Causing offence

Fervent · Friday at 5:19 PM

bèlla said:
Are they aware you have one? Don’t assume you’ll never get noticed. What’s your focus? My digital presence is a springboard for physical products. I’m sharing about myself and infusing elements of my beliefs in my countenance and perspective. But it isn’t a religious platform nor is the market I’m dealing with. I can still be a light nonetheless and that’s the point.

~bella

I'm basically invisible, so no. My blog has 1 loyal reader and the most read post got 19 distinct visitors. My focus is on apologetics, metatheology, and what it's like to believe in God and be diagnosed with bipolar 1 and ADHD and how they interplay to give me a unique perspective. It would take a miracle for me to get noticed, either good or bad. To tie this into the topic at hand, some of what I write might be offensive to dominionists and hard core fundamentalists.

bèlla · Friday at 5:42 PM

Fervent said:
I'm basically invisible, so no. My blog has 1 loyal reader and the most read post got 19 distinct visitors. My focus is on apologetics, metatheology, and what it's like to believe in God and be diagnosed with bipolar 1 and ADHD and how they interplay to give me a unique perspective. It would take a miracle for me to get noticed, either good or bad. To tie this into the topic at hand, some of what I write might be offensive to dominionists and hard core fundamentalists.

You can turn the posts into podcasts and upload them onto platforms or use them as a springboard for deeper discussions on video. Content related to living with disabilities usually does well. Since you write you could explore controversial themes via substack or patreon.

~bella

Carl Emerson · Friday at 9:33 PM

Pepperdoodle said:
How would you answer your own post?

I think of Stephen - He was full of the Holy Spirit delivering Truth to a resistant audience and continued on regardless of the response - they were offended to the point of killing him.

However the key point is being 'in the Spirit'.

Like Jesus could only do what He saw the Father doing, Stephen must have had the confidence that comes from such revelation.

So yes - the ability to see what the Father is doing is not commonly taught or experienced and this is why the Church has few 'Stephens' in this age.

eleos1954 · Saturday at 11:16 AM

Carl Emerson said:
Jesus spoke truth and often offended.

Discuss how this applies in our world.

Are we loosing an 'edge' if we don't offend?

Is the church largely silent on public issues for this reason?

Your input appreciated.

If a person is offended by the call to repent or the proclamation of the Gospel, it is a necessary part of the message. However, a Christian should never cause offense through rudeness, self-righteousness, or asserting their own rights.

Jesus's words were considered radical because they challenged the cultural norms and religious traditions of his time. For those who did not want to repent or surrender their pride, his message was offensive. The offense was not from Jesus's manner, but from the spiritual conviction that his words produced.

Jesus's confrontational moments, particularly with the Pharisees, were directed at people whose hearts were hard and hypocritical. The offense was designed to challenge their false religious practices and point them back to the Scriptures.

Psalm 119:105
King James Version

105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

We should maintain this whether in church or outside of it.

I believe our greatest testimony is how we live our lives ... ie .... actions speak louder than words.

Carl Emerson · Saturday at 1:43 PM

eleos1954 said:
If a person is offended by the call to repent or the proclamation of the Gospel, it is a necessary part of the message. However, a Christian should never cause offense through rudeness, self-righteousness, or asserting their own rights.

Jesus's words were considered radical because they challenged the cultural norms and religious traditions of his time. For those who did not want to repent or surrender their pride, his message was offensive. The offense was not from Jesus's manner, but from the spiritual conviction that his words produced.

Jesus's confrontational moments, particularly with the Pharisees, were directed at people whose hearts were hard and hypocritical. The offense was designed to challenge their false religious practices and point them back to the Scriptures.

Psalm 119:105
King James Version
105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

We should maintain this whether in church or outside of it.

I believe our greatest testimony is how we live our lives ... ie .... actions speak louder than words.

What does the world see that evidences the 'good news' and draws them to seek Jesus in this age ?

stevevw · Monday at 11:51 AM

In order to persue the truth you have to be willing to be offended. It was not that Jesus or the disiciples went around offending people. It was that the truth they told offended some as a matter of it being told. It was simply Good News.

Jesus said to the disciples when he sent them out that if a town did not welcome them to move on. They were not open to the message.

I think there is a cultural phenomena happening as well more generally that Christians are immersed in. The social context has been different throughout time. I think today we live in a postmodern era where everything is questioned and there is no truth. Facts are rationalised and experience is the new reality.

A fundemental aspect of postmodernist thinking is words and meanings and narratives create the reality. Personal truths are the reality. So a word or a certain narrative can represent offense or even a threat because it represents attacking someones reality.

That is why certain words or books or language has been banned or cancelled or deplatformed. You can't say certain words or you must say certain words ie pronouns. Almost like language police. So of course say the wrong thing will cause offense.

We also see the proactive use of words as a means to push a narrative. By repeating the words and narratives over and over. Which of course offends the other side. Each side coming up with new words to demean the other. Almost as though everyone is morally outraged.

In some ways its the exact opposite of the age old saying "sticks and stones will break my bones but names will never harm me". Except now names harm people. They are more sensitive to the words and language spoken.

I think this is a culture wide phenomena and not just Christian. Though I think Christian values and biblical truths are becoming one of the trigger narratives today. Just proclaiming biblical truths can be an offense to some.

Clare73 · Monday at 12:12 PM

Carl Emerson said:
What does the world see that evidences the 'good news' and draws them to seek Jesus in this age ?

However, they aren't drawn by the "good news" unless the Holy Spirit draws them (Jn 6:36-37).

Carl Emerson · Monday at 1:52 PM

Clare73 said:
However, they aren't drawn by the "good news" unless the Holy Spirit draws them (Jn 6:36-37).

Of course...

So what does the world need to see that evidences the 'good news'?

Clare73 · Monday at 2:03 PM

Carl Emerson said:
Of course...

So what does the world need to see that evidences the 'good news'?

The operation of the Holy Spirit within them enabling them to see. . .

Nothing they see will enable them apart from the operation of the Holy Spirit within them.

Carl Emerson · Monday at 2:24 PM

Can I suggest this evidence is the unity among believers...

John 17

21 that they may all be one; just as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.

rebornfree · Monday at 8:50 PM

Carl Emerson said:
Of course...

So what does the world need to see that evidences the 'good news'?

I think that they need hope. This can come by them seeing the reality of God. Firstly, perhaps, by realising that some of us believe in Him and in an ultimate Truth. By us praying for them and they seeing prayers being answered and by our testimonies. Hopefully this will ignite an interest in the Lord and what He has done for us.

Clare73 · Tuesday at 11:53 AM

Carl Emerson said:
Can I suggest this evidence is the unity among believers...

John 17

21 that they may all be one; just as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.

Do they see unity?

They see unity regarding Christ as Savior. . .that's about it.

ralliann · Tuesday at 12:25 PM

Fervent said:
Yeah, though there can be a time when offending someone serves a pastoral purpose. Possibly to shock someone who is prideful, such as how Jesus called the pharisees "sons of the devil' and "sons of vipers" because of their religious chauvenism and their failure to attend to the basic duties that they were put into their offices to do like ensuring that the vulnerable members of society received care.

Indeed. Scripture is much more nuanced than many assume these days.

eleos1954 · 2025-10-29T13:06:22-0500

Carl Emerson said:
What does the world see that evidences the 'good news' and draws them to seek Jesus in this age ?

The Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit is seen as the primary agent, prompting convictions of sin and desires for goodness that draw people to Jesus.

Conviction vs. Condemnation: Conviction is often described as a loving, guiding force from God that shows one what is wrong and then points to the solution (Jesus). Condemnation, on the other hand, is seen as a message of judgment from the enemy that says God has given up on you and pushes you away from Him.

While the Holy Spirit draws everyone, this drawing is resisted by some.

Grace and salvation: The belief that Jesus, through his sacrifice, offers a gift of salvation and makes believers righteous in God's eyes is a core attraction. (This is the believers main message to the down trodden)

Personal relationship: There is an emphasis on developing a personal relationship with Jesus through seeking the Holy Spirit and abiding in Him.

Believers can and should point someone to Jesus ... the blessed hope.

Also personal testimonies ... can encourage others.

Giving a testimony points others to Jesus by showing how He can transform lives, providing a relatable and personal example of the gospel in action. A testimony inspires faith, offers hope, and serves as a tool for evangelism by sharing a real-life account of God's work and the positive impact of faith on one's life.

Sharing a personal story serves as an invitation for others to ask questions and to have conversations about the gospel and Jesus.
Offers a witness to truth: A testimony is a personal declaration of what someone has experienced, which can be a powerful tool for showing that the stories in the Bible are true and still relevant.

Sure ... there is a lot of evil in the world ... but there still is good. In peoples darkest hours (including our own) we can focus on the heavenly and know it's not always going to be like this ... there is a far far better world coming.

The Holy Spirit is working in the world and will continue to do so until the return of our Lord.

Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future". While often applied to individuals today, this verse was originally addressed to the exiles in Babylon during a time of great hardship, promising God's ultimate plan for their welfare even in that difficult situation.

Carl Emerson · 2025-10-30T00:23:09-0500

eleos1954 said:
The Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit is seen as the primary agent, prompting convictions of sin and desires for goodness that draw people to Jesus.

Conviction vs. Condemnation: Conviction is often described as a loving, guiding force from God that shows one what is wrong and then points to the solution (Jesus). Condemnation, on the other hand, is seen as a message of judgment from the enemy that says God has given up on you and pushes you away from Him.

While the Holy Spirit draws everyone, this drawing is resisted by some.

Grace and salvation: The belief that Jesus, through his sacrifice, offers a gift of salvation and makes believers righteous in God's eyes is a core attraction. (This is the believers main message to the down trodden)

Personal relationship: There is an emphasis on developing a personal relationship with Jesus through seeking the Holy Spirit and abiding in Him.

Believers can and should point someone to Jesus ... the blessed hope.

Also personal testimonies ... can encourage others.

Giving a testimony points others to Jesus by showing how He can transform lives, providing a relatable and personal example of the gospel in action. A testimony inspires faith, offers hope, and serves as a tool for evangelism by sharing a real-life account of God's work and the positive impact of faith on one's life.

Sharing a personal story serves as an invitation for others to ask questions and to have conversations about the gospel and Jesus.
Offers a witness to truth: A testimony is a personal declaration of what someone has experienced, which can be a powerful tool for showing that the stories in the Bible are true and still relevant.

Sure ... there is a lot of evil in the world ... but there still is good. In peoples darkest hours (including our own) we can focus on the heavenly and know it's not always going to be like this ... there is a far far better world coming.

The Holy Spirit is working in the world and will continue to do so until the return of our Lord.

Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future". While often applied to individuals today, this verse was originally addressed to the exiles in Babylon during a time of great hardship, promising God's ultimate plan for their welfare even in that difficult situation.

I think maybe you didn't quite get the question...

What is it about believers collectively that non-believers with no bible knowledge might find attractive.

What did Jesus mean in John 17:21?

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