In recent years, an astounding number of cases against leaders of faith and religion have been made to light. This has a devastating affect on the local community Christian and non Christian alike, making some turn from faith and others fear for their involvement with a trusted leader. Questions arise, making us question our teachings, making us feel shamed to have worshiped under the same roof as the accused. Making us feel dirty, used, lied to, betrayed. We often find ourselves judging the accused, lashing out at them, turning on our fellow man and satisfying our human nature by feeling hate towards them. And then lastly, we begin to question God. How could God let this happen? Why didn't God stop it? We begin to feel unforgiveness to the people that have been incriminated, and sometimes to the victims because they did not speak up to let us know. We blame God for putting us in this situation, and we turn from him.
I am not a seasoned Christian, I am what I like to call a "Christian Virgin", because at the age of 28 years old I have only now asked Jesus Christ to be my lord and saviour. I have only recently partaken in Believers Baptism, begun to read the bible, and begun to follow to lead a fulfilling life in Christ. Because I am new to it, I believe that what I am about to tell you is vital. I cannot quote you scripture yet, I cannot tell you all the typical bible sotries, but I can tell you that as an outsider brought in I am still in the process of analyzing things, and I see the issue. Hear me out, I promise I am going somewhere with this.
It is dangerous to be a pastor and a youth leader, a spiritual leader in general. People are cruel beings, we persecute that which we do not understand, and seeing someone so in tune with faith scares us. These people were called by God to lead us, to help us understand the path that is before us, but they are not to give us our Orders. Because of this, spiritual leaders are under a constant fire from Satan, they are tested far more than any one person. They have temptations line up to stand in front of them daily. And we as humans are weak, so being under fire year after year has definitely got to take the toll on us. Do I believe that this justifies such heinous and criminal acts? No, I do not. I am not excusing the right that they did it, I am just reminding you that we are all human. Our greatest gift, and our biggest flaw is the ability of Free Will. We are given a choice. We can follow a life of Sin and stand behind Satan after our earthly journey is done, or we can devote our life to God and be welcomed. The problem is Satan offers gifts now, a solution to our problems now. It is the promise of convenience that leads us astray, for God only delivers in mysterious and sometimes un-seen ways. But I will stand behind my observation, again we have a choice. Satan does not have the ability to force us to do things, we must give in to his demands and let him into our lives. God does not force us to follow him, we have to make that choice.
We have to start opening our eyes, and seeing the warning signs friends. The leaders that are convicted are preying off of us because we are not seeing them for what they are. God may call any one person to lead in his word, but we are only there to help others try to understand and interpret it, we are not there to tell you what it means. Those leaders who are using their wiles to prey off of the weak, in God's name are sinning the greatest sin of all. In their heads they probably believe that this is God's will, but in truth they are sinning in Pride. They are putting themselves before the presence of God, preying on the weak, and making themselves God-like in their own eyes. There are warning signs, and I believe I can help you look for them. I have three things you should think about when in doubt, and I will List them here.
1) Remember, we are not to judge any other person. That is not the task we are given when we are called to God. We are expected to help spread God's word, but we are also expected to respect others right to Free Will. Any leader, or preacher that picks out a particular group of belief and persecutes are not following the ways of God, they are feeding on human rage and spreading it like a disease to their congregation. Fight this, know your path, and you will see them for what they are.
2) Anyone who brings it upon themselves to murder in the name of God is not being led by God. You may have doubts and disbeliefs about others, but you are not to act on them so. No one is to take Godly matters into their own hands. Example, Abortion may be against God, but bombing the Doctors that perform them is murder even in his eyes. When you reach heaven, he is not going to welcome you in with open arms because you still shed blood that you were not supposed to. Remember Cain and Abel, that story teaches us the most important of morals.
3) Unforgiveness is a sin. On my journey to Christ, my leader told me something that changed my life. She said to me "Unforgiveness is like a poison you mean for someone else, but end up drinking yourself". When we see things happen, we are to forgive. You cannot come to God with hate in your heart, it is not your job. We are to love regardless of the sin, we are to accept regardless of the crime.
I ask you all, to stop blaming God for the mistakes of man. When the heartache comes, stop asking "Where is God?" He is here, and he is judging. If he had meant for us to follow specific guidelines he wouldn't have entrusted us to ability to find our own callings and paths in life. Sin would be abolished as it happened, and the sinner exiled into hell right away. He gives us the chance to repent, and come back to him. Remember that we are to love, regardless.
What do you think?
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Comments (26)
oh yay!
Thank you. It is important to hear these.
I had a bad feeling about this post. Something not quite right. Then this brought it home:
Abortion may be against God, but bombing the Doctors that perform them is murder even in his eyes.
The OP rightly objects to a single nut case killing an abortion doctor but overlooks genocide. Abortion is murder too. In fact the amount of abortions performed in the United States alone makes it a vehicle for mass murder.
Mass murderer Joseph Stalin once said, "A single death is a tragedy. A million deaths is a statistic."
Another problem:
If he had meant for us to follow specific guidelines he wouldn't have entrusted us to ability to find our own callings and paths in life.
This is modernism. Me, Me, Me, unbound.
Christianity is full of guidelines. It is by following these guidelines that we find our calling and path.
As a new Christian you show some very good signs of enthusiasm and passion.
I am always excited to see a new convert and witness how he/she grows in the faith.
I want to give you some encouragement and some advice as you continue on in this journy; point #1 is a dangerous point-- Just be careful about judging judgment; Paul did tell us to judge our brothers, to discern right from wrong, and to follow the Way of Christ only. Let the words of Christ guide you, and do not be afraid to stand behind "judgments" that are already made in the scripture.
My encouragement to you, as a new Christian, is to immerse yourself in prayer and reading the Scriptures. "15Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil." Eph 5:15-16.
Be wise not in your own understanding but in every word that comes from God. Make the most of every opportunity that you have to rest in God's word, pray in His Spirit, and seek protection under Gods hand from Satan, because, indeed, the days are growing more and more evil.
@LoBornlite@xanga - You are not seeing the big picture. I never said Abortion was right, and this post was not in any way a Pro-choice propaganda. Murder is murder no matter what, but from what I have read in the bible just because one spills the blood of many does not give his neighbor the right to spill his blood. Do not turn my new found passion, and my words that I wrote from my heart and from my prayers into a political debate please.
And while yes it may be guidelines, we are still given free will. I did not follow these guidelines, yet I still have felt the holy spirit in my life.
@IonaLoire@xanga - Murder is murder no matter what...
This is not true either. The murder of a million is a million times worse than the murder of one. Your value system has been corrupted by the modern philosophies that flood our society. I didn't figure that you advocated baby killing, but the way you blithely overlooked it to make a harangue against the totally rare anti-abortion bombing wacko was striking.
The mass murder that is abortion is common and yet receives little recrimination. Instead, the focus is on something that in fact is quite rare: the anti-abortion bombing wacko.
You are simply parroting propaganda that has little basis in truth. Doing that makes your entire post suspect.
@LoBornlite@xanga - I focused on nothing. Hence the word before it, Example.
And regardless I do not believe taking a life is ever justified.
But that is my belief. If you believe differently that is your right. I am not going to change my views because you decided to judge me immediately, and condescend because of my inexperience.I admit, you have offended me.
Great insights, especially from someone new to the faith! It's refreshing to see someone looking past the bad examples of Christianity to the truth of Jesus. Far too often it happens the other way around.
Don't mind the haters. Your point is very clear, and may prove valuable to those (many) who may be inclined to see the Fred Phelpses of the world as the archetype of "Christians." Those who are hateful and arrogant themselves will naturally disagree with this viewpoint, since it discredits them, but I think it's very healthy.
@IonaLoire@xanga - I am not going to change my views because you decided to judge me immediately, and condescend because of my inexperience.
I didn't decide to judge you. Words mean things. You placed a greater emphasis on something that rarely happens and brushed over mass murder. Your words speak for themselves. No judgement needed.
This is not a question of inexperience. Christians are always being associated with abortion doctor murdering wackos while the mass murder that is abortion is accepted as normal. You simply parrot what the greater society says about Christians.
And I called you on it. It's as simple as that.
@LoBornlite@xanga - for a christian, your replies are rather condescending and offensive.
@IonaLoire@xanga - i applaud you in expressing your thoughts here today. murder is murder indeed. we should never seek revenge. at the end of the day, it is all up to God. If we are in Him, he will have the final decision. Romans 12:19
i agree with deepestrecess in saying that point 1 is dangerous. we should not judge according to our own standards of what right and wrong is but what God's standard is. Matthew 7:1 says dont judge unless you wanna be judge. Matthew 7:2 says if you judge according to your standards, then you will be judged by those standards as well. so as a christian what is our standards? God's standard. and where can we find the standard? in His word.
in James 2:10 its says For the person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as a person who has broken all of God’s laws. - This shows that all have sin and need Christ's forgiveness.
so when we talk to people, we should not discriminate. I see all unbelievers the same way. someone that is in DIRE need of Christ. I have the same burden for a muslim, for a homosexual, for a satanist, for a agnostic. no need to point out a specific thing IE You're going to hell cuz you're gay (which is the worst way to explain things, i hate when people use this to share the gospel).. it should be this ( it's not because you're gay, but because everyone's essential being is sinful, you dont even have to point out that they're homosexual, you just show how they have broken God's commandments..it's that basic). again i say James 2:10.
As for #1, I thought this Dr. Wayne Dyer quote was pertinent:
"When you judge another, you do not define them, you define yourself."
-shrug-
Don't worry about @LoBornlite@xanga, she offends a lot of people on here. Even me on occasion.
As I said when you posted this on your site, it's good to see you learning and growing. Keep it up and don't let anyone discourage you. It's an amazing journey, be sure to bring others along for the ride.
@diew_itz_dubbz@xanga - for a christian, your replies are rather condescending and offensive.
No offense intented. What is truly offensive is when people focus on a rarity (the wacko Christian abortion clinic bomber) and gloss over the true crime: the mass murder of abortion.
That no one else has brought this up is a testament to the shameful condition of modern Christianity. Abortion is taken for granted. Like mass murderer Joseph Stalin said, "One death is a tragedy. A million deaths is a statistic." People just get used to the propaganda and accept abortion like it was nothing.
How's a new Christain going to learn right from wrong if Christians can't even point out that glossing over mass murder is not good.
@LoBornlite@xanga - No one has said Abortion is okay. No one has glossed it over. I merely used it as an example to express the commandment "Thou Shalt Not Kill" and show that no murder even vengeful murder is okay. You just keep focusing on it, talking about mass murder, but then quoting one mass murderist (
.) I understand, as do we all, that Abortion is wrong. It's murder, it will always be murder. But all murder is wrong. Do not judge lest ye be judged, Murderer's will be seen in the eyes of the Lord upon judgement day. This is how I can live with it, because I know that I cannot come to god full of anger and hate, or I will be rejected.
I used it as an example, but if it bothers you that badly that you are willing to turn this into a abortion debate, I can change it.
@methodElevated@xanga - Insightful. Thank you
@IonaLoire@xanga - Here it is again, your own words:
Example, Abortion may be against God, but bombing the Doctors that perform them is murder even in his eyes.
If all you wanted to do was make a statement about murder why did you bring up the wacko abortion doctor murderer? This is code for "Christian" wacko abortion doctor murderer. You are using anti Christian code words in your message.
When was the last time an abortion clinic doctor was murdered by a Christian wacko, anyway?
@LoBornlite@xanga - I'm done argueing with you, as it seems you are doing nothing but trolling expertly.
Again, thou shalt not kill. Murder is murder. Done.
@IonaLoire@xanga - I commented to you and answered your questions in all sincerity.
Your words: Do not judge lest ye be judged... I'm done argueing with you, as it seems you are doing nothing but trolling expertly.
You're just another flaming hypocrite using the words of the Bible to justify your grossness.
@LoBornlite@xanga - Maybe I am, I am still learning. However, I am not condescending. You are. Maybe you need to learn all over again.
@IonaLoire@xanga - However, I am not condescending. You are.
There again with the judgments! I have not condescended in the least. I stated my opinion and answered your questions.
You are learning how to lay on guilt trips and call people "expert" trolls. Which one of the Christian jewels you've been talking to teach you that one?
That's good insightful teaching, no matter the age. Pursue God with passionate love, and your neighbor as you already love yourself; upon these two commands, Jesus teaches us, hang all the law, and the prophets.
Blessings and grace to you, little sister,
Lonnie
@LoBornlite@xanga - I do not remember asking you a question. But, nonetheless I did and I am sorry. Its all a matter of opinion, yours and mine. I was just stating what I felt from what I have already learned. Sadly I chose a poor example that upset you. For that I am sorry, however, the arguements you have put forth make you sound severely judgemental, as if you know more than me and feel like perhaps I lack intelligence. This is what I got from your attitude, how I felt from your comments. I do not accuse you of it, but make the suggestion that maybe next time you are not so harsh. This way it's not like a personal attack.
I respect your right to your opinions, however I do want to point out that I am not glossing over abortion, or making excuses for it. This was not my intention, ever. Your comments have given me some strange signals, as if you approve murder if it is for the greater good, which the Bible strictly forbids. So, hence my confusion.
I was not judging you, I was confused.
wow
@IonaLoire@xanga - As a bit of friendly advice, don't concern yourself with LoBornlite's verbal abuse-- her abusive online behavior is notorious, and in recent comments to me she's gone so far as to confess without remorse that she uses the name of Jesus to mock people. In fact, she's exactly the kind of person you write about in this post-- the hateful, abusive person who shouldn't be taken as an example of Christianity, but should be forgiven and prayed for. Here's your chance to apply what you've learned!
(signed in under the wrong username the first time...)
@Pass_the_Aura@xanga - Thank you.