Figure of speech. Could be the violent rapist. Either way, it's "submit or suffer the consequences of my brutality", then saying the victim had a 'choice'.
I think this actually serves a point I am making.
For some, they find God to be offensive. He is just really a bad guy. To be compelled to spend eternity with such a bad person would be a very bad thing. God understands how you feel about Him and does not want you to have to spend eternity with Him if you don't want to.
The thing is, if what the new testament authors says is true, we all are appointed to die once, and then we are judged for what we have done with the lives God has given us, whether good or bad. Those who rejected God's offer of salvation through His Son Jesus, will answer for their own doings and will receive what their works merit. Those who have been covered and have had the blood of Jesus applied to their lives and have gone on to show this regeneration by good works, will receive eternal life.
I don't think anyone really has any misgivings about being free. That seems to be the rallying cry by most today. "I want to be free to live, to let live, and to do with my body what I please! Free from religion, free from oppression, etc. etc."
I know of no people who have ever marched the streets by the thousands chanting, "Down with freedom, and up with oppression!"
Nor do I think anyone really has any misgivings about people being justly judged for the evil they commit. I mean, with all of the indignation I see from people here about certain things they judge to be evil, I am pretty sure we can all agree that we should not only judge justly, but should encourage the just judgment of the people who do that which is deserving of judgment.
Nor do we really have any misgivings about love. We recognize that love is a two way street and as such, it can always be received or rejected and we can always love others or make excuses for why we should not love.
I think the real issue, is that Jesus of all people, is most offensive to some because He claimed that people, at the end of the day, are fundamentally, broken. That there is a way that men ought to live, and know it, but fail to and as a result of this failure, they are estranged to their Creator. That there is One greater than man who knows all, sees all, and is above all, Holy and that because of this, will hold us all accountable. Inside of this and actually over it all, stands the cross. The cross is offensive to many because it is a symbol of how nasty we are. The cross is ugly. It is nasty. And deep down inside, the cross is something that testifies against them. What better way for some to deal with this ugly reality, but to shut their eyes and ears and pretend it does not exist, or that if it exists, it is nothing more than the creation of a handful of superstitious Jews.
Islam is feared and hated by many because it poses a threat to their physical well-being. Christianity is feared and hated by many because it poses a threat to that part of them which is not just atoms and matter. Jihadists can be fought and their efforts can be quelled with the appropriate socio-economic and geopolitical responses. But you cannot fight against Christ and win. The long procession of the attempts throughout history to do so reveal that the bible is the anvil that has worn out many a hammer. The Church, that universal body of believers throughout the world and throughout the ages remains. It grows not despite the oppression, censorship, and persecution it faces, but through it. Augustine and Aquinas rightly pointed to this fact as the miracle God has furnished for all to behold and marvel. It was no less than Napoleon himself who spoke of Christ as being the Great Conqueror who cares not for men's lands or territories, money or national resources, but yea, for the very hearts of men themselves.
I think the best thing for all of us here would be to drop the pretense and just state plainly what the real issues are. We can all be politicians, we can all be politically correct. That is easy. Just say nothing. Or if you say something, see to it that whatever you say is sufficiently ambiguous or is qualified by "this is true for me but might not be for you" and you will do well.
At the end of the day it is recorded that Jesus made some claims that are unique to Him and Him alone. Thus, they are worthy of at minimum, our thoughtful consideration.
