It's a matter of Christian liberty to call a brother names??.....
This is a "debate" board and the OP asked for "thoughts". Now when those thoughts come what happens?? Insults from the OP poster. Now whats up with that?? Maybe it's conviction, idk.
EWF's initial post was dealing with meeting with some European friends at a pub for good fellowship. And, he stated in that post that he's not closing his eyes to the fact that liquor being served could be a problem.
His request for thoughts was not about drinking, or drunks, or bring drawn to a bar to get smashed, he was asking for thoughts about having Christian fellowship in a pub.
The thread straightaway started to denigrate into a drink vs. no drink debate, which is NOT what EWF was asking about.
He later said:
both my wife and I come from European parents where you sit at the table with both family and friends for hours ....and that's where we socialize. In a church, there is a timetable......serve, eat & get out......and all those cassiroles.
He was expressing dissatisfaction for the
churches which schedule a 1-hour potluck dinner, invite people to go get fat, and call it "fellowship"
It had nothing to do with a desire for drunkenness. Then you come along with:
Let's be honest, we all know why pubs and bars were created, for sinners to social.........
most of these Christians who say they are there for Christ or are there just having "a" beer are also liars. Sorry.
Your insinuation was that he wanted to go to a bar to get hammered, and was lying about only having one or two drinks.
You even added:
I understand what you are saying, but let me ask you this, and give it some honest thought, think of one of your favorite pubs, some of the good times you have there..........................Now visually put yourself in that same pub, all the same people, but no alcohol is served, only non alcoholic beverage. Do you still see the same good relaxing fellowship? Or is something missing?
The point being, what really is the attraction or the draw to the pub? Take away the alcohol and would you still love the place?
So don't try to act like this was just a casual discussion before EWF got offended with you. You jumped out of the gate blasting him with insinuations that he's just looking for an excuse to go out drinking.
But, it really looked like you two were ironing it out until you came back with:
Face the facts, bars and pubs are created for drunkards. If your honest goal to be in one is to preach the gospel then go for it, but let's not pretend, we cannot fool God.
It's almost like you were reaching dissatisfaction with a reasoned and reasonable discussion. That seemed to come out of left field.
And did I call either of you two any names? Did I group you into a category such as "pompous jerks" or "stuffed shirts"? Just who here is the weaker Christian? Hmm?
Yes, you called him a liar. You tried to cloak it with "Most of these", but your clear insinuation was revealed with..."Sorry"
Why the need to apologize to him, if you weren't casting that stone at him?
My only involvement was that I saw a wounded brother being hurled with stones. I felt compelled to kneel down and bandage a would he'd suffered at the hands of a Pharisee.
When I first mentioned stuffed shirts, it wasn't directed at anyone on this board:
The Body of Christ is not confined to a brick building full of stuffed shirts. Let them say what they want.
Maybe it wasn't readily apparent to everyone, but the stuffed shirts I referenced are the boring ones
in the brick building who seem to care only about their food, a comfortable clique, and making sure everybody's towing the line.
"Them" was the people here, advocating that he go "fellowship" or whatever with the stuffed shirts he's dissatisfied with. Two different groups.
Maybe you need to go back through this thread and see where I used each word and phrase. I wasn't calling anyone here a stuffed shirt. You only became a stuffed shirt when you displayed your reactionary attitude and uber conservative Fundamentalist approach. And your insinuations that EWF is looking to go get drunk drove me refer to you a pompous jerk.
You're the only one in this thread who threw insinuations out about his motives.
However, I am sorry for turning to name calling. I should have restrained myself more. I hope you forgive me for that.
