Dear Christians of the Silent Minority...

reply to post by EnochWasRight

There is a voice that calls and we are all required to answer. The reflection of our lives tells the answer. God doesn't require our testimony, but confession and humility in deference to Him shows our true heart. John 2 reveals the truth in the matter and there is nothing to hide from God. Our own confession allows repentance to take place and the authority of God to be seen within our matching actions from that point on.

*sigh* Yes, I knew you would "wax poetic" and deliver another long-winded, vague mini-sermon.

You didn't answer my question. Why do you say "yet"?

There are billions of loving, kind, generous, good people in the world who CLEARLY have the indwelling spirit of Goodwill toward men. It was not an original Jesus Idea, and he is not the only one who taught it.

God knows us. There is no "requirement" to be a confessing Christian. There is none. No matter how many scriptures you type up, Ed, there is still no "requirement". People are good, by nature, or they are not. It doesn't make any difference which words of wisdom the kind person chooses to utter.

A good person is a good person. That's all there is.

Please, stop trying to lower the limbo bar further and further. You just make is sound hopeless, and as I understand it, you are trying to "awaken people" to the spiritual. Your articulate and "subtle" posts are not easily read, and you would have more success being direct and clear.

Now. Why do you say "yet"?

Provide a short, clear answer, please. Not a parable or flowery, esoteric, allegorical series of statements. I'm not your grasshopper... I'm not in need of saving or convincing.
Why do you say "yet."?

reply to post by Praetorius


We as believers are to judge one another as believers or hold accountable.

1Pet.5
[5] Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.

What you quote from scripture is correct we are not to judge in the ways many do, but... we are as believers to hate that which God hates that is the sins that we as men and women commit daily.

So that being said as a believer we are not to walk blindly past the sinner that is effecting and infecting everyone around them with their worldly lust and desire. As with everything for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.

Many do not condemn the sin but the person committing the sin so as to judge them. Not showing the love of Christ for the person that is separated from the One true God, who is on the wide path to destruction.

Thanks to them, Christianity appears as an elite club, loath to associate with the world that it claims to love but secretly despises.

I agree that there are agents of Satan that have and do infiltrate the Church to create a poor picture of the believer.

Though we are to not be of this world meaning not holden to the worldly desire of this wicked generation. One must have the Holy Ghost to understand such things, meaning that one must understand they are sinners even as believers they are sinners forgiven. That is not a free pass to continue to sin once forgiven,we just as mortals have a carnal mind that tries to control our destination.

God does not tell us to loath this world he created it for us to run for him and to worship him, following his rules.
This planet which is cursed through Adam's sin is beautiful even though it is fractured. To see it the day when God has removed the curse and Satan will be a wonderful day and then we will see the true glory of God's handy work

reply to post by ACTS 2:38


That was a great comment. Thank you.
The "infiltrating agents of Satan" explanation makes good sense.
~~~~~~~~

Now, Enoch... you ask for examples. Should it not be the other way around? I'm the learner here, ignorant to details, only generally aware that hypocrites aren't all that exist.

reply to post by wildtimes


I see your viewpoint, but it's not what is in scripture. I realize your view of scripture is what you make it, not what it actually says. In the end, this is the same as someone making the law of their nation applicable to others but not themselves.

1 John 1:9 (NIV) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

If is a conditional world. Confession is a word that admits our own guilt to God. His willingness to forgive is a reflection of his ultimate knowledge of each one of us at the deepest levels of our being. Confessions shows our own knowledge of the same. Know thyself. God already does.

Apart from confession, there is no realization of your own position in relation to God. God demands that we acknowledge this relationship and his authority over us.

You have another view and now we both know the other perspective.

reply to post by EllaMarina



You may ask "Why don't you do something to change the world's opinion?" Well, we do. We live our lives to the best of our ability and try to lead by example. We don't feel the need to scream it from the rooftops- we know who and what we are. If you choose not to see us then maybe you should look a little deeper into yourself and try to figure out why you are judging many instead of the individual. Or better yet, don't judge at all- just live and let live.

There are bad apples in every barrel. Bad apples have the right to voice their opinions, just as you have the right to voice yours. That is freedom of speech- but it is also free will. How people exercise that is between them and their maker, It's not our place to judge.

Chose not to see you? Have I not acknowledged you countless times in this thread?
It's disappointment in Christianity's unfortunate outward facade I am expressing, and if it comes across as blindness to its better side (which I personally experienced firsthand during my time as a Christian), I'm not sure what else to tell you.

Originally posted by EllaMarina

It's that shell which I and so many people will ultimately be repulsed from before your better influence can ever be detected.

That shell would be the exoteric 'outer' layer. The layer of orthodoxy, fundamentalism, literalism. As opposed to the esoteric 'inner' silent minority...Christian mystics.

"The Christian of the future will be a mystic or he will not exist" -Karl Rahner

The hate-filled Christians you gladly join everyone in exasperation of are like mindless, misbehaving children. It's hopeless to expect them to see what they're doing. I've given up on them... and instead I now look to you. What will you do? What CAN you do, indeed?

Inherit the Earth.

reply to post by EllaMarina


If you were once Christian what did YOU do? There is nothing TO be done. People are going to believe what they choose in the religion, and will disregard what they don't wish to adhere to. It is the same in ALL religions.

What I was referring to is that what you see to be the majority are not. They are simply the loudest and most public. Yeah, I know a few "Christians" like what you speak of. They are a minority. The same can be said of Muslims- what you see most are radical extremists. They are in truth a minority, but are the loudest and most public.

The majority of people see extreme fundamentalists of many religions and think the same as you- why don't the rest do something about it? Should we excommunicate them? How will they ever come to see the light if they are cut off from the very people who might someday finally get through to them? There are none of us without sin, not one.

I don't have to like them or like what they do or say, but I love them and forgive them their ignorance.

reply to post by EnochWasRight

You have another view and now we both know the other perspective.

Great! Thanks!!

reply to post by littled16


I was quite young and unaware of the full scope of Christianity's influence on the world. But, touche all the same.
Thanks for your viewpoint.

Originally posted by wildtimes
reply to post by EnochWasRight

 

You have another view and now we both know the other perspective.

Great! Thanks!!

I a interested to know your take on this thread topic: LINK

reply to post by EllaMarina


Thanks for your viewpoint as well. I enjoyed discussing this with you. It's always good to consider many points of view in every area of our lives. How will we as a species ever learn to get along unless we start trying to understand each other?

Have a great day!