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Refusing to argue with him isn't shunning. No one has the right to make you argue if you don't want to.
Granted, it was your statement here that gives me the willies:
"I'm encouraging people not to engage in discussions with professional anti-masons."
It makes it sound as though you are threatened by him. You surely know Skip's theology will certainly not win any friends in this particular forum anyhow.
No, he isn't much of a threat to Masonry or me. But honestly I can't say that his theology wouldn't win friends on Christian Forums. This is one of the more conservative Christian discussion forums on the internet. He already gets more of a hearing here than he does nearly anywhere else.
any time a discussion is started about Freemasonry and some of us who are Masons start to do our best to answer simple questions up pops good old Skip to disrupt threads and discussions. That is his function here.
Mainly that you continue to make charges with no specifics. If you don't intend to discuss, why accuse me?circuitrider said:I've already said I don't want to play the game of arguing with you about your anti-masonic baloney and you just can't help trying to pull me into an argument anyway. What's the point?
Notice that's not what he said. He became interested in Freemasonry because of his grandfather's participation in it. What he said was that he examined the issue from both sides before making his decision to join. Nothing wrong with that.Notice that we now have testimony from a Mason on this forum who became a Mason because of examining anti-masonry.
Just what are my beliefs, since you find them so objectionable, aside from my belief that no Christian should join Freemasonry? Since you believe only God can cure me of them, you must certainly know them, so please articulate for the rest.circuitrider said:It is Skip's far right fundamentalism that is the religion that only the almighty can cure. I can't talk Skip out of his far right extremist fundamentalism, only God can.
As one sees from this thread, there is very little arguing going on, and no reasoned discussions from the Masonic side. Quite simply, they dare not address the case I make, so they don't, preferring instead to snipe from the sidelines. It's who they are and what they do. Cordially, Skip.He is well known to many Masons because he spends most of his time online arguing with Masons
I'm thinking specifically of the World Religion folder.
After experiencing CARM, T-Web and Catholic Forum, I thought this one wasn't too bad. Are there more liberal ones?
Ah, that explains your frustration. Of course his gripe against the Freemason's is that supposedly you are all work's righteousness. But wouldn't that be a bone which Calvinists have against you Methodists anyhow?
But there was another side for him to look at, which is the point. My function is to present the factual argument against Freemasonry.
In any case, the market-place of ideas is where viewpoints are tested, and the fact that Masons avoid it like the plague is telling. Cordially, Skip.
As one sees from this thread, there is very little arguing going on, and no reasoned discussions from the Masonic side. Quite simply, they dare not address the case I make, so they don't, preferring instead to snipe from the sidelines. It's who they are and what they do. Cordially, Skip.
Reading some of the history of anti-masonry, one gets the impression that as a social phenomenon it seems to share some similarity with anti-Catholicism.
-CryptoLutheran
Methodist theology is grace based following John Wesley's views about how God's grace works in us and through us in our entire journey of faith. But then we don't believe in the Calvinist doctrine of election whereby someone is either saved or damned by divine fiat. Predestination is not part of our doctrine.
As to works righteousness in Freemasonry, the purpose of Freemasonry isn't righteousness (a religious goal) be simply personal growth. Many organizations including the Boy Scouts and the Girl Scouts are about personal growth. We don't try to call them religions.
Many service organizations such as Rotary and Kiwanis do charitable projects. They don't usually get accused of "works righteousness."
Add this one to the list:
Taxil hoax - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Here's a bonus for the ones who wonder how Masons know who Mr. Sampson is: Anti-Masonic Examples: Skip Sampson
For Calvinists, to deny predestination is to deny the sovereignty of grace.
I think if you live in the world of 'once saved always saved' personal growth may not mean very much.
I think acts of charity and personal growth are viewed somewhat differently. The assumption is that the 'elect' will do acts of charity but I don't think 'growth' in the spiritual sense is part of their vocabulary.
Isn't Arminianism just a sub-set of Calvinism? The former was developed out of the latter, right? They share a "common ancestry", theologically speaking, even if they've parted ways at some point.That may be the case. It has never made sense to me as a non-calvinist. I've not always been a Methodist but I've always been arminian theologically.
I like them, though the one on Masonry contains common errors. I don't use them in my ministry as they are more of the 'blunt instrument' type of outreach. I also don't use Jim Shaw's testimony due to the lies contained therein, should the question arise. Cordially, Skip.smaneck said:I would like to know what Skip's take on Chick publications is?
I don't know much about the Masons. My grandfather was in the Scottish type and he was also a Shriner.
So here's my question: At one of the Mason functions, somebody whispered a cryptic statement to my grandfather. It bothered him so that he mentioned it to my grandfather later. It was something as weird as saying "Jesus is dead and God is Bibbledybobbledy".(Sorry I don't remember the exact words. I heard it from my mother and I don't know if she remember the exact words either.
It's always seemed strange to me.
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