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The Coming Storm

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  • The Coming Storm

    Sometime as President Obama's administration progressed, I saw a storm coming. It was just small clouds off in the distance but they were there. Unfortunately it's too far back for me to recall what events prompted me to preceive this.

    Over the years, the clouds have thickened and darkened and now I'm beginning to feel a cold wind. The storm is approaching although I can not say how soon it will hit. I'm certainly not ready for it.

    A genuine persecution of Christians is coming to America. Our churches are not ready because the church leaders probably don't believe it's coming. Their self-help, life counsel, and encouragement ministries aren't strong enough to withstand what is coming. The church goal has become making the members feel comfortable and safe. They can't believe they will ever be persecuted.

    Will the storm arrive tomorrow? Nah. Will the storm arrive next month? Probably not. Will the storm arrive next year? There's a chance. Will the storm arrive in five years? More likely. One thing I've learned is when I see these things, it's not immediate fulfillment. Give it some time before you call me wrong.

    (Yeah, this is not my normal style. I've been thinking about this for awhile but I have no idea why it came out this way.)
    "For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings." Hosea 6:6

    "Theology can be an intellectual entertainment." Metropolitan Anthony Bloom

  • #2
    I've thought a lot about this myself, and I couldn't understand why American Christians have it so good, while all around the world Christians are being persecuted mercilessly. This is what I've concluded. I don't think the persecution is going to hit America like it is in the middle east. I think Christians in America will fall away instead. It may not even be a sudden thing, but very gradual. It might even be happening now. As political progressivism continues to take hold, more and more Christians will just concede to it or adjust their beliefs accordingly to avoid friction with it. Like a boiling frog type of thing. I could be wrong and we could see a sudden turn of events, but I don't think so because it's lagging to what's happening in the rest of the world.

    Comment


    • #3
      Saltiness is lost, so there remains only trampling to come.

      Originally posted by seanD View Post
      It may not even be a sudden thing, but very gradual. It might even be happening now. As political progressivism continues to take hold, more and more Christians will just concede to it or adjust their beliefs accordingly to avoid friction with it. Like a boiling frog type of thing.
      Cases in point: supporting female preachers is no longer liberal, 'what's wrong with Beth Moore' simplicio, SBC embracing critical race theory, throwing Paige Patterson under the bus, and others.
      Last edited by demi-conservative; 01-26-2020, 12:07 PM.
      Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return.

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by seanD View Post
        I've thought a lot about this myself, and I couldn't understand why American Christians have it so good, while all around the world Christians are being persecuted mercilessly. This is what I've concluded. I don't think the persecution is going to hit America like it is in the middle east. I think Christians in America will fall away instead. It may not even be a sudden thing, but very gradual. It might even be happening now. As political progressivism continues to take hold, more and more Christians will just concede to it or adjust their beliefs accordingly to avoid friction with it. Like a boiling frog type of thing. I could be wrong and we could see a sudden turn of events, but I don't think so because it's lagging to what's happening in the rest of the world.
        I think you given a very good description of today. I agree right now, it's more Christians falling away. However, I think it will turn to become active persecution. I think as progressiveness progresses, more and more people will view government as god and will not tolerate rivals to their god. or at a minimum, a group that tells them that they are wrong.
        "For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings." Hosea 6:6

        "Theology can be an intellectual entertainment." Metropolitan Anthony Bloom

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by demi-conservative View Post
          Saltiness is lost, so there remains only trampling to come.



          Cases in point: supporting female preachers is no longer liberal, 'what's wrong with Beth Moore' simplicio, SBC embracing critical race theory, throwing Paige Patterson under the bus, and others.
          What's even weirder is that (according to certain polls) political conservationism is growing among the youth, while religious belief is diminishing among the youth. To me this is even more firm evidence religious devotion is fading among conservatives. IOW, it's not necessarily that people are becoming progressive and thus less religious, they're becoming less religious regardless.

          Comment


          • #6
            Right-wing politics is not necessarily coupled to religious faith.

            What we see is that Christianity in the US is becoming more progressive than Christian and in many cases a vehicle for progressivism, and some right wing reactionaries are going to dump faith.
            Last edited by demi-conservative; 01-26-2020, 03:27 PM.
            Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return.

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by seanD View Post
              I've thought a lot about this myself, and I couldn't understand why American Christians have it so good, while all around the world Christians are being persecuted mercilessly. This is what I've concluded. I don't think the persecution is going to hit America like it is in the middle east. I think Christians in America will fall away instead. It may not even be a sudden thing, but very gradual. It might even be happening now. As political progressivism continues to take hold, more and more Christians will just concede to it or adjust their beliefs accordingly to avoid friction with it. Like a boiling frog type of thing. I could be wrong and we could see a sudden turn of events, but I don't think so because it's lagging to what's happening in the rest of the world.
              This is precisely what happened in Denmark, and now most of our priests care more about existential philosophy and life counseling than Christ. We've even had more than one Lutheran priest declaring publicly that they don't believe in God.

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by Leonhard View Post
                This is precisely what happened in Denmark, and now most of our priests care more about existential philosophy and life counseling than Christ.
                They care about social justice more than Christ, no doubt.
                Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by demi-conservative View Post
                  They care about social justice more than Christ, no doubt.
                  It's bath with both of them, traditional or liberal. They'll talk your ear off about Grundtvig and Kirkegaard, and will spend an entire sermon talking about common human experiences, and art, and various poems, before finally mentioning Christ almost as an off hand remark. Sat through scores of sermons like that till I nearly puked.

                  You have to get out into various small independent Lutheran churches to find Christians with any real zest in them.

                  I joined a minority Catholic Church headed by some common sense poles, and I haven't looked back.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Thoughtful Monk View Post
                    I agree right now, it's more Christians falling away. However, I think it will turn to become active persecution.
                    Christians exchanging Christianity for progressivism and active persecution are two distinct things. Probably both will happen, most churches will become useless and the remaining faithful will be persecuted.
                    Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by demi-conservative View Post
                      Christians exchanging Christianity for progressivism and active persecution are two distinct things. Probably both will happen, most churches will become useless and the remaining faithful will be persecuted.
                      I don't see that happening unless the constitution is utterly abolished, at least not on a governmental level. Not saying it's impossible, as we're certainly seeing glimpses of that here and there. But for the most part, the constitution is holding firm against this. On the other hand, I can definitely see Christians bending to the pressure of pop culture.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Leonhard View Post
                        It's bath with both of them, traditional or liberal. They'll talk your ear off about Grundtvig and Kirkegaard, and will spend an entire sermon talking about common human experiences, and art, and various poems, before finally mentioning Christ almost as an off hand remark. Sat through scores of sermons like that till I nearly puked.

                        You have to get out into various small independent Lutheran churches to find Christians with any real zest in them.

                        I joined a minority Catholic Church headed by some common sense poles, and I haven't looked back.
                        I've been through too many of those sermons myself. God is just an off handed comment or brought in because it's church and we sortta have to mention Him.

                        I think I'm going to have to look at the smaller and probably non-white churches to find where God is still believed in.

                        I'm almost ready to try an Eastern Orthodoxy church but I'm afraid that's a no go with my wife.
                        "For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings." Hosea 6:6

                        "Theology can be an intellectual entertainment." Metropolitan Anthony Bloom

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Thoughtful Monk View Post
                          Sometime as President Obama's administration progressed, I saw a storm coming. It was just small clouds off in the distance but they were there. Unfortunately it's too far back for me to recall what events prompted me to preceive this.

                          Over the years, the clouds have thickened and darkened and now I'm beginning to feel a cold wind. The storm is approaching although I can not say how soon it will hit. I'm certainly not ready for it.

                          A genuine persecution of Christians is coming to America. Our churches are not ready because the church leaders probably don't believe it's coming. Their self-help, life counsel, and encouragement ministries aren't strong enough to withstand what is coming. The church goal has become making the members feel comfortable and safe. They can't believe they will ever be persecuted.

                          Will the storm arrive tomorrow? Nah. Will the storm arrive next month? Probably not. Will the storm arrive next year? There's a chance. Will the storm arrive in five years? More likely. One thing I've learned is when I see these things, it's not immediate fulfillment. Give it some time before you call me wrong.

                          (Yeah, this is not my normal style. I've been thinking about this for awhile but I have no idea why it came out this way.)
                          Could it be a great chastisement coming?

                          One lesson of the Old Testament is that chastisments can be used to correct sin among the people of G-d, the sin and error is not always just in the secular world outside the church. I wonder how many pictures circulated within American churches of the White House set in a watermelon patch?

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by Thoughtful Monk View Post
                            I'm almost ready to try an Eastern Orthodoxy church but I'm afraid that's a no go with my wife.
                            That's always a concern for married (prospective) converts. We're receiving a guy on Sunday whose wife started out adamantly opposed, but has since been asking him questions. We also have a family which converted several years ago except for the father, who often comes to church but doesn't seem especially interested in becoming Orthodox.
                            Enter the Church and wash away your sins. For here there is a hospital and not a court of law. Do not be ashamed to enter the Church; be ashamed when you sin, but not when you repent. – St. John Chrysostom

                            Veritas vos Liberabit<>< Learn Greek <>< Look here for an Orthodox Church in America<><Ancient Faith Radio
                            sigpic
                            I recommend you do not try too hard and ...research as little as possible. Such weighty things give me a headache. - Shunyadragon, Baha'i apologist

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by seanD View Post
                              I don't see that happening unless the constitution is utterly abolished, at least not on a governmental level. Not saying it's impossible, as we're certainly seeing glimpses of that here and there. But for the most part, the constitution is holding firm against this. On the other hand, I can definitely see Christians bending to the pressure of pop culture.
                              I wish I had your faith in the Constitution. Frankly I think there's a group of lawyers working on away around those restrictions right now. They may be just waiting for the right case or a more favorable Supreme Court. Also there's all these Human Right commissions that seem to take the attitude of religious rights are less important than other rights.

                              Ultimately they won't get us because we're religious. We'll be gotten because we're part of a criminal organization that deserves to be wiped out. (The easiest example: any organization that persistently shelters pedophiles is a criminal conspiracy that should be disbanded.)

                              By the way, I'm religious and not Christian because I think it will start with Christianity but will spread to cover other faiths eventually.
                              "For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings." Hosea 6:6

                              "Theology can be an intellectual entertainment." Metropolitan Anthony Bloom

                              Comment

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