I have noticed a generalization within conservative Christians. There is a "glass half empty" perspective. Such people will talk about how they are willing to die for their religious beliefs. The focus seems to be almost on wanting to be persecuted to prove it, especially in the US, where Christmas decorations are already going up.
As a "glass half full" person, dying for my beliefs would be easy. Living for Christ is much more difficult. It's hard to turn the other cheek when yours has been slapped, and not retaliate, but forgive, and pray for your enemy. It is difficult to love your neighbor as yourself, giving to someone who is hungry, knowing you have to have faith that it comes back to you. When you have seen people mock others wearing masks to prevent Covid get Covid themselves, it is difficult to show mercy, rather than gloat about poetic justice, and pray for their recovery. yIt is difficult to humble oneself before another, and admit you are a sinner as well, rather than point to another and call them sinner with self righteousness.
What I see in the conservative is a world they constantly say is "like the days of Noah." I'm unsure what they are referring to, because 200 years ago, we thought slavery, and the whipping and rape of those slaves, just. We abused the bible to justify it. In the 50s, we had no problem segregating even our churches.
One may point to gay marriage as an attack on Christianity, but could we then not argue that any religion in a country that has that Freedom is an attack on Christianity? If tolerance is the same as approval, To be Muslim violates yhe 10 Commandments. To tolerate another religion, using that logic, then endorses any other religion.
Looking at issues historically, Anita Bryant claimed (or better said, deceived others) that discriminating against gay people in housing, employment, and health care was "Saving Our Children." I don't know anyone who looks back at that, and believes she was on the right side, fighting for injustice and oppression.
And because all of this negativity is the mindset, you will hear "Come quickly, Lord Jesus, and soon," and it comes off as, "i'm scared, daddy. Come get me." From my view, I would much rather try to bring heaven to earth. Christ was not constantly crying to the father to end it already. He was living by example. My sister's family spend part of their vacation working wth Habitat for Humanity. I don't think in the days of Noah people were actually working towards a solution for homeless people, and volunteering their time.
"If you want to see how awful the world is, just open the newspaper." But we only report bad news. Was my sister's family in the news? No. During the pandemic, a video went viral of a woman hoarding toilet paper. Meanwhile, I worked at Trader Joe's, where the overwhelming thing I saw were people shopping for their elderly neighbors. Even those buying tp would say, "you only have one butt. Worse case scenario - jump in the shower."
There is a saying: Don't be so heavenly minded that you are no earthly good. Or as another had said: If you are really focused on the after party, you can't enjoy the main event.
So, from my view, skewed or not, I see a very big log in the eye of the conservative, one that makes them appear to be a modern day Pharisee, focusing on the sins only of others, focusing on minor issues than ones of justice, equality, and fairness. Rather than the joy of the Lord, I see self righteousness, and fear.
I say this not in judgement, but that is my view as a Christian. I can only imagine how it appears to a nonChristian. I open this thread as a means of understanding one another, of building a bridge of communication, an opportunity for self reflection, and just understand a different viewpoint.
So please, don't get defensive, but listen, and then respond.
In watching a video on Christian Hypocrisy, the woman gets defensive: "Isn't everyone a little hypocritical? Why single out Christians?" She has a point. But aren't we supposed to differentiate ourselves? Rather than coming at it from a Christian point of view, she chooses an worldly view. I remember an atheist once was ready to get into it with me, thinking I was part of the group street preaching, said to me, Christians are hypocritical!" Rather than get defensive, I said, "What makes you say that?" He said, "They preach about God's mercy and forgiveness, and turn around and condemn people." I said, "I hear that Some of the meanest people I have ever encountered call themselves Christians." And suddenly, we weren't enemies. He knew I was not there to puff up my own ego, was not there to have a debate about who is right, to demand he listen to me but refuse to listen to him. We saw each other as human beings. I acknowledge that the christians are to be known by our love, and we aren't, and maybe we need self reflection, and prayer time with the HS to look at why. I acknowledged the truth of what he saw, and in doing so, allowed him to see that there are other kinds of Christians, too.
Comments?
As a "glass half full" person, dying for my beliefs would be easy. Living for Christ is much more difficult. It's hard to turn the other cheek when yours has been slapped, and not retaliate, but forgive, and pray for your enemy. It is difficult to love your neighbor as yourself, giving to someone who is hungry, knowing you have to have faith that it comes back to you. When you have seen people mock others wearing masks to prevent Covid get Covid themselves, it is difficult to show mercy, rather than gloat about poetic justice, and pray for their recovery. yIt is difficult to humble oneself before another, and admit you are a sinner as well, rather than point to another and call them sinner with self righteousness.
What I see in the conservative is a world they constantly say is "like the days of Noah." I'm unsure what they are referring to, because 200 years ago, we thought slavery, and the whipping and rape of those slaves, just. We abused the bible to justify it. In the 50s, we had no problem segregating even our churches.
One may point to gay marriage as an attack on Christianity, but could we then not argue that any religion in a country that has that Freedom is an attack on Christianity? If tolerance is the same as approval, To be Muslim violates yhe 10 Commandments. To tolerate another religion, using that logic, then endorses any other religion.
Looking at issues historically, Anita Bryant claimed (or better said, deceived others) that discriminating against gay people in housing, employment, and health care was "Saving Our Children." I don't know anyone who looks back at that, and believes she was on the right side, fighting for injustice and oppression.
And because all of this negativity is the mindset, you will hear "Come quickly, Lord Jesus, and soon," and it comes off as, "i'm scared, daddy. Come get me." From my view, I would much rather try to bring heaven to earth. Christ was not constantly crying to the father to end it already. He was living by example. My sister's family spend part of their vacation working wth Habitat for Humanity. I don't think in the days of Noah people were actually working towards a solution for homeless people, and volunteering their time.
"If you want to see how awful the world is, just open the newspaper." But we only report bad news. Was my sister's family in the news? No. During the pandemic, a video went viral of a woman hoarding toilet paper. Meanwhile, I worked at Trader Joe's, where the overwhelming thing I saw were people shopping for their elderly neighbors. Even those buying tp would say, "you only have one butt. Worse case scenario - jump in the shower."
There is a saying: Don't be so heavenly minded that you are no earthly good. Or as another had said: If you are really focused on the after party, you can't enjoy the main event.
So, from my view, skewed or not, I see a very big log in the eye of the conservative, one that makes them appear to be a modern day Pharisee, focusing on the sins only of others, focusing on minor issues than ones of justice, equality, and fairness. Rather than the joy of the Lord, I see self righteousness, and fear.
I say this not in judgement, but that is my view as a Christian. I can only imagine how it appears to a nonChristian. I open this thread as a means of understanding one another, of building a bridge of communication, an opportunity for self reflection, and just understand a different viewpoint.
So please, don't get defensive, but listen, and then respond.
In watching a video on Christian Hypocrisy, the woman gets defensive: "Isn't everyone a little hypocritical? Why single out Christians?" She has a point. But aren't we supposed to differentiate ourselves? Rather than coming at it from a Christian point of view, she chooses an worldly view. I remember an atheist once was ready to get into it with me, thinking I was part of the group street preaching, said to me, Christians are hypocritical!" Rather than get defensive, I said, "What makes you say that?" He said, "They preach about God's mercy and forgiveness, and turn around and condemn people." I said, "I hear that Some of the meanest people I have ever encountered call themselves Christians." And suddenly, we weren't enemies. He knew I was not there to puff up my own ego, was not there to have a debate about who is right, to demand he listen to me but refuse to listen to him. We saw each other as human beings. I acknowledge that the christians are to be known by our love, and we aren't, and maybe we need self reflection, and prayer time with the HS to look at why. I acknowledged the truth of what he saw, and in doing so, allowed him to see that there are other kinds of Christians, too.
Comments?
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