A CHRISTIAN THREAD

[tom_no.1]

Welcome to a place where Christ should be exalted and "Self" should be abased!!

Welcome to a place where the BIBLE can be discussed rationally, intelligently, and positively without unnecessary argument!!

Welcome to a place where prayer can be requested and encouraged!!

Welcome to a place where positive and encouraging thoughts from scripture can be shared in a caring and loving way!!

Welcome to a place away from all the arguments, recriminations, and negativity of the outside world!!

Welcome to a place of rest and safety!!

Welcome to a place where Philippians 2:3 is practiced: "Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves."

Welcome to this Christian thread.



(Please leave all aggression, bitterness, and philosophy outside the door and please wipe your feet before coming inside!!)


  

I live in my own little world. But it's OK... They know me Here!

[squiddley_diddley]

What wonderful new TOB, it warmed my heart to read your story. And the notes you jotted down on the backs of the photos will be precious indeed in years to come. Try to go back over them before you leave, just in case there are still people you don't recognize, and try to fill in the blanks. The members of the younger generation of your family will be very grateful you did this later on. Not everyone has pics of their great-aunts & uncles or of their great-grandparents.

[cleanpartshere]

Fresh air is good

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[squiddley_diddley]

To all those of you who care about children, please check out the thread entitled: "Suffer the little children" (just in case you missed it). You never know, taking 5 minutes of your time today to see what's posted there may save the life of an innocent little child some day.

Thank you!

[apollosplace]

TOB what a wonderful opportunity you had with your Mom and your Aunt to get those photos ID'd.

Does that mac pudding have a sort of custard type of texture? I ask because I've had a Portugese pudding that has pasta in it also that I'm crazy about.

Non illigitamus carborundum

[valve37]

Well worth reading, telling it how it is today.

From: Jonathan Falwell
Date: October 13, 2007

The Rise of the New Atheism

Renowned World War II correspondent Ernie Pyle is often attributed with coining the phrase, “There are no atheists in foxholes.” Pyle, who traveled with servicemen in Europe, Africa and the Pacific Theater, apparently witnessed men turning to God while enemy fire reigned down on them. There was no comfort in their disbelief as they faced eternity without God.

Six decades later, atheism has become a trendy subject, gaining new exposure in the media. Atheists have become known as “free thinkers,” insinuating in that title that those who choose to walk with God are slaves to intellectual dullness.

Authors such as Christopher Hitchens (“God is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything”) and Sam Harris (“The End of Faith: Religion, Terror, and the Future of Reason” and “Letter to a Christian Nation”) are rising new champions of disbelief.

Further, the leftist radio network Air America has launched a nationwide show focusing on atheism. The program is hosted by the co-presidents of the Freedom From Religion Foundation.

There are now websites such as AmericanAtheists.com, Exchristian.net (which is designed to “encourage” ex-Christians) and others that are paving the way for this new atheism.

There are also less adamant agnostics who smile on the new atheism, such as Gary Wolf who, writing in the November 2006 issue of “Wired,” scoffed at “antique absurdities like the Virgin Birth.”

In the midst of this new atheism campaign is the concurrent effort to purge our nation of its religious heritage by eliminating historic public images of America’s Judeo-Christian founding.

Christians today find themselves in a so-called tolerant culture that is quite often intolerant to our Bible-based beliefs.

But we must not be intimidated by these efforts to denigrate our God. Instead, I believe Christians must prepare their hearts and minds to be diligent apologists for the cause of Christ.

This does not mean we should be browbeating those who do not believe. We should never be antagonistic in expressing our faith.

Listen to the words of Sam Harris in his “Letter to a Christian Nation”: “Thousands of people have written to tell me that I am wrong not to believe in God. The most hostile of these communications have come from Christians. This is ironic, as Christians generally imagine that no faith imparts the virtues of love and forgiveness more effectively than their own. The truth is that many who claim to be transformed by Christ’s love are deeply, even murderously, intolerant of criticism. While we may want to ascribe this to human nature, it is clear that such hatred draws considerable support from the Bible.

How do I know this? The most disturbed of my correspondents always cite chapter and verse.”

Now let me say that I certainly do not believe that the Bible endorses hatred toward nonbelievers. Jesus was never intimidating in presenting Himself as the Son of God and we, likewise, should never be vindictive or forceful in sharing our faith.

We must show the love of Christ at all times. We must considerately reason with nonbelievers, as the Apostle Paul did in the New Testament and as my friend Dr. Ergun Caner does in many debates with atheists today.

Further, we must reach out to people who are in need, as the Bible commands us.

Let us remember a very important question asked in I John 3:17: “But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?”

Compassion should be a crucial component of the Christian life.

My fear is that many people like Sam Harris, who have chosen to live out their lives believing in a godless universe, may have come to that conclusion because Christians or so-called Christians were cruel or uncaring toward them.

Living out our faith in the love of Christ must be paramount in our lives. Christians are certainly under the microscope in this often godless culture. That is why it behooves us to be constantly prayerful that we may be upright representatives of Christ and effective communicators of the Gospel.

Let us love and live “in word and truth” (I John 3:18).

[cleanpartshere]

"Well worth reading"
EVERYONE is entitled to their opinion !!

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[3redpenguins]

Thanks for posting that valve very interesting.

[prior-of-verity*shake-hands-with-your-devil]

If I may……

I do not see any massive growth in ‘atheism’ in it’s true definition….’ nonexistence of gods’….’ the absence of belief in any and all deities’. Most people believe in some sort of god. To me this Falwell character is doing nothing more than a poor reproduction of his father, creating another smoke screen of fear factor in order to keep the herd together…..this is easily done by painting a portrait of being ‘attacked’ and in turn the flock will fight back at an invisible and non-existant foe.

But lets say for a moment, just for the heck of it, that there is a massive turn towards ‘atheism’. What difference does it make? ‘If’ one person is the last Christian standing on the planet and ‘if’ they are right in their beliefs……that is all that person needs to know. This is all anyone needs to know...no matter what their beliefs.

[cleanpartshere]

Yes, U may, its an open forum, so far...
currently cloudy but warm, chance for showers a little later, high of 70


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[benne0070_1]

Happy Sabath
Deacon & Brother Bob.

Hope you went and repented today and left
a generous donation.

Níl eagla orm roimh éinne ach Dia amhain

[3redpenguins]

does this size of donation really matter?

[cleanpartshere]

It's not the size of the donation 3red, it's how you use it !!

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[cleanpartshere]

Oh, pardon me, Greetings Brother Benne. Hope you are well


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[thetickletrunk]

Hey all! I know what you mean about Facebook Nellie! Its nice to locate past friends/family, and it can be very fun, and a plus that its a very positive environment.

Turned out to be a great day to do yard work, hope everyone enjoyed their weekends! TTFN!

[cleanpartshere]

That being said, I find CTS a great environment too !!

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[survivornikki]

Hello my sisters and brothers,

TOB--I am so glad you had a great day. It must be interesting hearing the stories your Mom's generation are swapping. Knowing your Mom felt well enough to even get in the kitchen made me tear up--can't imagine how much it meant to you.

Valve--thanks for posting that, it was interesting. I am not a follower of Falwell's, but I have noticed in recent months several articles on the rise of atheism. The Victoria Times Colonist, Ottawa Citizen, the Vancouver Province and one of the Toronto papers, but I can't recall which one. Oddly enough DH (who is not religious) and I were discussing this just today. There is a dear little church near us (Anglican) that is struggling to stay open. He remarked (this man who says he has no faith) that this struck him as particularly sad because if there was ever a time faith was needed, it is now.

I am off to make lunch, then for a drive to look at some waterfront property for DD Manhattan. Hope everyone is having a very nice day.:-x

[thetickletrunk]

Having a good day here Nikki! I don't see you on Facebook much! Your son can't visit to soon eh!

Lots of friendly faces there and fun programs to use.

TTYL!

[thetickletrunk]

Marion and TOB are you on facebook yet? 🙂 CYE

[prescilaschina]

prior asks What difference does it make?

To Christians the answer is it makes a huge difference since we are encouraged to discern the signs of the end of this current system. Before the 2nd coming of Christ the Bible says there will be a falling away from the faith.

Mathew 27

Other signs are wars and rumours of wars. (how many have heard that the US plans to invade Iran? Perhaps it's just a rumour?)

Earthquakes and natural disasters in different places. (Indonesia, New Orleans)

Famine, plague and disease. (ebola is on the rise again according to the latest Time magazine)

Increased knowledge.

1 Timothy 4:1 Interest in the occult will abound.

It could be argued that these things have always been, but not to the point that they are at now.

One more thing to occur before the end as we know it is that the gospel of Christ will have been preached in every nation and in every tongue, and the only time in history that that could be claimed is now.

Fear mongering you say? I think there is a difference between fear mongering and keeping a watchful eye on what is happening as Bible prophesy is being fulfilled in our time.

smoke screened fear factor to keep the herd together? Really? Is all a Falwell plot? or is it discerning the signs of the times?

[prior-of-verity*shake-hands-with-your-devil]

Thank you Ralph Jack Van Impe.

Interesting that you should mention all that ____. I was watching Jack and Rexella just this morning, I find them entertaining. It seems in two weeks he is going to divulge important information about the end of the world coming soon.


So, how long do you think we have left?