Posted on 10/04/2020 6:43:19 AM PDT by Terry L Smith
Dear Readers,
I post this question: "Is it "wrong" for an American citizen to exercise their 1st Amendment freedom, and refuse to partake of Christianity?"
Why would it be 'wrong" for them?
What makes it 'wrong'?
How would you address that, without stepping on their 1st Amendment right?
Do you see the 1st Amendment as a stumbling block for Christianity?
Do you think American citizens who make this choice should have 1st Amendment rights?
If not, why?
Thank you for reading these questions, even if you just shake your head, and move on.
Well said.
LSD is a terrible drug.
I’m guessing you have something specific in mind when you write ‘refuse to partake in Christianity’. Why not just come out and ask that question?
The first amendment prohibits the Nation from establishing an official religion.
Here are some better questions:
What is a religion?
What’s the difference between a cult and a religion?
Who decides?
If I start a church called “House of Killing White People,” can my organization be tax exempt?
I guess this is an IRS decision.
Can a religion be labeled a terrorist organization?
YOUR QUESTION: “I post this question: “Is it “wrong” for an American citizen to exercise their 1st Amendment freedom, and refuse to partake of Christianity?” “
Why the question? The answer is obvious if you believe in the US Constitution.
On the other hand, Have you read the Bible, especially the Gospels - Matthew (60 pages), Mark (40 pages), Luke (55 pages) and John (45 pages) and understand the historical story of Jesus Christ?
Do you believe in God, a creator that created the universe and mankind?
Do you believe that there is a life after death - Heaven or Hell?
You are free to reject Christianity, or any belief system.
You are NOT free to prevent anyone from embracing and practicing Christianity, or any belief system.
So, roll over and catch a few more Z’s.
I think you need ‘em.
why not just come out and say you are an atheist???
To: metmom
Hey! Guess what! Your salesmanship practices have paid off! Yes, you did it! You have succeeded!!
Reading your responses have found their way into my heart!
So, here is my deliberated, weighted, and measured response:
“Thank you for your input. I’m quite happy where I am at. I no longer have to ‘submit’ myself to any religious leader. I no longer have to sit and listen to a browbeating, and then be asked to put my hard-earned money on a plate, afterwards. I have my sundays and wednesdays to myself.
Lastly, since I am an American, as Jefferson inferred, my spirituality is mine, and mine alone, to determine its breadth and height and depth of operations, mechanation, or practices.
42 posted on 10/3/2020, 7:43:35 PM by Terry L Smith
It’s not wrong until you realize you just took your last breath, and it’s too late to plan for this event once you exhale.
Then [ ]
The first Amendment refers to establishments of religion. So in reality the federal government cannot interrupt the state preference for Christianity.
That was an important part of why the Supreme Court told Mormons they could not practice polygamy in the 1878 Reynolds decision.
Hope this helps.
I have another Constitutional question...
If God the Father breaks a United States federal law, can Jesus Christ and The Holy Ghost be charged with conspiracy?
My favorite [sarc] thing is when people post something confusing like this in a vanity and then never enter the thread to discuss the issue and explain what the h-e double hockey sticks they are talking about.
Time to either stop taking drugs, or stop posting the random firing of your neural synapses while on them.
I have a bachelors degree. I have graduate level experience in some areas. I was too busy building a business—for others, then myself, to get an MBA.
But this stuff (civics) was taught in Jr High school during the early 70’s. And actually in a citizenship merit badge in Boy Scouts.
I guess that stuff is passé now. I love hearing about Texans having to take Texas history. Vermont had the same requirement (there was alway “pride” that they were a republic for about ten seconds!).
I have always had a hard and strong rule that you had to learn how stuff works in order to “live” in the system.
Shaking my head and moving on.
Are you for real?
FReedom of religion means just that - you’re FRee to be an religion you profess to believe it...and unlike Islam, there’s no Christian religions that try to force you into them upon threats of death.
If you have a serious musing, by all means post it, but this crap rates at least a $20 donation: https://freerepublic.com/donate/
Evangelism is protected as free speech, don’t you think?
I look at this way. The 1st amendment allows for freedom of religion as well as freedom from religion. How this affects Christianity is an individual matter. Ultimately people must decide for themselves what to believe and how to respond to others. God gave humanity personal choice. “Choose this day whom you will serve”.
Sounds like you feel pressured. Sometimes the conscience does that.
to be a little more specific, it prevents the federal government from establishing or interfering with religious liberties. States are another matter. If I remember correctly it was Delaware that officially ended its state religion in the ‘50’s or ‘70’s, ending the last state religion. Could be wrong about Delaware, but there was one state that ended its official religion that late.
” “Is it “wrong” for an American citizen to exercise their 1st Amendment freedom, and refuse to partake of Christianity?””
“Is it “wrong” for an American citizen to refuse to partake of Christianity?”
OF COURSE NOT and you already KNOW this. So what are you REALLY getting at?
You can deny God and spend eternity in torment, in HELL. (just because YOU don’t believe it, doesn’t mean it isn’t real).
Key Facts About Eternity
(1) Everyone will exist eternally either in heaven or hell (Daniel 12:2,3; Matthew 25:46; John 5:28; Revelation 20:14,15).
(2) Everyone has only one life in which to determine their destiny (Hebrews 9:27).
(3) Heaven or hell is determined by whether a person believes (puts their trust) in Christ alone to save them (John 3:16, 36, etc.).
Key Passages About Hell
(1) Hell was designed originally for Satan and his demons (Matthew 25:41; Revelation 20:10).
(2) Hell will also punish the sin of those who reject Christ (Matthew 13:41,50; Revelation 20:11-15; 21:8).
(3) Hell is conscious torment.
Matthew 13:50 “furnace of fire…weeping and gnashing of teeth”
Mark 9:48 “where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched”
Revelation 14:10 “he will be tormented with fire and brimstone”
(4) Hell is eternal and irreversible.
Revelation 14:11 “the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever and they have no rest day and night”
Revelation 20:14 “This is the second death, the lake of fire”
Revelation 20:15 “If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire”
Erroneous Views of Hell
(1) The second chance view – After death there is still a way to escape hell.
Answer: “It is appointed unto men once to die and after that the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27).
(2) Universalism – All are eternally saved.
Answer: It denies the truth of salvation through Christ which means that a person decides to either trust in Christ or else he/she rejects Christ and goes to hell (John 3:16;3:36).
(3) Annihilationism – Hell means a person dies like an animal – ceases to exist.
Answer: It denies the resurrection of the unsaved (John 5:28, etc. – see above). It denies conscious torment (see above).
Objections to the Biblical View of Hell
(1) A loving God would not send people to a horrible hell.
Response: God is just (Romans 2:11).
God has provided the way of salvation to all (John 3:16,17; 2 Corinthians 5:14,15; 1 Timothy 2:6; 4:10; Titus 2:11; 2 Peter 3:9).
Even those who haven’t heard of Christ are accountable for God’s revelation in nature (Romans 1:20). God will seek those who seek Him (Matthew 7:7; Luke 19:10).
Therefore God doesn’t send people to hell, they choose it (Romans 1:18,21,25).
(2) Hell is too severe a punishment for man’s sin.
Response: God is holy-perfect (1 Peter 1:14,15).
Sin is willful opposition to God our creator (Romans 1:18-32).
Our sin does merit hell (Romans 1:32; 2:2,5,6).
What is unfair and amazing is that Christ died for our sin and freely offers salvation to all (Romans 2:4; 3:22-24; 4:7,8; 5:8,9).
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