Posted on 06/27/2003 11:31:19 AM PDT by Antoninus
Friends,
In light of recent national and international events, it should be clear to most of you that the Christian underpinnings of western civilization are being knocked out from under our feet. Recent acts of judicial fiat in both Canada and in our own country have made it abundantly clear that the "post-Christian" world envisioned by anti-Christian radicals for centuries now may be close at hand.
Rather than continuing to scratch and claw our own eyes out over our differences (which will not, by the way, be resolved on this forum) I suggest that we call a temporary truce. Nearly all of us have the same cultural values including an abhorrence for abortion, a desire to raise our children free from intrusive and pervasive immorality, a revulsion at the "gay" deathstyle, and a desire to express our religious convictions publicly without threat of punishment.
If we continue on our current trajectory, is there any doubt that Christians will be reduced to the status of second class citizens? There are already whiffs of persecution emanating from Canada and some European countries. Are you truly prepared to face this threat if it arrives here? Of course, there is something to be said for being imprisoned and stripped of your family and possessions for expressing your Christian beliefs. But how many of us in our soft communities are ready to face the same trials that routinely confronted our early saints?
I maintain that there is much we can do to turn the tide. First and foremost, taking a cue from the citizens of Nineveh, we should put on sack-cloth and ashes (at least figuratively, if not literally) and seek personal repentence. Second, we must get active. If you're already active, prepare to become moreso.
The activity I'm proposing is not simply political, though that is a part of it. It needs to be evangelical--I accuse myself and my Church in general of going mainly soft on this issue. Indeed, many of the most celebrated evangelical Catholics are converts (!) And for you Evangelical Protestants, I challenge you to turn your fervor away from trying to convert pious and believing Catholics and train your theological cannons on the great and growing mass of secularized, sexualized youth. In short, I believe that a new, powerful burst of evangelization is the only thing that can save Western civilization from the otherwise unavoidable implosion of anarchy.
At any rate, if you think I'm being ridiculous or overstating the problem, just imagine we were back in 1990 and I told you that within 15 years, the Supreme Court would declare sodomy to be a constitutional right and that Canada would consider two homosexual men the moral equivalent of marriage.
If we unite, we can win. If we stay divided, we cede the victory to the forces of darkness. Your choice.
John answered him, saying: Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, who followeth not us: and we forbade him. But Jesus said: Do not forbid him. For there is no man that doth a miracle in my name and can soon speak ill of me. For he that is not against you is for you. (Mark 9:38)
"I know of what I speak. Thanks."
Although I Freepmailed you arguing this point, I have since read the subsequent posts, and am beginning to see your point. Too much of the "dialog" here consists of little more than badinage, which smothers attempts (such as this thread) to engender a little more unity, and work toward a common purpose.
It also derails almost any attempt to seriously discuss (or even dispute about) important issues.
To return to the original purpose of the thread: What about attempting to find SOME points, or issues, over which we CAN actually agree? On points upon which we CANNOT agree, can we agree NOT to insist on pushing those issues, when we are in the area or FR location wherein we DO agree?
DG
It's all about where your values are and who you are trying to please. We all know who we should please, and that's what's most important of all. Even in our disagreements we can, through our love for each other, show the world how great a God we serve. This is our show and tell.
God bless and peace.
Let me speak for my church congregation. We preach Jesus Christ alone crucified to both as we are commanded to reach both. But we probably are able to speak to more of the latter than the former. But what does it matter? Either way, above all, we take our marching orders from the Holy Spirit and God's holy Word.
Rom. 14:14
Would it surprise you to know that many of us saw it coming--sooner if not later. But no matter, God is still on the thrown, God is still in control, and every tongue will confess and every knee will bow to the King of Kings. America thinks its big stuff, but I've got news for America. She ain't nothing to almighty God. God is no respecter of persons.
Pro 14:26 In the fear of Jehovah is strong trust, and His sons shall have a hiding place.27 The fear of Jehovah is a fountain of life, to turn away from snares of death.
Psalm 96
Jam. 1:3, Phi 1:21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
Luk 5:32 I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
And that is me. Just a wicked, dirty, good for nothing, stupid, foolish sinner saved by God's all redeeming, all powerful, so wonderful grace. It's grace, it's grace, it's grace!!!
Well, let us have common purpose then. Let us all bow before Christ as Lord of our life and let us remain faithful to God's Word and God's Word alone as the foremost authority in our lives. Then we can have our common purpose and our "common good."
thou brave soul
risking lightning for utterething thou censored words
Meteorologists everywhere bow on bended knee
..........good thing resty got suspended
that wasnt necessary, nor was it charitable or graceful. You tout yourself as an authority figure on all things Catholic and then behave as if no one is watching
Mack & Becky have the same right you have to be here and contribute to the forum
It was both necessary and true. Mack spends most of his time on Catholic threads in pure attack mode, yet I have not seen him engage the culture wars with anything resembling the virulence with which he attacks Catholics and Catholicism. He is the one FReeper I have had in mind (along with certain members of the virulent Calvinist Caucus) when I've made my posts on this thread about cowardly attackers hiding out in the Religion Forum Ghetto and attacking fellow Christians while ignoring our real enemies in the Culture of Death.
Yes, Mack has every right to be here.
I have the right to be here too, and I reserve the right to point out his hypocrisy and cowardice and malice.
Like I said - you tout yourself as an authority of sorts - In doing so, it at least obligates a certain degree of congeniality and humility.
Set the example - youre an agent of Christs true church ....
James 3:9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be.
Pot. Kettle.
Polycarp: The Great Commission is not being fulfilled in the Religion Forum Ghetto. Its a bunch of committed Christians wasting precious time and energy rehashing the same old arguments ad nauseum, while the culture of death rolls over our land. Leave this ghetto, shut it down, and then BEGIN pursuing the Great Commission in places where your efforts may bear fruit, not do the work of the evil one, as so much debate on this Religion Forum now does.
To: AveMaria; .45MAN; AKA Elena; al_c; american colleen; Angelus Errare; Antoninus; aposiopetic; ...
I agree with you, and spent several weeks posting on the homosexual juggernaut here.
Results?
75% of FReepers who posted were indifferent towards or openly hostile to the traditional social conservative position against granting special rights to gays. The moderators and owners have let pro-homo SOBs run roughshod over the social conservatives trying to raise the same points you're raising here.
Some folks still function under the assumption that Free Republic is a "Conservative News Forum."
It is not.
The majority of posters here embrace Apatheism, not Conservatism.
You might as well not waste your breath on these folks here. Its been said, its been rejected by the average Apatheistic FReeper.
It seems there is no true conservative movement left in American politics. There sure as hell aren't many true conserevatives left here.
42 posted on 06/13/2003 1:02 AM CDT by Polycarp (Free Republic: Where Apatheism meets "Conservatism.")
Polycarp above = crybaby AND hypocrite!
BigMack
Polycarp, the Joe McCarthy of FreeRepublic.
BigMack
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