America is the Best, Most Free, and Most Prosperous Country on Earth: Change My Mind

pitabread

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The shooting of press has nothing to do with freedom.

If the press refuse to report on things out of fear of death, what does that say about a country's freedom?

Freedom is about freedom from government control of your lives.

I would say that is definitely covered in the criteria they list in that report; they do list political influence along with legal regulation of freedom as some of the factors in their overall metric.
 
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Pedra

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For the follower of Christ, there is no time for hate. And there is no time for war.

One needs to read the Bible holistically, and not snatch at individual passages to support a view that one has already arrived at on other grounds. Consider this (from Psalm 137) as just one example:

Remember, Lord, what the Edomites did
on the day Jerusalem fell.
“Tear it down,” they cried,
“tear it down to its foundations!”
Daughter Babylon, doomed to destruction,
happy is the one who repays you
according to what you have done to us.
Happy is the one who seizes your infants
and dashes them against the rocks.


Taken literally, this text celebrates the brutal murder of infants for revenge. Is this something the Christian should embrace? Of course not.

The author of Ecclesiastes is almost certainly ruminating on the human condition - describing what life is like not prescribing what it should be like.

Likewise, the author of this Psalm is pouring out his heart, not telling us what to do!
Actually did you know that GOD hates sin? evil? and a few other things.
Taking scriptures out of context is a slippery slope.
 
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Chris V++

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Actually, there are many times that GOD has sanctioned war.
It also seems you are judging the different opinion from yourself i.e. the observation that America has received many blessings from GOD as just "nationalism"? it is not. This isn't about a competition of countries, this is an observation that GOD has HIS own purpose & plan & it is His Plan that is in play. The LORD is sovereign & GOD works outside & beyond the shallow worldly opinions, the cultural biases of people & dominant social media views.
Re: your statement that Ecclessiastes doesn't mean "God wants us to go to war"etc.. ? That was obviously not my point, neither did I say that, nor did I imply it.
Once again I differ from your worldview & your spiritual view. For me as far as Ecclessiastes & the Bible itself has taught & demonstrated that the LORD God's Plan & Purposes are far beyond the affairs of men and women & their myopic political views.
Careful, suggesting defending our ally Israel from genocide with force if necessary should we feel ourselves morally obligated will elicit accusations of hate and blasphemy.
 
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Pedra

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Careful, suggesting defending our ally Israel from genocide with force if necessary should we feel ourselves morally obligated will elicit accusations of hate and blasphemy.
I don't care lol. I submit to what the Bible says , not to the false accusations of men (or women) who don't.:D
 
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Paidiske

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It also seems you are judging the different opinion from yourself i.e. the observation that America has received many blessings from GOD as just "nationalism"? it is not. This isn't about a competition of countries, this is an observation that GOD has HIS own purpose & plan & it is His Plan that is in play. The LORD is sovereign & GOD works outside & beyond the shallow worldly opinions, the cultural biases of people & dominant social media views.

I simply don't believe that God has any particular purpose and plan for America. (Or any other country, but right now we're talking about America). I believe that God is content to let us play out our petty human politics for the time being.

But Christians are called to a higher vision, a commitment to the reign of God, which transcends any nation.

Re: your statement that Ecclessiastes doesn't mean "God wants us to go to war"etc.. ? That was obviously not my point, neither did I say that, nor did I imply it.

Well, yes, you did. Because you offered up that quote as justification for the idea that America might go to war, and that might be a good thing.

For me as far as Ecclessiastes & the Bible itself has taught & demonstrated that the LORD God's Plan & Purposes are far beyond the affairs of men and women & their myopic political views.

I agree. That's also my point. Therefore those myopic political views - and the wars fuelled by them - ought to be renounced by Christians.

That may be your experience there. But without safeguards to protect that, other countries don't have that. Other places the government decides what you get and when you get it. That's what we fear here.

So instead you'd rather millions go without at all? Doesn't seem logical to me.
 
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Pedra

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Scripture says not fear people but to fear GOD & get our understanding from the Bible. We are not to fear those who can only harm our bodies ( or attack our reputations) but fear God who is the real judge. Amen.
Matt 10: 28
Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Instead, fear the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
Careful, suggesting defending our ally Israel from genocide with force if necessary should we feel ourselves morally obligated will elicit accusations of hate and blasphemy.
 
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expos4ever

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Actually did you know that GOD hates sin? evil? and a few other things.
Taking scriptures out of context is a slippery slope.
Indeed. And if you claim that God still supports war - now that Jesus has inaugurated the Kingdom - you are taking things out of context. The Bible is a narrative - an evolving story; it is decidedly not a set of timeless truths. This is why it is completely incorrect to argue that since God sanctioned war in the Old Testament, He still does so today.
 
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Pedra

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Indeed. And if you claim that God still supports war - now that Jesus has inaugurated the Kingdom - you are taking things out of context. The Bible is a narrative - an evolving story; it is decidedly not a set of timeless truths. This is why it is completely incorrect to argue that since God sanctioned war in the Old Testament, He still does so today.
No the bible never says it is an evolving story. Sorry you think the Bible is "not a set of timeless truths" . Pity for that view. It is you that takes the bible out of context & deciding what fits with your spiritual view & what doesn't.
I believe the Bible is the authoritative word of God and believe the Bible when it states that God's word doesn't change as Jesus states.
The bible says God is the same yesterday , today and tomorrow, it also says that God's plan & purposes was made prior to the foundations of the world.
God is sovereign. Not much point in dialoguing with you further we do not share the same view of the Bible, theology, Jesus or Bible prophecy .....etc...etc.....
 
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expos4ever

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No the bible never says it is an evolving story.
It is clearly an evolving story - with all due respect, a serious reader could not miss this. For starters, old covenant versus new covenant. Many things changed at the cross - how can you possibly not know this?
 
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Pedra

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I simply don't believe that God has any particular purpose and plan for America. (Or any other country, but right now we're talking about America). I believe that God is content to let us play out our petty human politics for the time being.But Christians are called to a higher vision, a commitment to the reign of God, which transcends any nation.Well, yes, you did. Because you offered up that quote as justification for the idea that America might go to war, and that might be a good thing.I agree. That's also my point. Therefore those myopic political views - and the wars fuelled by them - ought to be renounced by Christians.So instead you'd rather millions go without at all? Doesn't seem logical to me.

Since I was prevented from using the quote function to reply to your individual statements in your post and reply to them it makes it just a nuisance to reply.
Please don't tell me "Well , yes you did " By this you are choosing your own beliefs about what I said rather then what I went into great effort & detail to explain to you that your take on what I said was incorrect in reference to my use of Ecclessiastes. I told you exactly what I said & if you continue to choose to ignore what I stated, that is your folly.
You also stated that you don't believe GOD has a plan & purpose for America or any nations and that is certainly not what the Bible states in many, many scriptures. I give you three that disagree with you , but there are many more.
Isaiah 46:10–11 “My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please. From the east I summon a bird of prey; from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose. What I have said, that I will bring about; what I have planned, that I will do.”

Job 12:23 "He makes the nations great, then destroys them; He enlarges the nations, then leads them away.

Psalm 47:8 "8God reigns over the nations;God is seated on His holy throne."
 
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Pedra

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It is clearly an evolving story - with all due respect, a serious reader could not miss this. For starters, old covenant versus new covenant. Many things changed at the cross - how can you possibly not know this?
It's not "evolving" it is the same as it always was.
Just to let you know I used to belong to a denomination that taught that unbiblical idea that the OT was separate from the N.T.
lol! Jesus only quoted only the O.T. - how can you possibly not know this? just kidding , trying to inject some levity. I don't think i will convince you.
 
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Chris V++

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' I give you three that disagree with you , but there are many more.'


Acts 17:26
'and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation,'
 
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DamianWarS

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Anni's own testimony is full of the detail of why she is thankful for the freedoms here, and how those freedoms and liberties saved her very life, as well other survivor's lives.

America is the country that has right in the Declaration of Independence "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness". THIS is why this country was founded. LIFE, being of the utmost importance.

THIS is what Anni emphasizes and stands for, and why she fights for this country, for herself, and others who've escaped tyrannical and deadly governments, and those still there, where they could be killed at any moment. For those who have been killed she remembers them, and continues her fight for the sake of those still at the mercy of a tyrannical and deadly government..

i agree with her.
All those reasons may be true but those don't make America the best
 
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rjs330

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If the press refuse to report on things out of fear of death, what does that say about a country's freedom?



I would say that is definitely covered in the criteria they list in that report; they do list political influence along with legal regulation of freedom as some of the factors in their overall metric.

The press here is not in fear if death here. Not any more than any other country that's for sure.

Like I said freedom at those sites is far too subjective to be accurate.
 
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rjs330

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I simply don't believe that God has any particular purpose and plan for America. (Or any other country, but right now we're talking about America). I believe that God is content to let us play out our petty human politics for the time being.

But Christians are called to a higher vision, a commitment to the reign of God, which transcends any nation.



Well, yes, you did. Because you offered up that quote as justification for the idea that America might go to war, and that might be a good thing.



I agree. That's also my point. Therefore those myopic political views - and the wars fuelled by them - ought to be renounced by Christians.



So instead you'd rather millions go without at all? Doesn't seem logical to me.

Millions don't go without. I have poor members in our family and they get medical care.

Now our system is FAR too expensive. And things need to be done.

I really don't mind the Aussie system. It sounds like a decent combination of private and public.
 
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Paidiske

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You also stated that you don't believe GOD has a plan & purpose for America or any nations and that is certainly not what the Bible states in many, many scriptures. I give you three that disagree with you , but there are many more.
Isaiah 46:10–11 “My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please. From the east I summon a bird of prey; from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose. What I have said, that I will bring about; what I have planned, that I will do.”

Job 12:23 "He makes the nations great, then destroys them; He enlarges the nations, then leads them away.

Psalm 47:8 "8God reigns over the nations;God is seated on His holy throne."

None of these speak to the idea that God has plans - specific plans which would mandate particular actions from us - for any modern nation.

Yes, God will do as God pleases. Yes, God's power is greater than any human nation (or the implied gods of any human nation). But that's not claiming that God specifically brought about our modern nations in order to unfold God's will through them. In fact, we know that that is not how the reign of God works!
 
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Pedra

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None of these speak to the idea that God has plans - specific plans which would mandate particular actions from us - for any modern nation.

Yes, God will do as God pleases. Yes, God's power is greater than any human nation (or the implied gods of any human nation). But that's not claiming that God specifically brought about our modern nations in order to unfold God's will through them. In fact, we know that that is not how the reign of God works!
Whatever you say...
 
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