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I just got out of a Christian chatroom and....

Discussion in 'Computers & Technology Forum' started by Alcott, Apr 5, 2006.

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  1. Alcott

    Alcott Well-Known Member
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    ...sometimes these experiences make it easier to see the world's perception of Christians. This woman was talking about losing her father 14 years ago, her mother and brother just recently and was making statements like "God is good always"..."He is always in control"...a supporter of hers added "No one can be called back to the Father unless HE decrees it!"

    So I asked if I were dealing with Calvinists; they said they "put no labels" to themselves. I added, "because you think no one loses his life without God decreeing it; therefore a murderer did not have any choice but to murder." Then they changed their contention to "God allows it." So I asked, "And does 'allow' necessarily mean 'decree?'"

    This 'started it.' They wouldn't answer that question no matter how many times I repeated it. Just more "God is always in control"... "God loves everybody"..."He has a perfect will"... but then one added, "Nothing will be held back from him who asks." To that I said, "Then ask Him the day, hour, and year of Jesus' return." To this the answers were "no one knows the day or the hour," et al (expectedly). So I reminded, "You did say-- unconditionally-- that God will withhold nothing from the one who asks, didn't you?" Answers: "You can ask amiss"..."Jesus comes back every day in my heart"... Again, multiple repeats of the question gets nothing but these self-important biblically-sounding phrases.

    Cross-examining fellow Christians can be fun, funny, unfunny, and unfun all at the same time. But even though this was a chatroom, when Christians go around throwing ideas out that they think are so 'spiritual' and then they can't defend those ideas under scrutiny... it's little wonder the world thinks this is nothing but a psycho kick and we can't be reasoned with.
     
    #1 Alcott, Apr 5, 2006
  2. Rachel

    Rachel New Member

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    God isn't ultimately in control of everything, including our every breath??
    So what is the answer?
     
    #2 Rachel, Apr 5, 2006
  3. pinoybaptist

    pinoybaptist Active Member
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    That was great. To tie fellow Christians in knots and bust their [chops] ('scuse the language).

    [ April 06, 2006, 07:59 AM: Message edited by: rsr ]
     
    #3 pinoybaptist, Apr 5, 2006
  4. Jim1999

    Jim1999 <img src =/Jim1999.jpg>

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    We do our best to fit God into a theological box and over the years we haven't done a bad job of it. It is, however, a box, and we must allow that God just can't be put into a box. Sometimes we have to admit we just don't know.

    Does God control the weather? Sometimes, but not always. It is one of those things God put into motion as part of the universe. Sometimes he controls the wind that speaks to humankind where words fail.

    We formulate the decrees, and not satisfied with that, we determine the order of the decrees....then, just as we think we have to, God throws a chink in the armour and we are back at square one.

    We know the various attributes of God as laid out in scripture, but do we know it all? I doubt it very much. We have much to learn.

    When one tries to pinpoint every little detail of theology, I usually back off because I know I don't have all the answers, and I consider myself a pretty good theologian.

    Just learn to say, I don't know because that is how it is.

    Cheers,

    Jim
     
    #4 Jim1999, Apr 5, 2006
  5. Seth&Mattsmom

    Seth&Mattsmom New Member

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    While it is good to correct the church(remember WE are the church) in incorrect thinking, I would like to caution that doing it in an agressive manner also benefits the devil.

    I have had my thinking corrected, but I left feeling out of fellowship with the rest of God's people. Frustrtated and hurt, and indeed, angry at the person trying to "help" me. This has even happened here, more than once.

    Just a little caution, to be as loving about it as possible. What if that chatroom was the only place these people could freely discuss Christ? Agressively coreecting them could do a lot of harm.
     
    #5 Seth&Mattsmom, Apr 5, 2006
  6. Gold Dragon

    Gold Dragon Well-Known Member

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    Correct doctrine can be a rod of loving discipline. But in the hands of bullies, it becomes an abusive bat.
     
    #6 Gold Dragon, Apr 5, 2006
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