Pray
TheGreatEscape said:PabloSerna said:
Per RCC... what needs to be factored in - is that not all women have a vocation to the married life. Some to the religious, some to the single life, and many to the married life.
It would seem that many think all women want to be married. Just not the case.
ETA: Same goes for men.
Agreed. There's a balance there somewhere.
Most of the OT Prophets and many of the Apostles appeared to have been single.
AnonymousDude said:
A good Orthodox source for what you're talking about and the subject of this tread.
https://deathtotheworld.com/podcast/
Look for the episodes titled Orthodox Survival Giude. I believe it's a 10-lecture series.
AnonymousDude said:
Not Orthodox (big O), but gaining a wealth of meaning and understanding from Orthodox teachings, especially regarding the spiritual life.
Trying to be more orthodox (little o) in my walk w/ Christ.
Blessings.
I really enjoy Orthodox teachings also. I often search the Orthodox view on different theological questions as I find it to be very solid.AnonymousDude said:
Not Orthodox (big O), but gaining a wealth of meaning and understanding from Orthodox teachings, especially regarding the spiritual life.
Trying to be more orthodox (little o) in my walk w/ Christ.
Blessings.
Or you could just be a Christian that lives "in the world" but is not "of the world". No one is forcing such an all encompassing level of political engagementQuote:
We have three options here in the USA. We have the option of tribalism. The option of globalism. And the Christian option of nationalism which unites us in true patriotism.
dermdoc said:I really enjoy Orthodox teachings also. I often search the Orthodox view on different theological questions as I find it to be very solid.AnonymousDude said:
Not Orthodox (big O), but gaining a wealth of meaning and understanding from Orthodox teachings, especially regarding the spiritual life.
Trying to be more orthodox (little o) in my walk w/ Christ.
Blessings.
Not sure I agree when people equate the using the Star of David which is synonymous with the genocide of the Jews, with the current antagonism Christians are experiencing in the U.S. I think you can address it without such a hyperbolic example.TheGreatEscape said:
We have three options here in the USA. We have the option of tribalism. The option of globalism. And the Christian option of nationalism which unites us in true patriotism.
If you stand against the sexual revolution, then they call you a Christian nationalist which is the secularists' way of putting the Star of David upon Christians.
And the secularists holy sacrament of blood in which they partake is murderous abortion.
ramblin_ag02 said:Or you could just be a Christian that lives "in the world" but is not "of the world". No one is forcing such an all encompassing level of political engagementQuote:
We have three options here in the USA. We have the option of tribalism. The option of globalism. And the Christian option of nationalism which unites us in true patriotism.
AGC said:ramblin_ag02 said:Or you could just be a Christian that lives "in the world" but is not "of the world". No one is forcing such an all encompassing level of political engagementQuote:
We have three options here in the USA. We have the option of tribalism. The option of globalism. And the Christian option of nationalism which unites us in true patriotism.
I'm not sure that works anymore. If your kids consume the same media, tech, extra curriculars, and education as the rest of the world with church Wednesday and Sunday night, how are they different? Church and religion as a private good isn't a Christian model but a secular one. You must be able to enter and engage the public sphere with your beliefs, otherwise how are you changed?
At my church, Brazos Fellowship, we have At the Movies every July.TheGreatEscape said:
It shows that a pastor is likely not studying to show himself well approved enough, if you need movie scenes in a church service…we are supposed to preach the word (pastoral Letters to Timothy).
I have no problem with using movie clips on YouTube or something. But the church service? You are really that dense?
Mary, you some 'splainin' to do.PabloSerna said:
"kids out of wedlock"
I wonder what Joseph was thinking when Mary told him about her, umm, miraculous message.
dermdoc said:At my church, Brazos Fellowship, we have At the Movies every July.TheGreatEscape said:
It shows that a pastor is likely not studying to show himself well approved enough, if you need movie scenes in a church service…we are supposed to preach the word (pastoral Letters to Timothy).
I have no problem with using movie clips on YouTube or something. But the church service? You are really that dense?
The pastor takes movies and uses them to show Christian truths and themes. Nothing vulgar or sexual. And pretty effective as there are always 1-10 professions of faith at those services. And last week, the pastor did Elf for At the movies at Christmas.
I do not see a problem with it. It is fascinating that we rarely kept our two daughters from anything but they avoided that on their own. No tattoos, alcohol or drug problems, kids out of wedlock, no piercings except for ears, both graduated from college (including my special needs daughter who got her Masters walking to class at TWU as she can not drive), etc.
I always thought if you were too strict your kids would be more rebellious. Whatever, it worked out great. And they were surrounded by love at church, school, home, and extended family.
Do not make this too complicated. We just always had faith God would work it out.
PabloSerna said:
If I understand you correctly, you say that there are only 3 options, Tribalism, Globalism, and Nationalism. You say that nationalism in this country is the Christian option that is patriotism.
I find that interesting because I have always considered myself a Catholic Christian that lives in the USA. I know people of other faith walks that also happen to live in the USA like I do and we share that in common. Not unlike my fellow Aggies that are from Texas and around the world.
Maybe you can break down your idea of so-called Christian nationalism?
No worries. Merry Christmas!TheGreatEscape said:dermdoc said:At my church, Brazos Fellowship, we have At the Movies every July.TheGreatEscape said:
It shows that a pastor is likely not studying to show himself well approved enough, if you need movie scenes in a church service…we are supposed to preach the word (pastoral Letters to Timothy).
I have no problem with using movie clips on YouTube or something. But the church service? You are really that dense?
The pastor takes movies and uses them to show Christian truths and themes. Nothing vulgar or sexual. And pretty effective as there are always 1-10 professions of faith at those services. And last week, the pastor did Elf for At the movies at Christmas.
I do not see a problem with it. It is fascinating that we rarely kept our two daughters from anything but they avoided that on their own. No tattoos, alcohol or drug problems, kids out of wedlock, no piercings except for ears, both graduated from college (including my special needs daughter who got her Masters walking to class at TWU as she can not drive), etc.
I always thought if you were too strict your kids would be more rebellious. Whatever, it worked out great. And they were surrounded by love at church, school, home, and extended family.
Do not make this too complicated. We just always had faith God would work it out.
I gracefully concede my position.
I respect you enough to say that those were just my concerns. I guess the good thing is that fruit is coming from it and people are meeting the Lord as he draws them into the Kingdom as their Father.
I guess it is also good worldview training to see that God has dispersed his truth in bits and pieces throughout the history of all creation.
PabloSerna said:
lol- I love how the Bible is full of these situations. Jesus being a refugee, the apostles not washing their hands, Jesus being unimpressed with the Temple of Jerusalem- so many.
I just don't see anywhere in Scripture or any Christian tradition that mandates political activism. There's nothing holy or noble about diving headfirst into a secular power struggle. At some point our society decided that everyone had to have some kind of political crusade, but that's a uniquely American social viewpoint that is only tangentially related to Christianity. Christianity doesn't need political power, and it never did. It thrives under persecution or disinterest as much as it does when it's in charge of everything. In fact, I'd say that in the combination of Christianity with political power, the political power is only slightly changed for the better and the involved Christianity changes greatly for the worseAGC said:ramblin_ag02 said:Or you could just be a Christian that lives "in the world" but is not "of the world". No one is forcing such an all encompassing level of political engagementQuote:
We have three options here in the USA. We have the option of tribalism. The option of globalism. And the Christian option of nationalism which unites us in true patriotism.
I'm not sure that works anymore. If your kids consume the same media, tech, extra curriculars, and education as the rest of the world with church Wednesday and Sunday night, how are they different? Church and religion as a private good isn't a Christian model but a secular one. You must be able to enter and engage the public sphere with your beliefs, otherwise how are you changed?
ramblin_ag02 said:I just don't see anywhere in Scripture or any Christian tradition that mandates political activism. There's nothing holy or noble about diving headfirst into a secular power struggle. At some point our society decided that everyone had to have some kind of political crusade, but that's a uniquely American social viewpoint that is only tangentially related to Christianity. Christianity doesn't need political power, and it never did. It thrives under persecution or disinterest as much as it does when it's in charge of everything. In fact, I'd say that in the combination of Christianity with political power, the political power is only slightly changed for the better and the involved Christianity changes greatly for the worseAGC said:ramblin_ag02 said:Or you could just be a Christian that lives "in the world" but is not "of the world". No one is forcing such an all encompassing level of political engagementQuote:
We have three options here in the USA. We have the option of tribalism. The option of globalism. And the Christian option of nationalism which unites us in true patriotism.
I'm not sure that works anymore. If your kids consume the same media, tech, extra curriculars, and education as the rest of the world with church Wednesday and Sunday night, how are they different? Church and religion as a private good isn't a Christian model but a secular one. You must be able to enter and engage the public sphere with your beliefs, otherwise how are you changed?
dermdoc said:No worries. Merry Christmas!TheGreatEscape said:dermdoc said:At my church, Brazos Fellowship, we have At the Movies every July.TheGreatEscape said:
It shows that a pastor is likely not studying to show himself well approved enough, if you need movie scenes in a church service…we are supposed to preach the word (pastoral Letters to Timothy).
I have no problem with using movie clips on YouTube or something. But the church service? You are really that dense?
The pastor takes movies and uses them to show Christian truths and themes. Nothing vulgar or sexual. And pretty effective as there are always 1-10 professions of faith at those services. And last week, the pastor did Elf for At the movies at Christmas.
I do not see a problem with it. It is fascinating that we rarely kept our two daughters from anything but they avoided that on their own. No tattoos, alcohol or drug problems, kids out of wedlock, no piercings except for ears, both graduated from college (including my special needs daughter who got her Masters walking to class at TWU as she can not drive), etc.
I always thought if you were too strict your kids would be more rebellious. Whatever, it worked out great. And they were surrounded by love at church, school, home, and extended family.
Do not make this too complicated. We just always had faith God would work it out.
I gracefully concede my position.
I respect you enough to say that those were just my concerns. I guess the good thing is that fruit is coming from it and people are meeting the Lord as he draws them into the Kingdom as their Father.
I guess it is also good worldview training to see that God has dispersed his truth in bits and pieces throughout the history of all creation.
And as I have stated before, you are the most gracious Calvinist poster I have ever been exposed to.
This is all good but ultimately beside the point of Christianity. The point of all political power is to gain the ability to tell others what they can and can't do, and to do keep others from telling you what you can and can't do. It's all focused on physical desires, material wealth, and earthly concerns in general. Politics has no control over virtue, goodness, or love. We Christians are called to care about the latter and eschew the former. As such, politics is only a distraction. Focus on virtue, goodness, and love. Either you will flourish or you'll be martyred, or something in between. Any of those ultimate fates are acceptable to us. It doesn't matter what the world does to us. That's not our problem. We follow Christ for eternal gain, not to gain some sort of earthly improvement or avoid earthly hardship.Quote:
What's the difference between activism and engagement? Should wilberforce have ignored the great evil of slavery (or Constantine) and simply relinquished it to the secular state, saying they don't see a call in scripture? What talents did they have to use, if not those? What talents do we have, if not our votes and ability to run for office and govern?
I think your argument at some point suggests we shouldn't vote for candidates with Christian morals or expect Christians to work toward a Christian state. There is an undoing of Christianity in this response (though I view it as unintentional): you claim as a Christian to know God and to serve Him and do right. Can you, with God given power to vote or govern, suddenly abdicate this knowledge or capability and still be a Christian? Can you oversee administering abortions or slavery while knowing it to be evil and still serve God?
Christ's call is totality, not plurality. Communities that thrive underground must go above ground or they have stopped thriving. It's an unfinished argument. Would you hide the light of the city on the hill because you're worried it will no longer flourish?
The Puritans are a fantastic example. While they were persecuted and in the minority in England, they were paragons of religious tolerance and were generally generous and beneficent to everyone. As soon as they had an overwhelming majority in the New World colonies and no longer feared persecution, they became religious tyrants. That's just how politics works. The powerless and oppressed want freedom and tolerance. The powerful want control and tyranny. Doesn't matter if it's based on religion, ethnicity, gender, political party, or anything else. In politics, the weak want the good of all and the strong want what is good for them, even if the weak and strong swap places every 4 years.Quote:
The Puritans took over England in the Glorious Revolution of 1689 and limited the power of the monarchy for years after it was reintroduced. The Puritan's English Bill of Rights is what Presbyterians, Congregationalist, Anglicans, Baptists, and Catholics in the new world established the 1st amendment, which in many ways reflects the English Bill of Rights.