Robin Williams 'Considered Christ' But He Was Never Set Free, says Critic

[graceandpeace]

Robin Williams 'Considered Christ' But He Was Never Set Free, Says Christian Media Critic

Becoming a Christian does not guarantee a person will be free of suffering depression & other sicknesses, nor does Baehr have any way to know that Williams "abandoned" eternal life.

Things like this make Christians sound calloused & out of touch.

God, have mercy.

 

[Targaryen]

Robin Williams 'Considered Christ' But He Was Never Set Free, Says Christian Media Critic

Becoming a Christian does not guarantee a person will be free of suffering depression & other sicknesses, nor does Baehr have any way to know that Williams "abandoned" eternal life.

Things like this make Christians sound calloused & out of touch.

God, have mercy.

Remember, the American "christian" mmedia expects those that have the faith to proclaim it loudly all the time if it's a public figure such as Williams.

I think the article thus fails on two points rather then just one.

 

[bbbbbbb]

The bottom line is that none of us here at CF actually knew Robin Williams so we are in no position to judge him or to judge those who actually did know him. For those who did know him I would think we who did not would, at least, take their opinions for what they are worth - which is way more than our opinions.

In the final analysis everyone has a right to their opinion and a right of free speech in this country. However, only God has the right to judge.

 

[SolomonVII]

Robin Williams 'Considered Christ' But He Was Never Set Free, Says Christian Media Critic

Becoming a Christian does not guarantee a person will be free of suffering depression & other sicknesses, nor does Baehr have any way to know that Williams "abandoned" eternal life.

Things like this make Christians sound calloused & out of touch.

God, have mercy.

I found the attached article to be very sympathetic to Robin Williams.

 

[Albion]

Robin Williams 'Considered Christ' But He Was Never Set Free, Says Christian Media Critic

None of us knows for sure, but that's how it looked to me.

 

[CyberPaladin]

The bottom line is that none of us here at CF actually knew Robin Williams so we are in no position to judge him or to judge those who actually did know him. For those who did know him I would think we who did not would, at least, take their opinions for what they are worth - which is way more than our opinions.

In the final analysis everyone has a right to their opinion and a right of free speech in this country. However, only God has the right to judge.

Actually no the bottom line is this critic didn't really know him either he interviewed him a couple times and is now making a lot of baseless speculation most likely to try and bolster himself in certain Christian circles.

 

[SolomonVII]

Reporters report. I found the article to be sympathetic and honest enough.

 

[CyberPaladin]

Reporters report. I found the article to be sympathetic and honest enough.

Well no one has said anything about the reporter of the article who would be Jessica Martinez. There have been doubts about the person she wrote about in her article Ted Baehr who from what I have read is not a reporter and even if he was one this sort of statement would be highly speculative commentary not someone reporting anything.

 

[ViaCrucis]

The first three paragraphs of the article describing Baehr's thoughts are so completely and utterly theologically atrocious.

This line specifically made my gut retch,

"'I'm not sure he came to Christ, I'm sure he considered Christ … because when you come to Christ, your life changes 180 degrees. I don't think he had that explicit experience of being set free,' Baehr told The Christian Post."

Well that's completely false. And if that's what Baehr is selling people as the Gospel then he's selling people a false bill of goods. No, becoming a Christian does not grant you the life of bubble gum raindrops and rose petals. The Christian life is a life defined by the Cross, the Cross of struggle in this life of sin and death, of addiction and temptation. Of bearing that weight of the old man trying to kill you even as you set your eyes on Jesus as your only lifeline. It is not going to make junkies suddenly not be junkies.

A man like Williams, with a lifetime of struggling with addictions, is going to be a man who struggles with addictions. Christian or otherwise. Jesus is not the magic "make everything better right now" button. He's the One who gives hope in the hopelessness of a world dominated by death, sin, and suffering; not of success and glory now in this life, but the glory of the resurrection that is to come. That He who bore our pains, our sins, our sufferings, and yes our death has overcome them by rising from the dead and has called us into Himself, to trust in Him, and be brought through the grave to resurrection and eternal life in the world to come.

This is theology that kills faith. Because it seeks to choke out the seed that sprung up, it is thorns and thistles.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[SolomonVII]

Well no one has said anything about the reporter of the article who would be Jessica Martinez. There have been doubts about the person she wrote about in her article Ted Baehr who from what I have read is not a reporter and even if he was one this sort of statement would be highly speculative commentary not someone reporting anything.

Snce the name of the writer of that commentary is unknown to me, it is unimportant to know either way. It is Robin Williams that is famous, and it is Robin Williams that succumbed to his demons and killed himself. This writer gave a first hand account of his/her impressions of his state of mind in regards to religion, and I found it quite sympathetic to Robin, and informative.


Others found it judgmental.

It was subjective of course, because discerning the state of mind of another person always is subjective. But in this case since we all know the end results, the terrible state of Robin Williams mind is already fully exposed.
Anyone who has ever enjoyed Robin Williams unique sense of humor would like to know a little more, and this article offered something along those lines.

Many people who has lost a love one to suicide appreciate the honesty of people giving their impressions of some of the things that might have been happening in the life of the man, rather than politically correct avoidance of anything that might be relevant.

 

[KingCrimson250]

How fortunate God must be to have men and women of such wisdom to advise Him when evaluating the lives of others.

 

[CyberPaladin]

It was subjective of course, because discerning the state of mind of another person always is subjective. But in this case since we all know the end results, the terrible state of Robin Williams mind is already fully exposed.
Anyone who has ever enjoyed Robin Williams unique sense of humor would like to know a little more, and this article offered something along those lines.

Many people who has lost a love one to suicide appreciate the honesty of people giving their impressions of some of the things that might have been happening in the life of the man, rather than politically correct avoidance of anything that might be relevant.

Well I gotta disagree with you this article doesn't allow you to get know Robin Williams better at all it gives you is some half baked theories from a guy who only met him a couple of times. And I don't think many people would appreciate someone who barely knew there relative judging them as being demon possessed because of mental illness or addiction and then concluded that since the problem didn't resolve itself positively they couldn't be a Christian. That isn't politically correct avoidance it's mud slinging pure and simple.

 

[SolomonVII]

I never saw it that way at all.

And I have had close relatives that killed themselves too.

 

[Targaryen]

I never saw it that way at all.

Of course you didn't

Quit while your behind.

 

[SolomonVII]

Of course you didn't

Quit while your behind.

Your usual ad hominem snark of a contribution that adds nothing to the discussion.

 

[SolomonVII]

My own faith tradition typically had suicides buried outside of the holy ground of the cemetery, because the believe was that suicide was a mortal sin that ended one's life before repentance was possible. Whether suicides were buried outside of the graveyard, or whether that was the story is anybody's guess, but that is the traditional Christian point of view.

I tend to agree with those Christians who now understand that mortal will iinvolves intent, and the intent is not really possible when a mind has become so consumed with mental illness that a rational intent cannot be formed.
I can't blame a Christian though for holding to the a more traditional Christian vantage point than I currently do.Traditionally, suicide was deem to be a forfeit of eternal life. That was the mainstream belief, and most certainly still is for many, many Christians.

The effects of alcohol and psychotropic drugs on the mind, especially the mind of someone who already has severe emotional disturbances can accurately be described as demonic. It is not all about synapses and serotonin, but there is a degradation of the living spirit through the scars that such drug abuse inevitably leaves.
Anyone who has suffered from the degradation of substance abuse knows well enough that they are in a hellish state. Demons is an apt metaphor, and again, for traditional Christian belief, it is more than metaphor to understand the reality of demons and dark spirits.

 

[Targaryen]

Your usual ad hominem snark of a contribution that adds nothing to the discussion.

Ad hominem sure, but a rather justified one at that. Half-baked theories add nothing to "discourse" either.

Just stiring up nonsense for the sake of nonsense.

 

[SolomonVII]

Ad hominem sure, but a rather justified one at that. Half-baked theories add nothing to "discourse" either.

Just stiring up nonsense for the sake of nonsense.

All of us on CF forums descend into a state of utter contempt for everyone who disagrees with us. It is unusual though just how fast your descent to that level has been.

 

[ErnestoPoet]

I go to Jesus with questions of others. Jesus said to him, "If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow Me!"
Feed the sheep and mind your business about others. Advice many ignore, but love others and God, that is far more than enough for a life's work. Speculating on the end of another is ... Let us listen to Jesus and love. Follow ... end of discussion.

 

[JCFantasy23]

Robin Williams 'Considered Christ' But He Was Never Set Free, Says Christian Media Critic

Becoming a Christian does not guarantee a person will be free of suffering depression & other sicknesses, nor does Baehr have any way to know that Williams "abandoned" eternal life.

Things like this make Christians sound calloused & out of touch.

God, have mercy.

Yeah this article is just embarrassing. First, one should never assume they know a person's relationship with God like they themselves are an authority. Second, people can struggle with drugs or mental illness and be as true a Christian as the next person. We all have our mistakes, pitfalls, and own struggles to overcome.