Thursday, August 02, 2007

what are they afraid of?

I have a hard time stomaching people who give their lives to bashing other believers. I mean I have my own opinions and thoughts too - but to dedicate a whole blog, or a whole website to...bashing?!?! Seems counterproductive to the Great Commission and that whole 'love your neighbor as yourself' bit in the Gospels. But I dunno....

I find it odd that the word 'grace' would actually appear in such websites, let alone that they think they actually exhibit grace. Their opinions are anything but gracious.

It makes me wonder? What percentage of those that pride themselves in being 'true, Bible-believing, Jesus is THE truth, emergent-is-heretical, and I am not' Christians would have embraced Jesus and His message when He walked the planet 2,000 years ago? Just wonderin'.

My husband and I are not *emergent, persay, but we've read a lot by those that might be 'catagorized' as such. And to be honest, we're kinda with it. I've found that THESE are more descriptive of what I've read and seen than THESE. Just my views, from the outside... And really, what are these 'bashers' afraid of - being so defensive and ugly and all? Seems like characteristics of some people I read about once....


*the word 'emergent' is linked though I'm not sure how accurate the description is

8 comments:

Mary said...

Great post here girlie! We also are a type of "emergent" - according to the definition of emergent is wanting to minister to the postmodern and the unchurched. Hey we love this generation and we will fight for them to bring them into the Kingdom of God! It's been wild and crazy around here! That's why I'm not able to post too much. Hopefully things will slow down, cause I have a lot to say! :) Love you girl. give our love to the fam! Blessings!!

Chelle said...

Great post...I'm very intrigued by the emergent church. I don't really call myself any particular kind of Christian, but there is a lot here that I agree with.

reallyniceday said...

Philippians 1:9-11 says

And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

I totally get what you're saying and people even come to mind while I'm reading, however, I think there is a place for discernment while also a place for being without offense. In being put of by merciless "Christians" we don't want to fall in the other ditch by being offended by them.

javamamma said...

yep, i'm not 'without offense' today.

Gayle @ thewestiecrew said...

Wow, you sure have given me alot to read. I am about to check out all of those websites.
Off the cuff, and without seeing what these folks are saying I will state that it saddens me deeply when people who hold truth in the palms of their hands get so irate and hateful to others that no one can see the proverbial forest for the trees anymore. Their witness is ruined for their lack of love. Sad...ok, off to read.

Nen said...

Hey you, I answered you on my sight so I'll reiterate here.

I don't really see why it is important to 'define" ourselves, you know? We are just asking to be stereo-typed / to stereo-type others. (I know you aren't saying we should)

If we never mentioned the labels, I imagine we would be surprised at the diversity of people we would feel ONE with through His Spirit, our commonality of His blood and our need of it...

ConservaChick said...

YES YES YES! I agree wholeheartedly with your comment about sights used to bash others. What a negative energy... that must be constant decay in their souls.
I definitely agree with the emergent church philosophy, but I've seen it done in a very wrong way. Our last church was so busy trying to accommodate the lost that it compromised itself in too many ways. They would forgo God's word to "not offend" new believers, and became so busy building outreach programs, they forgot about RELATIONSHIP. We'd get 'em in the doors, but loose them just as quickly; so sad. It's all about balance.
With that said I'm still looking for a church with an emergent philosophy, that sees the importance of scripture, that won't compromise God's word, and has awesome, loud, on your knees worship! Common' Javamama... I'm serious about that church plant. PLEASE... I'm DESPERATE!

javamamma said...

Church plant?!?! Huh, who said anything about church plant? :o)