I have really enjoyed watching Duck Dynasty. I do not like the fact that Phil Robertson believes being gay will somehow keep you out of Heaven or stop God's favor upon gay people while on earth. Even though they profess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of their lives? I do not mind having a Chick-fil-A sandwich. I do not like everything on Chick-fil-A's menu though. I love my children dearly but I do not agree with everything they do. I respect the Holy Bible and love many comforting verses of the Old Testament. I love the four Gospels and what Jesus Christ did for us on the Cross and at the Resurrection. But there are some verses of the Holy Bible that are confusing and scary and I do not like them. I used to be afraid to question the Holy Bible because that meant you were questioning God Himself... yikes!!! I think at times I was worshiping the Holy Bible and not the God that the Holy Bible spoke of and proclaimed. I grew up being taught you do not question the church, the Holy Bible, and certainly not God Himself and to this day I still fight that fear.
Phil Robertson has every right to freedom of speech but there are consequences and responsibilities with that freedom. The national debate now with what Phil Robertson shared about what he believes is sin goes directly to how one views the Holy Bible. One person may see the Holy Bible as written directly from God's hand without error and to be taken literally; but another may see the Holy Bible's origins less as a divine product with divine authority and more as a human response to the presence and action of God in this world but contains all things necessary to know for salvation.
I detest the so-called "culture war" because I get tired of God being played as General Patton. I understand there is spiritual warfare but I find that war going on inside of me. A war of trying to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ and then the carnal flesh wanting an easier way without all the sacrifice. Not a war of what I eat and what I watch on TV to justify if I am a believer in Christ. This last summer when you were only a "true" Christian if you ate Chick-fil-A sandwiches to the point I thought that some churches were going to make Communion with Chick-fil-A and Wine instead of the Bread and Wine! Now I can see it will be you are only a "true" Christian if you watch Duck Dynasty! Yikes again! This is all outward appearances with judging people's relationship with Jesus and their salvation based solely on their behavior without the ability to look within their heart.
1 Samuel 16:7 (NIV)
But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
I wonder what would happen to people's faith if the medical science field finds out that being gay is genetic. Would you still have faith in God and still respect the Holy Bible for the words of comfort and guidance it contains? Would you throw your faith away in the great Creator and burn your Bible in a bonfire? Would you ignore what Jesus said was the greatest commandment?
Mark 12:28-31 (NIV)
Phil Robertson has every right to freedom of speech but there are consequences and responsibilities with that freedom. The national debate now with what Phil Robertson shared about what he believes is sin goes directly to how one views the Holy Bible. One person may see the Holy Bible as written directly from God's hand without error and to be taken literally; but another may see the Holy Bible's origins less as a divine product with divine authority and more as a human response to the presence and action of God in this world but contains all things necessary to know for salvation.
I detest the so-called "culture war" because I get tired of God being played as General Patton. I understand there is spiritual warfare but I find that war going on inside of me. A war of trying to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ and then the carnal flesh wanting an easier way without all the sacrifice. Not a war of what I eat and what I watch on TV to justify if I am a believer in Christ. This last summer when you were only a "true" Christian if you ate Chick-fil-A sandwiches to the point I thought that some churches were going to make Communion with Chick-fil-A and Wine instead of the Bread and Wine! Now I can see it will be you are only a "true" Christian if you watch Duck Dynasty! Yikes again! This is all outward appearances with judging people's relationship with Jesus and their salvation based solely on their behavior without the ability to look within their heart.
1 Samuel 16:7 (NIV)
But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
I wonder what would happen to people's faith if the medical science field finds out that being gay is genetic. Would you still have faith in God and still respect the Holy Bible for the words of comfort and guidance it contains? Would you throw your faith away in the great Creator and burn your Bible in a bonfire? Would you ignore what Jesus said was the greatest commandment?
Mark 12:28-31 (NIV)
28 One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”
29 “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.
30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.
31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.”
I did not read any judging there... interesting... I see we are to love without exception to our shortcomings, sins, weaknesses, or brokenness. If I am going to be in error then let it be on the side of grace. I choose to see all Christians regardless of their sexual orientation, ethnicity, nationality, race, or social class as my brothers and sisters in the Lord.
Matthew 7:1-5 (MSG)
“Don’t pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults— unless, of course, you want the same treatment. That critical spirit has a way of boomeranging. It’s easy to see a smudge on your neighbor’s face and be oblivious to the ugly sneer on your own. Do you have the nerve to say, ‘Let me wash your face for you,’ when your own face is distorted by contempt? It’s this whole traveling road-show mentality all over again, playing a holier-than-thou part instead of just living your part. Wipe that ugly sneer off your own face, and you might be fit to offer a washcloth to your neighbor.
WRITTEN 12/21/13
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Be kind and gracious.