As regular readers will know, I'm a retired pastor and committed Christian. (Some would say I should be committed, but what to, they don't specify.) I know we have various denominations and sects of Christianity, Islam and Judaism among our readers, as well as Hindus, Jains, Shintoists, atheists and agnostics. That's fine with me. I strive to get along with everyone. I don't have the right to preach at them, just as they don't have the right to preach at me. Provided we all offer each other respect, I see no reason why we can't get along in mutual respect.
Problems arise when some incident or report causes someone's religious convictions to ratchet upward, and they begin trying to convert others. I'm sure they feel that what they're doing is what God would want them to do, but it's also something that will annoy others of different faiths, and might lead to serious outbreaks of division, dissent and annoyance. Two commenters today apparently took my previous post on economic issues as a clarion call to "get right with Jesus" in preparation for whatever's coming. As a Christian, I certainly don't disagree with them. However, I'm quite sure many other readers don't share their opinion, and will not respond well to an impassioned appeal to "turn or burn". I've therefore not published either comment, so as to avoid that kind of conflict.
Friends, when you post on this blog, please remember to treat others with the respect you expect to receive here. If you don't want your faith disparaged, please don't disparage others' faith. If you have your own predictions about what the future may hold, please don't try to force them down others' throats. If times get tougher, don't spread gloom-and-doom about "if you don't get right with God, you're going to burn too!"
As for the "rapture" or "second coming" or "end times", none of us know when they're likely to occur. Why not wait to find out, rather than contradict the Bible - and Jesus himself - through uninformed speculation?
Sorry if this has wasted your time, but it's been frustrating having to deal with this. Let's do better.
Peter
15 comments:
The Golden Rule always works, regardless of your Faith or denomination. People should learn there's a time and a place, and screeching on your blog ain't it!
Get well soon, Peter.
Jesus is coming back...don't know when...better be ready.
I respectfully disagree.
We each have the right to preach to each other.
But it should be done in a respectful manner.
Much like Charlie Kirk did.
Wouldn't want to offend anyone. Seriously, your house, your rules, but Christ wasn't a real "whatever" kind of guy.
People are gonna 'people', regardless of what we do...sigh
Ed,
I am, as usual, 100% with you and Old NFO.
sometimes I found, that when I talk about my relationship with (and the way I believe, rather strongly, in) G-d, some may take it that I'm preaching at/to them.
I never preach; I'm not qualified; I do enjoy listening to others and opening up a rational dialog. some, however, are greatly offended when they find that you don't agree with them in detail about how you should approach/view/pray to G-d - at which point I've learned to shut down completely.
Your lecture is not a waste of time, to me anyway. One would figure that everyone visiting and commenting here would have moved beyond that perspective.
'No politics or religion in the galley.' That one hard and fast rule on boats saves lives and friendships.
We pray, silently, pulling out a bible or an I Ching or 'The Origin of Species' is fine too. But silence is golden, or duct tape is silver. Respect is a positive value to cultivate.
I sometimes think back to blogs where one had to have x-number of visits before they could post. Intent seemed to be, in theory at least, visiting got one "educated" in the style, intent, and manner of the blog before keyboarding unrestrained "thought." Haven't seen such an arrangement in years.
And I am among those who did not find reading the post as a waste of time. But I agreed with it, so I'm apparently biased. :-)
I slept on this (or rather I didn't) last night.
Sorry! BRM. your column (and some answers) really got to me.
Personally I think if we can't discuss (rationally) any topic with one another, particularly here, we're no better thtan a mob of squabbling chimpanzees:
Yeah!
there'll be some who'll take offense; they'll get over it when/if they think it over,
there'll be some who'll act/speak irrationally; a lot of these have to mature a bit,
there'll be some who'll turn it into a game of "mine is better(bigger) than your's"; run into them quite a bit more nowadays,
but, for the greater part, most of your readers/commenters are solid, rational people with no hang-ups with whom it's always been a pleasure to discuss anything: politics and religion included.
I'm sorry if you feel that way and/or if I've offended you or any of your readers and in the future I will be extremely careful to "watch my language" and/or substance of my thoughts.
As a retired pastor, you should know John 14:6 -
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. Love your neighbor as yourself means telling them the truth even if they don’t like hearing it.
@Boron: I have no problem with any of your posts. I suspect you, like many of us, are confident in your position, and aren't offended just because others may think differently. There are, unfortunately, those who find it offensive if anyone thinks differently to them, particularly those of "their" religious persuasion who are prepared to tolerate/accept those who hold different views. I see no reason why we should fight over something where, sooner or later, we'll find out the truth anyway!
Here is what comes to mind for myself:
I recently seen a fellow with a t-shirt with the play on, "The Boss is coming, everyone look busy!" only it read, "Jesus is returning, everyone look faithful!"
While many have observed the caption in its initial amusement, it reveals the faults within society in general.
Society is rife with people clamoring onto the current bandwagon to project their virtuosity and forward their personal agendas. In the West, pop culture has been the new religion for decades, with fads ranging from music, to pet rocks, fashion, social and political ideologies. Regardless of what it is, there will always be someone (or a group of someones - a**holes is immensely suitable,) who will hijack it for their own intentions. The percentage of people who are sincere throughout such is horribly low. People who read whatever religious time usually have zero clue of the context and how life was at the time it was written. I will not speak regarding certain books, as their authenticity can only be verified back to the 1600s, while most everything else goes back over thousands of years. Nevertheless, some religions simply have zero doctrine of live and let live, which my reply is always, "If you honestly think one of us has to go, you may not like the end result."
As a young man, I took an solemn oath to defend Christ (not the Church,) and I will not turn my back. EP 6:8
Things are going to get very spicy very soon.
Thank you for letting me vent.
Ain't gonna repent just now because there's a LOT of really "bad" stuff that still may need to be done in the near to mid future to save this country that I haven't even had to do yet, and I'm not sure I sure even feel bad about if I wind up having to do it. Can't repent for stuff I ain't even sorry about yet....
I speak as someone with no religious convictions or feelings at all. I do note, however, that most religious traditions think of all humans as imperfect. As imperfect beings, it’s likely one’s understanding of god would also be imperfect. As such, humility might be the necessary ingredient in civil conversation. I also see that lots of people seem to worship their religion more than their god. It might be helpful to recognize that all religions are manmade.
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