Tweet
Before I say anything, I'm going to tell you, before I'm accused otherwise like people before me, that I am a Born-Again Christian, have read my whole Bible several times and attend church. My church is non-denominational and centred on the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Politics don't come into our faith, as the two are entirely separate, and it's inclusion in some such as yours is one thing I shall never understand about American churches. Where are the Republicans, Democrats or any other political party in the Bible? Nowhere.
Btw, I think this is going to be rather long, because it's either I write this or I cry for you all.
Okay . . . so I've spend the past two hours reading through a great many threads here and finding myself horrified at almost everything. I'm at a complete shock that a church like yours, who endorse such awful attitudes and horrific ideas on physical abuse and all sorts . . . at several points I was actually almost in tears for you.
I've read your 'Noob' guidelines and FAQs and everything, and as a Christian I find it very hard to accept much of those views, so I'm not at all surprised that non-Christians and other people can't either. Scriptures are taken out of context, the Old Testament is used to back up points that the teachings of Jesus say are no longer necessary - I understand you take the Bible literally, but despite this, it just feels like you do not understand what you are reading - and changed with his New Covenant.
Jesus died for ALL the sins of the WORLD. I'm not going to reference it, because I'm sure you'e familiar with that verse. This, yes, means that believers go to heaven and unbelievers go to hell, however, until a man's life is finished, that is not so, so I totally disagree with how you people talk to others who don't believe - God loves them too, and if they are to come to the Kingdom, God will guide their lives so. Treating non-Christians with such . . . you know what I mean, is only going to make them stray further from God and worsen Christianity's already bad look. The fact that this forum defines new members as 'Unsaved Trash' before they've even posted . . . like . . . seriously, how is that spreading the love of Jesus?
Your very attitudes towards others is the opposite of what it should be. We are to love our neighbours, regardless of who they are, what they have done, what they believe, what colour their skin is, what gender they are, and what sexuality. Do you really think that such an unloving, unwelcoming, offensive attitude is going to help anyone? But then again, you also believe people will believe and not sin if you beat them, so I'm probably wasting my time talking about this.
Even the 'Welcome' email I received upon joining here made my mind boggle:
Bold 1 - how on earth do you know that people who argue are going to hell? Christians, like me, may join and be horrified by some of the content here, that does not mean they will go to hell, and seriously how 'welcoming' is that to receive when signing up to a 'Christian' forum?
Bold 2 - Jesus does not demand I use in American grammar, spelling and punctuation rules, period. I'd love to see some scriptural proof for that one as America wasn't even discovered when the Bible was written . . . Plus, I'm English, so I will use my own rules, thankyouverymuch. God doesn't discriminate languages - when Jesus returns all the world shall hear and understand - presumably, no matter what language you speak. *sigh* So, why, I ask, does the email contain that???
I'm aware this is turning rant-ish and that there's little point in writing all of this anyway.
Your forums almost made me cry in many places. Your opinions of women are so . . . stereotyped - if you believe women are so useless, as you so often glibly quote, and I'm not denying that women aren't to be respectful of their husbands - then what of all the strong women like Esther and Ruth in the Bible who do such amazing things for God? The Bible tells of many strong women who defy men fin the name of God. Jesus did not consider women useless, and he did not call the 'whores' or judge them on their sins as people here do - he simply loved them and they responded to that love. People do not respond to hate or abuse, hence one of the reasons why the old testament's tactics of punishment and warnings did not work, and why God sent Jesus to die for us. Though I understand your literal readings, I do believe you should be selective about how you form your beliefs on those literal readings because there are bigger pictures too. The Bible is more than stories - there are lessons illustrated to be learned too.
On punishment though - I've read several thread where people state they or someone else/a group have been punished by God; how can you believe that when you also believe Jesus died for you? That's like pretending you don't know the end of a story. Jesus DIED for you so that you may be FREE OF SIN. God does not punish people on earth anymore because Jesus took all of the punishment for everyone, and we are only judged after death. We have free will to choose to ask for forgiveness. God guides non-believers to him, he did for me, even though I was a bad person, but all the while he had a plan for me, just as he does everyone else.
Also. I big thing that's seriously worrying me. I haven't seen any mention of the Holy Spirit at all on this site.
Which . . . I believe may explain a lot. The people who are posting here (pastors, even!) about abusing their kids, castrating their sons, making their daughters marry their rapists (do you not even thing WHY they might not want to do that?) about how they believe other races have less importance to God than 'white' people, about how the people of Africa should be murdered, about how other countries are hated by God, about torturing their wives . . . all out of love? For God? Because the Scriptures say so?
That is not love. That is not the love of a human, let alone of Jesus. Jesus would never have tortured a woman for masturbating, he would have forgiven her, shown her mercy. You people are taking bits of the Bible where you see fit - much of the Old Testament laws are void or outdated because of Jesus; they are changed because of his teaching, because God has mercy, and he understands. Do you not look at the New Testament? Think about the messages between the words, the lessons? Or do you take every word alone? What about morals? They are not literal. I do not understand how you people can read your Bible and not see the love, feel the love, know the love, want to share it how Jesus intended. Love does not carry a weapon, does not strike out, does not torture, does not abuse, love does not judge or exclude. Jesus is an example to us, we should aspire to be like him, nobody else.
Where is the Holy Spirit in your church? I cannot feel anysuch on this forum. There is no Spirit in your words, not the Jesus I know. My Jesus loves every one of us . . . you . . . your teaching . . . I am just so glad I do not go to your church. I dread to think that you are teaching your young people with such an attitude towards . . . everything.
I hate to say it, and I have no doubt I'll receive a rather colourful flaming for it, but I believe that the majority of people on this forum are not truly saved. The Bible teaches that the only way someone can be truly saved and be a true Christian (what's with all the 'TM' rubbish, btw? God is not a product) it by the Holy Spirit, and if you people were in the Holy Spirit, then you would not carry such hatred, commit such violence and abuse towards your families and others and people who join here, and you would have humility and the fruits of the spirit (look them up yourselves) and I see not one of the fruits displayed on this forum, not even in the Welcome message.
It feels awful to be writing this to a 'Church', as a believer in the church as the Body of Christ, but this, I felt, needed addressing, however much in vain. It has shocked me at how such a place can exist with . . . everything -- and there was so much more I read and was horrified by than what I brought up -- and still be labelled 'Christian' and a 'Church'. I thought some British churches were astray, but this takes the biscuit and turns it to dust. This is an abomination. The crimes . . . just, everything. I can't imagine your Sunday preaches, I don't want to. Your church is not in the spirit of God, it is in bits of the scriptures, taken as they stand rather than together as a story of God's LOVE. You people do not know how to love. Gee I'm going to cry again.
I could go on about the awful things on this forum, but I'm afraid I will never stop. This is no doubt a complete waste of, now, four hours . . . but maybe, just maybe . . . I don't know . . .
You and your families will all be in my prayers.
Btw, I think this is going to be rather long, because it's either I write this or I cry for you all.
Okay . . . so I've spend the past two hours reading through a great many threads here and finding myself horrified at almost everything. I'm at a complete shock that a church like yours, who endorse such awful attitudes and horrific ideas on physical abuse and all sorts . . . at several points I was actually almost in tears for you.
I've read your 'Noob' guidelines and FAQs and everything, and as a Christian I find it very hard to accept much of those views, so I'm not at all surprised that non-Christians and other people can't either. Scriptures are taken out of context, the Old Testament is used to back up points that the teachings of Jesus say are no longer necessary - I understand you take the Bible literally, but despite this, it just feels like you do not understand what you are reading - and changed with his New Covenant.
Jesus died for ALL the sins of the WORLD. I'm not going to reference it, because I'm sure you'e familiar with that verse. This, yes, means that believers go to heaven and unbelievers go to hell, however, until a man's life is finished, that is not so, so I totally disagree with how you people talk to others who don't believe - God loves them too, and if they are to come to the Kingdom, God will guide their lives so. Treating non-Christians with such . . . you know what I mean, is only going to make them stray further from God and worsen Christianity's already bad look. The fact that this forum defines new members as 'Unsaved Trash' before they've even posted . . . like . . . seriously, how is that spreading the love of Jesus?
Your very attitudes towards others is the opposite of what it should be. We are to love our neighbours, regardless of who they are, what they have done, what they believe, what colour their skin is, what gender they are, and what sexuality. Do you really think that such an unloving, unwelcoming, offensive attitude is going to help anyone? But then again, you also believe people will believe and not sin if you beat them, so I'm probably wasting my time talking about this.
Even the 'Welcome' email I received upon joining here made my mind boggle:
If you are a troll or are here to argue, be prepared to enjoy a very short visit on your way to SATAN's lair. We ask that you post respectfully and adhere to proper American grammar, spelling, and punctuation rules, as Jesus demands.
Bold 2 - Jesus does not demand I use in American grammar, spelling and punctuation rules, period. I'd love to see some scriptural proof for that one as America wasn't even discovered when the Bible was written . . . Plus, I'm English, so I will use my own rules, thankyouverymuch. God doesn't discriminate languages - when Jesus returns all the world shall hear and understand - presumably, no matter what language you speak. *sigh* So, why, I ask, does the email contain that???
I'm aware this is turning rant-ish and that there's little point in writing all of this anyway.
Your forums almost made me cry in many places. Your opinions of women are so . . . stereotyped - if you believe women are so useless, as you so often glibly quote, and I'm not denying that women aren't to be respectful of their husbands - then what of all the strong women like Esther and Ruth in the Bible who do such amazing things for God? The Bible tells of many strong women who defy men fin the name of God. Jesus did not consider women useless, and he did not call the 'whores' or judge them on their sins as people here do - he simply loved them and they responded to that love. People do not respond to hate or abuse, hence one of the reasons why the old testament's tactics of punishment and warnings did not work, and why God sent Jesus to die for us. Though I understand your literal readings, I do believe you should be selective about how you form your beliefs on those literal readings because there are bigger pictures too. The Bible is more than stories - there are lessons illustrated to be learned too.
On punishment though - I've read several thread where people state they or someone else/a group have been punished by God; how can you believe that when you also believe Jesus died for you? That's like pretending you don't know the end of a story. Jesus DIED for you so that you may be FREE OF SIN. God does not punish people on earth anymore because Jesus took all of the punishment for everyone, and we are only judged after death. We have free will to choose to ask for forgiveness. God guides non-believers to him, he did for me, even though I was a bad person, but all the while he had a plan for me, just as he does everyone else.
Also. I big thing that's seriously worrying me. I haven't seen any mention of the Holy Spirit at all on this site.
Which . . . I believe may explain a lot. The people who are posting here (pastors, even!) about abusing their kids, castrating their sons, making their daughters marry their rapists (do you not even thing WHY they might not want to do that?) about how they believe other races have less importance to God than 'white' people, about how the people of Africa should be murdered, about how other countries are hated by God, about torturing their wives . . . all out of love? For God? Because the Scriptures say so?
That is not love. That is not the love of a human, let alone of Jesus. Jesus would never have tortured a woman for masturbating, he would have forgiven her, shown her mercy. You people are taking bits of the Bible where you see fit - much of the Old Testament laws are void or outdated because of Jesus; they are changed because of his teaching, because God has mercy, and he understands. Do you not look at the New Testament? Think about the messages between the words, the lessons? Or do you take every word alone? What about morals? They are not literal. I do not understand how you people can read your Bible and not see the love, feel the love, know the love, want to share it how Jesus intended. Love does not carry a weapon, does not strike out, does not torture, does not abuse, love does not judge or exclude. Jesus is an example to us, we should aspire to be like him, nobody else.
Where is the Holy Spirit in your church? I cannot feel anysuch on this forum. There is no Spirit in your words, not the Jesus I know. My Jesus loves every one of us . . . you . . . your teaching . . . I am just so glad I do not go to your church. I dread to think that you are teaching your young people with such an attitude towards . . . everything.
I hate to say it, and I have no doubt I'll receive a rather colourful flaming for it, but I believe that the majority of people on this forum are not truly saved. The Bible teaches that the only way someone can be truly saved and be a true Christian (what's with all the 'TM' rubbish, btw? God is not a product) it by the Holy Spirit, and if you people were in the Holy Spirit, then you would not carry such hatred, commit such violence and abuse towards your families and others and people who join here, and you would have humility and the fruits of the spirit (look them up yourselves) and I see not one of the fruits displayed on this forum, not even in the Welcome message.
It feels awful to be writing this to a 'Church', as a believer in the church as the Body of Christ, but this, I felt, needed addressing, however much in vain. It has shocked me at how such a place can exist with . . . everything -- and there was so much more I read and was horrified by than what I brought up -- and still be labelled 'Christian' and a 'Church'. I thought some British churches were astray, but this takes the biscuit and turns it to dust. This is an abomination. The crimes . . . just, everything. I can't imagine your Sunday preaches, I don't want to. Your church is not in the spirit of God, it is in bits of the scriptures, taken as they stand rather than together as a story of God's LOVE. You people do not know how to love. Gee I'm going to cry again.
I could go on about the awful things on this forum, but I'm afraid I will never stop. This is no doubt a complete waste of, now, four hours . . . but maybe, just maybe . . . I don't know . . .
You and your families will all be in my prayers.
Jesus!
Comment