Having a hard time

[h2whoa]

Hi guys,

I'm new to Christianity. I am having a hard time in dealing with Christian fanatacists on this board as well as in real life. I just want to be able to relate to some fellow Christians who are not zealots. I don't know if you know what I mean but it's really depressing. It's like it's the slightly "crazy" zealots who put most people of finding faith and it's these people who are driving me away from it.

I'm sorry to rant and I don't want to cause offence but it's the way I'm feeling. Any other people in my boat???

H2

 

[Lynn73]

I'm not really sure what you're talking about. Maybe someone else will know.

 

[Asaph]

Nope no help here either. I'd be honored to be called a Jesus zealot though.

 

[Suffolk Sean]

Nope no help here either. I'd be honored to be called a Jesus zealot though.

I'm pretty much insane too. Though not as crazy as Asaph (be careful of him, he's not quite right in the head)

 

[Asaph]

I'm pretty much insane too. Though not as crazy as Asaph (be careful of him, he's not quite right in the head)

ROFL.....you just reminded me of my favorite character in the Braveheart movie. The Irish Lord guy.

 

[Suffolk Sean]

ROFL.....you just reminded me of my favorite character in the Braveheart movie. The Irish Lord guy.

How bizarre, that is the guy I tried to model what I said after....

My Island!

 

[BarbB]

H2Whoa - you probably want to post in the Liberal Christian area because we non-denoms are pretty well on fire and sold out for Jesus. But welcome to CF anyway!

 

[Terral]

Hi h2whoa

Whoa writes >> I'm new to Christianity. I am having a hard time in dealing with Christian fanatacists on this board as well as in real life . . . I'm sorry to rant and I don't want to cause offence but it's the way I'm feeling. Any other people in my boat???

Did you know that the earliest symbol of Christianity was the fish? I believe we sometimes have to take Christians and their teachings just like eating fish; eat the meat and throw away the bones.



God bless,



Terral

 

[SoulFly51]

Hi guys,

I'm new to Christianity. I am having a hard time in dealing with Christian fanatacists on this board as well as in real life. I just want to be able to relate to some fellow Christians who are not zealots. I don't know if you know what I mean but it's really depressing. It's like it's the slightly "crazy" zealots who put most people of finding faith and it's these people who are driving me away from it.

I think all the best Christians are zealots. Its safe to say that the apostles of Jesus were "zealots" and its certainly not a bad thing. God tells us to be careful not to be "luke warm."

Christianity is a way of life, living, thinking and acting. To be a Christian is to be dead to your own human wants and desires and to simply live for Christ being obediant to all His commands. I would suggest you delve into His Word every single day and strive to be closer to Him.

It certainly isn't an easy thing to be dead to ourselves, but then again that's why the Word tells us the road to Heaven is narrow ...

 

[Lynn73]

As a wonderful Christian lady I know says at the accusation of close mindedness, I'm not closed minded, I'm single minded. The Bible is the final authority of truth and we don't change the message to accomodate the modern world in which we live. We don't change the message to pacify people. We may change how it's presented and use new and exciting ways, but we don't change the message. Guess you could call me a zealot or fanatic for Christ. Truth is truth and it can't be changed just because people don't like it. Not that we shouldn't be loving in our sharing of it, of course.

 

[Toms777]

As a wonderful Christian lady I know says at the accusation of close mindedness, I'm not closed minded, I'm single minded. The Bible is the final authority of truth and we don't change the message to accomodate the modern world in which we live. We don't change the message to pacify people. We may change how it's presented and use new and exciting ways, but we don't change the message. Guess you could call me a zealot or fanatic for Christ. Truth is truth and it can't be changed just because people don't like it. Not that we shouldn't be loving in our sharing of it, of course.

Reminds me of Paul

1 Cor 2:1-5
2 For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. 3 I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. 4 And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
NKJV

 

[Protein]

h2whoa,

Romans 12:1
"Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord"

To me it seems that you might want to check out yourself. Instead of being a downer about how people are into the Lord; Why don't you ask the Lord what you are missing out on with your relationship with HIM? Maybe a change of attitude?

 

[Seeker314]

If I am "reading between the lines" correctly with your question, h2whoa, I agree with you, insofar that I have encountered many who have great faith, and many others who have blind faith; therein lies the difference...

"He who has ears, let him hear"...

Seeker314

 

[Asaph]

You know, I don't fall into this catagory, but I suppose because of the following scripture that there are those who become Christian but really didn't have far to go in the first place. Maybe they had their egos so in check just naturally that they really didn't have much sin in the first place. Fantastic I say, it's just that I don't fall into that catagory. I fall into the those who have been forgiven much catagory. It makes me a zealot out of gratitude.

Luke 7:47-49
47 Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little." 48 And He said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."
NKJV

Grace, Mercy, and Peace,
Asaph

 

[Anthony]

Hi guys,

I'm new to Christianity. I am having a hard time in dealing with Christian fanatacists on this board as well as in real life. I just want to be able to relate to some fellow Christians who are not zealots. I don't know if you know what I mean but it's really depressing. It's like it's the slightly "crazy" zealots who put most people of finding faith and it's these people who are driving me away from it.

I'm sorry to rant and I don't want to cause offence but it's the way I'm feeling. Any other people in my boat???

H2

I here you, if you are new to Christianity, this place can be a high calorie diet, to much doctrine and not enough excercise. Just keep it focused on Jesus and forget all the clanning bells.

 

[LLBlair]

Matthew 22:36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

Sounds to me that to do what our Lord has said, one could possibly be, well . . . . a zealot, maybe even (shudder) a fundamentalist.

 

[DanielRB]

Hi guys,

I'm new to Christianity. I am having a hard time in dealing with Christian fanatacists on this board as well as in real life. I just want to be able to relate to some fellow Christians who are not zealots. I don't know if you know what I mean but it's really depressing. It's like it's the slightly "crazy" zealots who put most people of finding faith and it's these people who are driving me away from it.

I'm sorry to rant and I don't want to cause offence but it's the way I'm feeling. Any other people in my boat???

H2

Hi H2,

I'm not sure if you're speaking more about attitude or specific beliefs. One can have very conservative theology, but that does not have to equate with a judgmental attitude. On the other hand, liberal theology doesn't always equate with a non-judgmental attitude; indeed, I've seen some liberal Christians be extremely judgmental towards conservative Christians.

In the Scriptures, we see positive examples of very judgmental behavior, whether it's Christ against the Pharisees or Paul against the libertines. We also see negative examples of judgmental behavior, such as the Pharisees against Jesus or the Judaizers against Paul. Fact is, when we feel impassioned about something, we feel like Jesus denouncing the Pharisees--and when those with whom we disagree are doing it, we look at them as the Pharisees denouncing Jesus.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that we're all miserable sinners, trying best to serve our Lord...and often we make big mistakes and hurt people. Forgive your brothers and sisters in Christ for sometimes using their zeal improperly.

In Christ,

Daniel

 

[Beowulf]

Hi Terral,

Heck, when I was a new christian the "more devoted" scared me a bit simply because I wasn't seeing what they were. I was at the bottom of the mountain and those fellas way above me looked like they were insane with no fear of their height at all doing all the stuff they were doing. If I were up there doing that I'd be scared to death or clinging to the side frozen in place by fear.
But as I began to climb more came into view, I became more experienced and more used to the heights. Climbing further I'd get glimpses of what they were seeing from their vantage point. I wanted to see too. I found more climbing equipment along the way that better prepared me to climb higher yet.
Wasn't long before I began relying on His strength instead of my own and I finally understood why those other fellas were doing the insane things they were doing.

The view is awesome!

 

[Asaph]

Well said Beowulf. (as an aside, can you refresh my memory? In what book did I read of the Beowulf?)

Grace and Peace,
Asaph

 

[Beowulf]

Well said Beowulf. (as an aside, can you refresh my memory? In what book did I read of the Beowulf?)

Grace and Peace,
Asaph

I'm really not sure, it was required reading in literature class in high school. That was a long time ago and my memory fails me though the name stuck. But I remembered the hero and Grendel his foe.