The Celibate Thread

[Strider1002]

Telling someone that they're sinning and throwing stones are two very different things.

 

[Saucy]

well that's the difference. People today, to remove accountability, say those kinds of things. "Hey, don't judge me!" or they definitely love the "cast the first stone" approach. But we're not talking about real judgement. Real judgement is if I picked up a literal stone to kill you because of your sin. That is judging you. Not calling one out, not holding someone accountable, not approaching them with love and gentleness and helping them see what they are doing is wrong. That is not judgement.

 

[ImperatorWall]

I have never actually encountered anyone engaging in these sins that did not know they were sinning. They did not need me to point anything out to them. The few times I have pressed the point it got very heated and ugly.

It accomplishes nothing.

 

[Saucy]

well there's someone posting in this thread who doesn't think he's sinning. Maybe deep down inside he knows he is, but on the outside he says he's not. Then wants to fight everyone when they even bring up the topic, so maybe he's trying to convince himself.

 

[Nanopants]

Absence of respect for one's neighbor and his or her privacy isn't love and gentleness.

Just out of curiosity, if you value being shown your sin so much, why is the message that one should respect a neighbor, his/her privacy and his/her dignity, so offensive?

 

[Saucy]

letting someone have unrepentant sin in their lives without saying anything is not love. I'm sorry. I'm tired of people say it's hate or bigotry (in the case of homosexuals) if you say something or bring up their sin. You don't gain salvation unless you repent of your sins. Embracing them is not the way to go and love isn't accepting someone's sin.

 

[Strider1002]

If I see you being disrespected, Nano, I will let you know.

 

[Nanopants]

Any time boss.

 

[ImperatorWall]

If I were to make it my responsibility to point out unrepentant sin I would have time to do little else. I would also repel people worse than I already do.

 

[Saucy]

Well I can give some brotherly advice and recommend it remain in your pants until your married.

 

[Owlette]

Anyway! I, too, do not view permanent celibacy as a 'gift' but rather a 'choice'. I am choosing to be celibate until marriage.

Agreed, and same here.

 

[Miss Spaulding]

^I think you may be confusing two different stories, but anyways, there's no reason given to assume that the situation is so black and white. Jesus didn't command either the woman caught in adultery or the woman at the well to make themselves eunuchs. IOW, the situation may not be so stringent so as to force a person into a state of asexuality in order to avoid fornication or adultery.

We're admonished to work out our own salvation and to mind our own business, and there should be no reason to be concerned with anyone's private life (even sins) as long as there is no issue that affects a community like a church. Further, to set one's self up as the inspector or boss of one's neighbor's private parts and sexuality, simply because the bible says such and such, is tantamount to religious molestation, in my opinion.

Okay. As far as I can see, nobody here is saying that anyone should literally 'pry' into another person's private life in order to sniff out any sins that they may judge that person on. So yes, someone's private life is their business. However, if a particular sin in someone's (neighbor, family member, friend, ect.) life is brought to your attention and you sense the distinct feeling that it has been made known to you for the specific reason to go 'talk' to that person about it, then yes, you are obligated to do so. Whether that person likes it or not is neither here nor there. We're not responsible for other peoples' reactions, we're responsible to ourselves and God to obey Him.

If this wasn't the case, then why do you think there is the verse "Faithful are the wounds of a friend..." (Prov. 27:6a)

 

[K9_Trainer]

well that's the difference. People today, to remove accountability, say those kinds of things. "Hey, don't judge me!" or they definitely love the "cast the first stone" approach. But we're not talking about real judgement. Real judgement is if I picked up a literal stone to kill you because of your sin. That is judging you. Not calling one out, not holding someone accountable, not approaching them with love and gentleness and helping them see what they are doing is wrong. That is not judgement.

I'm not sure what's so wrong with judging anyway? I'm a little rusty on my Bible, but aren't Christians basically encouraged to judge in several different parts of the Bible, in Matthew and Timothy. You judge whether a profit is false by his "fruit", IE bad fruit come from bad trees. You judge whether somebody is preaching words that are not godly or wholesome, and you withdraw yourself.

I mean, I get the social pressure at this point not to judge...But that's basically what you're doing if you've examined somebody's actions or behaviors and determined that they are sinning. You're making a judgement. Whether you act on that judgement and call them out (or cast stones at them) is a different matter.

It sounds like when people say "don't judge me", what they mean is "don't call me out" or "don't criticize me". That's a pretty common thing to say in non-Christian circles too, usually in jest. Do something goofy or weird and "Don't judge me!" interprets to "don't make fun of me!".

 

[Dark Winter]

I don't see the point in being permanently celibate.

 

[ImperatorWall]

I don't see the point in being permanently celibate.

In truth, my primary desire is to give pleasure, not receive it.

So going my whole life without ever satiating my own lusts is not that big a deal, as it's not very important to me. It makes me sad that so many secular young men view women as an object to validate their warped concept of manhood, and nothing more

 

[MarkSB]

I'm not sure what's so wrong with judging anyway? I'm a little rusty on my Bible, but aren't Christians basically encouraged to judge in several different parts of the Bible, in Matthew and Timothy. You judge whether a profit is false by his "fruit", IE bad fruit come from bad trees. You judge whether somebody is preaching words that are not godly or wholesome, and you withdraw yourself.

I mean, I get the social pressure at this point not to judge...But that's basically what you're doing if you've examined somebody's actions or behaviors and determined that they are sinning. You're making a judgement. Whether you act on that judgement and call them out (or cast stones at them) is a different matter.

It sounds like when people say "don't judge me", what they mean is "don't call me out" or "don't criticize me". That's a pretty common thing to say in non-Christian circles too, usually in jest. Do something goofy or weird and "Don't judge me!" interprets to "don't make fun of me!".

Yeah, the Bible does not ask Christians to suspend all judgement. It does say that they shouldn't judge people self-righteously or in a condemning manner. I really don't see how a person could love people or even make it through life without executing some kind of moral judgement on a regular basis.

The NT also very clearly tells Christians to rebuke fellow Christians or call them out if they see them doing something immoral.

 

[Nanopants]

Just a friendly reminder...

If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that. -1 John 5:16

 

[MarkSB]

That verse doesn't say that you should not rebuke someone who sinning and thinks what they are doing is OK.

 

[Strider1002]

Why so sensitive, Nano?

 

[ImperatorWall]

Why so sensitive, Nano?

Small pants.