Christian Political Correctness - How important is it?

Letalis · Oct 9, 2005

tulc said:
The idea that there is only "one" way to present the truth of God has always struck me as wrong. The truth gives offense, that doen't mean we have to be offensive.

I don't think I said that. If it came off that way, my apologies. However, is it possible you misunderstood my point?

tulc · Oct 9, 2005

I don't think I said that. If it came off that way, my apologies. However, is it possible you misunderstood my point?

LOL! It's not unlikely, I often am wrong!
tulc(sorry if I misunderstood!)

Simonline · Oct 11, 2005

Post deleted

ChristianCenturion · Oct 11, 2005

Athene said:
Why bother being PC, why not just tell the truth, instead of going to a homosexual person and saying "You're an evil sinner and you're going to burn in hell" try "Hey dude, God loves you"

I don't know if christians need to be more PC, but I do know they need less of the "repent ye sinner or burn in hell" and more of the "God loves you, he sent his son to die for you"

I think that too much effort is wasted pointing out sins and abominations and God's wrath and much less time is spent talking about God's grace. Which saved us? God's wrath or God's grace?

Do you really think that this isn't purposed?

I don't know about everyone, but when I hear or even partake in reflecting on what God judges about sexual immorality (for example), it isn't because I met or saw someone out of the blue or thought that they may not know.
Actually, it is because of someone declaring that it isn't a sin or that there is no reason for repentance or because it is wholly acceptable. If everyone simply ignored such assertions or were powerless to correct such, the next generation would certainly have cause by way of training to do the same with any other sin. So much for a reason for the Good News.

Sure, some will be confused or deceived about it and I expect this is the main purpose of challenging God's word; but do people really think that this correction isn't anticipated only so empty claims and finger pointing can be done?
Example:
*Provoke the correction only to say, "Look at the Christians, they hate you".

Is to be expected. Fortunately, there is a time and place for everything and I must rely on God's wisdom and power to know the difference... I also must rely on God's grace if or when I am in error in that discernment.
I am also grateful that the burden of who God calls to Himself isn't resting on my shoulders. It is true that I have my cross to bear and I am to be a faithful servant, but God is the source of everything good and I am only grateful that He allows me to partake.

ChristianCenturion · Oct 11, 2005

ebia said:
Interesting. You agree that it's not the only approach. Do you still feel that it is still an effective and appropriate approach?

Shall we reference some Christian examples that show that it is?

Zaac · Oct 11, 2005

paleodoxy said:
I didn't see the original post calling for a "complex" gospel.

I wasn't aware that "attractive" (popular, politically correct) = "simple".

Nope...the Gospel in my Bible is both simple and politically incorrect - and I suspect that's what makes is so unpopular in a culture of smarmy political correctness.

paleodoxy

Zaac · Oct 11, 2005

holo said:
And this talk about a modified gospel... I dunno. I, for example, don't have a problem with gay people, and I know and understand why a lot of christians are disturbed by that. But it has nothing to do with the gospel IMO. The gospel is Christ, and Christ crucified. If someone are offended by my preaching that, I won't back down. But if I was still a gay-bashing legalistic moralizing moron, I'd better expect people to dislike me and shun what I was preaching. Christians in western countries are often disliked because they act like the gospel is about making everybody as morally correct as they think they are themselves, and it's sad to see people fighting for the "real, old, complete gospel" by being as strict and "biblical" as they possibly can.
Gospel means good news. It has nothing to do with moralizing people, and it has everything to do with Jesus.

If the gospel is to be watered down somehow, it must mean that Jesus crucified isn't being preached.

Now this is the same thing that Joel Osteen does and he is just as incorrect as you are in doing so.

The Gospel...The FULL COUNSEL of the GOSPEL...is designed to point people to Jesus Christ. Pointing out wrong is not an attempt to make anyone morally righteous for that means nothing.

First and foremost, we are commanded to point out wrong. Ezekiel 3:18
Second, telling people what God's Word says about the performing of homosexual acts has nothing to do with having a problem with gay people.

The penalty for our sin, i.e. the committing of homosexual acts, should be death. The Good News is that despite our shortcomings, Jesus Christ has suffered the only death we need suffer if we accept Him as Lord and Savior, by which our sins are forgiven.

holo · Oct 12, 2005

Zaac said:
First and foremost, we are commanded to point out wrong. Ezekiel 3:18

Good Lord. No offense, but this makes me think we don't even belong to the same religion.

Zaac said:
Second, telling people what God's Word says about the performing of homosexual acts has nothing to do with having a problem with gay people.

Maybe not, but it will certainly create problems with them. You may be as morally and biblically correct as you want, but there's a reason homosexuals get defensive. The gospel is NOT that homosexuality is the wrong way, it is that JESUS is the RIGHT way. He is able and willing to change anyone, including homosexuals. It's not my business and responsibility to rebuke them or try to draw them up to my moral standard. I am, after all, saved by nothing but grace, and my own righteousness has nothing to do with me being moral. I may offer them my advice and opinion, of course, but so many christians are being nothing but judgmental, justifying their moral indignation with all kinds of bible verses and in the end only shutting a billion gay people out of the kingdom of God. Homosexuality may be a perversion (but what's it to me anyway?), but the real perversion is turning the world's best news into a moral standard and twisting it into supporting things like this:

Zaac said:
The penalty for our sin, i.e. the committing of homosexual acts, should be death.

I hope you don't actually think that homosexuals should be killed, but sadly I know there are people who actually advocate that view.

It's such a perversion of the gospel and the will of God, it makes me sicker than the worst sodomite could ever sicken you. The homosexual will violate your strict sense of morality, the gay bashers are violating the gospel itself, spitting in the face of my saviour, claiming to be saved by grace while not showing any grace to others.

NPH · Oct 12, 2005

It has always seemed to me that "Love your neighbor as you love yourself" is the ultimate PC statement How do we show that love by being judgmental and constantly pointing out the sins of others?

My Church teaches that there is no divorce and remarriage is adultery. Should I then treat other Christians who have married as adulterers and constantly refer to them as such as if that is the only thing that defines them? Should I tell them that they must leave their new spouse and either reconcile with the old or remain celibate and chaste if they wish to please God? By my beliefs on what Jesus taught about marriage I would certainly be justified in doing so based on the idea that we should confront people about their sins that I see being said here.

No, I think Jesus wants me to love that person as I love myself and fellowship with them. I think He wants me to be 'politically correct' with them and show them the love of Christ. He will take care of them and any sins they have, not me. I have sinned and so cannot and will not cast the first or any stone.

edie19 · Oct 12, 2005

VNV - we all certainly have to be cautious about casting the first stone. While there are those who lead lives outside of God's instruction (i.e. homosexuality), we must be mindful of the fact that all men and women are created in God's image.

Just Me Garry · Oct 12, 2005

AMEN BROTHER!

JimfromOhio said:
What Christians are doing today, modifying the message to make Christianity more attractive, then what you have is not Christianity. How did Jesus approach the crowd about His purpose for His followers?

Jesus commanded us to take up our cross and follow Him.

Letalis · Oct 12, 2005

VNVnation said:
It has always seemed to me that "Love your neighbor as you love yourself" is the ultimate PC statement How do we show that love by being judgmental and constantly pointing out the sins of others?

My Church teaches that there is no divorce and remarriage is adultery. Should I then treat other Christians who have married as adulterers and constantly refer to them as such as if that is the only thing that defines them? Should I tell them that they must leave their new spouse and either reconcile with the old or remain celibate and chaste if they wish to please God? By my beliefs on what Jesus taught about marriage I would certainly be justified in doing so based on the idea that we should confront people about their sins that I see being said here.

No, I think Jesus wants me to love that person as I love myself and fellowship with them. I think He wants me to be 'politically correct' with them and show them the love of Christ. He will take care of them and any sins they have, not me. I have sinned and so cannot and will not cast the first or any stone.

If they don't know that divorce and remarriage are sins, then it is your moral obligation to inform them.

Shalia · Oct 13, 2005

Athene said:
Why bother being PC, why not just tell the truth, instead of going to a homosexual person and saying "You're an evil sinner and you're going to burn in hell" try "Hey dude, God loves you"

I don't know if christians need to be more PC, but I do know they need less of the "repent ye sinner or burn in hell" and more of the "God loves you, he sent his son to die for you"

I think that too much effort is wasted pointing out sins and abominations and God's wrath and much less time is spent talking about God's grace. Which saved us? God's wrath or God's grace?

Since someone else already brought him up in a different convo in here, I'll use Ray Comfort's example here, OK?

Pretend, for a minute, that you don't know what the topic is.

I walk up to you and I say "Hey, Athene, out of love for you, this guy just purchased the cure for Gronegans disease for you. He had to sell both his cars and his house and used up his whole inheritance and everything, but he loves you so much that he wanted you to live, so he bought it for you. Aren't you thrilled?"

You'd probably look at me like I was insane. You'd look at me and say "what on earth is Gronegans disease". You'd be insulted that this guy and I decided to get into your health concerns without even discussing it with you. And all of that would be REALLY logical reactions. Without knowing you *have* a disease, you can't be cured of it.

Now, if I sat you down and said "Athene, I'm really concerned about you. I'm certain you have Gronegans disease. I've seen these symptoms <list symptoms> in you, and if it isn't treated within 24 hours, it can be fatal. The treatment is extremely expensive and I was so worried about your health and life, when someone you don't even know spent every dime he had on you to buy you this treatment. He wanted me to tell you he loves you that much. Will you take this treatment?"

NOW, it makes sense. Now, you can understand why you need these lifesaving drugs. Now I can tell you about the "side effects" from the treatment you'll get. But if you stubbornly remain convinced you don't have Gronegans disease, you'll never take the treatment.

I don't advocate standing on a street corner and screaming "go to hell all ye sinners ye have angered God oh ye evil ones!" or anything like that. But specifically showing someone their "symptoms" so that they might be willing to appropriate the cure?

I'm all for that.

CaiperLane · Nov 5, 2005

Political correctness is man's way of silencing something that offends them. No matter what it is. Words that someone doesn't like, tv programs that offend, radio and music that are disliked. Instead of trying to control and silence the people responsible for creating all of these, the right thing to do is to have a spine and turn it off, turn away and ignore it.

Standing up for what's Right and True is never popular. As Believers we can expect others to be offended.

**"If the world hates you, be aware that it hated me before it hated you. If you belonged to the world, the world would love you as its own. Because you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, 'Servants are not greater than their master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you; if they kept my word, they will keep yours also. But they will do all these things to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin. Whoever hates me hates my Father also. If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not have sin. But now they have seen and hated both me and my Father. It was to fulfill the word that is written in their law, 'They hated me without a cause."-John 15:18**

ebia · Nov 5, 2005

The truth may sometimes be offensive, but some people seem to forget that being offensive is not evidence of truth.

woobadooba · Nov 5, 2005

ebia said:
The truth may sometimes be offensive, but some people seem to forget that being offensive is not evidence of truth.

I wish you had this in mind before you insulted me in one of your posts on another thread.

JimfromOhio · Nov 5, 2005

woobadooba said:
I wish you had this in mind before you insulted me in one of your posts on another thread.

I wondered the same thing for someone who did the same to me.

Verv · Nov 6, 2005

If we, as Christians, conform our message to meet to the times and places and the prejudices of our era, we have delegitimized our own religion by making it one that is changing and altering, and a religion of convenience.

Rather, we have to tow the same hadlines we have towed from the beginning, and not forget that charity, love, and moral behavior and avoidance of sin is paramount to who we are, and to not let that be abridged or other behavior become justified in place of this behavior, because then the religion becomes merely something of convenience, and not a true commitment on our behalf.

ebia · Nov 6, 2005

woobadooba said:
I wish you had this in mind before you insulted me in one of your posts on another thread.

I might have offended you, but I don't recall ever having used the fact thatyou were offended as evidence that I was right.

Christian Political Correctness - How important is it?

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