Losing empathy for Christians.

[gord44]

It's easy to be desensitized to bad news. We live in an era of 24/7 news on TV, social media, radio, etc. We are bombarded all day with war, death, murder, catastrophe and all other sorts of bad news that it's easy to turn a blind eye or deaf ear to it because you have heard it so much already.

 

[Harry3142]

DeanW-

If the area where you live came under the control of ISIS, how long do you think that they would let you live? A fact that World War II taught us is this: Those who would kill our neighbors for one reason this morning, would kill us for another reason this afternoon. Once the desire to slaughter takes hold of people, it never loosens its grip on them.

The ISIS may attempt to camouflage their bloodlust as piety, but it is still bloodlust that is in control of their actions. And that bloodlust will not be satisfied if they succeed in slaughtering the Christians they have now targeted. Instead, it will impel them to seek out other people for slaughter in order to satisfy its desire for carnage.

 

[Hikarifuru]

Harry

It wouldnt take long before I or they died. I serve in the U.S Military and i would fight them or resist interrogation tactics. I would follow the Military Code of Conduct. I suspect that i would not survive. Im hoping i dont get sent back to Iraq for a third time. I was there twice during the surge. Im hoping the Iraq government will deal with it.

 

[food4thought]

Food4thought

Well the idea that you will forever struggle with it concerns me, a battle you never plan to win sounds like pretense to me. It sounds very superficial, like ypu have no plan or desire or need to ever really change and you feel thats ok. Thats just how it sounds to me when people say they know theyll never really change or stop till heaven.

I can see how you would feel that way, Dean, but the Christian life is antithetical to our carnal nature, and the world we live in is constantly calling out to that nature, promising what it cannot deliver and delivering only temporary pleasures interspersed amongst long periods of emptiness. Our new spiritual nature must constantly put down the old carnal nature, even in areas we have already had victory. And there are other areas where we are yet to have victory (possibly even unaware there is a battle to be fought there). Just like the geopolitical scene, where there are places we have had victory that keep on cropping up problems (Russia, Iraq), places that we have always struggled with (N. Korea, Iran), and almost certainly enemies we aren't even aware of yet (???).

I quit smoking for over 3 years, it was truly a victory from God because he just took the desire to smoke away. Then a couple years ago I was struggling with my faith, and stressed out, and I started up again. Now I find myself battling this addiction again, and I have yet to re-attain victory there. I have been having victory over my lust, remaining celibate for a very long time now... Yet there are images of sexual enticement everywhere in our media, and I am still a man without a wife. If I were to fall in this area now, does it negate the fact that God gave me strength for all these years? No it does not. To say the battle is always ongoing is not a cop-out, it is simply real life for a spiritual person fighting their own carnal nature in a fallen world. The problem with the church is that too many people are thinking like you intimated, that the battle will always be there, so why fight it? This thinking is not Biblical.

I hope this helps you understand.

 

[Hikarifuru]

Food4thought

Yes i understand your pov better now, ty

 

[light upon light]

It's easy to be desensitized to bad news. We live in an era of 24/7 news on TV, social media, radio, etc. We are bombarded all day with war, death, murder, catastrophe and all other sorts of bad news that it's easy to turn a blind eye or deaf ear to it because you have heard it so much already.

I don't watch the news on TV or listen to it on the radio.

Why?

Because it's the most negative things that happen in the world, cherry-picked and selected as a toxic diet of pain and suffering and misery. Why would I choose to expose myself to that?

I know that bad things happen. I spend my time working to help others. If I were instead tune into the fount of negativity known as the news, it would sap my strength, weaken my resolve, and make me ineffective in my service.

 

[gord44]

i agree LUL.

 

[pyramid33]

Dcalling

I dont hate christians, i hate what they commonly think and what their book says. This is because of the things those ideas did to me and do to humans.

Sometimes i struggle to remember to limit my aversion to their ideas and not let myself lose my love and compassion for them and all people.

I still don't consider evil people Christians.

 

[Hikarifuru]

I still don't consider evil people Christians.

Does your god stop considering you a christian when you do an evil thing?

 

[Angelquill]

Hi again Dean;

Yes, I struggle with losing compassion for some people, and even have very unloving and judgmental thoughts towards them. For instance, as Iraq dissolved into various militant Islamic groups fighting everyone who does not believe exactly as they do, and more and more moderate Islamic people and people of other faiths were being threatened and even killed, I began to think that we should just airlift all the non-Muslims out and then let the Muslims kill each other. Because of all the horrible things that Militant Islamists have been doing, I was losing compassion for all Muslims... over a billion people.

I asked God to forgive me and change my heart towards them. It is in our natural make-up to accept "us" and be against "them", but Jesus calls us to let this nature die within us and to let the Spirit create within us a new nature, full of love for our enemies. As a Christian I have two natures, my natural one that I should be actively putting to death, and a new Spiritual nature that I should be actively nurturing... this is a battle that will not end until the day I stand before my Lord in heaven. Part of the problem with the visible church is that so few Christians seem to be trying very hard...

And all of God's children shout!!!!

I couldn't have said it better myself...

 

[Angelquill]

Ahhh, Dean...how you make this old lady weep...

 

[Messy]

Does your god stop considering you a christian when you do an evil thing?

Not when you do a sin and convert, but if you stay in it, yes:
1 John 2
He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now.

 

[Hikarifuru]

Angelquill

What do you mean my friend?

 

[SammyW]

Oh Dean... cheer up.

You know we're going to be alright in the end and dealing with our inner demons and doing what we know is right is just part of life. Come give your brother a hug and have some pie.

 

[Hikarifuru]

... Sam? What are you doing here?

 

[Radagast]

Yesterday i was watching the news and as i saw that ISIS was trying to kill these christians i realized that i felt no sympathy for these christians because they were christians. Witnessing myself acting in such an immoral manner shocked me.

It's a good thing to understand yourself.

Once you see a problem, you can seek for a solution.

I know that if i saw these events take place id realize my problem immediately and i would die trying to help them

Really?

 

[Hikarifuru]

Radagast

Absolutely. I am a military service member for one and i would be compelled to help them anyway.

 

[Angelquill]

Dean, my sweet friend, don't lose yourself because of some foolish misunderstanding. Search your heart...I mean, really search for your real self.
I don't remember where I heard it, but some of the best advice I know is: Don't take yourself so seriously. Nobody else does...'

I also like:
Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up...

 

[Hikarifuru]

Angelquill,

Its not appropriate that i keep posting in this subforum but yes i do this everyday. I do consistently reevaulate everyday.