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Post by Master Warious on Nov 14, 2004 18:00:08 GMT -5
Do you know what is wrong with this 'picture'?
An honest man was being tailgated by a stressed-out woman on a busy boulevard. Suddenly the light turned yellow just in front of him. He did the right thing, stopping at the crosswalk, even though he could have beaten the red light by accelerating through the intersection.
The tailgating woman hit the roof, and the horn, flipped him the bird while screaming in frustration that she missed her chance to get through the intersection because of him. As she was still in mid-rant, she heard a tap on her window and looked up into the face of a very serious police officer.
The officer ordered her to exit her car with her hands up. He took her to the police station where she was searched, fingerprinted, photographed, and placed in a cell. After a couple of hours, a policeman approached the cell and opened the door.
She was escorted back to the booking desk where the arresting officer was waiting with her personal effects. He said, "I'm very sorry for this mistake. You see, I pulled up behind your car while you were blowing your horn, flipping the guy off in front of you, and cussing a blue streak at him. I noticed the 'Choose Life' license plate holder, the 'What Would Jesus Do" bumper sticker, the 'Follow Me to Sunday School' bumper sticker, and the chrome- plated Christian fish emblem on the trunk.
Naturally, I assumed you had stolen the car."
~~~~~~~
As a Christian, what do think about this story?
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Post by sblomietheinsane on Nov 15, 2004 10:28:31 GMT -5
I think that it's very true, of nowdays, especially down here in the South, with the Bible Belt and all. You can't really tell who is a Christian and who's not.
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Post by Tiana, eh? on Nov 15, 2004 23:39:57 GMT -5
(laughs grimly) And it's so true. I do not know why I'm laughing, because that's not funny. And yet, it is ironically so.
And it's all too true.
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Post by Master Warious on Nov 16, 2004 12:33:01 GMT -5
Exactly.
This story is pretty much the truth of it all. Up here in New England, where not many real christians are either, this stroy is very likly.
I am ashamed of that fact, but it is true.
Now, what do you think we can do about it if anything?
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Post by Jandalf on Toast on Nov 20, 2004 13:17:48 GMT -5
Yeah...hypocrisy is a big problem where I live. It's like we have our own mini Bible belt. Lots of people go to church and think they're Christians, but they really aren't and they don't live for God at all.
It's difficult to say what we can do about it, because so often it's up to an individual to turn their own life around.
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Post by Cy Otauna on Nov 21, 2004 10:52:31 GMT -5
that's funny, in a really morbid way. Sad too.
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Post by Tiana, eh? on Nov 21, 2004 15:54:04 GMT -5
Bah, it's always about the indivitual, and you know that. No one can force a person to become good-- and we should know that, Master-- as we've reflected that (as well as many other things) in RPG.
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Post by Master Warious on Nov 22, 2004 15:49:38 GMT -5
I know that. but we can change and control how we act and react to the things around us. I want to know how?
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Post by Jandalf on Toast on Nov 25, 2004 16:38:21 GMT -5
As always, the best (and often most difficult) way is to use your own life to set an example.
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Post by Tiana, eh? on Nov 25, 2004 18:20:28 GMT -5
*glares furiously* You can't force people into doing what you think they should be doing. You can't Force them either. It's always their own choice whether to live for God or not. You can be an example to them, but never try to make them do what they don't want to.
My answer for you is to pray for them. And if you can counter my 'don't make people do things' from the Bible, please do. I dare you.
We can react how we choice, and use our own life to reach out to others around us-- to be a Mirror of what God wants us to do. Yeah, I love the Mirror things. By reflecting that grace, love, etc, we can reach out. But we can't Force people to do anything.
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Post by Jandalf on Toast on Nov 25, 2004 21:37:48 GMT -5
...Who or what're you glaring at, Padawan? The frustrating reality?
I really doubt there is anything in the Bible that encourages a Christian to stuff their faith down another's throat. God Himself believes in our free will, and I think we should act accordingly to one another. I'm not saying society should be lawless, but we are (at least initially, on this earth, until one fouls it up for oneself) free to make our own decisions.
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Post by Trinity on Nov 29, 2004 18:28:09 GMT -5
Just as God doesn't force himself upon others, we should do the same. I like what my youth pastor says: Jesus is a gentleman and knocks on the door of your heart and only you can open it and invite Him in. We as Christians can set a good example and, in a way, be witnesses through our actions and the way we live. But we can't force people to become Christians. God gave us free will just for that purpose. He wants us to love Him out of our own free will and not the will of others.
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Post by Master Warious on Nov 29, 2004 19:48:17 GMT -5
Very good Trinity, Jandalf, and Eowyn.
But perhaps I should rephrase the question: How do we do as Jesus would have us do? How dowe keep ourselves on track?
But yes, pray for others. We should pray for everyone because we are asked to love our neighbor as ourselves. If anyone asks 'who is my neighbor?' you may read Jesus answer to that in the parable of the "Good Samaratin". And even if you are it's a good story to read again.
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Post by Jandalf on Toast on Dec 1, 2004 21:16:56 GMT -5
To keep ourselves on track, one excellent idea is to have a trusted friend or mentor hold you accountable for God. It's extra incentive, really, and it gives you someone to fall back on when it feels like you just can't reach God. Of course, He's always there, but we all experience desert periods, and it's so good to have someone to encourage you to keep on the straight and narrow.
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Post by Mekka on Dec 13, 2004 19:29:39 GMT -5
That story... sad, but true.
This type of hypocrisy is very rampant among Christians today. May I say even more so among teens! In churches, at least where I live, there's all this hype to get teens into youth programs and this sort of "never-doubt-your-faith" mentality that makes us believe if we've ever had any sort of emotional experience at church, we're should never doubt our salvation.
Now, I sincerely believe that a true Christian can't ever lose their salvation. That's the blessing of being a Child of God (praise Christ for this security!). But there are so many teens who do it for the friends, the music, the whatever - it's pathetic.
They dress like any other kid you'd see walking down the street, talk like everybody else, and all the while they're being told not to doubt themselves, that God is love...
As a fourteen-year-old girl struggling with her faith, I know the pull to follow the world can be SOOO strong. I know I'm not perfect, and I'm not expecting it of anyone else. But can't the questioning be good sometimes? If we don't examine ourselves, how can we be sure we are listening to God's voice?
(did that make sense? or should i quit while i'm ahead?)
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Post by Master Warious on Dec 15, 2004 15:08:45 GMT -5
God tells us in His word we are to test and see if the 'spirit' is of God or of man. The only real way to do this is to know God's word, read it every day, learn from it, study it, take His word seriously. It is hard to do this, I know from my own experience that it is hard to do. The lure of the world is so apealing to all of us.
In the case you are talking about the difference is those that claim to be and those that actually are.
I'll explain, Some people believe that they are saved as soon as they were born either because of how they were taught or their own ignorance of what the Bible says about it.
Those that have read the bible will know that you need to make an actual acknowlegdement that Jesus was born of a virgin (something impossible, but with God all things are possible) died for or sins on the cross (because he was the only one pure enough to die for our sins) and admit willingly that Jesus Christ IS Lord of all. They alos know that to willingly do wrong (as defined by the Bible as Sin not how the World defines wrong) is also not what we should do.
REAL Christians know better then to do wrong. It brings down those who are weak in their faith. I admit sometimes you make a mistake and slip up but God will not let any temptation be put in front of us if we can't handel it. I do not mean to say that we won't face temptation. But we can keep from being tempted by it. It may be hard but it is never impossible.
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Post by Master Warious on Dec 15, 2004 15:16:20 GMT -5
To resist temptation we need to have 1) *gasp* self-discipline! (Discipline is nesicary) and we need 2) *as Jandlaf was saying* An accountability partner. (a MATURE someone who can help us stay away and get out of temptation)
Yes, yes, I know it's hard, but it's true. I they are doing their best to not sin that's good! That's more then some 'christians' do.
Is any of this making sence or have I gone rambling?
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Post by Trinity on Dec 15, 2004 17:21:37 GMT -5
You make perfect sense, Warious! Also, when we fall into temptation, God will always provide you with a way out. It's up to us, however, to take it.
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Post by Master Warious on Dec 16, 2004 12:26:10 GMT -5
For better information on what i said you should read all of 1 John. Most of the stuff I said was from there.
Thanks for the addition Trin ^_^
Right on!
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Post by Galadriel Kenobi on May 27, 2006 15:00:38 GMT -5
Just to give another point of view, I think that what the policeman in the story did was really cool. Most people (including some 'Christians') would have just shaken their heads sadly, but this guy did something. Wouldn't it be neat if because of that the woman re-evaluated her life, and started living what her bumper sticker said? Just a thought.
I also agree with what everyone else has said about the hypocrisy in the Church.
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