OpheliaGinger Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 *whispers* The only way one can be a true ex-Christians is to have been a true Christian, and we all know the only true Christians are the Church of Christers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dagnarus Posted August 23, 2009 Share Posted August 23, 2009 I thought losing faith is a sure sign that you were never saved at all. Which suggests that there are no true ex-christianTM at all. Now the only question is whether or not there are any actual true christianTM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chefranden Posted August 23, 2009 Share Posted August 23, 2009 I thought losing faith is a sure sign that you were never saved at all. Which suggests that there are no true ex-christianTM at all. Now the only question is whether or not there are any actual true christianTM. Ex-Baptist hey? If you where CoC you would know that you can be unsaved. You would know that this is a false doctrine and that Calvin was an agent of Satan. This is just another reason why an ex-CoC is a TrueApostate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robbobrob Posted August 23, 2009 Share Posted August 23, 2009 The church is supposed to start their door to door evangelizing this Sunday and my dad is going with them on it. Is it just me or is it really creepy that they pray around the house they're about to go evangelize? I just imagine xtians wearing cult robes while chanting a spell or something. This creeps me out to no end....makes me want to find Pagan protection against demon spells to cast on my house, just in case of infestation. Someone earlier mentioned the preacher talking about the Jews not undertstanding their own scriptures. I had an arguement with a facebook friend about that, she is convinced the Jews are stupid for not being Christians (her type of Christian). She recently posted that the Pixar movie Cars is blasphemous....because Mater says, "Oh Lord" when he is trying to fix his junkyard sign. She wants to find a way to "clean" the movie so her kids can watch it. Even though her kids have watched it dozens of times already. The mind set really is scary to me. Is not the real world scary enough without adding all these fake scare tactics and fictional boogeymen? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dagnarus Posted August 23, 2009 Share Posted August 23, 2009 I thought losing faith is a sure sign that you were never saved at all. Which suggests that there are no true ex-christianTM at all. Now the only question is whether or not there are any actual true christianTM. Ex-Baptist hey? If you where CoC you would know that you can be unsaved. You would know that this is a false doctrine and that Calvin was an agent of Satan. This is just another reason why an ex-CoC is a TrueApostate. Ex Local Church actually. Actually if I'm going by their theology once I've been saved even if I become atheistic that doesn't mean that I'm unsaved it just means that I've been poisoned by Satan and hence cut off from the enjoyment of the God milk. Oh and just so you know that you would leave your lesser CoC doctrines is understandable, But obviously Satan would have to do a real number on me to make me leave the high peak of the divine revelation and call it bullshit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neon Genesis Posted August 23, 2009 Author Share Posted August 23, 2009 She recently posted that the Pixar movie Cars is blasphemous....because Mater says, "Oh Lord" when he is trying to fix his junkyard sign. She wants to find a way to "clean" the movie so her kids can watch it. Even though her kids have watched it dozens of times already. Press the mute button during the scene? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chefranden Posted August 23, 2009 Share Posted August 23, 2009 I thought losing faith is a sure sign that you were never saved at all. Which suggests that there are no true ex-christianTM at all. Now the only question is whether or not there are any actual true christianTM. Ex-Baptist hey? If you where CoC you would know that you can be unsaved. You would know that this is a false doctrine and that Calvin was an agent of Satan. This is just another reason why an ex-CoC is a TrueApostate. Ex Local Church actually. Actually if I'm going by their theology once I've been saved even if I become atheistic that doesn't mean that I'm unsaved it just means that I've been poisoned by Satan and hence cut off from the enjoyment of the God milk. Oh and just so you know that you would leave your lesser CoC doctrines is understandable, But obviously Satan would have to do a real number on me to make me leave the high peak of the divine revelation and call it bullshit. That Local Church led you astray as any Church of Christer would tell you: Hebrews 6: 4It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, 6if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, becauseto their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OpheliaGinger Posted August 23, 2009 Share Posted August 23, 2009 She recently posted that the Pixar movie Cars is blasphemous....because Mater says, "Oh Lord" when he is trying to fix his junkyard sign. She wants to find a way to "clean" the movie so her kids can watch it. Even though her kids have watched it dozens of times already. Let me guess, she would have thought vassels were sinning anytime they referred to their nobility as "Lords". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midnight-mindwanderings Posted August 24, 2009 Share Posted August 24, 2009 *whispers* The only way one can be a true ex-Christians is to have been a true Christian, and we all know the only true Christians are the Church of Christers. Hahaha I am also an ex-COC-er so do I get a True ex-Christian card too? But at least, being female, I was not expected to evangelize or go door to door. It was almost forbidden, but married women could go with their husbands. I was soooo glad I never would have to preach because I knew I just couldn't do it. My church was really small though - like 60 people max, and we didn't evangelize door to door often. The preacher was one of those super fire and brimstone damnation types. I am glad for having gone there for a few reasons: the sermons were funny after I stopped believing, we read the whole bible and studied each horrible section in depth with literal interpretation (made it easy to stop loving 'god'), they showed how other denominations were worshiping incorrectly (so I never felt the need to find the 'right' one). As messed up as it made my early childhood, it made leaving very easy. Thats why COC numbers are decreasing. They make the religion's morality problems so obvious and are so unlikable its easy to leave. At least mormons are nice... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dagnarus Posted August 24, 2009 Share Posted August 24, 2009 I thought losing faith is a sure sign that you were never saved at all. Which suggests that there are no true ex-christianTM at all. Now the only question is whether or not there are any actual true christianTM. Ex-Baptist hey? If you where CoC you would know that you can be unsaved. You would know that this is a false doctrine and that Calvin was an agent of Satan. This is just another reason why an ex-CoC is a TrueApostate. Ex Local Church actually. Actually if I'm going by their theology once I've been saved even if I become atheistic that doesn't mean that I'm unsaved it just means that I've been poisoned by Satan and hence cut off from the enjoyment of the God milk. Oh and just so you know that you would leave your lesser CoC doctrines is understandable, But obviously Satan would have to do a real number on me to make me leave the high peak of the divine revelation and call it bullshit. That Local Church led you astray as any Church of Christer would tell you: Hebrews 6: 4It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, 6if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, becauseto their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace. Ah, but those Church of Christer's err in not knowing the scriptures for as any Local Churcher would tell you: John 10:28and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. 29"My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chefranden Posted August 24, 2009 Share Posted August 24, 2009 I thought losing faith is a sure sign that you were never saved at all. Which suggests that there are no true ex-christianTM at all. Now the only question is whether or not there are any actual true christianTM. Ex-Baptist hey? If you where CoC you would know that you can be unsaved. You would know that this is a false doctrine and that Calvin was an agent of Satan. This is just another reason why an ex-CoC is a TrueApostate. Ex Local Church actually. Actually if I'm going by their theology once I've been saved even if I become atheistic that doesn't mean that I'm unsaved it just means that I've been poisoned by Satan and hence cut off from the enjoyment of the God milk. Oh and just so you know that you would leave your lesser CoC doctrines is understandable, But obviously Satan would have to do a real number on me to make me leave the high peak of the divine revelation and call it bullshit. That Local Church led you astray as any Church of Christer would tell you: Hebrews 6: 4It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, 6if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, becauseto their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace. Ah, but those Church of Christer's err in not knowing the scriptures for as any Local Churcher would tell you: John 10:28and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. 29"My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. Ah, but that church fails to interpret Jesus by Paul at least in this matter. Hebrews10: 26If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, 27but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. 28Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? 30For we know him who said, "It is mine to avenge; I will repay,"[d] and again, "The Lord will judge his people."[e] 31It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Galatians 5: 4Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. 2Peter:20For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. 21For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. 22But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dagnarus Posted August 25, 2009 Share Posted August 25, 2009 I thought losing faith is a sure sign that you were never saved at all. Which suggests that there are no true ex-christianTM at all. Now the only question is whether or not there are any actual true christianTM. Ex-Baptist hey? If you where CoC you would know that you can be unsaved. You would know that this is a false doctrine and that Calvin was an agent of Satan. This is just another reason why an ex-CoC is a TrueApostate. Ex Local Church actually. Actually if I'm going by their theology once I've been saved even if I become atheistic that doesn't mean that I'm unsaved it just means that I've been poisoned by Satan and hence cut off from the enjoyment of the God milk. Oh and just so you know that you would leave your lesser CoC doctrines is understandable, But obviously Satan would have to do a real number on me to make me leave the high peak of the divine revelation and call it bullshit. That Local Church led you astray as any Church of Christer would tell you: Hebrews 6: 4It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, 6if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, becauseto their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace. Ah, but those Church of Christer's err in not knowing the scriptures for as any Local Churcher would tell you: John 10:28and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. 29"My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. Ah, but that church fails to interpret Jesus by Paul at least in this matter. Hebrews10: 26If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, 27but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. 28Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? 30For we know him who said, "It is mine to avenge; I will repay,"[d] and again, "The Lord will judge his people."[e] 31It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Galatians 5: 4Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. 2Peter:20For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. 21For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. 22But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire. Ah, but the CoC fails to interpret the word by the Spirit, 2 Cor 3:6 "for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life." Note: the fact that the CoC is not interpreting by the Spirit is obvious because they do not come to same interpretation as the LC who of course were. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chefranden Posted August 25, 2009 Share Posted August 25, 2009 I thought losing faith is a sure sign that you were never saved at all. Which suggests that there are no true ex-christianTM at all. Now the only question is whether or not there are any actual true christianTM. Ex-Baptist hey? If you where CoC you would know that you can be unsaved. You would know that this is a false doctrine and that Calvin was an agent of Satan. This is just another reason why an ex-CoC is a TrueApostate. Ex Local Church actually. Actually if I'm going by their theology once I've been saved even if I become atheistic that doesn't mean that I'm unsaved it just means that I've been poisoned by Satan and hence cut off from the enjoyment of the God milk. Oh and just so you know that you would leave your lesser CoC doctrines is understandable, But obviously Satan would have to do a real number on me to make me leave the high peak of the divine revelation and call it bullshit. That Local Church led you astray as any Church of Christer would tell you: Hebrews 6: 4It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, 6if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, becauseto their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace. Ah, but those Church of Christer's err in not knowing the scriptures for as any Local Churcher would tell you: John 10:28and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. 29"My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. Ah, but that church fails to interpret Jesus by Paul at least in this matter. Hebrews10: 26If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, 27but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. 28Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? 30For we know him who said, "It is mine to avenge; I will repay,"[d] and again, "The Lord will judge his people."[e] 31It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Galatians 5: 4Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. 2Peter:20For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. 21For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. 22But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire. Ah, but the CoC fails to interpret the word by the Spirit, 2 Cor 3:6 "for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life." Note: the fact that the CoC is not interpreting by the Spirit is obvious because they do not come to same interpretation as the LC who of course were. I would say the LC didn't test the spirits to see if they were from God: 1John 4:1...do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. False spirits are deadlier than the letter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dagnarus Posted August 25, 2009 Share Posted August 25, 2009 I thought losing faith is a sure sign that you were never saved at all. Which suggests that there are no true ex-christianTM at all. Now the only question is whether or not there are any actual true christianTM. Ex-Baptist hey? If you where CoC you would know that you can be unsaved. You would know that this is a false doctrine and that Calvin was an agent of Satan. This is just another reason why an ex-CoC is a TrueApostate. Ex Local Church actually. Actually if I'm going by their theology once I've been saved even if I become atheistic that doesn't mean that I'm unsaved it just means that I've been poisoned by Satan and hence cut off from the enjoyment of the God milk. Oh and just so you know that you would leave your lesser CoC doctrines is understandable, But obviously Satan would have to do a real number on me to make me leave the high peak of the divine revelation and call it bullshit. That Local Church led you astray as any Church of Christer would tell you: Hebrews 6: 4It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, 6if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, becauseto their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace. Ah, but those Church of Christer's err in not knowing the scriptures for as any Local Churcher would tell you: John 10:28and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. 29"My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. Ah, but that church fails to interpret Jesus by Paul at least in this matter. Hebrews10: 26If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, 27but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. 28Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? 30For we know him who said, "It is mine to avenge; I will repay,"[d] and again, "The Lord will judge his people."[e] 31It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Galatians 5: 4Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. 2Peter:20For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. 21For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. 22But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire. Ah, but the CoC fails to interpret the word by the Spirit, 2 Cor 3:6 "for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life." Note: the fact that the CoC is not interpreting by the Spirit is obvious because they do not come to same interpretation as the LC who of course were. I would say the LC didn't test the spirits to see if they were from God: 1John 4:1...do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. False spirits are deadlier than the letter. Ah but we know it wasn't an evil spirit, because evil spirits would never produce the healthy teachings by which the Church Christ's bride might be built up (as opposed to whores of Babylon like the CoC). For a house divide cannot stand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ouroboros Posted August 25, 2009 Share Posted August 25, 2009 Eh, guys, can you clean up the quotes when you're replying? The postskeeps on getting really big for just a few lines of replies. Just keep the things from the other posts that you really are addressing, that way it gets a bit cleaner and easier to read. Plus it helps to follow the line of thought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neon Genesis Posted August 25, 2009 Author Share Posted August 25, 2009 That Local Church led you astray as any Church of Christer would tell you There's also the verses where Paul commands Christians to excommunicate those Christians who are engaging in immoral behavior in 1 Corinthians and wasn't the book of Revelation written to churches who were losing their salvation because of false doctrines? I've never understood this once saved always saved doctrine. Isn't it just a roundabout way of saying you can be unsaved? Isn't saying you're always saved but you were never saved if you leave the same thing as saying you've become unsaved just in a roundabout way? I wish that guest speaker would go away already since last Sunday, he claimed that all non-Christians were crazy and you had to be insane to not be a Christian. Because believing in talking snakes is obviously the sign of sanity here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dagnarus Posted August 25, 2009 Share Posted August 25, 2009 That Local Church led you astray as any Church of Christer would tell you There's also the verses where Paul commands Christians to excommunicate those Christians who are engaging in immoral behavior in 1 Corinthians and wasn't the book of Revelation written to churches who were losing their salvation because of false doctrines? Ah but in 1 Cor 5:5 Paul says of the adulterer "I have decided to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus" (Coincidentally not the only time Paul has decided to deliver someone to Satan, see 1 Timothy 1:20). So here we see that even though he was excommunicated he was still saved. I've never understood this once saved always saved doctrine. Isn't it just a roundabout way of saying you can be unsaved? Isn't saying you're always saved but you were never saved if you leave the same thing as saying you've become unsaved just in a roundabout way? I wish that guest speaker would go away already since last Sunday, he claimed that all non-Christians were crazy and you had to be insane to not be a Christian. Because believing in talking snakes is obviously the sign of sanity here. Of course. Personally I look at this kind of thinking as being pretty much equivalent to stating that when you leave you simply recognized the fact that you were never saved to begin with, that any and all spiritual experience you think you had were a lie, that any feeling you may have had that God loves you was a delusion, Which nicely ties into reality quite well actually. On the other hand it does leave the door wide open for you to point out to anyone who holds such a view that you had all those same experiences and guess what I'm still predestined for an eternal fiery pit, how do you know that the same isn't true for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chefranden Posted August 25, 2009 Share Posted August 25, 2009 Eh, guys, can you clean up the quotes when you're replying? The postskeeps on getting really big for just a few lines of replies. Just keep the things from the other posts that you really are addressing, that way it gets a bit cleaner and easier to read. Plus it helps to follow the line of thought. Spoil sport. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OpheliaGinger Posted August 25, 2009 Share Posted August 25, 2009 But it does get kinda humorous when it gets to be one word o r letter p e r line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neon Genesis Posted August 31, 2009 Author Share Posted August 31, 2009 Tonight at church they had a two hour sermon on hell. The guest speaker joked about how there are no atheists in hell but it's too late for them now and he made fun of Madalyn Murray O Hair being murdered. Carl Sagan is also burning in hell too it seems and they ranted about how all our problems are the fault of Madalyn Murray O Hair because she got rid of prayer in schools. He also said that we can't complain to God when bad things happen because it's our own fault for our sins when it does. And he argued that watching porn will lead to a downward spiral to promiscuity, pregnancy, and abortion. They also claimed God had created Satan instead of Satan always having existed and that Satan planned his temptation for us decades before we were born and Satan made everything happen to lead up to us sinning. Isn't that borderline Calvinism? At least I never heard this growing up in the COC. And doesn't this contradict this verse in James where it says not to say God tempted you because God tempts no one yet God created Satan? Huh? Why is it that O Hair and Sagan are the only famous atheists fundies know about? Why don't they rant about someone relevant to modern society like Dawkins or Hitchens? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Franko47 Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 Tonight at church they had a two hour sermon on hell. The guest speaker joked about how there are no atheists in hell but it's too late for them now and he made fun of Madalyn Murray O Hair being murdered. Carl Sagan is also burning in hell too it seems and they ranted about how all our problems are the fault of Madalyn Murray O Hair because she got rid of prayer in schools. He also said that we can't complain to God when bad things happen because it's our own fault for our sins when it does. And he argued that watching porn will lead to a downward spiral to promiscuity, pregnancy, and abortion. They also claimed God had created Satan instead of Satan always having existed and that Satan planned his temptation for us decades before we were born and Satan made everything happen to lead up to us sinning. Isn't that borderline Calvinism? At least I never heard this growing up in the COC. And doesn't this contradict this verse in James where it says not to say God tempted you because God tempts no one yet God created Satan? Huh? Why is it that O Hair and Sagan are the only famous atheists fundies know about? Why don't they rant about someone relevant to modern society like Dawkins or Hitchens? You know, it's almost hard to believe that grown educated adults could believe this stuff. I mean, there just comes a moment where I think I'd be tempted to stand up in my pew and just proclaim, "This is all total bullshit. None of this helps anyone's life; it's psychotic. You people are crazy..." and then walk out. And where do these travelling "minstrels" come from ? I always see ads about "guest speakers" at local churches; I guess they've got some special insight or powers or something; you'd think that by adult age one would have figured out how the world works...maybe a little. As far as Dawkins and Hitchens go, a lot of their books and lectures are likely over most of their heads; especially when you see the kind of reason employed by cow-brain fundies. Even the straight-forward logic of Sam Harris befuddles them; it's easier to just lapse into the intellectual coma and declare that they're all working for Satan. Where would they be without Satan ? I've sometimes remarked to the odd Christian that they are treating Lucifer as a "God" by simply endowing him with all these "powers" and making him a major "cosmic" player. I tease them a bit by accusing that of being a form of "worship" whether they like it or not. And really, how many "Gods" are we up to now ? The Father (rarely mentioned anymore), The Holy Ghost, Jesus, Satan, The Bible as the "Word", numerous angel beings, etc. Monotheism indeed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midnight-mindwanderings Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 @ Neon That guest preacher sounds like my dad's CoC preacher. Except he didn't talk about Satan as much, focused on the evils of humanity by themselves. And he thought that dancing led to all those things, not porn. I almost want to go back to that church just to see what crazy stuff they are saying, but I think I'll pass. I'll just check in on what yours is up to I actually had a guy at my church stand up at alter call, address the congregation and pretty much said he had enough with all the idiotic things they were saying and blamed them for his wife's spiral of depression and that their hatred and bigotry were ungodly. He then said he was not ever coming back, and though he was sorry for the friendships lost he just couldn't handle it anymore. It was the most amazing thing ever. I wanted to applaud. The men got all kinds of pissed off and started arguing with him at the pulpit and he pretty much told the preacher to go to hell. The congregation lost about 4 more families after that (thats a lot when your church has about 60 attendees). Now they meet in a high school because they lost their building and there's about 30 left. It just shows that when one person has the guts to speak out against something that is so obviously wrong, it helps more people do the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shyone Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 The Father (rarely mentioned anymore), The Holy Ghost, Jesus, Satan, The Bible as the "Word", numerous angel beings, etc. Monotheism indeed. I came to the same conclusion. I was considering other "gods" and what made the gods. The dictionary definition was written by Christians in an attempt to differentiate gods from other beings (and God in particular), but the basic nature of the gods of many cultures is not different from the many "beings" of the bible. Whatever; they can have their words and definitions; it's their made-up hierarchy. It matters not to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RabbleRabble Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 I really enjoy reading your summaries of the crazy sermons you hear every week. You almost make me want to go back to my old CoC to see how it would be after my deconversion. Almost. I'll stick to the occasional visit at the various family members congregations. They also claimed God had created Satan instead of Satan always having existed and that Satan planned his temptation for us decades before we were born and Satan made everything happen to lead up to us sinning. Isn't that borderline Calvinism? At least I never heard this growing up in the COC. And doesn't this contradict this verse in James where it says not to say God tempted you because God tempts no one yet God created Satan? I've heard this before. If I remember correctly the idea is that God created everything including Satan. Satan started out as one of the angels and then made a decision to go against God in some sort of power struggle. Or maybe he just didn't like taking orders. And then God threw him and his lesser angel followers down to whatever hell type place they reside in. One of the funny things about this story is that as you start learning more about what a complete dick God was (especially in the OT), Satan starts to look like a sort of tragic hero. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulQ Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 One of the funny things about this story is that as you start learning more about what a complete dick God was (especially in the OT), Satan starts to look like a sort of tragic hero. I could be wrong, but it's my understanding that this is the basis for Satanism. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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