Reputation points???

[Jeremiah's Calling]

Reputation points??? Now how judgmental is that? Who cares?!

Let's educate the religious about losing religion and becoming Christian, shall we?

Reputation is what others say about you. Humans are known liars.
Character is what you really are. Only God knows this.

Typically religious. Typically churchy. "Comply with the proscribed image, please." How Pharisaical. How about let's be real. The lack of realness among church people is at the heart of why the vast majority of churches are failing. And failing doesn't only mean having less attendees or less money. It means being less effective. Fewer people coming to Christ, or like Jesus said, some go to the ends of the earth to make one convert, and when they are finished, the poor soul is twice the child of hell they were before. Because we make people into religious people, churchified clones, instead of into genuine, real people, true disciples of Jesus who understand on an intimate level what it means to glory in the cross - to openly, boldly share with others - whereever they are - where Jesus found us and where He's taken us so far. But with some of us, we risk losing our reputations if we do this. Well, the churches/Christians should be encouraging just that. But, noooo.

So many desperate people can't get to Jesus because the churches are blocking The Way.

Take ALL my reputation points away. The worse my reputation, the worse my character might be, or the better. But I am sick of having to pretend, most especially among "Christians." Life is not easy. It is not always good. It is difficult. It is messy. It often hurts. It is often very confusing and excruciatingly lonely. And if everyone is having to "watch their reputations" how will they ever feel free to come to Jesus just as they are? I see people every day who feel utterly isolated from the One Who's love they most want. They are utterly terrified of risking exposure - not to the world, no - to Christians. And stuff like "reputations points" is precisely why.

And you can defend the "RPs" if you want. I'll not be reading the responses.

 

[lucaspa]

Reputation points??? Now how judgmental is that? Who cares?!

Wow. Quite a tirade against a system that simply let's us tell people when they have done a good job.

Let's educate the religious about losing religion and becoming Christian, shall we?

If someone were doing that, would you give them reputation points?

Reputation is what others say about you. Humans are known liars.

All of us? All the time? You are human, right? So are you lying to us about humans being liars?

You seem to have a poor opinion of people who were created in His image.

And you can defend the "RPs" if you want. I'll not be reading the responses.

So you do not engage in dialogue with people who have different views than you? Jesus entered into dialogue even with the Pharisees.

 

[Jeremiah's Calling]

"Let God be true, but every men a liar." Romans 3:4.

Any time you've believed a lie (and you have, because you've sinned), you are a liar. Because you've told yourself the lie. Any time you've ever told anything that wasn't 100% true, you lied. (In the following, for simplicity's sake, the term "Christian" includes those Jews who follow Jesus.) Christians follow the Truth, while yet still encased in unsaved flesh. Probably neither of us has completely mastered it yet - not that we have any excuse for not having mastered it already. So, we still believe and tell lies on occasion. And All - without exception - ALL nonChristians are liars, because they deny the Truth.

So, NO, that is NOT an opinion. That is fact. Please learn the difference. Opinion has no value. Truth is. And GOD said so. And lie is one thing the Bible says HE cannot do. So, no, I don't have a low opinion of people. I simply state the truth about us. You are subject to the Truth, like it or not.

Part of my Tirade was about real Christianity not being preached any more in so, so many churches. We're afraid we're going to offend someone. But Jesus plowed across everybody's opinions, making the shape of the cross in doing so. Fact: no one has the right to not be offended. No one, that is, except God. Without the offense of the cross, no one really gets saved. They only get religion. The fruit of the Spirit (joy/peace/etc.) will be evident to me, within my soul, when I've done well. Jesus wasn't out looking for "atta-boys" from others, so neither should we be. That was the Phairsee's goal, to get atta-boys from their peers. And Jesus had some harsh words for them. Jesus wasn't some wussy, "aw, let's all hold hands and sing Kum-ba-ya," wimpy, nicety-nice person. He spoke the Truth, as gently as they would let Him, as harshly as was needed. And He did it without asking permission, without apology and without compromise. The Jesus of so many American churches has been thoroughly emasculated - too effeminate to be real, to be of any real use, except maybe ironing the devil's shorts or something. THAT is why so many churches in the US are too often such a waste of time. Jesus would come down HARD on us. And He warns, there will be MANY on His left one day, who will just insist that He's the one who made a mistake - as though He ever could.

FEAR Him. He doesn't need permission to be Lord. And He doesn't care whether we like it or not. Submit.


__________________________________________________________________________________________

"If sound science appears to contradict the Bible, we may be sure that it is our interpretation of the science that is at fault." - St. Aven, Visions in the Night, unpublished, copyright 2007 & 2010

"Christians should look on evolution simply as one method by which the devil calls God's Word a lie." - St. Aven, Visions in the Night, unpublished, copyright 2007 & 2010

"A fool will believe anything, as long as it's not the truth." - St. Aven, Visions in the Night, unpublished, copyright 2007 & 2010

"Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him. Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit." - God Almighty, Proverbs 26:4-5, published from everlasting, copyright from everlasting

 

[r035198x]

@Jeremiah, were you lying when you said you wouldn't read defences to the Reps system?

This is the funniest thread ever, good job guys. I take it I can't rep you for your statements though?

 

[lucaspa]

"Let God be true, but every men a liar." Romans 3:4.

You didn't even quote the entire verse!
"Of course not! Though everyone else in the world is a liar, God is true. As the Scriptures say, "He will be proved right in what he says, and he will win his case in court."* "

The verse does not say every man is a liar. It simply says that God is true. If what God says contradicts what everyone else says, then God is true.

In the larger context of the chapter, Paul is stating that it is not permissible to lie about God even if that lie helps God. This comes out in the next verses:
""But," some say, "our sins serve a good purpose, for people will see God's goodness when he declares us sinners to be innocent. Isn't it unfair, then, for God to punish us?" (That is actually the way some people talk.)
Of course not! If God is not just, how is he qualified to judge the world?"

Any time you've believed a lie (and you have, because you've sinned), you are a liar.

I strongly disagree with this. You have not committed a lie because you trust someone else is telling you the truth. The 9th Commandment is about bearing false witness, not hearing it. Now, if you repeat the lie after being told the truth, then yes, you are now bearing false witness.

Any time you've ever told anything that wasn't 100% true, you lied.

That also is a bit harse. But the point I want to make is that we do not lie ALL THE TIME. All of us tell less than the truth sometimes, but not all the time. If we all lied all the time, then you cannot quote Paul as telling any kind of truth, can you?

And All - without exception - ALL nonChristians are liars, because they deny the Truth.

So, NO, that is NOT an opinion. That is fact. Please learn the difference.

I'm afraid you are stating an opinion. "In my father's mansion are many rooms". That can be taken to mean that God has set out several paths to God. Christianity is one.

I particularly dislike this particular attitude because it puts you as God. "Judgement is mine, says the Lord". Yet you are judging people here. You are condemning them, which means that you are violating the 2nd Commandment.

Opinion has no value.

That also is not true. Opinion can be, and often is, reasoning based on facts. For instance, in 1 Corinthians 7 Paul is giving his opinion of marriage and having kids. Do you really think that has no value? Or take Mark 10. Jesus is giving his opinion on divorce. Do you really want to say that Jesus' opinion has no value?

Part of my Tirade was about real Christianity not being preached any more in so, so many churches.

This looks like the "true Scotsman" fallacy. Please define "real Christianity" for us. Remember, there are over 20,000 denominations of Christianity.

We're afraid we're going to offend someone. But Jesus plowed across everybody's opinions, making the shape of the cross in doing so. Fact: no one has the right to not be offended.

Yes, Jesus plowed across the opinions of the Pharisees with his opinions. Now, since Jesus is God, we give his opinions more weight than those of the Pharisees.

You seem to be making this a tirade not against reputation pionts, but against tolerance. Whatever happened to "do unto others as you would have then do unto you" and "love your neighbor as yourself"?

Jesus wasn't out looking for "atta-boys" from others, so neither should we be. That was the Phairsee's goal, to get atta-boys from their peers.

1. Actually, that was not the Pharisee's goal. They didn't care if they offended people. The Pharisees were the biblical literalists of their day and their goal was to force their view of religion down everyone else's throat. Kinda like what you seem to be doing.

2. Your premise is that we are "out looking" for reputation points. That's your fallacy. I have not seen anyone campaigning for reputation points. I have not seen anyone shading their opinions in order to get reputation points. Have you? If so, please document it. Otherwise, the reputation points are there if you would like to say "atta-boy" from others.

3. Didn't Jesus ever get "atta-boys" from the people he healed or the disciples? Of course he did!

The Jesus of so many American churches has been thoroughly emasculated - too effeminate to be real, to be of any real use, except maybe ironing the devil's shorts or something.

Way away from reputation points again. And here you are expressing your opinion, which, according to you, is worthless. Hoist by your own petard.

Since you are in the Wesleyan forum, do you think that Methodism/Nazarenes have done this? If so, how? Please document. Be specific in your tirades and give us some facts to back

"If sound science appears to contradict the Bible, we may be sure that it is our interpretation of the science that is at fault." - St. Aven, Visions in the Night, unpublished, copyright 2007 & 2010

"Christians should look on evolution simply as one method by which the devil calls God's Word a lie." - St. Aven, Visions in the Night, unpublished, copyright 2007 & 2010

"A fool will believe anything, as long as it's not the truth." - St. Aven, Visions in the Night, unpublished, copyright 2007 & 2010

Wait a minute. After that whole tirade of yours about what constitutes lying, and you do this??!! Wow! No wonder you think everyone lies all the time; you think everyone is like you. And it's obvious you didn't really understand Romans 3, because you just did exactly what Paul told you not to do.

But now we have a clue about the reasons for your tirade. The quotes I gave are quite real. By Christians. James McCosh was an ordained minister and head of Princeton theological seminary for a number of years.

Do you realize that "St. Aven" is denying the Truth and denying God?

 

[WiredSpirit]

So I'm curious, how many of you rep'd the opening post in spite.

*raises hand*

 

[Chris81]

I am just waiting to hear Jeremiah's Calling rant on Blessings.

 

[GraceSeeker]

So I'm curious, how many of you rep'd the opening post in spite.

*raises hand*

LOL!

Ditto and worse -- I encouraged others to do the same.

 

[lucaspa]

LOL!

Ditto and worse -- I encouraged others to do the same.

ROFL! I wondered how J'sC got 3^12 reputation points per post! Oooh, sneaky and mean!