Posted on 03/15/2011 3:58:16 PM PDT by MNDude
Sorry, but I have to vent, and wonder if I'm looking at this wrong. I was in church this Sunday, and this guy went up to do the scripture reading and prayer. His prayer was "Please let the experience in Japan turn the people towards you Christ, so then their land will be healed". There was not an utter for taking care of offering comfort for those suffering this disaster.
Don't get me wrong, I'd love to see all people come to Christ, but I was thinking "Dude, do you have not an ounce of human empathy?" I mean suffering what these people are going through is beyond horrific. People are losing their babies, their moms, grandpas, everything. I'm not sure if you can really care for someone's immortal soul if their well-being in this earth is not an issue to you. To me, it just came across as really really cold.
In raw pages, for my Bible, I have some 1200 pages for the OT.
Some 400 pages for the New Testament. The Old Testament God is one that keeps his people secure if they are true to him, but visits his wrath and lack of protection on them if they turn away. The Old Testament God is contained in 3/4 of the Bible. The Jews get their asses kicked and lose Gods protection, and are overcome by the elements, drought and plague at least as much as God protects them it is cyclical and related to their fidelity which wanes and rises in as much cyclical fashion....Its the Bible Dude!
Right on! Me and you and maybe a few others get it!
No one else amongs all these replies!
God bless.
A Pastor friend’s church meets at 6:30 on Sunday nights and one mid week service. He says he likes sleeping in on Sundays too.
lol.
Some churches have morning and evening services
I’d ask your pastor directly what the heck he meant. If he meant Japan ‘ got what they deserved ‘ because they are not a Christian country. I’d not return to the church.
If he meant the quake happened by the hand of God to move the people of Japan closer to Christ? Again, I’d leave.
I hope your pastor was simply clumsy in his sermon. Otherwise that is just one wicked statement.
I have had similar experiences.
I love God and am enjoying sleeping past 8:00am on Sunday mornings.
Amen! I see hypocrites and attention-whores all week long, it's nice to get a day off from them.
That was very well put.
It would depend with me upon the tone, I don’t fine the prayer at all offensive.
I’d rather people pray for my salvation than anything else.
That doesn’t mean I don’t want anything else prayed for; but salvation is always the priority.
It’s the only thing you can take with you.
“Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness. And all these things shall be added unto you.” - Jesus.
It was a biblical prayer.
“God uses calamities to draw people to him.”
A very good friend of mine was saved when witnessing the 9.11 attacks.
It happens all the time. Most of us seem to need a very dramatic push to realize our need of a Savior.
“The japanese aren’t very religious people.”
Oh, I beg to differ. They are rigidly religious! The shrines and customs and prayer wheels and social codes are deeply ingrained!
....I perfectly understand the prayer given....
...it's not cruel to desire a people to turn their hearts to God....it's an absolute response to love for those people
...in the midst of crisis, this is exactly what happens many times.
The first Sunday after 9/11, the church I attended in Santa Monica (in the heart of Hollywoodland) was bursting at the seams with people who flocked there for comfort & answers.....many, I'm sure, unchurched....
Our deepest soul yearns for God.....and truly, there is only one God.
Our church has missionaries in Japan.....they've been there many years, not laboring in vain....but seeing little results due to new Christians in their congregations are excommunicated by their families.
THIS is what I believe the person was trying to communicate during his prayer.
He was praying for God to hear the prayers, have mercy and heal the land.
“Sounds to me like this individual is under the believe that citizens of Japan are not Christians...........He couldn’t be further from the truth.”
Christianity 2%
source: CIA world factbook https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ja.html
"Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish."- Jesus
“”There, let that be a lesson to ya. Gonna get baptized now?””
I think that is a really strange interpretation of his prayer!
“Amen! I see hypocrites and attention-whores all week long, it’s nice to get a day off from them. “
I think the problem with that sort of thinking is, you exclude yourself from the hypocrites.
There is no question that a bunch of messy people are in church. But you forget you are one of the messy people. Staying away doesn’t sanctify you.
I wouldn’t go to an abusive church or anything, but there are plenty in this nation where the people are just struggling sinners like every other Christian.
Learning to forbear and forgive and love sacrificially is one of the Christian’s highest callings, and it doesn’t happen if you are in your private sanctuary at home.
Jesus didn’t stay home. He dealt with depraved and horrid people all the time. Sure, he took breaks. But he didn’t stay home.
“Oh, I beg to differ. They are rigidly religious! The shrines and customs and prayer wheels and social codes are deeply ingrained”
Not to pick an arguement, but the japanese use religion during occasions(weddings, funerals, etc). Overall, they don’t believe in god or any other entity. They believe in service after death. They don’t proclaim “faith” the same as the west does. Nevertheless, prayers there way from me. Even if they do believe in a guy sitting under a tree or smoking opium. I can hold my end of the bargain, and pray about this tragedy.
I give the person who did the prayer credit for having the best intentions. The emphasis was a little ka-thumpish. I don't think most people are crass; really, I don't.
I haven't prayed enough for the people of Japan. Nor even sent in my tuppence yet, I'm ashamed to say.
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