Causing offence

[bèlla]

What is the evident answer ?

I am presently pretty isolated for various reasons.

Is there a better forum ?

Your posts don’t strike me as discussion points but are more akin to a desire to galvanize. If the latter is true you must tailor the message to your audience and present it where they are. Being in a setting with believers doesn’t mean you’re in the midst of people with a passion for the ideas you’re presenting.

One of the ways you can tell is by paying attention to what they say about themselves in relation to their faith. You’re looking for action foremost and would want to see conversations around service, missions and similar acts that occupy their free time. These are the people who turn ideas into demonstrable activities that inspire ministries, businesses and community development. You will never accomplish the same in the midst of talkers. You need doers to move the needle.

Poke around on social media and search for examples in those areas and the ones you’re interested in. Forums are primarily vehicles for discussion but the people doing the things you’re looking for are elsewhere. I don’t know who you’re targeting but you’ll find men on X and women on Tik-Tok and Instagram. YouTube can be a source of fellowship. Look for content on topics of interest and people with a similar spirit.

With the new year approaching you’ll see a lot of discussion around goals. Only 5% of the population sets them and out of that number only 3% accomplish what they had in mind. I mention that for two reasons. You’re more likely to find leaders, administrators and visionaries among that group. And their conversation differs. It’s less about what’s amiss and more in line with the solutions they’ve employed to solve a problem. Don’t get drawn into conversations about what’s wrong with the church. The only thing that comes out of those discussions is complaints. You want strategies not sound bytes.

~bella

 

[2PhiloVoid]

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.

While we are to stand for the truth of Christ, we are also to be wise in how we conduct ourselves, seasoned with grace. So when it might come about that we say something non-Christians may take "offensively," it shouldn't be because we are being belligerent (and instead calling it "boldness") or callous (instead calling it "faithfulness") in our effort to share our faith.

We're not supposed to be looking for opportunities to 'get into people's faces.' No, we're to attempt to engage with grace and compassion when sharing the truth. The "offense" comes when certain folks who are too entrenched in the world feel angered not by our attitudes, but by the truth of the message we have to share.

We can cite various verses, but I'm pretty sure St. Paul wouldn't advocate for our boldness in faith to look like an antifa invasion at a restaurant, and neither would the Lord:

1 Corinthians 10:31-33

31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 32 Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God, 33 just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.​

 

[Gregory Thompson]

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.

It's not so much if "we" offend, rather whether the "Cross" offends or not.

 

[JustaPewFiller]

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.

Is the goal to stay "edgy" and offend?

 

[Yarddog]

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.

I think Pope Leo has been active in speaking truth which offends the sinner.

 

[rebornfree]

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.

I don’t see Jesus as offending people, except for the Jewish leaders, who were putting unbearable burdens on people, and the money changers at the Temple. I see Jesus loving people, healing them, raising the dead, teaching them and telling them numerous parables about the Kingdom of Heaven, alongside a warning or two about hell. I loved the way He called women "daughter", although He wasn't old enough (in His earthly life) to have had an adult daughter.

I don’t think we should be offending people. Quite the opposite. I think we should help them, wherever they are, to come to know the Lord, His teaching and His offer of Eternal Life. If they are offended by this, then that is the offense of the Gospel which Paul speaks of, but we shouldn't be putting barriers in their way by our behaviour.

So often Christianity is seen as being against things: abortion, gay rights etc. I wish people would hear what it is for: abundant life, streams of living water, never being thirsty again, Eternal Life, peace with God. The problem with pointing out people's sins is that it is seldom put in the context of a loving Creator who made a perfect world for us to enjoy. If they learn about the goodness of God maybe it would give them hope that He can help them in their need and convince them that His way is best. This would lead to repentance and salvation if they would accept it.

 

[Clare73]

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.

Jesus was speaking to God's people, not to those outside God's people.

 

[Pepperdoodle]

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.

Hmm, in general what used to offend doesn't anymore and what didn't offend does now.
I'm not overly concerned about offending people...but I also don't intentionally try to offend people.

God, the Bible, it's principles, the truth offend people...even sadly among some who claim to be Christian.

Here are some examples of Jesus calling people names which I'm sure were offensive to them...
Hypocrites (Matt 23:13)
Blind guides and blind fools (Matthew 23:16–17)
White washed tombs...full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean (Matt 23:27)

If people get offended by truth, it's really their problem. For example, if someone is offended if I tell them their adultery is a sin and wrong...that's their problem really. They are offended by the truth.
Yes, of course overall try to be kind to people when sharing the truth, but even if one says the truth in the kindest way possible, some will still get offended by the truth.

How would you answer your own post?

 

[ralliann]

There's a time for speaking out, but moralizing is just going to get the message ignored in favor of external signs of purity culture and legalistic bullying. We know the world is evil, but the world has no sense of shame or guilt such that calling them out does anything but give them cause for mockery. We judge those among us, with gentle rebukes and addressing issues that crop up in the church. Any offense we cause to unbelievers should be thoroughly unjustifiable, which is rarely the case when we try to shove our values down their throat and give them just cause to find us unpleasant. Christ died for His enemies, while they were still sinners. judgment shouldn't cause offense, because the wise man loves correction. So if we are offending people with our judgment, then we are doing something wrong. When we do it right, people's consciences condemn them without us speaking.

Offense can go both ways, some are just too easily offended as well.

 

[Fervent]

Offense can go both ways, some are just too easily offended as well.

Sure, we shouldn't censor ourselves purely out of fear of offending someone. But that doesn't justify knowingly offending people for the sake of offending them.

 

[ralliann]

Sure, we shouldn't censor ourselves purely out of fear of offending someone. But that doesn't justify knowingly offending people for the sake of offending them.

Rudeness.

 

[Fervent]

Rudeness.

It goes beyond rudeness, it's callous and arrogant.

 

[bèlla]

Sure, we shouldn't censor ourselves purely out of fear of offending someone. But that doesn't justify knowingly offending people for the sake of offending them.

We’re really going backwards and comments like these shouldn’t be required. Why would someone try to minister through offense for a religion that prizes love? Who’d want to provoke a stranger in this climate with everything taking place? You may get more than you bargained for.

~bella

 

[Fervent]

We’re really going backwards and comments like these shouldn’t be required. Why would someone try to minister through offense for a religion that prizes love? Who’d want to provoke a stranger in this climate with everything taking place? You may get more than you bargained for.

~bella

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.

 

[bèlla]

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.

I suspect this has a lot to do with Kirk and how he interacted with students which has some asking the question. There’s a difference between doing that with someone familiar who respects you or your position and a stranger. His ‘results’ may compel some to adopt a similar approach which may be inappropriate. Have you seen this thread?

Is being a jerk a good evangelism strategy?

In the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination, there’s been a massive surge of his followers who have a newfound curiosity in what he was most passionate about — his faith in Jesus Christ. But I’ve been dismayed that at such a pivotal moment, with so many searching for answers, there are a...

www.christianforums.com

~bella

 

[Fervent]

I suspect this has a lot to do with Kirk and how he interacted with students which has some asking the question. There’s a difference between doing that with someone familiar who respects you or your position and a stranger. His ‘results’ may compel some to adopt a similar approach which may be inappropriate. Have you seen this thread?

Is being a jerk a good evangelism strategy?

In the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination, there’s been a massive surge of his followers who have a newfound curiosity in what he was most passionate about — his faith in Jesus Christ. But I’ve been dismayed that at such a pivotal moment, with so many searching for answers, there are a...

www.christianforums.com

~bella

Possibly, and I agree. And yeah, I saw that thread and posted in it twice. It inspired me to write an article for my blog about bully evangelism.

 

[bèlla]

Possibly, and I agree. And yeah, I saw that thread and posted in it twice. It inspired me to write an article for my blog about bully evangelism.

I thought you posted. Sorry, I had a blonder. ;-)

Bully evangelism? Gosh. That’s part of the reason I don’t make christian content. I don’t have the temperament for the extremes. Sometimes I peek on X and shake my head.

~bella

 

[Fervent]

I thought you posted. Sorry, I had a blonder. ;-)

Bully evangelism? Gosh. That’s part of the reason I don’t make christian content. I don’t have the temperament for the extremes. Sometimes I peek on X and shake my head.

~bella

Yeah, that's understandable. I don't mind taking the risk, because I doubt I'll get any attention for my blog. Though I do keep my head down in church because of it.

 

[Gregory Thompson]

bully evangelism vs bully for you ..

 

[bèlla]

Yeah, that's understandable. I don't mind taking the risk, because I doubt I'll get any attention for my blog. Though I do keep my head down in church because of it.

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