Repudiate, affirm, ignore...
Once upon a time there were seven people (or you pick the number).One belonged to a certain Christian denomination and spoke freely of it when asked...declaring his own beliefs and witness for Christ.
Two (or whatever grouping) of the others had belonged to this same organization and years ago had left it, disaffected and hurt by individuals therein that did not treat them well.
Four others (or whatever grouping) belonged to other denominations who did not believe the first one was Christian and who went to great lengths to declare that it was not and tell anyone who would listen how they felt this first denomination believed and felt, and that it was a cult.
The first person, who had been in the denomination for over 40 years and had raised his family therein...and who had themself converted from one of the other denominations those many years before, thanked all of the others for their own Christian beliefs and blessed them for it, but refuted the quotes and talk from the others about how they viewed the beliefs of the first denomination based on his own personal experiences therein, and his own personal faith as a result.
The other six would not believe, and could not allow such confessions of faith to stand and constantly badgered and spoke against the first individual who continued to bless them, but also continued to affirm his own witness of Christ and that of his faith.
The others relentlessly tried to tell him that he did not, that he could not believe those things...and yet he did, and continued to let them know it.
Oh, they would quote from, cut and paste and refer to numerous articles published quoting individuals and even leaders in the first denomination to which the first individual belonged. That individual on numerous occassions replied that the documents they were quoting (like the Journal of Discourses) were not official church doctrine or scripture and did not represent in many cases the offical position of the 1st denomination. This individual refered to the offical denomination site and publications to find the true beliefs of that denomination, which center on Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.
These others went through great mechanisms and oratory to try and explain how the Jesus, born of Mary, raised in Nazareth, taught His Gospel in Judea, was crcified on the cross for the sins of the world and who was resurrected on the third day after His death and would return to earth one day professed by the first individual was absolutely not the same Jesus Christ, born of Mary, raised in Nazareth, taught His Gospel in Judea, was crucified on the cross for the sins of the world and who was resurrected on the third day after His death and would return to earth one day of their own beliefs.
Over and over the discussions went, around and around, month after month.
Whenever the 1st individual would quote experiences of others or witness of his own Christian faith, these others would regurgitate the very same things that had already been discussed, as if though they never had been, and demand him to repudiate, affirm or ignore what they were once again presenting.
The 1st individual on numerous occassions stated his beliefs and assertions again, referred them again to official sites...but was accused of being evasive, of lieing, was damned to hell, and told that he was deceiving others as thanks for his responses.
The next time...and time...and time again, they asked for the same answers to the same assertions. Ultimately the first individual asked them to simply refer to past posts and threads on the matter.
Immediately the cry would go up that now the 1st individual was unwilling to repudiate or affirm and was now ignoring their claims...but the 1st individual simply continued to bear his own witness and once again ask them to...
Look at the other threads where this has been discussed and rehashed ad-nausim for their replies.
Hmmm...sound familiar, Elsie?
Please take your answers from the story, and again, God bless you for your own sincere belief and faith in and reliance upon Jesus Christ who is mighty to save, and your efforts to sincerely witness His love, compassion, and sacrifice for all who profess His name and confess Him and their acceptance of and reliance on Him for their salvation.
The Holy Bible teaches us that none can confess and witness this save those who are moved upon by the Holy Ghost...again, I so witness and confess my own acceptance of, faith in and reliance on Jesus Christ born in Bethelhem of the Virgin Mary, raised in Nazareth, curcified on the cross for the sins and suffering of the world, and arose the 3rd day, who will return in great glory one day to this earth. I look forward to that great day. He is my personal Savior, and I witness and confess Him to you, Elsie, and anyone else reading this thread.
For the littoral barrage of replies that are apt to follow this post, please simply refer back to this very post, or to my own personal testimony linked above, by way of response.