Hi again
@Ignatius the Kiwi
We clearly do have different ideas of ministering. You seem to think all power is used for evil purposes and that Christians are inherently untrustworthy when it comes to power. better to have an Atheist be our ruler, I am sure they will respect our wishes and not seek to impose themselves on us. They would never for instance insist schools be secular and if your children don't go to these institutions or receive an approved curricula they will take them away from you. Because clearly that is a better standard than the idea of teaching Christianity first, or holding a classical view of things, including education.
Oh, where to begin? I have no idea what you're going on about, this all power is used for evil purposes, etc. I think I have been clear earlier that I don't expect nor rely on the public school system to teach my children about the things of God. As I believe I also mentioned earlier, I would be wary of what 'denominational doctrine' they were teaching them. When I went to school back in the 60's, we always had fish in the cafeteria on Fridays. Why do you suppose that was? It was always fish sticks on Friday. Why?
Well, I'll tell you why. Because the RCC, much like they did centuries earlier in Europe gained enough power in many of the school boards to 'force' the schools to follow the practices of the RCC. That meat should not be eaten on Friday in honor of some silly idea that they had about Jesus eating fish with his disciples, although I don't know how they figured it to be Friday. But in their minds, because Jesus ate fish with his disciples, supposedly on Friday, then all believers ought to eat fish on Friday. I'm sorry, but I'm not interested in my children learning or adhering to the practices of the RCC.
So, I'm all for public schools staying out of the teaching of God. The second reason is because
IF the public schools start teaching about the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, guess what? Soon the Muslims will insist that they also teach their children about the teachings of Muhammed. The Mormons will insist that we teach them about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. The Hindus will want their children to be taught about the ways of Samsara. Where will it end? No!! I insist that my children be taught the ways of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob by someone who knows and has trusted the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
You seem to think that we can ignore the political and that it won't come after us.
I never said that. Although I'm pretty confident that there will come a day that many political issues may well 'come after us'. However, for those resting in the Lord and his promises, they won't prevail against us. But yes, I believe that most people understand the days of great tribulation as have never been seen before or ever will be again, to be days in which society at large, political systems worldwide, will be persecuting believers. And I am absolutely ok with that because Jesus told us that when we are persecuted for his name's sake, we should rejoice, for it is an assurance of our salvation. He told his disciples that when we see these things taking place, we should look up and rejoice because his return is right around the corner.
You are not allowed to criticize, from a Christian perspective homosexuality without being punished.
Beyond just saying that it is a sin against God's desires for us, I don't criticize homosexuality. Of course, I don't generally hang out in such groups. If a friend or acquaintance of mine is caught up in the lust of homosexuality, or certainly a brother in the Lord, I will tell them that the life they are living is sinful in the eyes of God. But I'm not foolish enough to think that I should go out and stand on the street corner waving flags and holding up banners condemning the practice to a lost world. Gee, if I were to do that I'd have to have a sign as big as a 2 story building to list all of the sins that the world embraces and then no one would have the time to read it as they passed.
Let me ask you. Do you have any evidence that Jesus went about Greece telling them of all the sins that they were committing? How about Paul. Do we have evidences of Paul going into the lost world as he spread the news of Jesus, and railing at them about their sinfulness? I suppose, again, that it would be futile for me to ask you for any Scriptural references. You haven't yet answered my last request for such evidences. You throw out some claim that back in the first centuries some christians were apparently involved in such endeavors, but never quite offer any verifiable proof of such.
As a matter of fact, when Paul spoke of sinful activities, he was pretty careful to delineate what we should do about it in the world, and what we should do about it among the believers. I will say again that any christian trying to go out and make people live by God's law, without going through the first two steps that Jesus explained to us, isn't doing anything for the kingdom of heaven. It may make you feel better about your community. It may make you feel so very righteous in the sight of God. But, even if you could get everyone to follow the law of God, you wouldn't be doing anything for God's kingdom.
Anyway, I think we've likely beaten this horse to it's last breath, so I'm going to get my shovel and start digging the grave.
God bless,
Ted