I do not like fire and brimstone preaching. I believe people should worship God out of love, not out of fear. I was watching the Waltons today and they had a fiery minister preaching harshly, yelling, threatening people with hellfire. Several people got saved and were baptized, it seemed to me they were caught up in the drama of the moment, maybe afraid of God's wrath. John Walton Sr. worshiped a God of nature, not a church God, I think the churchgoers pushed him away. They had a lot of strict rules.
I don't like being yelled at, that includes when I go to church. I prefer a quiet church with traditional music and an eloquent preacher who studies the Bible and is poetic. Scaring doesn't really help them. It's better to worship God out of love than out of fear. When I went astray I did not want to think of myself as a sinner. Those 'other' people, who did not go to church, people who hang out in bars, drive drunk, watch porn movies and satanic horror movies, smoked weed, they were sinners.
I learned about some of the disturbing, shocking parts of the Bible, about other religions, some shocking stuff in history done by 'Christians.' My heart, my soul hurt, I wondered if God was cruel and harsh, was he truly a good God?" I struggled, and I sought God. God sought me, he reached out to me, with his love.
It was God, Christ's love that saved me. I believe in a God of love, mercy, and compassion. Jesus Christ loved us enough to die on the cross for us to pay for our sins.
God raised His Son from the dead, claiming victory over sin, death, hell, and Satan. I know Jesus, Peter and Paul talk about hell, but they did it in a loving manner.
The pharisees were hateful, and used fear as a weapon. I believe in fearing God, as in respect and honor him, not being terrified he will strike you with lightning.
I like the Good Shepherd view of Jesus, he cares for us like we are his sheep. We are sheep used for wool, not meat or sacrifice. There is pain and suffering in our lives on earth, but God's intention for our destiny is heaven, to give us a future and a hope, he has no intentions of harming us. The Lord wants us to be happy.
I don't like being yelled at, that includes when I go to church. I prefer a quiet church with traditional music and an eloquent preacher who studies the Bible and is poetic. Scaring doesn't really help them. It's better to worship God out of love than out of fear. When I went astray I did not want to think of myself as a sinner. Those 'other' people, who did not go to church, people who hang out in bars, drive drunk, watch porn movies and satanic horror movies, smoked weed, they were sinners.
I learned about some of the disturbing, shocking parts of the Bible, about other religions, some shocking stuff in history done by 'Christians.' My heart, my soul hurt, I wondered if God was cruel and harsh, was he truly a good God?" I struggled, and I sought God. God sought me, he reached out to me, with his love.
It was God, Christ's love that saved me. I believe in a God of love, mercy, and compassion. Jesus Christ loved us enough to die on the cross for us to pay for our sins.
God raised His Son from the dead, claiming victory over sin, death, hell, and Satan. I know Jesus, Peter and Paul talk about hell, but they did it in a loving manner.
The pharisees were hateful, and used fear as a weapon. I believe in fearing God, as in respect and honor him, not being terrified he will strike you with lightning.
I like the Good Shepherd view of Jesus, he cares for us like we are his sheep. We are sheep used for wool, not meat or sacrifice. There is pain and suffering in our lives on earth, but God's intention for our destiny is heaven, to give us a future and a hope, he has no intentions of harming us. The Lord wants us to be happy.
