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Something diabolical is afoot

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  • Something diabolical is afoot

    Christians all around the world no longer meeting, and all this fear. I'm no spiritual warrior, but I can smell when something's amiss.
    Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return.

  • #2
    Originally posted by demi-conservative View Post
    Christians all around the world no longer meeting, and all this fear. I'm no spiritual warrior, but I can smell when something's amiss.
    Something diabolical is always afoot. That's a given until Christ's return. Would you be a little more specific?
    "For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings." Hosea 6:6

    "Theology can be an intellectual entertainment." Metropolitan Anthony Bloom

    Comment


    • #3
      People are still hearing sermons online. Charities are still helping people. People are praying and helping folks. It is not wrong to be realistically concerned about a pandemic.

      As far as I am concerned people will live through all kinds of crazy situations. Nuclear war once loomed over the heads of several nations.

      You want to know how I am going g to live? I am going to live trying to live with joy in my heart doing g human things if I die so be it. Am I scared reasonably yes.

      So with that cleared up let us be patient and keep a level head.
      sigpic

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      • #4
        Four months ago, would you have believed that governments all across the world would tell Christians to stop meeting, and Christians would just go along with it?

        Unbelievable, but it has happened.
        Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return.

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by demi-conservative View Post
          Four months ago, would you have believed that governments all across the world would tell Christians to stop meeting, and Christians would just go along with it?

          Unbelievable, but it has happened.
          Folks are still meeting sometimes even in person. I dont like not being able to go in person but that is what is happening with this pandemic right now.

          I dont think this virus is going to be an end of the world thing though that is intentionally hyperbolic. I am glad people are recovering and I want to see this end.

          We could get all kinds of wrapped up in timey wimey theoretical about how things could have gone but it would all ultimately be speculative.
          sigpic

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          • #6
            Originally posted by demi-conservative View Post
            Four months ago, would you have believed that governments all across the world would tell Christians to stop meeting, and Christians would just go along with it?

            Unbelievable, but it has happened.
            Christians should obey the laws of the land though? The ones that don't bring dishonour to the name of Christ. Gatherings of any kind are prohibited not just Christian gatherings. Iow the governments do not have it in for the Christians only kind of thing.

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            • #7
              Edited by a Moderator
              Last edited by The Melody Maker; 04-13-2020, 11:02 PM.

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              • #8
                Originally posted by Esther View Post
                Christians should obey the laws of the land though? The ones that don't bring dishonour to the name of Christ. Gatherings of any kind are prohibited not just Christian gatherings. Iow the governments do not have it in for the Christians only kind of thing.
                So if governments prohibited all religious gatherings but not Christian ones in particular, that's okay with you? If the prohibition lasts at least 18 months, that's okay?
                Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by demi-conservative View Post
                  Four months ago, would you have believed that governments all across the world would tell Christians to stop meeting, and Christians would just go along with it?

                  Unbelievable, but it has happened.
                  Which is unbelievable - the government order or Christians stopping to met?

                  Even in the case that the government order is justifable in the name of public health, I think it can also be viewed as an indicator of a increasing government hostility to religious belief. I saw religious because the orders I understand them weren't merely directed at Christian services, but all religions. Government ususally works by trade-offs between different groups. What I am seeing is religious believers are becoming the group that lose out. I think we had better get ready for government to move deeper into apathy towards religious belief and then hostility. Could they close churches eventually? Try this scenario: there are some people who believe religious belief is a sign of mental disorder and what better way to stop the spread than to close religious centers (churches, mosques, synagogues, etc.) as a mental health order?

                  Now let's consider Christians stopping to meet. On the one hand, we have a pretty firm Biblical commandment to gather and meet. There really isn't any getting around that. On the other hand, the structure of how we meet is actually rather vague. I think its important to remember that a lot of our church structures we have today are man's additions to this command to meet. There is no command to go to a dedicate building with paid staff to have a meeting. To lose our public privledge of meeting just takes us back to the original disciples who didn't have buildings to meet in. (Yes, there are advantages to having a dedicated meeting place, however they are not necessary to obey the command to meet.)

                  I think in general, Christianity is on a decline in the US. Right now, we are losing the ones who view it as a convenience, social obligation, or habit. These orders are going to result in a bit lower church attendance when churches do reopen as they discover they haven't lost anything in their lives. This is unfortunately as they will lose their exposure to the Gospel (maybe depending on the church) but probably inevitable.

                  I think there are two consequences. First if you believe America was founded as a Christian nation, it's time to admit it is no longer a Christian nation. It's time to view America as an unsaved nation that needs to the Gospel to be preached to it. Second, as Christians we need to rethink what it means to meet and how we meet. I would say what has worked from say the 40's or 50's until into the 2000's is no longer working and we need to find a new way to meet.
                  "For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings." Hosea 6:6

                  "Theology can be an intellectual entertainment." Metropolitan Anthony Bloom

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by demi-conservative View Post
                    Christians all around the world no longer meeting, and all this fear. I'm no spiritual warrior, but I can smell when something's amiss.
                    I realized in my previous post, I didn't address the diabolical part.

                    How you answer this depends on how you view Satan's and his minions activities on the earth today. I believe they are currently active.

                    Specifically in this case, did Satan (or one of his minions - collectively referred to as he in this post) create Covid-19? Probably not as he is the destroyer and not a creator.

                    Did he cause it to go from an animal (the current likely source) to a human? Possibly he helped in this occurrence.

                    Did he help create conditions to cause the virus to spread? Absolutely, he saw the opportunity (I doubt he foresaw it) and exploited it.

                    Is he working to cause the impact (financial, social, etc.) to be worse? Definately, the more he can damage and destroy the better for him.

                    Is he up to other stuff? Definately. I think he's working on stuff that we won't see for another 10 or 20 years.
                    "For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings." Hosea 6:6

                    "Theology can be an intellectual entertainment." Metropolitan Anthony Bloom

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by demi-conservative View Post
                      So if governments prohibited all religious gatherings but not Christian ones in particular, that's okay with you? If the prohibition lasts at least 18 months, that's okay?
                      Christians should be law abiding citizens. I don't want to end up in jail or have to go to court. The only exception for me will be if I have to deny Christ. Then I will have to go the whole way and even have my head chopped off etc. Otherwise no. Will not break the law of the country.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Esther View Post
                        Christians should be law abiding citizens. I don't want to end up in jail or have to go to court. The only exception for me will be if I have to deny Christ. Then I will have to go the whole way and even have my head chopped off etc. Otherwise no. Will not break the law of the country.
                        Christians meeting was made illegal in the first century too, by the Romans and Jews. Paul started out as someone who hunted down Christians. The Christians met anyway, in homes and in secret. They were breaking the law.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Edited by a Moderator
                          Last edited by The Melody Maker; 04-13-2020, 11:03 PM.

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                          • #14
                            Originally posted by JimL View Post
                            Edited by a Moderator
                            Is this guy supposed to be in here?
                            Last edited by The Melody Maker; 04-13-2020, 11:04 PM.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by seanD View Post
                              Is this guy supposed to be in here?
                              Nope.
                              That's what
                              - She

                              Without a clear-cut definition of sin, morality becomes a mere argument over the best way to train animals
                              - Manya the Holy Szin (The Quintara Marathon)

                              I may not be as old as dirt, but me and dirt are starting to have an awful lot in common
                              - Stephen R. Donaldson

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