Comments on: A different perspective on church (Part 2)

By: Jersey

Jersey — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 03:23:28 +0000

Yea…what about those of us who can’t afford to pay $70 for the marriage license, then the fees for a pastor to preside over the wedding (even if it was an eloping), and then all the other fees with prepping the wedding and such? My husband and I could just barely afford our plain-jane wedding, we asked my parents to pay for our honeymoon (which they generously paid for).

If everything else was already done for free, still, I met people who couldn’t even afford to pay for the marriage license because of whatever reason they could not afford it (made to little money, outstanding medical debts, cost of living too much, etc…)

By: Mike Paris

Mike Paris — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 20:12:52 +0000

Patrick–
>>One thing led to another and soon the realization was that NO church doctrine fit their lifestyle.<<

There is of course at least three different ways to respond to this realization:

a. do nothing, absolutely nothing about a life of faith. If you are convinced that there is not a way to marry your life with doctrine/dogma/standards of a “way of faith”, then just pretend that faith isn’t important.

b. create your own religion; If you are convinced that the ways of faith expression that are out there do not match your exclusively correct view of life, then start your own, or mix and match a hybrid that is as customizable as your vehicle.

c. find the truth and get in line with it; If you are convinced that you are out of step with every faith practice, then maybe you are just out of step. You should find a source of truth that defines faith and its source, focus and purpose, and align yourself with it.

You and your friends have chosen b. I have chosen c.

Mike

By: Brad Bobo

Brad Bobo — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 17:26:13 +0000

Gays in church…. now there is a hot button topic. I was once told by a good friend of mine that he believed that it was ok for gays to attend church, but he didn’t think they should be allowed to become members of the church, unless they repented from their lifestyle. The bible is clear that none of us are free from sin. So who are we to decide what sins to allow into congregations.

John 8:3-11
3 As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd.

4 “Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?”

6 They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. 7 They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” 8 Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust.

9 When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. 10 Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?”

11 “No, Lord,” she said.

And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”

By: jeff

jeff — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 16:59:17 +0000

What exactly is the definition of exclusion? Is exclusion the opposite of inclusion? Is inclusion universal because of the work of Christ? Do we sometimes try to interpret the teachings of Christ through our own definition of “righteousness?” Does God draw lines that demarcate inclusion and/or exclusion? Just how serious is God’s command to live without sin, and what defines sin? Can sin be quantified and qualified through tangible-visible manifestations?

How do we respond to the answers to these questions…and what does the response look like?