Christ Centered Gamer

ArcticFox wrote:It always makes me nervous when people cite "Christian unity" as a justification. It's like we're supposed to believe that those who are sticking to Biblical principles are the ones causing schisms.

ArcticFox wrote:Frankly I think, in this case, it has more to do with covering their backsides against lawsuits.

Will the blameless and truly repentant (of every last sinful act, including the "relatively socially accepted"--gluttony, laziness, etc.--with all pride truly set aside) among us please step forward? I'm willing to admit that I have enough of my own problems that I'm not in a position to cast out others. I'd have, for lack of a better word, a Plankeye complex. In any case, I'm not going to accept a doctrine because I just should and that's the end of it. Entire denominations are in the middle of a schism over this issue regarding context and interpretation of even the verses you bring up, and I'm not going to pretend that they're all idiots who don't know how to read (or that only right-wing fundamental conservative Christians have all the answers). An attitude of "you don't question this, and if you disagree, you're hellbound" is contrary to any true formation of a genuine personal faith. If you're going to tout Christian authority, you can't use Ethos without Logos, and all I've ever seen is "because Jesus, now stop questioning" (by the way--still reading through the links you sent. Trying to do this while writing a take-home exam for Friday). I'm a scientist--I'm not going to just accept a single interpretation, especially given the controversy. I feel no burdening from the Holy Spirit when I ponder upon this stuff and reexamine my own beliefs, and until I get my own faith issues worked out, I'm going to err on the side of grace.

Also, [another person in the discussion]--how exactly are those who are helped via the charity "set back"? Is the help/money they received now tainted? Wouldn't it also be tainted before now if there were also people who openly sinned in any other conceivable way? Are the helped individuals also doomed now or something?

If you start selecting for gays, you'd better make a list of every potential sin via a questionnaire and tossing out anyone who has a mark against them. You'd have no volunteer base, I guarantee it. Uninjured/nondisabled people who don't exercise? Body's a temple--sloth! laziness! You're out. Can't help but talk about others when they're not around? Whoops, gossip/slander. You're out. Take an absurd number of selfies during every bathroom visit? Vanity--you're out. Selecting for sexual habits (because, IIRC, they still don't allow fornication) puts unusual emphasis on a single category of sin and overlooks the rest. However, as it turns out, everyone has a lot of problems. Does that mean they are of no use to God?

I'm not even necessarily some kind of active proponent of gays, but utilizing one trait to define an entire demographic dehumanizes them. Honestly, my biggest complaint about World Vision is that they really only appear to be covering their butts from lawsuits--they seem to only allow married gay couples to work for them in states that have legalized gay marriage. Christian unity my eye.

And... that's all I really have to say about that.

ChickenSoup wrote: I asked him about why his opinion was free of criticism. "It's not my opinion, it's Scripture." Well, that shut the door on any intelligent discussion. I... hate Sunday-school answers o_o

ChickenSoup wrote:I have divorced myself from much of Christianity. I am so weary of intellectual stagnation and not being allowed to question anything.

Deepfreeze32 wrote:

ChickenSoup wrote: I asked him about why his opinion was free of criticism. "It's not my opinion, it's Scripture." Well, that shut the door on any intelligent discussion. I... hate Sunday-school answers o_o

ChickenSoup wrote:I have divorced myself from much of Christianity. I am so weary of intellectual stagnation and not being allowed to question anything.

This right here is a major factor in why I've decided I'm probably going to cut ties with my family after graduation. My parents are such a mind-boggling case: My dad is a brilliant computer engineer, but is perhaps one of the most prejudiced, closed-minded people I've ever met. He claims that all science is part of a grand conspiracy to remove God from our country, and he supports the Tea Party. He apparently thinks members of the LGBT community are undeserving our love (He forced our family to leave the church we were going to because the pastor said "we should love on Gay people even if we disagree with them"). He also responded to the BSA's decision to allow Gay youth by pulling my brothers out of scouts and claiming "The next thing you know, they'll let girls who think they're boys join".

Then there's the years of emotional and verbal abuse, some of which continues in a subdued form to this very day. Have an issue with a sibling? Doesn't matter what it is, if you said anything negative to the younger sibling, you are automatically at fault. I teased my youngest brother for not knowing what an address bar was, and my dad launches into a tirade about how I'm "Just a dumb liberal college kid who will change his mind when he makes money. And he runs from his problems instead of facing them". The last bit is based on the fact that I hate Texas on so many levels (I don't much care for the people, the climate, or the politics).

I wish I was kidding...


Wow, I really ranted there and went off topic. Sorry.