hey christians đź‘‹ this post wasn't an invitation to defend your specific expression of christian faith or engage in special pleading, and the fact that it was received by some of you as such is exactly the problem I'm talking about
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That is kind of citation needed. He cited idolatrous reasons for using violence against money changers and merchants who were doing usual stuff. People who needed local currency were getting it, those who wanted to do offerings but not transport doves or whatnot on a long trek bought them there.
It's a fitting reference but in a very different way than you meant; your symbolism is not universal and can be threatening even when you don't realize it.
Not an excuse for them, just an explanation of why the Christian folks are doing the thing:
In most evangelical churches you are taught from childhood to expect to be persecuted for your faith and failing to meet the perceived persecution with anything but aggressive evangelizing is hellish.
if our good works are being done in order to be considered good or to defend our own innocence rather than for the sake of doing good, then yes
I would love to see christians be known for supporting policies that welcome the stranger and care for the needy w/no thought of whether it is deserved
There is no Christian Left or Christian Right. It is not a political party. There is no room in the church for politics. The Bible is not part of American politics no matter what either party says. There is only Christ for the church to follow and anything else is unacceptable division.
I don't vote. Separation of church and state is for the benefit of believers. A long history of politically minded authoritarians using religious propaganda to make their position "holy" has ended the lives of many Christians. It's not us you are fighting.
the problem with "not all christians" is that many use it to absolve themselves of the harm done by those acting under the guise of christianity. The same way people will say "not all men" to absolve the harm done by men rather than recognise that harm is done by men and that men need act to halt it
Yeah, I expressed a similar sentiment just after the election and immediately had a friend invite me to come and visit their church, because theirs "wasn't like that". Nope.
There are genuinely inclusive, diverse, welcoming churches but they are a tiny minority and the hate filled ones have won the war. Not sure where they go from there but it is reality. Most church goers voted Trump.
Preacher's kid here. Fortunately my dad saw the light himself and has pretty much removed himself from the church in his retirement. But until the recent Methodist schism, he still couldn't publicly support my relationship.
They all use the same symbols and the same language. They all claim the same god and the same savior. Why should I give a damn if some of them are uncomfortable being lumped together when the only way to tell them apart is after they've done irreversible damage?
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In most evangelical churches you are taught from childhood to expect to be persecuted for your faith and failing to meet the perceived persecution with anything but aggressive evangelizing is hellish.
I would love to see christians be known for supporting policies that welcome the stranger and care for the needy w/no thought of whether it is deserved
That said, I absolutely think it’s necessary for the huge numbers in the Christian Left to organize
One problem is that they respect separation of church & state and so they dither on how to mobilize
The Constitution
It’s absolutely vital that we uphold that.
Did you vote for DJT? Yes?
Which years?
2016?
2020?
2024?
I’d be relieved to know you didn’t.
I don’t think you understand what I said & where I’m coming from
You know nothing about me and you can’t understand a word I’ve written
I’m an Episcopalian and a progressive left wing democrat with a pronounced practical streak
I’m not “fighting Christians” as you
mistakenly put it
And proper Christians, NON-evangelicals, are fighting against this dangerous development of fascism
Non-evangelicals would be aghast at being lumped in with that deplorable lot of sinners