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| More of that spiritual stuff |
| Question: If Christ told us to love our neighbors, why do we hate so much? I mean, Christians are stereotyped as a hating crowd and that image is justifiable. Homosexuals, for instance, often find themselves in the crosshairs for lambasting from Christians. It troubles me not that Christians nitpick on Homosexuals about sin. What troubles me is the consequences that they proclaim Homosexuals should endure. Stoning, for instance. Murder. Yes, let's just murder thousands of people because they choose to live within their own belief system. I'm sorry, that's not Christian. Jesus walked with and talked with sinners, of all breeds. In the midst of an angry mob, ready to murder an adulteress with stones, ?Jesus said that the one person without sin should be the first to cast a stone. The crowd was stunned and there was silence, except for the thudding of stones falling from hands. Retrospectively, Jesus was the only one there without sin and yet, He didn't throw a stone. There should be a welcome in love, an approachable delight. Christians sometimes never realize that and instead cling to the callousness that has been preached through generations and yet wonder why the message of Christ is scoffed and mocked. |
| Question: What's so wrong with Mainstream Culture...and can Christ move through it? The Christian "right" has always blasted modern culture, whether its music, art, cinema or television. They collectively believe that because a person that is not aligned with their own belief system created something, it will steer any that partake in the festivities straight to hell. I call crock. We're blessed with this idea of free-will and personal interpretation. Now, some are not as insightful as others and therefore may miss a hidden meaning or three...but the fact remains that modern culture can be a profitable vessel for the message of Christ and I believe that He's using it, with or without the approval of the "right-wingers". If you listen to music today, you could argue that there is a subtle spiritual slant in lyrical content. Rock groups, like Creed, POD, and U2 have thrived by proclaiming their spirituality. Yet, despite messages of hope, power, faith, and the earthly sense of humanity mixed in, there are still nay-sayers within the church. The argument is that these groups, these forms of music, only serve the enemy. Motives are brought up, saying that these groups look for a payday, money only. I disagree. An artiist creates because there is something inside clawing to get out. There is a message in all artistis and if it is stifled, the message itself is idle. Thus, when acts produce quality music with even the slightest hint of being positive/Christian, I'm tuning in because anything that can remind me of hope and love, I'm digging. The apostle Paul answered a similar debate, regarding a person's motives for preaching Christ... "18. So how am I to respond? I've decided that I really don't care about their motives, whether mixed, bad, or indifferent. Every time one of them opens his mouth, Christ is proclaimed, so I just cheer them on! And I'm going to keep that celebration going 19. because I know how it's going to turn out. Through your faithful prayers and the generous response of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, everything he wants to do in and through me will be done." Phillipians 1:18-19 (The Message) |