As an open-minded, somewhat well-rounded, fully fundamentalist Christian, I like to think I have some crazy ideas.
Here is one:
Christians should be more like gay people. The gay community has an agenda. No, they don't want everyone to be gay, but they do want everyone to know they're gay and to accept them on their own terms. They are pushing hard for what they want. Gay people take pride in their lifestyle choice and they push gays that are "in the closet" to "come out."
Christians need to come out. Christianity is a lifestyle choice that can and should bring a certain amount of suffering or ridicule. There are far too many people who wear the name "Christian" who never speak a word about Jesus to their friends, family, or co-workers, because they don't want to be seen as a Jesus freak. For the same reason people who would never miss a service are not willing to walk across the street and invite their neighbors to church.
Christians have an agenda, a mission really, we are commanded by God to go tell the whole world about Christ and His teaching. We need to quit slinking around with our tails tucked because belief in the God's Word isn't popular. We need to demand that people respect us for our beliefs. If we are hiding our faith we need to be "outed" and maybe as Christians we need to be outing each other to keep the movement going forward.
Of course homosexuality is sinful, as any sexual immorality (1 Corinthians 6:9).
Some other crazy ideas I'd like to get around to are:
Buddhists are some of the best Christians.
Christianity is all about works (no they don't save us), just take a look at Jesus.
Satan maybe using cell towers to broadcast doubt and negativity. Ever wonder why you get those out-of-the-blue thoughts in your head where you question God?
Sandals with socks are cool. Less odor, with comfort and breathability.
Posted by cmwillis at December 4, 2003 10:57 PM | TrackBackDepends on what you mean about "out of the camp." IF we need to shun believers who want to accept a sinful lifestyle as though it weren't, that is certainly necessary. However, we can't go around shunning everyone who we believe to be living in sin, particulary since we want to reach out to them as Jesus did, touch their lives with God's love, and lead them to doing what is right.
I say tough love on those who call themselves Christians, and kind words and listening for those do not.
Posted by: CMWILLIS at December 15, 2003 7:44 PMMy idea on this is just starting to come together, but here are some thoughts. In the OT, God always instructed the Israelites to send that which was unclean out of the camp or at least isolate it. If someone committed a certain sin or defiled themselves somehow, they would be sent out of the camp or cut off from the community. Even in the NT there are some examples of this, such as the case of sexual immorality in 1 Corinthians where Paul tells the Corinthians to cast out the sinner; for his benefit and also to keep themselves pure. I think this might serve as an example of how we respond to influences today.
Anyway, I think I'm gonna end up applying this to how I restrict/allow influences in my home and community. I plan on reading through Leviticus and other books soon to find out more about this 'cast out of the camp' idea.
Posted by: votefordale at December 15, 2003 3:41 PMNBC and Bravo are promoting this lifestyle as acceptable and are pushing the gay agenda. We could obviously get all up in arms about it, arrange boycotts, and take it to the streets; but then I guess we could have done all that years ago with the original message of Christ.
Jesus was of course very in your face and confrontational about things, usually hyprocrisy. With the actual sinners he was very loving and hands-on. I would like to think we could stand up against immorality by loving and influencing those around us struggling with temaptation and not hiding the fact that we struggle ourselves.
Do I support the gay lifestyle by watching Queer Eye? I don't think so. Especially since I never watch TV commercials (thats how you pay..) Its funny is all. THe fact that they prove every gay stereotype true is the funniest part.
Posted by: cmwillis at December 12, 2003 10:16 PMNot to rail the conversation, but I've got a question. Where do you think the line lies between loving siiners and fighting against sin in our society? A book I'm reading encourages christian men (particularly fathers) to stand up and fight against things like homosexuality, other sexual immorality, abortion, etc. in our communities. I think the more society accepts and promotes these sins, the more they run over christian values. Thoughts? Am I annoying?
Posted by: votefordale at December 12, 2003 2:22 PMThat was a good post.
Posted by: bill colrus at December 4, 2003 11:58 PM