Take a moment to read this. Scary and sad, but true.

[calbhach]

It's a bit of a kick in the teeth, but what this atheist has to say about Christians is far too true. While there's so much bickering going on here in this forum about opinionated Biblical details, we should take less time for fighting and more time for bringing people to Christ.

http://www.livingwaters.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=177%3Aletter-from-an-atheist&catid=48&Itemid=152&lang=en

 

[Shirley]

Have to say that I agree. I myself feel sad almost beyond belief. The body of Christ should be loving and honestly I do not feel the love that should be here. I am afraid to even start a post b/c if all my words are not exactly right I might be knocked down just as I am struggling to get up. That is why I do not go to church also. People are mean! Yes Mean! It is better here than when I first came but I still feel intimidated. Put downs left and right. I know I am too sensitive but really peeps. We are the body! I thought I could come here and learn how to be a soul winner and I am disappointed. On my 4th post here I was actually called dishonest for stating my opinion. I'm sorry! I have grown to love people here but I am still really disapointed. You will know them by there love! When our ego's stand up the love goes away. Honestly, over all I think if I went to a bar I would get more love. Please forgive me for saying this but it might actually be true. I am actually crying right now b/c this is the only body of Christ I have right now and my spirit is hurting! Why do you guys have to put others down to show your opinions and beliefs are better? If I was unchurched, I personally would not want anything to do with it! Years of tears! sorry peeps just really hurting here.

 

[Shirley]

I would add that I have been shown love by a few people. Still it is intimidating though. Would an unchurched new believer feel comfortable here?

 

[goodshepard55]

Shirley ....sorry you have been made to feel as no love exist here...some have a hard time telling others..I disagree with you because.......and instead like telling people how wrong they are....I don't believe I have all the answer, but instead of getting into an disagreement with others over their opinions of the Word, I just let it go and trust my Abba Father to speak the truth to me...we all have opinions and that is all we have...we all can't be right all the time, but we all can be so wrong all the time...opinions are our own ideas of what God is saying in scripture, we fail to sometimes remember that scripture is 2000 + years old and written to the people back then...God has not changed, but people have...God still loves us, no matter if we think otherwise..we can not change Him to our opinions, we can not make Him love us less or love us more...God is love...however as the written email you posted was read by me...I could oh so see that writers points...people are happy to sit behind a keyboard and write their opinions, tell people how wrong they are, and not stop and think how their words are coming over to readers...people are happy to sit in church on Saturday, Sunday or what ever day they go to church and not think of the people outside...not think of the homeless, the addicts or the less fortunate...they are happy to just go once or twice a week to church, listen to someone else give their opinion of scripture, read the Word and think they are the only one who is totally correct and everyone else is wrong...I see the addicts, the homeless, the broken and it is so hard for them to see Jesus in Christians...it is a daily struggle for them and for someone to condemn them without even knowing their struggles is what they get from Christians mostly...They are not welcome in most churches, because maybe their clothes are not up to standard, or maybe they have body odor because they do not have a home or a bath regularly as most people do....so in my honest opinions...Christians need to get out of their safe chair, church and home and hit the streets with food, clothing and a simple hug to the others around them and stop being so self righteous.. Sorry my pet peeve....Follow Jesus...not a preacher...Mercy most people now days would even tell the Lord Jesus Christ, that He was not welcome in church and how wrong He is...Love you Shirley and continue to fight the battle....

Shep

 

[calbhach]

I'm sorry you feel that way, Shirley. I've felt that way on here a lot, too, really. It's sad that what should be the Body of Christ ends up looking more like a great division among the members. I quite often feel alienated when I'll post something with what seems to me like legitimate facts, and then I end up being totally ignored.

I think the big problem is that quite often it's gut-instinct that we're posting by, instead of waiting about posting, allowing our human feelings to settle down a little, and coming back later and posting in a Christlike manner. I know I've probably done that myself, posting in anger...I really try not to, but sometimes things do slip through, you know? :\

I know that if I weren't a Christian, I wouldn't want anything to do with Christianity, if this bickering is the only thing that comes of it. God should come first, and then to love one another...but it's done that way very little, it seems. :\

>>Sorry my pet peeve....Follow Jesus...not a preacher...Mercy most people now days would even tell the Lord Jesus Christ, that He was not welcome in church and how wrong He is...

So true. :\ Church is for fellowship and learning, but as you said, preachers are not the Word in and of themselves. People must get their Bibles and read it for themselves to truly understand the Word.

 

[Shirley]

There is a lot of love here! I was having an off day. I think someone prayed for me, and the gloom and doom has lifted. I feel the atheist is right though. People are dying without God and I am doing nothing about it. I feel I don't know how. I don't really know what to say to people. I guess though that every person would be moved by something different. God has to do the calling first, right?

 

[FHII]

I read the letter. I can't really comment because I haven't read to what this athiest is responding to (Ray's Letter). I do believe that Christians should be ready to give an answer of the hope that lies within them, and preachers should do their part with support of their congregation to spread the Gospel. However, I can't rush to judgement on whether this guy's right or wrong unless knowing what the other side is.

 

[goodshepard55]

Shirley, there is a lot of love here, just not a great deal of restraint or thinking before posting...now you made a statement about now knowing what to do...it is so simple...really it is just so easy....the next time you see someone struggling with anything...say a friend needs help with a few groceries...drop off a few things at their front door, maybe tend to someones child for an afternoon...you really don't have to say anything, just let the love of Christ come out and say it for you...people will ask..why....then the door is open for you to walk in....sometimes we have to start with the people we know before we can reach the point of doing for others we don't know...and really just because someone says they are a christian does not mean they really know Jesus in His fullness...just reach out to someone in love...

 

[Shirley]

Thank-you Shep!

 

[Buzzfruit]

It's a bit of a kick in the teeth, but what this atheist has to say about Christians is far too true. While there's so much bickering going on here in this forum about opinionated Biblical details, we should take less time for fighting and more time for bringing people to Christ.

http://www.livingwat...mid=152&lang=en

That email is based on ignorance. The person is assuming that if one does not repent before they die then they are hopelessly lost and forever doom.....that is a lie. The person asumes that the carnal mind can repent or want to repent.....that is also false. A carful study of the scriptures (both from the New as well as the Old Testament) and one will see that the unrepentant dead are not lost...they are not saved in the traditional sense.....but they are not doomed either.


The Bible speaks of several resurrections. We all know about the resurrection of the dead saints and men of God of the Old Testament. But the Bible also talk about the second resurrection for those who did not repent or even had a chance to repent. Some died before they were even born. Some died and never ever heard of Jesus or about Christianity. These people will have their first and only chance in the second resurrection....God will open their mind to receive His word. God is not only a just God, but He is also merciful God. Jesus told the unbelieving Pharisees that they will rise up with the people of Nineveh or, even the Queen that came to hear the wisdom of Solomon together with them as well.



It is amazing how ignorant so many Christians are of what is actually in the Bible. An ignorant Christian of the scriptures is like a doctor that don't know how to prescribe medicine......incompetent. We spend too much time listing to what we hear in Church, and study very little if any the Bible. And even when some few do read they only focus on a few scriptures here and there, mostly in certain parts of the New Testament. Trying to understand the Bible with only reading a few scriptures is like trying to figure out how the jigsaw puzzle picture looks like with only assembling a few of the pieces. And we are quicker to believe what we hear in Church over what the Bible tells us.

 

[Comm.Arnold]

Don't even listen to an atheist like that. It gets better Jesus never said this was an easy life.