60 replies to this topic

[Ellipsis]

Tell me how you guys feel about preachers. I'm confined within my parents' house and don't get out much. I have certain views about preachers, especially since I am Ukrainian, but please post your opinions.

[General]

Well , aslong as they use soft language , I am open to listen them . I also think peoples's attention to them lower on every new day , because everyone become a preacher nowadays ( including me once a time )

[Dauth]

Well, since I tend to find people and argue with them about their preachings, I like preachers, they entertain me. I only get annoyed when they force views on people not old enough to think things through, Someone should decide on religion when they can tell right from wrong, not right from left!

[Ellipsis]

Then I could entertain you sometimes, Dauth. For I am a 15 year old preacher.

[Whitey]

Cool, I'm a 15 year old choirboy. This gives a whole new meaning to preaching to the choir

That being said. What about preachers? They preach. I don't care what they preach or how they preach or to whom they preach so long as they don't cause mass pandamonium.

[Dauth]

Strange, Phrase was always "... Preaching to the converted"

I've got to ask Redeemer why he's confined? Are you not allowed out? Or just miles from anywhere?

[Ellipsis]

Well...something like my parents not liking when I hang out with non-Christians. But they don't understand that in order to convert someone or tell them about Jesus you have to be around them and understand what they are going through.

[Soul]

 Redeemer, on 25 Oct 2007, 17:07, said:

Well...something like my parents not liking when I hang out with non-Christians. But they don't understand that in order to convert someone or tell them about Jesus you have to be around them and understand what they are going through.

Well then good thing you have the Internet to talk with others at least, sort of .

[Ellipsis]

Yup. BTW: Are you a Christian?

Edited by Redeemer, 25 October 2007 - 21:24.

[Soul]

 Redeemer, on 25 Oct 2007, 17:24, said:

Yup. BTW: Are you a Christian?

Nope, from what I can gather I'm an Atheist with spiritual beliefs .

[Ellipsis]

So....kind of?

[Soul]

 Redeemer, on 25 Oct 2007, 22:01, said:

So....kind of?

Maybe, I have no Religious beliefs I know that.

[Ellipsis]

Oh.

[Dr HaxX]

To qoute Riddick from Pitch Black...

Quote

I absolutely believe in God, I also absolutely hate the f*ck.

I'm not quite sure thats where I personally stand on the matter. But I HAVE been there many times. At any rate I have been raised into a Christian family from square one, gone to church my whole life, proclaimed Jesus Christ as the God I would follow about 7 or so years ago, and been to hell and back in the non-litteral sense within that time. To be perfectly honest, I've ditched Him when it got hard to hold on. I've even shook my fist at Him and told Him I hated Him with all that I am for making me the man that I am. For allowing the terrible things I've seen and experienced to make me broken and bitter. I've asked for forgiveness and fallen away over and over again.

I would not consider myself a good Christian. To tell you the perfect truth I don't believe I deserve to be redeemed. I DO believe there is a God. The God. But... Right now... I'm not sure that I can say I am a God follower without screaming "hypocrite" at the top of my lungs. Drowning out my words with what I really feel: confusion and doubt. My personal faith that God 'has a wonderful plan for me to prosper in' is waning at a rapid pace. The pain I've had to deal with in my life makes me wonder if God really does have anything more for me.

So yes. I am a God believer. At the moment not much of a follower. Conditional following is fickle, and I despise myself for it. But everytime I try to say I fully commit I get hit with a situation I cannot handle. Everytime I say I give up I try to destroy myself because there is no reason to believe there is anything higher for me anymore, but always end up getting stopped by some miracle (they seriously get annoying after the 5th time arround)

Hope that makes sense...

Edited by Match, 26 October 2007 - 04:07.

[Whitey]

Wrong topic much?

[Dr HaxX]

Not since post #9.

But I bet you read it all anyway. If I'm wrong I'm proud of you. Apathy is an easy boss to work for, but pays difficult wages.

[Whitey]

Who said that was in reference to you?

[Dr HaxX]

Hmm... It may not be. I took it to be a general question. I did not consider it may have been solely directed at...well...Soul. XD

[Wizard]

In terms of Preachers are you refering to the door-knocking-can-u-spare-five-minutes-to-talk-about-a-better-life-type?

Or more your TV evangelist types?

Edited by Wizardofnoz, 26 October 2007 - 07:26.

[Ellipsis]

Well I was referring to Soul, Match but thanks for your opinion. Glad to meet another Christian.

Well, Wizard, I was referring to the preachers at church but ya... now that I think about it probably all around.

[Whitey]

I can't say they fit in the same category.

Door to door ones are irritating.
I care not for TV ones.
I listen to the church ones.

I mean they are different things.

Edited by Boidy, 27 October 2007 - 03:29.

[Dauth]

So, should Preachers approach people who can make reasoned decisions based on all available evidence? Rationally thought out, or should they Preach to the young and impressionable?

[Ellipsis]

Both?

[Dauth]

So preacher can tell a child that if they misbehave they will burn for eternity in hell, but if they blow themselves up for the rightous God, they will be in heaven with 72 Virgins?

Now, as an adult i disbelieve both, but as a 3-4 year old child i dont know if i had the strength of mind to say no.

And before anyone complains about my example, if you can preach so can anyone else! otherwise it's downright discrimination

[Wizard]

I think that there is a tiny subtle difference between "preaching" and brainwashing Dauth. I am sorry to say that your example isn't a good one. Someone who explains the ethos behind a religous doctrine, IE in catholicism the idea of original sin, to a young person, is COMPLETELY, WHOLLY & UTTERLY different to someone who attempts to convince someone that murdering innocent civillians is the path to heaven. Although I see where you are coming from with this point it isn't quite right for the discussion. There are some "givens" in this topic. And the difference between a violent extremists and devoutly faithful should be one of them.

Back on Topic, I have a personal issue with anyone who "preaches". The notion of faith to me is clear and it's everyone's right to have faith in whoever or whatever they choose. Where my gripe comes is with Religion, or more-over, the fact that religion attempts to tell you/us/we/them/whoever, exactly how we should be living our lives and who we should be worshipping. Preaching to me is an activity that goes beyond "here is our religion, come take a look" to the "if you don't do this you WILL burn in hell". I am sorry, but there is no one out there who should be telling me or anybody else how to live our lives. If I want to find out another way to live and/or to have faith then I will pop by my local church/temple/synogue/mosque and see what is said. I don't accept the need to go out and thrust YOUR beliefs in my face. I do not walk down the street and bother people because I feel that everyone should be doing at least of 5 hours cardiovascular exercise a week!!! It is clear that this is something that benefits the wider populace but I keep my beliefs to myself in this respect. People need to learn things for themselves. Having it thrust under your nose is not going to help you with anything. Especially when that dogma is about how to live your life, where to spend a good percentage of your life, who to listen to, what to read, who to give money to, how to treat large percentages of the population and to think of yourself as "right" and everyone who disagrees with you is wrong.

I realise that the majority of my above is directed at preachers who go forth or missionaries, but there is a certain amount of the above that can be applied to none travelling preachers to.