AOL Bible Banging
So much strife and argument occur over God’s word in aol rooms more than ever before. Take your time and just sit back and watch the conversations unfold. Look into the Bible Fellowship, Beliefs Christian, and Born Again Online rooms. Spend a week just observing. Watch for those who praise the Lord. Then you will see what I have seen. More Christian vs Christian than ever before. And what is the root of this strife? Their interpretations of the Bible. For years now there has always been the debates on scripture between denominations, but it has grown now to debate over scripture between evangelicals, fundamentalists, and apologists (just to name a small few).
The sad part is that for each person, the interpretation could be true for them. A new born in Christ will have a different interpretation than that of a studied scholar who knows all of the original Greek and Hebrew root language. The difference is not in error, it is differs from either two scholars from different institutions clash or for the most part it is because the point of view comes from one who is growing as opposed to one who is knowledgeable. I’ve noted that in a greater percent of the cases, the one who is knowledgeable is either unable or unwilling to open themselves up to a belief that perhaps their interpretation is flawed or that it can be partly in error – especially when it come to trying to discern the person they are speaking to. Therefore assuming that they no longer need to be molded by the Potter. How can this be? Is He done with them? I just don’t see that as being a viable conclusion. So now a debate turns into attacking the new born Christian telling them that “they need to grow” or even accusations about how they are not truly saved, etc. Very sad indeed.
In the days of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, no one needed a bible. Many were told to go and live in His grace simply from having faith. Who is to say that many today do not live in His grace by faith? While it may be true for some, it may not be for others. I do not contain the full knowledge of the Lord and am not qualified to make that determination for anyone other than myself. As for me, I will gain more and more understanding by being still and listening to His voice.
Unfortunately, too many people use the bible as a weapon and will quote verse after verse about how it is biblical to do just that! How easy is it to take one verse and interpret it in a way that justifies your own way of thinking? I’ll answer that one too: Very easy! And when doing that to someone who is new in Christ, it is a very dangerous action. How are they to be able to discern the truth from someone who claims to already know it? There is so much more involved into what I am trying to say here and all I know is that what I have said up to this point is based on what I have seen happen on here on a daily basis. And this makes me sad.
Just know that someone’s walk may differ slightly than your own and that it is always best to be open to their understanding. In that way, your own understanding has an opportunity to grow as well.
Posted on July 10th, 2008 by Blake and filed under In My Opinion, Judge This! | 4 Comments »
Dealing With People Who Only Seek to Drag You Down
photo credit: JerrytheSaint
The internet is one thing that I like a lot, mainly because I use it not only to work and earn a living, but to communicate with people I care deeply for. It’s a great tool when used in the right way and for the right reasons. But it can also be one of the most hurtful tools in today’s world.
As much as I like the internet, one of the things I dislike most about it is the way some people use it to hide behind a monitor and keyboard and treat others horribly bad. Most notable are AOL’s “Christian” chat rooms. Although there are Christian people that go into these chats, the behavior some often put forth (on a daily basis over a period of years) is too often anything but Christian.
No one is expected to be sweet and thoughtful and full of compassion 24/7, but neither is it expected for those that call themselves Christian to continually treat other humans with disdain. To laugh and make fun of their pain and judge them for their past (a past that in most cases God has forgiven them for)…it’s all just wrong and there’s nothing Christian in that type of behavior.
One of the hurtful things in a person’s life is when they are going through or have went through such a horrible time and just need someone to listen to them, to understand, to accept them for who they are.
And so they venture into what seems an innocent chat room because the title on the room says something about “Christian”. They start to talk and open up somewhat about themselves, perhaps sharing embarrassing or humiliating secrets that even their own families don’t know. Often the person has been forgiven by God already.
Yet as they share their past, all too often there will be some “Christians” who not only begin to judge them for their forgiven past or how they are living now, but slamming them and telling them what a horrible person they are.
It leaves me wondering just where Christ is in their “Christian” walk. He doesn’t show in their treatment and behavior when they judge and slam. So who are they really glorifying in their horrible treatment of a hurting person? It surely isn’t God.
So why do people do this to each other? More so, why do some Christians treat each other this way? Why do some Christians treat a hurting person so horrible? Why do some Christians treat anyone so terribly? What makes these people think they have the right to judge a person and their past, forgiven or not forgiven? Are they without sin to judge another? Has God given them the right to slam others or to run them down? No, He hasn’t and won’t.
It’s my belief that people who exhibit this type of behavior are often doing so because they are often living miserably and they want someone (anyone) to feel as miserable as they still do. Pride usually prevents them from just letting go of whatever is causing them to still feel so bad, and to keep from feeling so bad alone they want to drag someone down with them. So when a person comes along who shares their not so great past, they zone in on them and do everything in their power to push them down.
The person who originally came along seeking someone to share with and someone to listen to them surely needs our prayers. But just as much, if not more so, the ones that judge and get their pleasure from another’s pain need our prayers.
Posted on March 3rd, 2008 by Blake and filed under In My Opinion | 7 Comments »