Evangelical Christians

[tx 3 putt 78682]

 

[Jhawkmvp 1514]

On 6/15/2024 at 2:47 AM, HendersonHorns said:

Luke 15:11-32

we are all like one of the brothers. Either righteously overemphasize works or flippantly sin. Some need to better understand Grace and some understand sanctification. 
 

I need help daily. Hourly….  

I too, struggle with masturbation.

Edited June 16 by Jhawkmvp

[SKJ 1320]

1 hour ago, Jhawkmvp said:

I too, struggle with masturbation.

I think you're probably just overthinking it. It's not that difficult unless it's not that hard

[tx 3 putt 78682]

Same evangelical message, different wrapper … 

 

[Satchel 6982]

14 hours ago, tx 3 putt said:

Good grief, evangelicals.

 

[Willfully Horn 8264]

On 6/15/2024 at 1:18 PM, troph said:

High society SBC (as a poor) DRIVE TOO FAR >> suburb First Baptist PREACHER SCANDAL >> Bible church SHAMED  >>  PAUSE BACKSLIDING >> East Texas Assembly of God home church off shoot DEMONS CAST OUT >> watered down Pentecostal charismatic Austin church KICKED OUT >> a Vineyard branded church LEFT >> succumb to demonic influence when the legions of drag queen demons started up the trans demonic squad. 
 

I was pretty earnest, I had a dozen bibles and study aids, read the thing probably 3-4 times. I gave Jesus my best for 20 years. 

I’ve been known to do Christmas service at a United Methodist church but that’s it.

The politics and religion of sexual orientation and gender identity are just too much for me to ever consider returning. And that’s before trumpism and really understanding racism.  It’s too much. It does too much harm. Hating others to feel good about yourself instead of doing good to feel good about yourself is no way to go through life son. So no thanks.

My father brought us up in an Episcopalian church, and I used to tell folks a story about how a couple of priests let him, and the church, down. A good friend, an Episcopalian priest, an incredibly intelligent, alpha woman (Father Mary, I will call her,) heard that story a couple of times, then she asked me if an official apology, on behalf of the Episcopalian church, would satisfy, and, hopefully, I would have no need to tell that story again. Truth be told, her apology mended. 

I say this in the hope one day you meet your own Father Mary, and the pain you must carry abates.
 

If I ever find a Liberal Quaker congregation, I’ll send a PM, and we will both know a church where you can sit amidst silence. 
 

Edited to say that your experience ought ring throughout Christendom. Silence, personal meditation, is how Quaker’s worship.

Edited June 17 by Willfully Horn

[Bozo_Casanova 26851]

17 hours ago, Jhawkmvp said:

I too, struggle with masturbation.

Keep practicing!

[F250 29201]

This afternoon while we were eating lunch the topic of my daughter’s upcoming confirmation classes next winter came up. Her older brothers were baptized and confirmed at a church we recently left. The church decided to leave the UMC during the split. We switched to another church that chose to remain within the UMC to stand with our LBGTQ brethren.

While discussing the split my youngest son started questioning the absurdity of the various branches of Christianity and stated that he chooses humanism and rejects the idea of the Christian God. I told him that was fine with me.

After more discussion, I admitted that I primarily only pushed our form of Christianity because I believe in the teachings of Christ, the mission of the United Methodist Church and the benefit of community a church provides. We all need a community and can only effect change in a group.

[tx 3 putt 78682]

[troph 25227]

8 hours ago, tx 3 putt said:

[YGIFS 19458]

15 hours ago, tx 3 putt said:

More like False Profits, amirite Matt?  

[tx 3 putt 78682]

When an evangelical pastor rapes a 12 yo, does he wear a condom or does he pray to Jesus for a helping hand with birth control ?

does he pray before or after the rape ?

or is there a mega prayer that covers all the years of rape ?

 

 

Edited June 18 by tx 3 putt

[Pancho 46312]

[South Austin 53227]

Barbara Phillips Littlepage is either an excellent satirist or a vile cunt.

[Dnaguy 12630]

1 hour ago, South Austin said:

Barbara Phillips Littlepage is either an excellent satirist or a vile cunt.

‘Excellent Satirist - Vile Cunt’ would make a nice double EP title.

 

[Neonmoon 38130]

Cult gonna cult 

[troph 25227]

Guarantee you he views this new publicity as an attack by Satan on his godly work.  Makes me want to vomit.

[wildcat09 29579]

Pedocon theory remains undefeated.

[tx 3 putt 78682]

5 hours ago, troph said:

Guarantee you he views this new publicity as an attack by Satan on his godly work.  Makes me want to vomit.

evangelical mind - she was an adult !!!

[Aqua Buddha 14806]

Just checking in to see if he was trans or not?

Nope?  Interesting....

[tx 3 putt 78682]

Wow such fucking generosity !!!! I can only imagine how much they were helping people in actual need …..

 

Edited June 19 by tx 3 putt

[Bozo_Casanova 26851]

8 hours ago, Aqua Buddha said:

Just checking in to see if he was trans or not?

TBD

14 hours ago, troph said:

Guarantee you he views this new publicity as an attack by Satan on his godly work.  Makes me want to vomit.

In the Episcopal church, we are taught that the book of Amos speaks to the heightened responsibility that comes with God’s covenant. The book is addressed to Israel specifically but Christ brings us into God’s line of sight, so to speak, and where he is merciful he is also stern, particularly w/r/t the consequences of not holding up our end, to wit from Amos 5:

18 Woe to you who long
    for the day of the Lord!
Why do you long for the day of the Lord?
    That day will be darkness, not light.
19 It will be as though a man fled from a lion
    only to meet a bear,
as though he entered his house
    and rested his hand on the wall
    only to have a snake bite him.
20 Will not the day of the Lord be darkness,not light—
    pitch-dark, without a ray of brightness?

21 “I hate, I despise your religious festivals;
    your assemblies are a stench to me.
22 Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings,
    I will not accept them.
Though you bring choice fellowship offerings,
    I will have no regard for them.
23 Away with the noise of your songs!
    I will not listen to the music of your harps.
24 But let justice roll on like a river,
    righteousness like a never-failing stream!

I guess my question is this: when  these people contemplate the word of God, whom do they think his prophets are addressing, if not themselves?
 

Edited June 19 by Bozo_Casanova

[Brisketexan 106899]

In the Episcopal church, we are taught that the book of Amos speaks to the heightened responsibility that comes with God’s covenant. The book is addressed to Israel specifically but Christ brings us into God’s line of sight, so to speak, and where he is merciful he is also stern, particularly w/r/t the consequences of not holding up our end, to wit from Amos 5:
18 Woe to you who long
    for the day of the Lord!
Why do you long for the day of the Lord?
    That day will be darkness, not light.
19 It will be as though a man fled from a lion
    only to meet a bear,
as though he entered his house
    and rested his hand on the wall
    only to have a snake bite him.
20 Will not the day of the Lord be darkness,not light—
    pitch-dark, without a ray of brightness?
21 “I hate, I despise your religious festivals;
    your assemblies are a stench to me.
22 Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings,
    I will not accept them.
Though you bring choice fellowship offerings,
    I will have no regard for them.
23 Away with the noise of your songs!
    I will not listen to the music of your harps.
24 But let justice roll on like a river,
    righteousness like a never-failing stream!
I guess my question is this: when  these people contemplate the word of God, whom do they think his prophets are addressing, if not themselves?
 

The answer is “not themselves at all.” See….THEY are the prophets…the gods. The laws and admonitions are for lesser men, not them. You know this. Idolatry of self is their actual religion.

[troph 25227]

5 minutes ago, Bozo_Casanova said:

TBD

In the Episcopal church, we are taught that the book of Amos speaks to the heightened responsibility that comes with God’s covenant. The book is addressed to Israel specifically but Christ brings us into God’s line of sight, so to speak, and where he is merciful he is also stern, particularly w/r/t the consequences of not holding up our end, to wit from Amos 5:

18 Woe to you who long
    for the day of the Lord!
Why do you long for the day of the Lord?
    That day will be darkness, not light.
19 It will be as though a man fled from a lion
    only to meet a bear,
as though he entered his house
    and rested his hand on the wall
    only to have a snake bite him.
20 Will not the day of the Lord be darkness,not light—
    pitch-dark, without a ray of brightness?

21 “I hate, I despise your religious festivals;
    your assemblies are a stench to me.
22 Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings,
    I will not accept them.
Though you bring choice fellowship offerings,
    I will have no regard for them.
23 Away with the noise of your songs!
    I will not listen to the music of your harps.
24 But let justice roll on like a river,
    righteousness like a never-failing stream!

I guess my question is this: when  these people contemplate the word of God, whom do they think his prophets are addressing, if not themselves?
 

Ahhhhh, it’s been a good long while since I’ve read the minor prophets. The best of the best imo. Hosea was my go to. I’ve always despised hypocrisy and the short cuts taken to appear righteous. And the minor prophets were arguably the best at the call out. 

 

[Bozo_Casanova 26851]

4 minutes ago, troph said:

Ahhhhh, it’s been a good long while since I’ve read the minor prophets. The best of the best imo. Hosea was my go to. I’ve always despised hypocrisy and the short cuts taken to appear righteous. And the minor prophets were arguably the best at the call out. 

 

For real/ but serious question, do evangelicals regard these prophecies (or Amos, in any case) as directed at them? IOW, who do they think God is talking to? 

[troph 25227]

17 minutes ago, Bozo_Casanova said:

For real/ but serious question, do evangelicals regard these prophecies (or Amos, in any case) as directed at them? IOW, who do they think God is talking to? 

When I was an evangelical I thought it was for the Episcopalians, Southern Baptists, Presbyterians and other Protestants. O_o

I did not think evangelicals were immune from it just that we were trying really hard to be the righteous. To be a little fair, evangelicals when I was one had shitty views about the world (especially LGBTQ people) but nothing like today’s crop.  We spent more time talking and trying to do good things but just in a radicalized way.  There were no sermons on political issues, not a single one. I honestly don’t remember having a single conversation about politics. We thought politics were irrelevant to the kingdom of God. The idea that we would not help an immigrant family in need because they were undocumented would have received vehement chastising. Like that’s just a ridiculous thought. And there were several sermons and initiatives on racism in the church I recall. I was anti-abortion in principle but by the time I graduated college I felt it was between a woman her family and her doctor and while I would be sad if she got an elective abortion it was not the government’s place to take that right away - even if exercising the right was misguided. As an evangelical I believed in grace, mercy, kindness and forgiveness. 
 

Today’s evangelicals are nothing like that from what I can tell - they are political first and otherwise off the fucking reservation. 

Edited June 19 by troph

[Bozo_Casanova 26851]

12 minutes ago, troph said:

Today’s evangelicals are off the fucking reservation. 

So it's different now than it used to be? Keep in mind, my closest brush with evangelicals was elders of the local Church of Christ showing up on our front porch one evening around 1981 to tell my parents that I would go to hell if they didn't change my name, among other things.  I'm not angry about it and never have been. I understand they were trying to be the righteous and literally trying to save souls, but did they not have any beams in their own eye to deal with  before they confronted 7 year olds and young parents at home for nothing more than the wrong identity or word on a piece of government paper?

It's just an interpretation of the gospel that's foreign to me, and I don't understand how it works or whats different about today's evangelical fundamentalists.

Edited June 19 by Bozo_Casanova

[troph 25227]

10 minutes ago, Bozo_Casanova said:

So it's different now? Keep in mind, my closest brush with evangelicals was elders of the local Church of Christ showing up on our front porch one evening to tell my parents that I would go to hell if they didn't change my name, among other things.  I'm not angry about it and never have been. I understand they were trying to be the righteous and literally trying to save souls, but did they not have any beams in their own eye before they confronted 7 year olds and young parents at home for nothing more than the wrong identity?

It's just an interpretation of the gospel that's foreign to me, and I don't understand how it works. 

I’m not in it anymore so I cannot be for certain but I think that it’s much different now.

I think there were always politically motivated churches. I think there were always radical evangelical churches that were apolitical and even old school democrats in the congregation - there was a time the democrats were seen as more in line with the teaching of Christ.  Now I don’t think this is the case in SBC churches quite honestly they are the epitome of American conservatism. Racist, sexist, it’s no surprise sex abuse scandals abound in that organization.
 

But in the non denom and Bible churches what I think has happened is the 15-20% that were radical in politics have grown to 85-90% but again outside looking in now I can’t tell if there is a silent majority that thinks this political mess is morally reprehensible - given the numbers for Trump I don’t see they exist. 
 

there were always activists for prayer in school and creation in the class room but by and large the approach was defensive - you have a right to pray not make everyone pray.

something has definitely changed for sure. Frankly I think it may be the non-church Christian activists that are leading the political revolution and convincing churches it is the way. 
 

Either way, if you believe that christianity changes over time there will be a reckoning it’s just a question of when, probably too late for those of us in our 50s.

 But it’s definitely different now. From the 1970s Jesus movement which is the origin of my final 2 non-denomination churches to this fucking mess of trumpism? Yeah it’s radically changed in 30-40 years. Radically. 

Edited June 19 by troph

[troph 25227]

I’ll add this too - there’s a lot about my religious experiences I still retain (and religion has No monopoly on these traits it’s just where I found them), I believe in doing the right thing, treating people with dignity, i believe kindness is our highest calling, I believe in the power of mercy and forgiveness, I believe we can overcome trauma and find healing in our deepest and darkest personal moments, I believe in restoration, and there is such a thing as righteousness and my hope in true justice for everyone stems from my time as … an evangelical. 
 

what I could not tolerate were those that adhered to the rules above grace and mercy, kindness and forgiveness, those who shunned others because of “sin” and those who covered their own shortcomings and touted their righteousness for their own self promotion. That person, those people exist everywhere. They are not just present in evangelical churches.

Ultimately who I am is irreconcilable to any church I attended so combined with what I ultimately found to be intolerable hypocrisy - maybe even a so close but so far away expression of their faith - their views on my humanity is what required that I GTFO. 
 

as I deradicalized I found the liturgical churches to be more my speed so if I do attend once every 700 days or so, it’s always a welcoming Methodist or other liturgical church. I actually now find solace in those times in the rituals. They feel true and much more safe than the free for all that was my experience. 

[troph 25227]

And I think one of the biggest risks for non denom churches and how they lost their way is the fact that there is no formal training and no formal oversight. I was at a church where I was asked to preach at the age of 18-19, we regularly had kids leading kids in how to be a Christian with intrusive “accountability” and exposure of trauma to be dealt with by kids and untrained pastors. It was a fucking zoo. But again, in my experience the goal was radical transformation into the likeness of Christ and never political. 
 

that same fucking zoo could easily be turned into radical political activists in no time because of no oversight or formal training.

Edited June 19 by troph

[TeeDubya 3362]

17 hours ago, troph said:

And I think one of the biggest risks for non denom churches and how they lost their way is the fact that there is no formal training and no formal oversight.
...
that same fucking zoo could easily be turned into radical political activists in no time because of no oversight or formal training.

It's funny.  No one would think of trusting their physical health to a health care professional with no education, yet many of the same people would trust their spiritual health to an untrained "preacher."

 

[troph 25227]

38 minutes ago, TeeDubya said:

It's funny.  No one would think of trusting their physical health to a health care professional with no education, yet many of the same people would trust their spiritual health to an untrained "preacher."

 

it's how you end up with chaplains instead of school counselors. It's insane. even seminary trained pastors have a leg up with some training but rarely enough. but we aren't doing that much anymore, it's people who "God spoke to" who are leading this movement. it's looney tunes man.

[Brisketexan 106899]

5 minutes ago, troph said:

it's people who "God spoke to" who are leading this movement

And what makes that even better is 1) you have fucking nimrod assholes who are self-declared "people who God spoke to," and 2) if you DARE question them, the rebuttal is "how DARE you question GOD!"

It's fucking medieval idiocy.

[Biff Tannen 46168]

47 minutes ago, TeeDubya said:

It's funny.  No one would think of trusting their physical health to a health care professional with no education, yet many of the same people would trust their spiritual health to an untrained "preacher."

 

I just recall my experience with jury duty in Dallas County for a malpractice case. Woman there with her child screaming about how she doesn’t trust doctors. Now, maybe she was just trying to get out of jury duty (like we all were), but god damn she sold it well. 
 

[TeeDubya 3362]

18 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

2) if you DARE question them, the rebuttal is "how DARE you question GOD!"

 

Just like politics, when your second point is rebutted with, "so you DARE question GOD's ability to use women in the pulpit or LGBTQ folk as clergy?"

"THAT'S DIFFERNT!!!"

[Satchel 6982]

1 hour ago, TeeDubya said:

Just like politics, when your second point is rebutted with, "so you DARE question GOD's ability to use women in the pulpit or LGBTQ folk as clergy?"

"THAT'S DIFFERNT!!!"

When I challenge them with their attempt to nullify the sovereignty of God by not embracing his freedom to choose whomever he wants in ministry, they get angry. Then I ask how comfortable are they in limiting/restricting/ confining God to just what he chooses to disclose about himself in Scripture, they look confused.

[troph 25227]

13 hours ago, Satchel said:

When I challenge them with their attempt to nullify the sovereignty of God by not embracing his freedom to choose whomever he wants in ministry, they get angry. Then I ask how comfortable are they in limiting/restricting/ confining God to just what he chooses to disclose about himself in Scripture, they look confused.

Arguing against Scripture as a document of complete and finite disclosure is a compelling line of logic. I was comfortable with extra biblical disclosure provided it was not inconsistent with the written word when I was an evangelical. 

Edited June 20 by troph

[tx 3 putt 78682]

 

[tx 3 putt 78682]

The Bible wasn’t meant to be a la carte …..

 

[Sawbonz 28222]

On 6/18/2024 at 9:12 PM, Bozo_Casanova said:

TBD

In the Episcopal church, we are taught that the book of Amos speaks to the heightened responsibility that comes with God’s covenant. The book is addressed to Israel specifically but Christ brings us into God’s line of sight, so to speak, and where he is merciful he is also stern, particularly w/r/t the consequences of not holding up our end, to wit from Amos 5:

18 Woe to you who long
    for the day of the Lord!
Why do you long for the day of the Lord?
    That day will be darkness, not light.
19 It will be as though a man fled from a lion
    only to meet a bear,
as though he entered his house
    and rested his hand on the wall
    only to have a snake bite him.
20 Will not the day of the Lord be darkness,not light—
    pitch-dark, without a ray of brightness?

21 “I hate, I despise your religious festivals;
    your assemblies are a stench to me.
22 Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings,
    I will not accept them.
Though you bring choice fellowship offerings,
    I will have no regard for them.
23 Away with the noise of your songs!
    I will not listen to the music of your harps.
24 But let justice roll on like a river,
    righteousness like a never-failing stream!

I guess my question is this: when  these people contemplate the word of God, whom do they think his prophets are addressing, if not themselves?
 

Amos was a hell of a man

[Bozo_Casanova 26851]

44 minutes ago, Sawbonz said:

Amos was a hell of a man

He could eat up his weight in groceries

[Pancho 46312]

 

[Neonmoon 38130]

Trump will be doing this in 3.2.1

[BamaATL 16593]

Fuck MS13 insurance there is a remote chance something might actually happen, this is the ticket right here.  A monthly title insurance subscription plan for a plot of land in heaven is what we need to do.   

[Fudge Nuggets 19455]

On 6/16/2024 at 10:54 PM, F250 said:

We all need a community and can only effect change in a group.

Football booster club is a better alternative.

[Mole 4340]

3 hours ago, Pancho said:

 

[YGIFS 19458]

3 hours ago, Pancho said:

 

 

11 minutes ago, BamaATL said:

Fuck MS13 insurance there is a remote chance something might actually happen, this is the ticket right here.  A monthly title insurance subscription plan for a plot of land in heaven is what we need to do.   

Given the graphics, this appears to be a Hispanic/Latina church.  This is going to read awkwardly, but we all know it to be true.  You can let them sell these "Heavenly plots of land."  But we could start a property insurance plan tomorrow for said plots of land that guarantee that no 'undesirable" Latinos or Blacks or Asians will be allowed to live near your plot.  And if they do somehow end up there, this insurance plan will recoup your money and relocate you to another cloud with people more like you, or even whiter.  Jokes aside, we could do this and have enough money by 31 July to get a suite at DKR for Surly and fund every single tailgate and NIL project immamac has in mind.  

'Heavenly Hatred Insurance', for when the darker ones come for your afterland.  And they will.'  

[WhatTheBuck 28930]

May as well bring back indulgences. 

[TDunk 590]

40 minutes ago, WhatTheBuck said:

May as well bring back indulgences. 

Surprised it hasn't been "resurrected". Damn Trent. 

[Gap03 3386]

48 minutes ago, YGIFS said:

 

Given the graphics, this appears to be a Hispanic/Latina church.  This is going to read awkwardly, but we all know it to be true.  You can let them sell these "Heavenly plots of land."  But we could start a property insurance plan tomorrow for said plots of land that guarantee that no 'undesirable" Latinos or Blacks or Asians will be allowed to live near your plot.  And if they do somehow end up there, this insurance plan will recoup your money and relocate you to another cloud with people more like you, or even whiter.  Jokes aside, we could do this and have enough money by 31 July to get a suite at DKR for Surly and fund every single tailgate and NIL project immamac has in mind.  

'Heavenly Hatred Insurance', for when the darker ones come for your afterland.  And they will.'  

"Wait a minute - if there are Latinos / Blacks / Asians anywhere near us, that CAN'T be heaven.  What kinda "fine print" bullshit are you trying to pull here?" /MAGA