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Why Christians Don't Understand Non-Christians
ArGee | 1/3/01 | ArGee

Posted on 01/03/2002 11:19:13 AM PST by ArGee

A very rich man decided that he wanted to show kindness to the people of the fair city where he lived. Since he was very rich indeed, he decided to throw a banquet for the entire city. He rented the largest sports arena in the city and began his plans. He planned for huge amounts of the best food possible, making allowances for every religious and medical diet. He advertised the banquet in every possible manner - television, radio, billboard, door-to-door canvassing. Considering that there might be some who could not travel, he arranged for free bus transportation to and from the event, and some special-needs vehicles for all who could not ride busses. He even scheduled the banquet to run for 24 hours a day for several days so that everyone could be sure of being served.

He planned long and hard and finally the big day came. The rich man ate quickly and then went about wishing all his guests well and personally making sure that all had every need met. After a while he went outside to tour the grounds and talk with those who had not yet gone in, and those who had already left. Everyone was happy. Many were profusely thankful. It was a glorious occasion.

At one point the rich man noticed a group of people sitting outside a locked door with most unpleasant looks on their faces. Sensing they were not happy, he went over to them. He did not introduce himself but simply asked them if he could be of service.

"We want to go in through this door," one of them replied.

The rich man explained to them that the hall was arranged to feed a large number of people as quickly and effortlessly as possible. This required order inside, and the entrances and exits had been carefully planned to be as efficient as possible. He then offered to go call one of the golf carts that were avaialbe to help people who could not walk far to take them to the entrance. But the man replied, "We do not want to go in the entrance. We want to go in this door. We don't understand why we can't go in any door we wish. We think the man who set this banquet up is mean and hateful for insisting we go in through the entrance. He has tried to bill himself as a very kind man by offering this banquet, but he is not kind at all if he will not indulge us and let us go through this door.

The rich man was distressed at these words, but still attempted to please these people. He tried once more to explain to them what was behind this particular door, and how if they went in this door they would disrupt the meal service being offered inside. He offered to drive them himself, not only to the door, but inside the hall to their tables if they would only go through the entrance to enjoy the meal. Again the man said, "No, but only a hateful man would keep us from going through the door of our choosing. And we will sit here and tell anyone who will listen to us what an awful man he is until he lets us in."

At that the rich man was enraged and he shouted, "Enough." Then he called a police officer to have them thrown off of the property and ordered that they not be allowed to return until the banquet was over and all the scraps had been hauled away. Then, mourning for their loss, he turned to visit with other guests.


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To: Jn316
Thanks, and I appreciate your letting me know what God wants from me.
Go méadaí Dia thú!
1,261 posted on 01/11/2002 4:35:27 AM PST by stuartcr
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To: Jn316
Meant to flag you this post. Your comments would be appreciated.

Thanks.

Philip Yancy wrote a book called Where is G-d When It Hurts. He was driven to write the book because a friend had just told him about an experience. The friend had prayed all night for G-d to reveal himself or the friend would become an atheist. G-d didn't reveal himself and the friend declared a profound lack of faith in G-d based on G-d not coming through. Obviously this shook Yancy up. Why would G-d not honor such a request?

The book is good and long, but there is one important point that I will share. Immediately after G-d parted the Red Sea for the Israelites, they cast a golden calf to worship. In other words, the big "fireworks" display of awesome power didn't create any faith in the people. What more marvelous proof of G-d's existence could they ask for? Yet, even with the memory of walking through the Red Sea dry shod, while Pharoah and his army were destroyed, they couldn't wait to go back to worshipping the way they were used to in Egypt. Profound miracles don't create faith.

If slapper were to ask me, I would say that maybe G-d is showing Himself, but slapper is looking in the wrong place. For me, G-d has never showed Himself to me more clearly than when I was reading His Word. I have had a some experiences where I would claim that G-d spoke to me, but all of the most profound have come while reading the Bible. It's as if G-d said to me in the first place, "Why are you looking anywhere else? There is a complete revelation in those 66 books and you've had them available to you all your life. Start there."

Of course, someone will say, "I don't believe the Bible is G-d's Word." I will answer, "You asked me how G-d revealed Himself to me. I gave you my answer. I won't be so arrogant as to claim that my way is the only way. But it is one way. Read your Bible and search for G-d there." When I was searching for G-d, I would listen to what anyone said about how to find Him. I dumped my pre-conditions and simply searched until I was successful. It's kind of like looking for a job. You don't just answer one ad and then go on welfare for the rest of your life if they don't hire you. You look until you find. Most of the people who tell me they have searched for G-d have really only tried one approach - the one you suggested about, "G-d, if you're there, knock over that tin can." Jesus told a parable of a man who found a treasure in a field. He told a parable of a man who found a wonderful pearl. The implication is pretty clear. This is a treasure. Do you approach finding G-d like filling out a lottery ticket and hoping you will win? Or do you approach finding G-d like trying to achieve all of your career goals? Are you searching for G-d or just playing games?

Those are my thoughts.

Shalom.

1,262 posted on 01/11/2002 5:20:42 AM PST by ArGee
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To: Jn316
Jn316,
Thanks for your testimony. I think even the most faithful have at one time or another wondered where God is in our life - afterall Christ Himself asked "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
I too have been to the point where I thought all my faith was vanity, but without hurricane force winds or volcanic eruptions, God has spoken quietly in terms that say "Be still and KNOW that I am God."

All of us know we are but flesh, and the flesh and spirit worlds war constantly - the flesh trying to understand the spirit. To seek God (who is of the spirit realm) in relative terms of our physical senses won't bring us to a knowledge of Him, neither will a superficially intended search reveal His character. Jesus said those who would worship the Father would do so in the spirit and they that do worship Him have the right to be known as "Sons of God". All I know and can testify to is that God requires us to love Him above all else, and love others as ourself - then He will do just as He has promised and manifest Himself to His children....
Brothers in Christ,
Az

1,263 posted on 01/11/2002 5:21:53 AM PST by azhenfud
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To: azhenfud
....'and the flesh and spirit worlds war constantly'....
I don't understand this, could you explain it in lay terms please?
1,264 posted on 01/11/2002 5:30:24 AM PST by stuartcr
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To: stuartcr
I'll try best explaining in my simple understanding - if I may.
We, as humans, are constantly trying to "fit" God into our framework of what we "think" He ought to be like. However, it is impossible to "know" Him without fellowship with Him and that begins with worship, not as in a "church" building - but many times that's a good start, but by worshipping Him from the spirit (some say from the heart) with a true desire to please Him. Each of us know within ourselves whether our personal desire to know God is genuine or not.
The best I can explain is that we, on a humanistic level, (I inclusive) are constantly trying to rationalize the unseen spiritual world using physical attributes while the unseen spiritual world attempts to give us clues of an unknown realm yet all the while continuing to allow us the latitude to "seek" God and yet remain as a free moral agent.
Whew! I hope I don't add to the confusion with my confusion...
Az
1,265 posted on 01/11/2002 7:27:26 AM PST by azhenfud
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To: ArGee
At this rate, this thread is going to challenge the "New Christian Chronicles" thread in no time. he he I guess this "modern day parable" has struck a nerve with a good number of FReepers.
1,266 posted on 01/11/2002 7:32:27 AM PST by FourtySeven
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To: katiebelle
Have you not seen a beautiful sunset or the birth of a child or a snowy field or felt the kindness of a friend. These are big strokes of love from God. Do you think this is all just an accident? You don't need someone to give you an invitation. God has already given you the invitation and followed up by the very next breath you take or the love of someone in your family. He could have just created us. He didn't have to give us color or taste or emotions. Again example of his love.

Sorry, but none of this rhetoric has anything to do with independently verifiable evidence of this alleged god of yours.

1,267 posted on 01/11/2002 7:47:24 AM PST by LuvItOrLeaveIt
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To: ArGee
If it's allowed, make sure you let me know what He says when you tell Him that.

The very fact that this is such a flawed and imperfect system is what reassures me that it is all created by man, just like Tolkien's world. In other words, there'll be no one to tell anything to. When we die, we are dead. That's it.

1,268 posted on 01/11/2002 8:24:29 AM PST by Anamensis
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To: Jn316
To restrict your choice would destroy the whole point of having a choice.

Would you be impressed by a man who says

"You don't HAVE to love me, my dear, it's entirely up to you! Of course, if you don't, I'll kill you..."

1,269 posted on 01/11/2002 8:26:38 AM PST by Anamensis
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To: FourtySeven
At this rate, this thread is going to challenge the "New Christian Chronicles" thread in no time.

That would blow my mind. But, fortunately for my poor mind, they are an order of magnitude longer than we. I doubt we will catch up.

Thanks for dropping by.

Shalom.

1,270 posted on 01/11/2002 9:47:49 AM PST by ArGee
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To: Anamensis
"Would you be impressed by a man who says "You don't HAVE to love me, my dear, it's entirely up to you! Of course, if you don't, I'll kill you..."

Well, I'm a guy so i'd probably be a bit shocked about the dear part. ;-)

What's the difference between some random man's plan and the plan of our Creator?

1,271 posted on 01/11/2002 9:56:50 AM PST by Jn316
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To: Jn316
My point is, if the message is "love me or be destroyed/tortured/punished," I don't call this free-will, I call this coercion.
1,272 posted on 01/11/2002 10:03:59 AM PST by Anamensis
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To: azhenfud
OK, Thanks.
1,273 posted on 01/11/2002 10:04:17 AM PST by stuartcr
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To: Jn316
What's the difference between some random man's plan and the plan of our Creator?

Raw naked power.
1,274 posted on 01/11/2002 10:07:48 AM PST by abandon
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To: Anamensis
If you don't come live with me in paradise, you are going to have to go over there and live without me, in misery.
1,275 posted on 01/11/2002 12:25:09 PM PST by Jn316
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To: Jn316
I thank you for your sincere and heartfelt reply. If you are anything like me, I know that it can be difficult to talk about such things openly.

Cheers, Slapper. :-)

1,276 posted on 01/11/2002 6:27:38 PM PST by Slapper
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To: ArGee
Hello ArGee,

I have read every post on this thread and I would like to thank you for the time and obviously heartfelt effort you have put into it.

While I am not yet ready to "Come to the Table" to borrow your oft-repeated phrase, I now know what my beliefs are at the current time (I was always confused before), and I know that I will be able to advance them in the future if the opportunity comes to pass. Thanks for your help (and to others who have made useful comments on this thread).

Cheers, Slapper. :-)

1,277 posted on 01/11/2002 6:34:58 PM PST by Slapper
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To: stuartcr
Go raibh maith agat!
1,278 posted on 01/11/2002 6:40:53 PM PST by Jn316
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To: Jn316
You're more than welcome.
1,279 posted on 01/12/2002 6:03:19 AM PST by stuartcr
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To: Jn316
If you don't come live with me in paradise, you are going to have to go over there and live without me, in misery.

No matter how you slice it, it's coercion.

1,280 posted on 01/12/2002 7:02:14 AM PST by Anamensis
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