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Conference lgp30::christian-perspective

Title:Discussions from a Christian Perspective
Notice:Prostitutes and tax collectors welcome!
Moderator:CSC32::J_CHRISTIE
Created:Mon Sep 17 1990
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:1362
Total number of notes:61362

535.0. "How do we heal....." by DPDMAI::DAWSON (t/hs+ws=Formula for the future) Wed Oct 14 1992 16:22


		Over the last several years I have had the opportunity to 
counsel with many people from a large variety of beliefs and backgrounds.
A common thread is the intolerance of many of the organized Religions of 
this world.  Even among the "Christian" denominations, we find diverse 
opinions on very basic Biblical beliefs which translate themselves into
condemnation of all others of different beliefs however slight sometimes.

		I remember one man who was taught by the Church of Christ
that his salvation was a direct result of his Baptism.  His guilt and
pain over this question caused him to want baptism every single day.  Another
family had committed to a Southern Baptist Church that they would give a
certain ammount of money every month toward a specific building program.  
When they fell on hard times and could not come up with the money, a group
from the church came and wanted to take something from his house of equal
value to what they had pledged.  A woman and a Roman Catholic, asked her priest
a question about a passage, in the Bible, that she was having trouble with.
His answer was not to worry about it and that it was the responsibility of 
the "Priests" of the church to interpret the Bible for her and that she need
not read anymore.  

		These are only three of many "horror" stories I have heard 
from the very people they happened to.  How do we heal these hurts and 
misinformation from the very people who put themselves 'out there' as 
knowledgeable and honest Christians?  Many who read this file have their
own 'story' like these three.  Whats to be done?


Dave
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name		DateLines
535.1FATBOY::BENSONCLEAN THE HOUSE!Wed Oct 14 1992 17:329
    Look to God for knowledge and truth through His Word, the Bible.  Be
    sure of what you believe and why - again through the Bible.  Find
    men and women that share your understanding of the Bible and discuss
    your fears, faults and sins.  Find men and women anointed in teaching
    the Bible and listen to them.
    
    Build your house on solid rock, not shifting sand.
    
    jeff
535.2VIDSYS::PARENTit's only a shell, mislabledWed Oct 14 1992 18:588
   Myself, I look to the world, life and the word for truth knowledge
   of God.  I have found people who would fearlessly look into their
   hearts and the Bible and share their knowledge of the truth.  I 
   listen as best I can and with faith hope to learn.

   Peace,
   Allison
535.3DPDMAI::DAWSONt/hs+ws=Formula for the futureWed Oct 14 1992 19:057
    RE: .1  Jeff,
    
    			Interesting how different you and I are.  I tell my
    class and congragation (when I preach) to *NEVER* listen to man but to
    God alone thru the Holy Spirit's revelation of God's word.
    
    Dave
535.4FATBOY::BENSONCLEAN THE HOUSE!Wed Oct 14 1992 20:003
    Semantics Dave.
    
    jeff
535.5DPDMAI::DAWSONt/hs+ws=Formula for the futureWed Oct 14 1992 20:079
    RE: .4 Jeff,
    
    			No Jeff.  Not semantics but exact opposites.  I
    don't go to Church to see and hear a specific preacher speak but to
    worship a specific God.  How many Churches will lose their pastor and
    half the people follow the preacher?  MOST!  That is a group of people
    who worship the man/woman rather than God.  
    
    Dave
535.6FATBOY::BENSONCLEAN THE HOUSE!Thu Oct 15 1992 14:477
    Well Dave, I don't mean to be argumentative but some MEN are gifted
    teachers, gifted by the Holy Spirit to teach others.  Many men are not
    gifted teachers but teach anyway.  I'll listen to God through any of
    them but prefer one that is gifted since the Holy Spirit speaks best
    through them.
    
    jeff
535.7DPDMAI::DAWSONt/hs+ws=Formula for the futureWed Oct 28 1992 12:576
    RE: .6 Jeff,
    
    		 Personally I feel that the Holy Spirit speaks best to you
    as an individual.  
    
    Dave
535.8USAT05::BENSONCLEAN THE HOUSE!Wed Oct 28 1992 15:256
    Dave,  You are entitled to your feelings about me.  I really don't know
    how we got to this point.  If you will reread .1 I believe you'll see
    that I believe in a variety of Godly avenues for speaking to
    individuals.
    
    jeff
535.9DPDMAI::DAWSONt/hs+ws=Formula for the futureWed Oct 28 1992 16:548
    RE: .8 Jeff,
    
    			I cannot recall saying anything about you
    personally, only how your beliefs differ with mine.  Is that a problem
    for you?
    
    
    Dave
535.10FATBOY::BENSONCLEAN THE HOUSE!Thu Oct 29 1992 17:267
    Dave,
    
    Read .7 for my interpretation.
    
    No, a difference in our beliefs is not problematic for me.
    
    jeff
535.11DPDMAI::DAWSONt/hs+ws=Formula for the futureThu Oct 29 1992 23:5714
    RE: .10 Jeff,
    
    			Well, I guess you have me there Jeff.  I can see
    why you took it that way but I can assure you that was not how it was
    meant.  "you as an individual" I used to relate to all people but also
    relating that the Holy spirit works with the individual and not the
    crowd.  Reading about the last "Great Revival" tells me that for
    revival to happen it requires each and every person to examine their
    own hearts for their own revival and sometimes a lot of people get it
    at the same time.
    
    
    
    Dave
535.12FATBOY::BENSONCLEAN THE HOUSE!Fri Oct 30 1992 13:234
    
    Peace to you Dave.
    
    jeff
535.13Not just churches...CSC32::KINSELLAit's just a wheen o' blethersTue Nov 10 1992 16:4324
    Well Dave,

    I don't think those things are necessarily traits of organized
    religion.  I think they are human traits that happen every where.  I
    would hope that they would happen less often or not at all in churches. 
    These traits crop up in churches when people refuse to submit to God's
    will.  So, to heal I think we need to submit to His will.

    Yes, I too have seen hurtful things happen.  My sister is a good
    example. She was already struggling with sin in her life and feeling
    like she didn't want to be married when she was accused by some friends
    at church about saying something negative about a leader of the ministry 
    she was involved in.  It was actually another lady and the Pastor 
    protected this other lady and let people believe that my sister was to 
    blame.  That was the push my sister needed to leave the church, her 
    husband, and abandon her 3 kids.  It was a devastating time not only 
    for my sister, but my entire family.  It was a destructive force in 
    our family and even now about 8 years later we're still trying to heal.  
    It's almost healed, but it hasn't been easy.   We've all had to grow 
    alot and rely more on God to help us rebuild the damage to our family.

    Jill