too explicit. I had no mean-spirited intentions, and I sincerely apologize if I offended you, or any others here, in any way.
And as far as that goes, I can't count how many times some have offended me, and they were meaning to offend.
__________________ "Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever." -- Psalm 136:1
Last edited by WannaWitness; 3rd September 2011 at 09:42 PM.
It was just an honest question. Not intended to try to make people feel like they should walk on eggshells.
I understand that. And that concerns me. I mean, if some people can find my post offensive (and I now understand where some might have been), then I'm greatly lacking when it comes to being a successful "Bridge Builder". Which is what this portion of CF is supposed to be about.
And that's why I agree (yes, I truly do) that we're better off without so many labels. They just lead to total confusion much of the time.
We're just all Christians who happen to have different convictions. That's the way I've always seen it.
With that, I now think I'm ready to try to forget all of this ever happened, and move on from here at total peace.
I hope things are all clear, now. God bless.
__________________ "Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever." -- Psalm 136:1
Haven't been around for a while, but I'll try. As what I consider a "moderate Christian" myself, I'd define it as someone who balances the Old Testament Mosaic law with the "social gospel" of Jesus Christ. My opinion is that Christ died for us to create a new covenant... BUT at the same time, I don't believe he eradicated all of the "old" covenant (i.e. Mosaic law, Leviticus and all that). Some of the Mosaic law, IMO, was intended for the Israelites as a survival mechanism in a surrounding that didn't tolerate them well. But I think some of it may have been situational based on my readings, especially where moral values weren't concerned and when examining the works of Biblical scholars against the known threats to OT Jews at the time.
I don't think we can discard all of the Mosaic law or pretend that morality is irrelevant. Christ changed the rules, but didn't completely rewrite them. At the same time, I think it's clear Jesus calls us to *some* social/economic ideas that would be called "liberal" today -- God wants us to clothe the naked, feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, heal the sick. Taken together -- assuming I believe in both the moral and social imperatives of Scripture -- it's hard for me to see how someone could NOT be an overall "moderate" in today's political structure. Many (but not all) liberals want an "anything goes" attitude about social morality which Scripture doesn't support, and many (but not all) conservatives seem to believe in a social Darwinism that Jesus would reject as I read the Bible.
So to me, both the conservative and the liberal political views of today miss some of the picture, but both get part of it right as I see it from 30,000 feet. This is why I'm a Christian moderate.
Last edited by ziggy29; 8th September 2011 at 11:34 PM.
Haven't been around for a while, but I'll try. As what I consider a "moderate Christian" myself, I'd define it as someone who balances the Old Testament Mosaic law with the "social gospel" of Jesus Christ. My opinion is that Christ died for us to create a new covenant... BUT at the same time, I don't believe he eradicated all of the "old" covenant (i.e. Mosaic law, Leviticus and all that). Some of the Mosaic law, IMO, was intended for the Israelites as a survival mechanism in a surrounding that didn't tolerate them well. But I think some of it may have been situational based on my readings, especially where moral values weren't concerned and when examining the works of Biblical scholars against the known threats to OT Jews at the time.
I don't think we can discard all of the Mosaic law or pretend that morality is irrelevant. Christ changed the rules, but didn't completely rewrite them. At the same time, I think it's clear Jesus calls us to *some* social/economic ideas that would be called "liberal" today -- God wants us to clothe the naked, feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, heal the sick. Taken together -- assuming I believe in both the moral and social imperatives of Scripture -- it's hard for me to see how someone could NOT be an overall "moderate" in today's political structure. Many (but not all) liberals want an "anything goes" attitude about social morality which Scripture doesn't support, and many (but not all) conservatives seem to believe in a social Darwinism that Jesus would reject as I read the Bible.
So to me, both the conservative and the liberal political views of today miss some of the picture, but both get part of it right as I see it from 30,000 feet. This is why I'm a Christian moderate.
Great insight. Of course, I would think that, seeing that I may be considered politically moderate, myself. I simply don't agree that any one party is closer to "Christian morals" than another one is, and especially since politicians (regardless of party) have been found not to completely deliver in everything they propose; in addition to that, many (both Republican and Democrat) have been caught in the middle of scandals that are far from moral, and aside from their performance in whatever office they hold (Presidential, Senate, or whatever). That is why I am nonpartisan, because I like to try to weigh everything with an open mind, and see what happens from there. I also believe in praying for whoever is in office, even if that person wasn't our personal choice, because they all deserve it.
Then again, some people think "nonpartisan" means "wishy-washy", so... what can you do?
__________________ "Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever." -- Psalm 136:1
I consider myself a moderate Christian but not really moderate politically. I think the two are completely separate. Where my faith is concerned, I've had some people think that I'm a Bible thumper and others think that I'm too lax or "luke warm". I don't think I'm either. I like to take each individual situation and decide the best approach and not have an umbrella approach for anything and everything. Politically, I'm an economic conservative and a social liberal so possibly I am moderate there too but I don't feel that way.
I see moderate Christians, as opposed to the fundamentalist variety, as being willing to look afresh at our understanding of the Bible without rejecting it as authoritative. This bog is illustrative of someone who is doing that. Many would reject what he has written on the basis it's not what they already believe. But it is typical of many who are seeking greater depth and daily relevance to their journey with Jesus.
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