Chritians Protest...

[mazHur]

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1. Being Real Part I[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica] [FONT=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]"Surely you [God] desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place."1

I once asked a group what they felt was the Christian's number one problem. One jokester called out, "Apathy, but who cares?" Another said, "I don't know and I don't care." As the old saying goes, "many a true word is spoken in jest."

Yes, I agree that one of our major problems is apathy. According to a journalist who writes for the LA Times newspaper, one reason why vocal radical minorities are winning in areas such as gay marriage, partial birth abortion, etc., is because enough Christians don't care enough to do anything about it. They sit back, do nothing, let it all happen—and when it's too late, cry, "Foul." The fact that in this country (the U.S.), according to a report by Chuck Colson, only 33% of evangelical Christians are registered to vote speaks volumes about our apathy. How soon we forget that "the price of freedom is eternal vigilance!"

However, apathy is just one of our problems. While we all struggle with various problems to one degree or another, my personal belief—either rightly or wrongly—is that our biggest problem is that of denial; that is, being unreal (avoiding the truth about ourselves). We hide our true feelings and motives behind a facade or mask of busyness, intellectualism, performance, success, achievement, religiosity, saccharine sweetness, rationalization, belligerence, control of others, addictive behaviors, superficiality, over- conscientiousness, self-righteousness, aggressiveness, satirical humor, shyness, a negative critical attitude, and any one of a hundred or more other ways—including apathy.

Some of us who say we stand on the Word of God actually hide behind it. Ironically we use God's Truth as a defense to avoid facing the truth about ourselves. Controlling, dictatorial religious leaders do this. They hide their deep insecurities behind a façade of theological rigidity, super-spirituality, and/or authoritarianism—and deny that they are in denial.

Sadly, people living in denial don't recognize what authenticity is and, in fact, are threatened by it. They may withdraw from authentic people. For others, it "rattles the cage" of their phony facade and, when they are in denial, they tend to shout all the louder and get even more belligerent, or become very defensive.
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1. Psalm 51:6 (NIV). [/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica] To be continued . . . .[/FONT]
[/FONT][FONT=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica][FONT=Arial,Helvetica]Published by:
ACTS International[/FONT]
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[edgray]

According to a journalist who writes for the LA Times newspaper, one reason why vocal radical minorities are winning in areas such as gay marriage, partial birth abortion, etc., is because enough Christians don't care enough to do anything about it. They sit back, do nothing, let it all happen—and when it's too late, cry, "Foul." The fact that in this country (the U.S.), according to a report by Chuck Colson, only 33% of evangelical Christians are registered to vote speaks volumes about our apathy. How soon we forget that "the price of freedom is eternal vigilance!"

Vocal radical minorities?

The majority support gay marriage. The majority are pro-choice.

The minority are the extreme religious bigots.

 

[mazHur]

Vocal radical minorities?

The majority support gay marriage. The majority are pro-choice.

The minority are the extreme religious bigots.

why you think the Christian author of the article is a fool?? Apathy!!

 

[Minor Axis]

For the OP, if you are going to make a post like this, how about stating an opinion? You have to go out on a limb before I will.

 

[mazHur]

For the OP, if you are going to make a post like this, how about stating an opinion? You have to go out on a limb before I will.

I have nothing to disagree with the author of the OP!! So?

 

[Minor Axis]

[FONT=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica][FONT=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]Controlling, dictatorial religious leaders do this. They hide their deep insecurities behind a façade of theological rigidity, super-spirituality, and/or authoritarianism—and deny that they are in denial. [/FONT][/FONT][FONT=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica][FONT=Arial,Helvetica][/FONT]
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Faces turn to the Middle East.

 

[mazHur]

Faces turn to the Middle East.

They sit back, do nothing, let it all happen—and when it's too late, cry, "Foul." The fact that in this country (the U.S.), according to a report by Chuck Colson, only 33% of evangelical Christians are registered to vote speaks volumes about our apathy. How soon we forget that "the price of freedom is eternal vigilance!"

more so in the West!

 

[Minor Axis]

more so in the West!

The difference between the Middle East and the West is that in the West, dictatorial controlling religious leaders only have as much power as the people who choose to place themselves under their control. In the Middle East where some governments are controlled by theists, it's not a personal choice. Power is held in the theists hand with the backing of the state. Yes it can be argued that the people gave these theists power over their lives but in every case I know of where religion and the state are synonymous, there is not a atmosphere of tolerance. On the contrary, it is an atmosphere of intolerance, control, and conformity.

 

[mazHur]

The difference between the Middle East and the West is that in the West, dictatorial controlling religious leaders only have have as much power as the people who choose to place themselves under their control. In the Middle East where some governments are controlled by theists, it's not a personal choice. Power is held in the theists hand with the backing of the state. Yes it can be argued that the people gave these theists power over their lives but in every case I know of where religion and the state are synonymous, there is not a atmosphere of tolerance. On the contrary, it is an atmosphere of intolerance, control, and conformity.

All sizzle No steak!!

Man, there are different kinds of governments and theist democracy is one of its types!

I live in a Muslim country and don't feel religion hindering my progress as long as I behave and do not violate its laws. It's analogous to a forum where you can't post pictures of dicks and cunts while on others you can!!
Would you then call one forum bad and the other good?? No, both are good withing their governing parameters!!

 

[Minor Axis]

All sizzle No steak!!

Man, there are different kinds of governments and theist democracy is one of its types!

I live in a Muslim country and don't feel religion hindering my progress as long as I behave and do not violate its laws. It's analogous to a forum where you can't post pictures of dicks and cunts while on others you can!!
Would you then call one forum bad and the other good?? No, both are good withing their governing parameters!!

I'm a vegan.

I can't deny this is your opinion. My opinion is that if you have any interest in individual liberties you want to stay as far away from a theist run government as possible.

 

[mazHur]

I'm a vegan.

I can't deny this is your opinion. My opinion is that if you have any interest in individual liberties you want to stay as far away from a theist run government as possible.

do vegans have caps on their head??


but theist and imperial democracies are good 'pay masters'. You would love to work with (or for) them!!