Posted on 01/18/2006 8:08:47 AM PST by Liz
You must've had a real problem with the times that Jesus publically called unrepentent sinners names and such.
Vengence is min sayeth the Lord...
Are you the Lord? Didn't think so.
LOL So now you've switched tactics. Instead of calling it 'harrassment and intimidation,' you're calling it 'revenge'.
Well, at least you agree that some of the tactics used by Jesus and John the Baptist could be called 'harrassment and intimidation'. (If you didn't agree, you wouldn't be trying to change tactics now.)
No, I call it intimidation and harrassment. My point is, simple, but obviously you can't grasp it. Just because Christ exercised his right as Lord to do something does not equate to meaning you can or should do it.
Christ never took names and wrote down lists of sinners, or published them for others to look at as outcasts, in fact, he walked among the outcasts most of the time. Never was harrassment part of his actions, nor intimidation that he called upon his followers to engage in.
The bible never calls upon Christians to go out and rid the world of sin, to harrass the sinner, or intimidate them. What did Jesus say when he came upon the prostitute? Certainly there was a woman who deserved harrassment... but what did he do?
The bible clearly states what a Christian is to do when they come upon a sinner, and it is not to harrass or intimidate them. If you come upon a sinner and do not inform the sinner of their sins, then their sins will be upon you and you will both be lost.... if you however inform the sinner of the sin, and they sin anyway, they may be lost, but you will be saved.... Now, where in that does it say... harass and intimidate the sinner for their actions?
NOWHERE. Its quite clear, if you believe God wants his followers to rid the world of sinners by force, sin themselves or other harrassment or intimidation, then frankly your god is Allah, and not the Christian God, because your spirituality is based upon the teachings of Mohammed, not Christ.
Okay, so it's not revenge. Then posting a scripture about revenge doesn't make any sense.
Just because Christ exercised his right as Lord to do something does not equate to meaning you can or should do it.
How about when John the Baptist did it - was that okay? How about when many of the other bible heros did it - was it okay for them?
Christ never took names and wrote down lists of sinners, or published them for others to look at as outcasts
No, He didn't. Instead, He called them white washed sepulchurs and vipers, et al out in public for all to hear. Would you prefer that Baldwin stand outside the porn shop and shout at the men? That would be closer to what Jesus did, so maybe you'd be okay with that.
The bible never calls upon Christians to go out and rid the world of sin
But it does call us to speak up about it. Read Paul's letters. He sure didn't equivocate when they were behaving badly. John the Baptist sure wasn't shy about pointing out sin. I won't review what Jesus did and said yet again. Surely you have that by now.
If you come upon a sinner and do not inform the sinner of their sins, then their sins will be upon you and you will both be lost.... if you however inform the sinner of the sin, and they sin anyway, they may be lost, but you will be saved
Note that the bible does not say in what way one should inform the sinner, nor how many times admonishment should occur. What it boils down to is that you don't like the way Baldwin is doing it. So be it. Don't do it that way yourself.
Its quite clear, if you believe God wants his followers to rid the world of sinners by force
By force? Just how is what Baldwin's doing 'force'? When did anyone ever say anything about using force?
As a Christian, don't you think it is your duty to at least honestly represent what is being said and not let your emotions lead you to do otherwise? It's a bit hypocritical for you to criticize Baldwin's tactics when you can't even honestly represent what has been said.
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