What to do with the world...what to do...

[Knowing Thomas]

I've been meaning to make this post for months now but could never get around to it as its hard to put into words. Seeing as how I'm currently dealing with what is likely food poisoning, I might as well do it now.

The first thread I made on the forums on my return was titled Dealing with Anger; which involved me discussing my issues with anger in response to other people's often disrespectful opinions.
http://www.theologyweb.com/campus/sh...ing-with-Anger

Since I've made that thread, this country has certainly gone for the worse. The SC ruling, churches being vandalized, death threats, lives ruined, job terminations, arrests, and a government that has gone further and further in its persecution of those who don't embrace sin. If Christianity was united in opposition to this it wouldn't make me too upset, but even some groups of Christians are giving in to a mindset hostile to the Gospel, and are devolving into wishy-washy vapid welfare orgs with no spiritual maturity. The PCUSA, the Episcopal church, even the church of my childhood, ELCA, has caved on issues such as SSM and sexual immorality, abortion, euthanasia, universalism, subjectivism and other issues.

Not only this, but you can't throw a rock without hitting a major corporation that has it out for orthodox Christianity. Google, Apple, Microsoft, Coca Cola, Pepsi, Target, Walmart, Honey Maid, Blizzard Entertainment, Riot Games and what seems like a thousand others. Doritos has fully embraced the anti-Christian Dan Savage, of which quotations of his hatred is endless. Aren't businesses supposed to avoid open commentary on contentious issues!?

After the SC ruling, my Facebook page(another one of those companies) was covered with rainbow pictures, gloating and nastiness. Two of which are my own sister and niece! They say words like "love wins" and "equality for all" but all I read is "I hate you, Christian. Why don't you go crawl in a ditch and die?"

The whole situation has made me quite cynical in the matters of men, patriotism is effectively gone entirely. My own Irish heritage feels like it was ripped from me after the overwhelming vote for SSM in Ireland a few months ago. Same with German....

So what should I do? What should we ALL do? Should I stop using my gmail account? Refrain from eating Burger King? Take money out of these banks? What should we do when it seems like we are forced to do business with people who hate us and everything we believe?

[Cow Poke]

All who live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. Rejoice!

James 1:2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.

Keep on keepin' on!

[apostoli]

[mossrose]

God is still in charge. He has a plan and His timing is exactly where it should be. None of this is a surprise to Him, and it shouldn't be a surprise to His children.

Trust in Him and rest in His word.

[Cow Poke]

Be salt and light where you can, and realize "this world is not my home - I'm just a'passin thru"

[John Reece]

What to do with the world...what to do...

Praise God!

Eph. 3:20 To him who by means of his power working in us is able to do so much more than we can ever ask for, or even think of: 21 to God be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus for all time, forever and ever! Amen. (TEV)

[Zeta_Metroid]

Luckily a lot of people see what's going on and they're getting tired of it. The gap between the two sides here has been getting wider and wider. Look at the growing Far-Right organizations in Europe, or how a big factor in the war in Ukraine was cultural friction from the EU's increasingly socially liberal policies. The Donetsk People's Republic that resulted from the war has banned homosexuality and abortion.

So there are forces in the world that are on our side, and they are growing. Now that we've seen the horrors secularism has unleashed on the world, perhaps the 21st century can be the start of a new Enlightenment that truly does serve the light.

[apostoli]

Luckily a lot of people see what's going on and they're getting tired of it. The gap between the two sides here has been getting wider and wider. Look at the growing Far-Right organizations in Europe, or how a big factor in the war in Ukraine was cultural friction from the EU's increasingly socially liberal policies. The Donetsk People's Republic that resulted from the war has banned homosexuality and abortion.

So there are forces in the world that are on our side, and they are growing. Now that we've seen the horrors secularism has unleashed on the world, perhaps the 21st century can be the start of a new Enlightenment that truly does serve the light.

And maybe we can return to the uniquely American era where "christians" bred human beings as if they were cattle and bought and sold them willy nilly, and engaged in beastiality, raping the women with impunity. And we can go back to an era where you could, with impunity, shoot your neighbours slave for sport if he trespassed on your property, but not his dog! Lets not forget putting women in their place, we can look back at the good old "christian" days when women were merely chattel and had no rights! The good old "christian" days, where Catholics, Jews and negros could be tortured and murdered for your protestant delight...
___________________

As Christians we must put a rational perspective on all things, what happens in the world is none of our business, except when their is absolute injustice...

[John Reece]

And maybe we can return to the uniquely American era where "christians" bred human beings as if they were cattle and bought and sold them willy nilly, and engaged in beastiality, raping the women with impunity. And we can go back to an era where you could, with impunity, shoot your neighbours slave for sport if he trespassed on your property, but not his dog! Lets not forget putting women in their place, we can look back at the good old "christian" days when women were merely chattel and had no rights! The good old "christian" days, where Catholics, Jews and negros could be tortured and murdered for your protestant delight...
___________________

As Christians we must put a rational perspective on all things, what happens in the world is none of our business, except when their is absolute injustice...

That's your perspective.

Here is the Apostle Paul's perspective:

The Ministry of Reconciliation

2Cor. 5:14 For the love of Christ urges us on, because we are convinced that one has died for all; therefore all have died. 15 And he died for all, so that those who live might live no longer for themselves, but for him who died and was raised for them.
2Cor. 5:16 From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view; even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view, we know him no longer in that way. 17 So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us.

[Zeta_Metroid]

And maybe we can return to the uniquely American era where "christians" bred human beings as if they were cattle and bought and sold them willy nilly

Right, they were corrupt Christians who had set up a barbarous system that flagrantly violated the Bible. The solution to that was war to bring them in line.

Modern abortion is even worse - at least slaves got to have some sort of lives. If outright war to end slavery was just, then most anything we do to stop the horrors of modern secularism is just.

The good old "christian" days, where Catholics, Jews and negros could be tortured and murdered for your protestant delight...

Huh? There's never be a place where that was true.

[apostoli]

That's your perspective.

Here is the Apostle Paul's perspective:

The Ministry of Reconciliation

2Cor. 5:14 For the love of Christ urges us on, because we are convinced that one has died for all; therefore all have died. 15 And he died for all, so that those who live might live no longer for themselves, but for him who died and was raised for them.
2Cor. 5:16 From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view; even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view, we know him no longer in that way. 17 So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us.

John, be realistic, the very concept of democracy is an anti-Pauline concept (cp. Col 3:22; Titus 3:1).. A.Paul negates your war of independence as a "chtistian" action. American commercialism is anti-Acts 2:44-45...

The truth be known, if something is branded American, in a worldwide perspective, the probability is it is unchristian. I at the least acknowledge exceptions, in general, the world doesn't.

Nationalism aside, look in as if you were an outsider. Ask yourself why so many middle, central and south-east asians distrust American branded "christianity".

[apostoli]

Right, they were corrupt Christians who had set up a barbarous system that flagrantly violated the Bible. The solution to that was war to bring them in line.

OK, so you have just defined all of white American protestant "christianity: = "barbarous", in times past, or if you live in Texas and like - currently.

Modern abortion is even worse - at least slaves got to have some sort of lives.

So you support breeding of human beings for capital proliferation = human exploitation = the injustice of slavery (?)

If outright war to end slavery was just, then most anything we do to stop the horrors of modern secularism is just.

I've heard that most Ameicans are ignorant of their own history. Amoungst historians it is agreed that slavery had next to zero to do with the civil war, but look at the post war effects. The debates on intermarriage echo the current debates on same-sex marriage.

Huh? There's never be a place where that was true.

You don't even have to get out your history books on this one, it is hugely documented, that Catholics, Jews and negros have been tortured and murdered for your protestant delight!!! It may not be regularly reported in your local press (same'o'same'o') but it is regularly reported in the international press (most strange).

[John Reece]

John, be realistic, the very concept of democracy is an anti-Pauline concept (cp. Col 3:22; Titus 3:1).. A.Paul negates your war of independence as a "chtistian" action. American commercialism is anti-Acts 2:44-45...

The truth be known, if something is branded American, in a worldwide perspective, the probability is it is unchristian. I at the least acknowledge exceptions, in general, the world doesn't.

Nationalism aside, look in as if you were an outsider. Ask yourself why so many middle, central and south-east asians distrust American branded "christianity".

I made no reference to politics ― American or otherwise. I was only referring to your bitter attitude.

[Zeta_Metroid]

OK, so you have just defined all of white American protestant "christianity: = "barbarous"

So you support breeding of human beings for capital proliferation = human exploitation = the injustice of slavery (?)

Amoungst historians it is agreed that slavery had next to zero to do with the civil war

http://www.civilwar.org/education/hi...nofcauses.htmlwhat?

You don't even have to get out your history books on this one, it is hugely documented, that Catholics, Jews and negros have been tortured and murdered for your protestant delight!!!

[KingsGambit]

Your profile says you're from Australia. Before you resume extracting planks from the eyes of every American here, you may want to reflect on your own nation's poor treatment of the Aborigines.