People ask where you are, and consider you and aeryk to be "religious", because we don't see you in discussions about poverty, about war, about crime and capital punishment, about the freedoms that are being taken away from us by secularist bigots.

No, the only time we see you guys is when someone talks about doctrinal details or evolution. Your input has the power to change minds, and you disregard it all so you can argue and threaten people with hell.

There are far, far too few voices representing our shared beliefs (though you insist I don't share yours, I do for the most part). You turn your nose up at me and other people you feel don't make the grade, though, and leave us who supposedly "hate God", to try and effect people's thinking concerning our rights as free people of faith.

It is a shame that you guys devote all your time to religion and ignore the real attacks on our beliefs and our way of life. If you want to know why people consider your brand of religion to be "dead", it is because we see so very little life in it.

People ask where you are, and consider you and aeryk to be "religious", because we don't see you in discussions about poverty, about war, about crime and capital punishment, about the freedoms that are being taken away from us by secularist bigots.

I think if you ask aeryck and I know for myself, we do not claim to be religious. Religion is one of the greatestest enemies of the Cross of Christ.

Christ told his disciples-
...let the dead bury the dead.
...for ye have the poor always with you, but me ye have not always.

These words spokne by the Lord, are words of priority. There is nothing wrong with meeting the need of the poor, improving social conditions in our society... they just are not the priority. In fact people that are religious and don not even know the Lord Jesus Christ are full capable of taking care of these issues.

It what Christ told the man who came to him wanting hime to speak to his brother about dividing their father's inheritance (Luke 12); Christ answered the man, "who made me a judge or a divider over you?". Christ priorities was not to satisfy this man's financial desires, it was to point men and women to Himself. I think that is the priority of aeryck and myself. That is the reason I don't spend a lot of time on the social threads of jU.

It is a shame that you guys devote all your time to religion and ignore the real attacks on our beliefs and our way of life. If you want to know why people consider your brand of religion to be "dead", it is because we see so very little life in it.

It does not surprise me that some may think my brand of religion (ALTHOUGH IT IS NOT RELIGION), the religious of my Lord's day thought his message was DEAD and there was no LIFE in Him.

Jesus said unto them, "yet a little while is the light with you, Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you; for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth. While ye have the light, believe in the light, that ye may be children of light."

In Him was the life and the life was the Light of men!

preacherman

If all you ever wave a banner for is religion, i.e. the nuts and bolts of it, the docrine and rules, then you ARE very religious. I spend a lot of time here and I haven't seen you APPLY your religion to much, or voice your opinion about much else.

I have heard aeryk say that too, but I don't see how you guys can say it. Christ also directed us to see to the poor, the infirm, the prisoners, and what we do for the least of them we do for him. You are stepping over folks who have fallen in the road when you ignore the issues that effect them deeply.

It seems to me that folks like you and aeryk would be very concerned with how this nation is run. If so, maybe stating your opinions in a persuasive fashion instead of talking about religion all the time would be in your best interes.

"Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted?" Matt. 5:13.

We aren't just here to go to heaven, our presence is intended to better the earth.

instead of talking about religion all the time would be in your best interes.

BakerStreet, do you see Christianity as religion? Do you see any distiction between the two??

I spend a lot of time here and I haven't seen you APPLY your religion to much, or voice your opinion about much else.

I haven't. I don't have a lot of constructive things to say about many of the post, for instance; Terri Schiavo's Death Was Her Own Fault... posted by Myrrander, or Accidental shipment of 1957 Influenza virus. Whatever comments or opinions we have about these sort of issues, just don't have lasting affects. When we share things from the scriptures about Christ and His Word... eternal results.

I do understand that when one talks about the Word of God, it often divides and sometimes offends, even if that is not intended, but that was the way it was in the days of my Lord. If I give you my opinion about Terri Schiavo's death it carries very little weight, if through the preaching of God's Word, and idivdual begins to prayerfully look at God's Word and becomes born again, and finds what the Word of God say's about Terri Schiavo's death.... that is what is important and has lasting affects.

"Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted?" Matt. 5:13.

Don't you think the salt of the believer's life is the Word of God?

preacherman

"BakerStreet, do you see Christianity as religion? Do you see any distiction between the two??"

Absolutely. To me, that's like insisting a Fez isn't a hat, it is a Fez. The fact that you don't admit that it is a religion is how you get around being "religious", when all you ever show interest in are the doctrinal details of Christianity. And absolutely I see a difference between my religion and others that I feel are wrong. You can't rewrite the dictionary just to keep from being condemned as being "religious", though.

"Whatever comments or opinions we have about these sort of issues, just don't have lasting affects. "

On the contrary, changing people's minds about moral issues is ALL important, and is the first step in having your religion seen as something besides a cult. Shutting yourself away, showing no interest in the world around you, and only speaking lines that have chapter and verse after them immediately set people's warning bells off.

You wouldn't make a very good salesman, and for that reason not to many people "buy" your ideals.

" If I give you my opinion about Terri Schiavo's death it carries very little weight"

Again, on the contrary. If people see that your ideals have tangible meaning, that your caring goes beyond filling your pews, those seats won't look nearly as dark to them. Christianity is a religion whose ethics and ideals could benefit the world immensely. The problem is, people accept Jesus and then just spend all their time focused on doctrine and disregard the people they step over in the street.

"Don't you think the salt of the believer's life is the Word of God?"

Jesus said "Ye are the salt of the earth..." Ye, we, you. When we have "lost our savor" we go through the motions of religion with no caring or charity for our fellow man. Words without action, charity without love. We become whited sepulchers, walking around with the guise of "holiness", and yet our actions are empty and of no use. I think Jesus was talking about people who lived their lives in the temple and who disregarded the very people that He came here to reach.

As I have said before, I have nothing against you. On the contrary, I feel that you have great potential to sway people, but you seem to care only about instant conversion. People are moved by acts, by ideals that they see true value in. Jesus didn't just stand on the street corner yelling scripture, He actually effected the wellbeing of people, and people listened.

I respect your belief that you can dole out a scripture and because it is God's word it will take hold. I believe that most people we deal with, though, have sealed ears, and react coldly to anything with a verse and chapter number.

The way you open their ears is to show through your visible life that your ideals have tangible benefit to you and to mankind. To the average atheist, we belong to a cult. What separates us from a cult is that our beliefs aren't here to make us fear the world, to tie us down and rob us of our power. That is what you have to show people. When you act brainwashed, people will think you are.

I am a firm believer in the parable of the prodigal son. You can read the Bible with a closed heart for years and it won't mean a thing. You can open your heart and approach God and you will find your way to His Word, even when you are "a great way off".

I believe, devoutly, that anyone who seeks God will find Him. If what we do makes people less apt to seek Him, we are working for the wrong side.

Sorry, that was long winded. I hope you understand that if I didn't think anything of you, I wouldn't spend the time.

You can't rewrite the dictionary just to keep from being condemned as being "religious", though.

I think it dangerous for the dictionary to give our understanding of the difference of Christaninty and religion. Christianity is the calling out of a Body of Belivers by Christ... Hebrews Chpt2. The Body is made up of living members (Spiritually Alive) to use the analogy of Brother Larkin, The Body of Chirst is an oragnism not an organization.

1 Corinthians chpt2 we are told the reason man is born again; he has been given the Spirit of God that he might have the mind of Christ and understand the things freely given us of God. Man voiod of the Spirit of God cn understand nothing but the spirit of man. It does not matter how many good things he hears and sees.

On the contrary, changing people's minds about moral issues is ALL important, and is the first step in having your religion seen as something besides a cult.

For you and I to attempt to change the minds of men void of this Spirit mentioned above is at most an exercise in futility. Consider the man that came to Christ wanting to know "what good things he must do to have eternal life?" Matt19 Christ told him to keep the comandments. The young man thinking he was fine with these regulatins were told of the Lodr to go and sale all that he has and give to the poor. The scriptures says that the man went away sorrowful for he had great possesions. If you note the Lord did not try to explain to him the importance of taking care of the poor and all the other associated with His teaching. Christ did not even try to change his mind. It requiresw the Spirit of above mentioned.

but you seem to care only about instant conversion.

I must admit BakerStreet I think it is instant conversion. See the only thing that humanity can understand from the Spirit mentioned above is the issue of sin. When He the Spirit Turth is come, He will reprove the world of sin, of righteousness and judgement John 16:8. Christ did not try to explain and get Nicodemus the error of the Pharisee's.. he simply told him that as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness so must the son of man be lifted up. Why did Christ elaborate on all the things the the religious were doing and the faults? Because there would come a day when the first thing that Nicodemus would understand from the above mentioned Spirit is that "all have sinned and come short of the glory og God, but there is a provision, The Lamb of God that neutralizes the venom of the firery serpent. It was the issue of SIN that Christ addressed.

I believe, devoutly, that anyone who seeks God will find Him

BakerStreet, religion thinks that man is looking for God and if he looks hard enough, and with a sincere heart that he will find Him. I believe the scripture teach us that "none is righteous, and there is none that seeketh after God. they are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; ther is none that doeth good- Romans 3:11-12 To be honest BakerStreet it does not matter what you and I believe, what the Word of God says, is what is important. The scripture teaches us that we are not out on a journey hearing the good works of God and are looking for Him, but He is out looking for us. When he finds one who is prepared to meet the truth concerning their sin (Nicodemus) He sees that they are given the above mentioned Spirit so they can trust His Gospel by believing in His Christ. The Brazen Serpent

preacherman

Yes, Baker Street [hum]..I see where you are going with this....Christians need to have a WORLD VIEW. Good strike. Words are clearly not enough though they help, but there needs to be accompanying action to turn sand into salt...as James says, faith without works is DEAD.

Your quote:- [seems to express the error in your perception]
a Fez isn't a hat, it is a Fez. - or "Christianity isn't a religion, it is Christianity" - Now, as Preach has been explaining to you and might I say has done a pretty good job. I would like too at my two cents worth.

Religion as a word is extremely complex. However in the simplist form, religion is man's search for God. Christianity, is a religion. BUT....The essense of Christianity is not religion, it is about a Relationship, with God. It is 'reconciliation' as oppossed to 'seperation'. It provides the answer to the 'void' the emptiness that people try to fill with 'religion'. Religion in sense endeavours to club all the -isms and -ianities and faiths of the world into the same camp. This is the failure of reason against revelation. However, wish to refer back that I agree fully with you on the matter of having worldview. Always. We must speak out against the corruption and offer what wisdom we have. You did an excellent job stemming my hitman job on the Pope. Duly noted you made me rethink my strategy on that one, plus the issue of faith and works is and has been addressed recently. I do not know if you visited the link at JOHN MICHAEL TALBOTS site, but he has tremendous insight [check reflections], and I wonder if they chose the wrong guy to lead the lopsided Church of Rome into the future. It is a top heavy system but working within the system to be salt is by far the wisest if one has the guts to handle the falsity of religion...and religion verses true relationship...I hope I make a little sense?

I must add though, in all fairness Baker, this is Preacherman's blogg and he can pretty much say whatever he likes, within the confines of the JoeUser Policy, naturally. However, this real question. Whose Blood? Has not been addressed by any of the comments here yet. So I will venture to say the Blood of Jehovah, and see where that take us.