Why are most Christians so accepting of magic

[doctorwho29]

I know this is something of an older post, but I registered just so I could read it and reply.

I'm posting this in January of 2021, so my reply will probably be different than what came before.

IMO, a lot of people who are into fantasy fiction know the difference between what's real and what isn't. Witches don't really fly on brooms, you can't shoot fire from your wand or fingertips, and mandrake doesn't scream when pulled from the ground. That's the main difference.

That being said, I think most Christians are pretty discerning, and not everything affects everyone's faith in the same way. The OP said the Holy Spirit convicted him or her of this, but the HS hasn't done that with every other Christian. Why? I have no idea; God works in mysterious ways. But He has made it clear that not everything will affect everyone of faith in the same way.

Add to that the big scares in the 80s and 90s of very ridiculous things by "Christian" groups saying things like Dungeons and Dragons was wrong and occultish, when it's nothing of the sort. (It's a board game, like Monopoly or Sorry! or Uno.) So a lot of us Christian geeky and nerdy types have a hard time taking someone seriously who's scared of Harry Potter.

Anyroad, that's my viewpoint on it. If it's not your thing, that's fine; you don't have to watch those things, or participate in them. But I think telling others that they are bad for going to the movies to watch something like that may be taking things a bit too far. And if you're a parent who would freak out because their kid is secretly reading a fantasy novel with fantasy magic in it, then that's not great, either.

Great thoughts in this and your other post

 

[Bible Highlighter]

I know this is something of an older post, but I registered just so I could read it and reply.

I'm posting this in January of 2021, so my reply will probably be different than what came before.

IMO, a lot of people who are into fantasy fiction know the difference between what's real and what isn't. Witches don't really fly on brooms, you can't shoot fire from your wand or fingertips, and mandrake doesn't scream when pulled from the ground. That's the main difference.

That being said, I think most Christians are pretty discerning, and not everything affects everyone's faith in the same way. The OP said the Holy Spirit convicted him or her of this, but the HS hasn't done that with every other Christian. Why? I have no idea; God works in mysterious ways. But He has made it clear that not everything will affect everyone of faith in the same way.

Add to that the big scares in the 80s and 90s of very ridiculous things by "Christian" groups saying things like Dungeons and Dragons was wrong and occultish, when it's nothing of the sort. (It's a board game, like Monopoly or Sorry! or Uno.) So a lot of us Christian geeky and nerdy types have a hard time taking someone seriously who's scared of Harry Potter.

Anyroad, that's my viewpoint on it. If it's not your thing, that's fine; you don't have to watch those things, or participate in them. But I think telling others that they are bad for going to the movies to watch something like that may be taking things a bit too far. And if you're a parent who would freak out because their kid is secretly reading a fantasy novel with fantasy magic in it, then that's not great, either.

I played Dungeons and Dragons when I was a kid back in the 80's, and it's influence wanted me to dabble in the occult so as to cast a real spell. So it is not true that such games cannot influence young minds to want to get involved in witchcraft. Anyone who has been in witchcraft and the occult knows that Harry Potter, Chronicles of Narnia, and Dungeons and Dragons are ways to get people interested in the occult and or magic. That is why Disney does not have a problem with films like Narnia. What about cartoon porn? It is purely fantasy and yet it is promoting a sin that can lead a person to immediately be influenced into sinful thoughts by such a thing. In the OT, if you committed witchcraft, you were to be stoned. But because the sin of witchcraft is not as influential as say porn is, it gets a free pass. Little do they realize that it is a sin being promoted. Little do they realize that it does effect young minds. There are plenty of testimonies beyond my own of kids saying they want to cast real spells and dabble into the occult as a result of films like Harry Potter. So no. What you say is not in line with the truth.

 

[Isilwen]

I believe this comes down to personal conviction

100% this^

 

[Bible Highlighter]

(I'm still aware the reply was well over a year ago. A year and a half, I think.)

So, I'm married to a gamer. He's in his mid-40s. He's also a Christian. I'm also a Christian, and casual gamer.

Not everything has to be 100% Godly for God to be okay with us enjoying it. That's straight from my very conservative Baptist preacher. My fuzzy socks have Jack Skellington on them.

I would never, ever tell my hubby that he wasn't allowed to play any FF game; he loves those things! He loves a lot of game franchises, as do I! (I can't tell you how many hours I put into Skyrim! lol) Also, the FF games are very Japanese, so you have to take it all with a grain of salt.

If you are in a position where no one in your family plays video games or is interested in fantasy or sci fi, and everyone only wants to watch the purest of the pure (or nothing at all), then that's great and fine and dandy. But, if you have a spouse or kid or parent or friend who is interested in that stuff, then you can't be super-judgmental when that's their hobby they need to relax.

It's okay to have a non-spiritual hobby, is what I'm saying. Whether it's fixing a car, or building birdhouses, or collecting and playing games...it's all good. (Unless your hobby is murdering prostitutes and collecting their hair or something, that is. Clearly, there's a limit.)

Don't listen to the majority of the religious community, but listen to the Word of God and what it says. Jesus said narrow is the way that leads unto life, and few be there that find it (See: Matthew 7:14).

The apostle John says:
“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.” (1 John 2:15-17).

They were bought for me for Christmas by conservative Church of Christ friends.

Check out this thread here on the practice of Christmas:

Why I Think Christmas is Not Biblical (Please read OP before posting).

As for the church of Christ:

Many of the churches of Christ I have attended over the years do not promote the gospel and or how to accept Jesus Christ. I remember one whole sermon was on the preaching of the Law of Moses. That's it. There was no mention or tie to Jesus Christ. The 613 laws within the Old Testament Law of Moses is gone because the Old Covenant has passed away. We are under a New Covenant with New Commands. Hebrews 7:12 says the Law has changed.

 

[Isilwen]

Don't listen to the majority of the religious community, but listen to the Word of God and what it says. Jesus said narrow is the way that leads unto life, and few be there that find it (See: Matthew 7:14).

The apostle John says:
“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.” (1 John 2:15-17).



Check out this thread here on the practice of Christmas:

Why I Think Christmas is Not Biblical (Please read OP before posting).

As for the church of Christ:

Many of the churches of Christ I have attended over the years do not promote the gospel and or how to accept Jesus Christ. I remember one whole sermon was on the preaching of the Law of Moses. That's it. There was no mention or tie to Jesus Christ. The 613 laws within the Old Testament Law of Moses is gone because the Old Covenant has passed away. We are under a New Covenant with New Commands. Hebrews 7:12 says the Law has changed.

I'm curious, do you ever even think there is a chance that you may be wrong?

 

[MBM888]

I don't know what kind of D&D game your friends were running, but that is far, far from how almost all other games are run. (Sidenote: It's not just kids who play. A fair amount of adults play, and enjoy it...and know it has nothing to do with the real occult. I know conservative, very dedicated Christian friends who love the game. I found it a little boring, tbh.)

We will have to strongly disagree about the Chronicles of Narnia. C. S. Lewis was very much a Christian, and was NOT trying to start anything occultish with his books. I've read the Chronicles many, many times over; they were instrumental in my young faith as a Christian, actually. The kind of magic described in them is NOT the same as what someone practicing magick (with a 'k') in the real world would practice, because that kind isn't possible.

While I understand that HP and similar may make a kid interested in that kind of thing, I feel like that would fall under parental authority, and not Random Stranger Who Doesn't Approve territory. If I had kids, and they wanted to know about the occult because of HP, I would sit them down and explain the difference. I wouldn't yell or get upset (I think that's really what drives these kids in these Christian homes further away is over-reaction instead of love and teaching), but just explain that what they see in HP isn't real, and that the actual occult is very dangerous.

As for cartoon porn, I don't know why you went there right after Disney; seems a little weird, but I'll roll with you, G. Cartoon porn (whatever it is you're referring to. Hentai? I really don't know.) would and should be treated the same as any other porn. Don't watch it. If I caught my (very imaginary) son or daughter watching it, I hope I'd have the fortitude not to yell or get upset. (I'd probably laugh, and they'd probably be more embarrassed than me.) Once the dust settled, I'd probably talk to them seriously and gently about what their bodies are going through (assuming they are tweens or teens), and explain that it's not real any more than HP is. I would try to discuss how that kind of thing puts an unrealistic view on people, and that experience.

Disney is, again, not real. If you aren't comfortable with your kids watching it, that's totally fine! A lot of Christian parents have a strict hold on what their kids can and cannot watch, and I completely understand that, and am not about to tell anyone how to raise their kids.

However...I've also been to Bible college. I've seen what happens when these kids who were denied everything are finally given the freedom to explore life and ask questions. It's one thing to restrict what your kids consume at home, but it's another to be so restrictive that the kids aren't even allowed to ask you about it, or have an open discussion about it.

I've been doing some research about witchcraft lately, and a great many of those who practice come from Christian homes. I don't know all the details, but for some, it seems to be a great deal of bitterness towards their families who wouldn't actually talk about the subject at all, and who don't want to have an open dialogue about it. IMO, that's where the mistake comes in; if you aren't willing to talk with your kids, and also listen to them, then a lot of hurt and miscommunication is going to be had.

To wit, I know a great many Christians who read HP, Narnia, and all the rest, and who watch Disney, who are still very faithful Christians. If you don't want to watch it, and feel like it's not worth the risk, that's fine. Just be aware that not every faithful Christian holds the same viewpoint, and that's okay. We will meet, by and by.

 

[MBM888]

Don't listen to the majority of the religious community, but listen to the Word of God and what it says. Jesus said narrow is the way that leads unto life, and few be there that find it (See: Matthew 7:14).

The apostle John says:
“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.” (1 John 2:15-17).



Check out this thread here on the practice of Christmas:

Why I Think Christmas is Not Biblical (Please read OP before posting).

As for the church of Christ:

Many of the churches of Christ I have attended over the years do not promote the gospel and or how to accept Jesus Christ. I remember one whole sermon was on the preaching of the Law of Moses. That's it. There was no mention or tie to Jesus Christ. The 613 laws within the Old Testament Law of Moses is gone because the Old Covenant has passed away. We are under a New Covenant with New Commands. Hebrews 7:12 says the Law has changed.

Quick question: Are you married? Do you or your spouse have hobbies that you enjoy? Are those hobbies directly related to the gospel in any way, shape, or form?

More importantly, do you know any gamers or nerdy types?

Also, you're basically asking me to ignore all the people I know IRL, whom I've known and respected for years, and listen to you...a stranger on the Internet.

About the CoC: It definitely has its problems. (But so do most Christian sects and denominations. There's none of them that are perfect.) That's why I don't jive with them anymore. But, because of my past, I have a great deal of love and respect for a lot of people in the churches of Christ. I'm not about to give up those friendships just because a stranger on the internet doesn't care for it.

About Christmas: Dude, been down that road with so many different Christians on both sides of the fence. I'm not about to have that conversation again. If you don't like it, then don't celebrate. But stop judging those that do. It's a tree. It's not going to attack you.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Quick question: Are you married? Do you or your spouse have hobbies that you enjoy? Are those hobbies directly related to the gospel in any way, shape, or form?

People have destroyed their lives because of sharing their life on the internet.
For not everyone has your best interests at heart.
So I don't come here to talk about my personal life, but I come here to talk about the Word of God.
For I am nothing, and Christ is everything.

As for the gospel:

There is more to the New Testament than the gospel. One of the calls of the gospel is the sanctification of the Spirit, and a belief of the truth (See: 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14) (Note: Will you really read this passage and figure out what it says, or you will just move on?). Belief of the truth is believing God's Word (John 17:17). 1 John 2:15-17 is a part of God's Holy Word. How do you interpret this passage?

More importantly, do you know any gamers or nerdy types?

Also, you're basically asking me to ignore all the people I know IRL, whom I've known and respected for years, and listen to you...a stranger on the Internet.

Truth is not determined by who you respect and or who you know. The Bible is above your family, and pastor, and any other person you love or respect. It's God's Holy Word. We serve the Lord Jesus and we are not slaves to our family or friends in what they think.

About the CoC: It definitely has its problems. (But so do most Christian sects and denominations. There's none of them that are perfect.) That's why I don't jive with them anymore. But, because of my past, I have a great deal of love and respect for a lot of people in the churches of Christ. I'm not about to give up those friendships just because a stranger on the internet doesn't care for it.

We have to decide what is more important in life. Our relationships with people or our faith in God's Word. At the core: The gospel is clearly defined for us in 1 Corinthians 15:1-8. This is not something the Church of Christ really agrees with doing. Paul gives some strong warnings against those who preach another gospel (See: Galatians 1:8).

About Christmas: Dude, been down that road with so many different Christians on both sides of the fence. I'm not about to have that conversation again. If you don't like it, then don't celebrate. But stop judging those that do. It's a tree. It's not going to attack you.

When we follow Jesus, our love for the Lord becomes more important than anything else in this life. All I can do is point you to the truth. But it is up to you to look at it. Maybe there is something in the link I provided for you that you have not considered before. If not, then that is your choice. But don't say I did not try and help you to see the truth.

 

[2PhiloVoid]

I know this is something of an older post, but I registered just so I could read it and reply.

I'm posting this in January of 2021, so my reply will probably be different than what came before.

IMO, a lot of people who are into fantasy fiction know the difference between what's real and what isn't. Witches don't really fly on brooms, you can't shoot fire from your wand or fingertips, and mandrake doesn't scream when pulled from the ground. That's the main difference.

That being said, I think most Christians are pretty discerning, and not everything affects everyone's faith in the same way. The OP said the Holy Spirit convicted him or her of this, but the HS hasn't done that with every other Christian. Why? I have no idea; God works in mysterious ways. But He has made it clear that not everything will affect everyone of faith in the same way.

Add to that the big scares in the 80s and 90s of very ridiculous things by "Christian" groups saying things like Dungeons and Dragons was wrong and occultish, when it's nothing of the sort. (It's a board game, like Monopoly or Sorry! or Uno.) So a lot of us Christian geeky and nerdy types have a hard time taking someone seriously who's scared of Harry Potter.

Anyroad, that's my viewpoint on it. If it's not your thing, that's fine; you don't have to watch those things, or participate in them. But I think telling others that they are bad for going to the movies to watch something like that may be taking things a bit too far. And if you're a parent who would freak out because their kid is secretly reading a fantasy novel with fantasy magic in it, then that's not great, either.

I think you've said some useful things here, MBM888, and I resonate with what you've shared. From my perspective on life, Scripture and the presence of Fantasy/Sci-Fi in our Western Culture, I'd simply say that we can be free to engage the world and its products. At the same time, we should be discerning as we take into our hands each entity of entertainment that is produced by some entertainment group or individual.

For example, I might watch the Mandalorian, maybe even WandaVision; but then I might have to back off a bit when I bump into a related product from the same producers, such as the 'New Mutants' movie. Some products might be something I can engage in without there being any significant challenge to my Christian faith or to my conscience. However at other times, I might encounter products which include elements that should be recognized as being less than suitable for a Christian to also engage with as a consumer, let alone as an ongoing supporter.

For some Christians who may have lived extremely pagan lives before becoming Christian, maybe even having been involved with the actual use of things pertaining to authentic Wiccan practices, then it might be that anything even remotely resembling their previous life without Christ should be avoided by them. It might mean that they won't even be able to engage and be entertained by a movie like Doctor Strange or the Lord of the Rings, or the Chronicles of Narnia. We see some of this kind of thing being addressed by the Apostle Paul in the New Testament (e.g. the letters to the Romans and to the Corinthians, etc.)

But on the whole, and with more extreme cases aside, I'd say that we can still engage with some forms of entertainment that, while not explicity Christian, aren't necessarily deterring us from being Christian.

And that's my take on it.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

I don't know what kind of D&D game your friends were running, but that is far, far from how almost all other games are run. (Sidenote: It's not just kids who play. A fair amount of adults play, and enjoy it...and know it has nothing to do with the real occult. I know conservative, very dedicated Christian friends who love the game.

I played role playing games a good part of my youth back in the 80's and 90's. So yes. I am very familiar with them and those who played them. I also did not practice the occult and or magic while playing any role playing games. But I remember that reading such material led to wanting to see if I could cast a real spell. I asked myself: What if it was not fantasy and it could be real? Again, I am not the only person on the planet to have these kinds of thoughts. So to say that these games do not influence people into the occult is simply not true.

I found it a little boring, tbh.)

While I am sure there are women RPG players out there, from my experience, woman normally did not get into playing roleplaying games.

We will have to strongly disagree about the Chronicles of Narnia. C. S. Lewis was very much a Christian, and was NOT trying to start anything occultish with his books. I've read the Chronicles many, many times over; they were instrumental in my young faith as a Christian, actually. The kind of magic described in them is NOT the same as what someone practicing magick (with a 'k') in the real world would practice, because that kind isn't possible.

Check out these posts here, and here.

While I understand that HP and similar may make a kid interested in that kind of thing, I feel like that would fall under parental authority, and not Random Stranger Who Doesn't Approve territory. If I had kids, and they wanted to know about the occult because of HP, I would sit them down and explain the difference. I wouldn't yell or get upset (I think that's really what drives these kids in these Christian homes further away is over-reaction instead of love and teaching), but just explain that what they see in HP isn't real, and that the actual occult is very dangerous.

Whether the story is fictional or not, the fact of the matter is that the sin is very real. You cannot change the reality of sin. Think about the kind of sin you hate the most in this world. Would you then read books that glorified that particular sin? Sure, the story is fictional, but the sin being promoted can be fantasized about. Jesus condemned looking upon another in lust in Matthew 5:28-30. So to say that one cannot be condemned by fantasizing is simply not true.

As for cartoon porn, I don't know why you went there right after Disney; seems a little weird, but I'll roll with you, G. Cartoon porn (whatever it is you're referring to. Hentai? I really don't know.) would and should be treated the same as any other porn. Don't watch it. If I caught my (very imaginary) son or daughter watching it, I hope I'd have the fortitude not to yell or get upset. (I'd probably laugh, and they'd probably be more embarrassed than me.) Once the dust settled, I'd probably talk to them seriously and gently about what their bodies are going through (assuming they are tweens or teens), and explain that it's not real any more than HP is. I would try to discuss how that kind of thing puts an unrealistic view on people, and that experience.

However...I've also been to Bible college.

Believers do not truly learn the Bible through attending Bible College.
Believers learn by the anointing of the Holy Spirit and not men (1 John 2:27).

“Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.” (Isaiah 55:1).

I've seen what happens when these kids who were denied everything are finally given the freedom to explore life and ask questions. It's one thing to restrict what your kids consume at home, but it's another to be so restrictive that the kids aren't even allowed to ask you about it, or have an open discussion about it.

I've been doing some research about witchcraft lately, and a great many of those who practice come from Christian homes. I don't know all the details, but for some, it seems to be a great deal of bitterness towards their families who wouldn't actually talk about the subject at all, and who don't want to have an open dialogue about it. IMO, that's where the mistake comes in; if you aren't willing to talk with your kids, and also listen to them, then a lot of hurt and miscommunication is going to be had.

To wit, I know a great many Christians who read HP, Narnia, and all the rest, and who watch Disney, who are still very faithful Christians. If you don't want to watch it, and feel like it's not worth the risk, that's fine. Just be aware that not every faithful Christian holds the same viewpoint, and that's okay. We will meet, by and by.

How do you define a faithful Christian?
Is it just going to church?

 

[Isilwen]

I played role playing games a good part of my youth back in the 80's and 90's. So yes. I am very familiar with them and those who played them. I also did not practice the occult and or magic while playing any role playing games. But I remember that reading such material led to wanting to see if I could cast a real spell. I asked myself: What if it was not fantasy and it could be real? Again, I am not the only person on the planet to have these kinds of thoughts. So to say that these games do not influence people into the occult is simply not true.



While I am sure there are women RPG players out there, from my experience, woman normally did not get into playing roleplaying games.



Check out these posts here, and here.



Whether the story is fictional or not, the fact of the matter is that the sin is very real. You cannot change the reality of sin. Think about the kind of sin you hate the most in this world. Would you then read books that glorified that particular sin? Sure, the story is fictional, but the sin being promoted can be fantasized about. Jesus condemned looking upon another in lust in Matthew 5:28-30. So to say that one cannot be condemned by fantasizing is simply not true.





Believers do not truly learn the Bible through attending Bible College.
Believers learn by the anointing of the Holy Spirit and not men (1 John 2:27).

“Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.” (Isaiah 55:1).



How do you define a faithful Christian?
Is it just going to church?

Again I ask, do you ever think that you may be wrong?

You post your links to YOUR threads as though you are the final arbiter on what is truth and when you are challenged you never admit that you can be wrong. You continue to be the final arbiter.

What if you're wrong? Did you ever think that maybe by your error you led someone astray?

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Again I ask, do you ever think that you may be wrong?

You post your links to YOUR threads as though you are the final arbiter on what is truth and when you are challenged you never admit that you can be wrong. You continue to be the final arbiter.

What if you're wrong? Did you ever think that maybe by your error you led someone astray?

Lead someone astray? I am teaching folks to pick up their cross and deny themselves to follow Jesus. Are you against that truth?

Also, the battle for truth is in God's Word, dear sir. It has nothing to do with my life. I don't make the rules. God does. The Word of God is the authority for all matters of faith and practice. You have to first explain how Matthew 5:28-30 and 1 John 2:15-17 works from your perspective before throwing down the hammer judgment.

 

[Isilwen]

Lead someone astray? I am teaching folks to pick up their cross and deny themselves to follow Jesus. Are you against that truth?

Also, the battle for truth is in God's Word, dear sir. It has nothing to do with my life. I don't make the rules. God does. The Word of God is the authority for all matters of faith and practice. You have to first explain how Matthew 5:28-30 and 1 John 2:15-17 works from your perspective before throwing down the hammer judgment.

You answer my question, and maybe I will answer yours.

Do you ever think you can be wrong?

 

[Bible Highlighter]

I want you to pick a sin that utterly makes you want to vomit and or upsets you the most. Now, I want you to imagine that it is okay for you to read books and watch movies that promotes this particular sin. Is it okay to keep putting this sin in your mind just because it promoted in a fictional setting? No.

“Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.” (Colossians 3:2).

Now, do you believe this verse in what it plainly says?

For me: When a believer turns a blind eye to sins in a movie that God hates, they are setting their affections on the things on this earth instead of setting their affections on things above. How do you deal with this verse? Are you attempting to re-write this verse or find some other interpretation because you don't like what it plainly says? These are deep questions that you have ask yourself.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

You answer my question, and maybe I will answer yours.

Do you ever think you can be wrong?

I have been wrong on certain beliefs over the years. I used to think water baptism was essential to the faith. But I now I believe it is Spirit baptism that is the ONE baptism spoken of in Ephesians. I used to believe in Eternal Torment. I now believe in Dualistic Conditional Immortality. I used to believe Jesus during His earthly ministry had the full capacity of Omniscience as God. However, I now believe that while Jesus had power as God during His earthly ministry, I believe now Jesus suppressed His Omniscience (during His earthly ministry before the cross).

But on this point: Could I be wrong? I don't believe so. God does not want us to love the world or the things in this world (1 John 2:15-17). Jesus wants us to deny ourselves and pick up our cross. He does not want us to indulge in watching sinful movies. What junk you put in, comes back out. If you hang out with someone who does sinful things, the next thing you know, you will be influenced to some degree. It's the same with movies. The promotion of those sins (while in a fictional setting) can influence you to sin for real. I know from first hand experience. To say that movies cannot influence you to sin is to simply to turn a blind eye to such a truth.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

You answer my question, and maybe I will answer yours.

Do you ever think you can be wrong?

The battle for truth must begin with God's Word in not in childish games over, “I will answer your question if you answer mine.”

Again, if you want to stand for the truth of God's Word, then you must have an opinion on 1 John 2:15-17, Matthew 5:28-30, and Colossians 3:2.

I mean, don't explain it to help me to understand these verses, but do it to help someone else who comes across this website reading. Are you really interested in doing that?

 

[2PhiloVoid]

I want you to pick a sin that utterly makes you want to vomit and or upsets you the most. Now, I want you to imagine that it is okay for you to read books and watch movies that promotes this particular sin. Is it okay to keep putting this sin in your mind just because it promoted in a fictional setting? No.

“Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.” (Colossians 3:2).

Now, do you believe this verse in what it plainly says?

For me: When a believer turns a blind eye to sins in a movie that God hates, they are setting their affections on the things on this earth instead of setting their affections on things above. How do you deal with this verse? Are you attempting to re-write this verse or find some other interpretation because you don't like what it plainly says? These are deep questions that you have ask yourself.

No, I do not believe in that verse in what it plainly 'seems' to say when it is taken out of its entire context in the whole of the letter to the Colossians.

While I think you're correct to tell us that we should be wary in how we handle the things of this world, if you take Colossians 3:2 in connection with the overall flow of thought that Paul expresses here, you're going to get snagged just a tiny bit when running across Colossians 2:15-23, which comes just before the verse you're attempting to lift and post as a 'proof-text.'

So, you're correct to emphasize that we should be following Paul's direction and doing our best to "set our affections on things above, not things on the earth," but that doesn't disconnect us from considering how we're going to acquire and eat our next plate of Chinese or Indian food, or watching a casual super-hero flick, or playing some game by which to pass some time.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

No, I do not believe in that verse in what it plainly 'seems' to say when taken out of it entire context in the whole of the letter to the Colossians. While I think you're correct to tell us that we should be wary in how we handle the things of this world, if you take Colossians 3:2 in connection to overall flow of thought that Paul expresses here, you're going to get snagged just a tiny bit when running across Colossians 2:15-23, which comes just before the verse you've attempting to lift and post as a 'proof-text.'

So, you're correct to emphasize that we should be following Paul's direction and doing our best to "set our affections on things above, not things on the earth," but that doesn't disconnect us from considering how we're going to acquire and eat our next plate of Chinese or Indian food, or watching a casual super-hero flick, or playing some game by which to pass some time.

Please explain to me how Colossians 2:15-23 undoes what Colossians 3:2 plainly says. Does it not say to set our affections on things above and not on things here on this Earth? Isn't a person setting their affections on things on the Earth when they watch movies that promote various sins? I would say... “yes,” because I used to enjoy watching big budgeted fantasy films that promoted sinful things. I turned a blind eye to the sins that were within them and I tried to rationalize them as being okay to watch. Again, what you reap is what you will sow. What junk you put in is what junk comes back out. You are in what you meditate (and or focus) upon. Is not possible to look at women in lust and sin because of these kinds of movies? Is it not possible to swear like in a movie because they are doing it?

 

[Isilwen]

Do I believe in God's Word, I sure do, it's generally your interpretation of it that I have issues with.

Many times, you take what is personal to you and say that it is for all Christians, when it was meant for you.

I do not believe that things like Harry Potter, Narnia, and DnD are sins for all people. I simply do not.

Just because one watches Harry Potter, Narnia, or plays DnD, it doesn't mean that they are putting aside God. I worked all week and today is my first day off since Sunday. They were all 13+ hour shifts. So, what am I doing today? Modding Skyrim following a guide. I read my Bible this morning as well as prayed. I am resting today because I go back to work tomorrow for another 13 hour or more shift.

Does this mean that I love Skyrim with all my heart? Nope, not even close. It's my way of relaxing after the rigors of transporting patients this week, many of whom have Covid-19.

I am not going to give you my opinion on those verses beyond saying that I don't agree with your interpretation of them. It Will take much too long anyways to do so and more than likely I will get hit with I am wrong as is your custom with me.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Do I believe in God's Word, I sure do, it's generally your interpretation of it that I have issues with.

Many times, you take what is personal to you and say that it is for all Christians, when it was meant for you.

I do not believe that things like Harry Potter, Narnia, and DnD are sins for all people. I simply do not.

Just because one watches Harry Potter, Narnia, or plays DnD, it doesn't mean that they are putting aside God. I worked all week and today is my first day off since Sunday. They were all 13+ hour shifts. So, what am I doing today? Modding Skyrim following a guide. I read my Bible this morning as well as prayed. I am resting today because I go back to work tomorrow for another 13 hour or more shift.

Does this mean that I love Skyrim with all my heart? Nope, not even close. It's my way of relaxing after the rigors of transporting patients this week, many of whom have Covid-19.

I am not going to give you my opinion on those verses beyond saying that I don't agree with your interpretation of them. It Will take much too long anyways to do so and more than likely I will get hit with I am wrong as is your custom with me.

Again, you can either explain opinion on 1 John 2:15-17, Matthew 5:28-30, and Colossians 3:2. or you can keep making excuses in not doing so.