General Apologetics

[elizabethevangeline]

Does anyone visit GA regularly?

I rarely go over there but dropped in this evening...there are some interesting threads that could use an Orthodox perspective.

"Original Sin, Jesus' Sacrifice" questioning the sense of original sin doctrine.

"Relationship" asking how do people experience God personally?

"Christians, what do you know about your early Christian church" questions if Paul's Jesus was mostly made up because he never talks about Christ's life or talks about his teachings directly.

Anyways, sometimes GA strikes me as more receptive to real discussion than GT. I feel so inadequate to speak...and really, last year was my inquire and discuss year. I've moved into my quieter "immerse and practise" year.

So anyone willing to adopt GA on my behalf?

 

[elizabethevangeline]

See, I can't even get a thread off the ground in here!

No takers huh?

I may be forced to speak for myself in GA...someone better monitor my "orthodoxy".

 

[Oblio]

Link ?

 

[Happy Orthodox]

http://www.christianforums.com/f13-general-apologetics.html

Thanks for invitation, Elizabeth, but I've made my voice hoarse from talking too intensely over there several months ago. I might poke in and see what's going on, maybe try to help you. I'm a bad debator, and I can't stand those narrow-minded individuals who see only what they expect to see and not open to learning (diagnosis=pride). But actually, GA is much better in that regard than GH. Much better indeed.

Some common misconceptions of Christians that prevail in GA among most atheists and some agnostics:

1. God is evil and punishes everybody who refuses to worship Him (tyrant, dictator)
2. Christians are dum-dums, don't see the contradictions in the Bible and their own belief systems.
3. Christian 'fairy-tales' are naive and are a way of escaping reality.
4. Some Christian churches brainwash their members and they become like zombies unable to think for themselves.
5. Most Christians are mean and in general not so pleasant to be around.
6. etc.

This might help. Of cource, 99.9% of all in GA (who are not Christians) once have been Christians, so they've all 'been there, done that'. However, it's amazing how much their knowledge is limited on Christianity, especially Eastern Christianity. And also, most of them are very, very fluent in Bible verses, and each of them has a set of Bible contradictions that they bring up every time you try to argue. God bless and guide your hand in that forum! Maybe you'll bring a couple of thirsting souls. I'll see what I can do

 

[Oblio]

http://www.christianforums.com/f13-general-apologetics.html

I know where GA is

I was looking for a direct link to the thread ...

 

[Oblio]

1. God is evil and punishes everybody who refuses to worship Him (tyrant, dictator)

IMO, those who have left Christianity because of this, need to know the Orthodox Gospel, because it vaporizes that stumbling block.

 

[elizabethevangeline]

IMO, those who have left Christianity because of this, need to know the Orthodox Gospel, because it vaporizes that stumbling block.

Yes, that was my thot.

I was speaking generally about GA as a alternate place to browse vs. GT...so no specific thread to link to.

Happy-good for you for being a voice in GA. I'm probably not so persistant.

 

[Oblio]

OK, I do peek occasionally, but most threads there seem quite silly or closed minded when I visit. Then again, how would that differ from GH

 

[HandmaidenOfGod]

Aside from poking my head in OBOB occasionally, I just stay in TAW.

 

[Dust and Ashes]

Aside from poking my head in OBOB occasionally, I just stay in TAW.

Same here except it's The Gamer's Zone and TAW. I lack the love and patience to brave those rough waters. A few minutes in GH usually has me pondering the virtues of the Islamic method of evangelism.

So, I take that as a sign I'm somewhere I ought not be and leave. Please pray for me.

 

[HandmaidenOfGod]

I look at it like this, I get persecuted enough for my faith in the "real world." Why ask for it in the "virtual" one?

 

[elizabethevangeline]

I look at it like this, I get persecuted enough for my faith in the "real world." Why ask for it in the "virtual" one?

I'm not much for debating either, and the "virtual" can be brutal! Tho I might troll around looking for someone vulnuerable to a different perspective who might welcome my story. As you can imagine, I don't talk much.

 

[Happy Orthodox]

I think that GA is a great place to carry Orthodox perspective into with much interest from many thirsting souls. You see, many of those who left Christianity because of the problems of Protestantism are open to learn about Orthodoxy. Some of the stuff there is not very serious, I agree, and you don't get heated debates like in GT with bible verses and quotes from Saints and all that, but I think there are more people over there who are willing to really listen and are open to learning without prejudices and misconceptions. I remember that I got many PMs from the members of GA asking me about Orthodoxy. But because I am a very, very, very inadequate and unworthy for representing this holy faith, I try to not post in other forums a lot. So, I think it would be a good idea for Orthodox Christians to also poke in once in a while in GA to remind people that there is also a different kind of Christianity that they had no idea existed. But this was true way back a year ago. Not sure how it is there now.