Christian Stuff - A Thread (1 Viewer)

[Joe Bryant]

Our politicians have lost sight of their job, which is ultimately find the best compromise as opposed to fight for your side.

One of the biggest issues of our political system right now in one succinct sentence.

I'm going to actually push back on this here and defend the politicians.

IMO, the voters themselves have lost sight of compromise and the climate for both sides has become too "my team versus yours" and compromise is akin to Big Papi wearing a Yankees cap. The politicians just then act rationally by refusing to compromise because if they do so it likely means they lose their jobs and defeats the purpose of running in the first place.

Look at McCain, Romney, Synema, etc. who all tried compromise and their party voters made them pay for doing so. In other words, it's us and not them.

(I hope this isn't too political as I kept it non-partisan)

Thanks but let's not pursue the political part. I already have people reporting things. Even non partisan, please let's not pursue that path. Because it will instantly be partisan.

 

[Joe Bryant]

Jim Collins (business author) has a concept called the fly wheel, the premise of which is basically "if one thing happens, a resulting thing cannot help but to happen".

Huge believer in flywheel stuff.

 

[IvanKaramazov]

My college reference was only to refute Gally's sweeping claim that "nobody discusses ideas anymore."

What I meant is *everyone talks past each other without listening to other viewpoints. Most people hang with like minded folks and talk the same talk. When a "discussion" does come up there isn't enough listening from each side to gain an understanding and possibly learn something.

*by everyone I mean most people. Enough that discussions have gone from learning other perspectives to forcing your perspective on the other person.

One of my better friends is a stout lifelong atheist and we ve had many conversations that got heated but never came close to compromising our friendship. If anything he made me question why I believe what I believed and forced me to be a bit more open minded than I was. I may have made him a little more agnostic at least and less of a Christian hater.

Its proven the algorithm we are all exposed to daily pushes us to more extreme ideas by feeding us what we want to hear perpetually. This goes against the best interest of humanity in general as the collective wisdom of a group is nearly always better in the long run provided everyone listens to and gives merit to the best ideas of each individual at any time. Our politicians have lost sight of their job, which is ultimately find the best compromise as opposed to fight for your side.

I've always been of the mind I can learn something from anyone, and I think I'm better off for it.

Back to the original topic - CS Lewis has a great book called "The Problem of Pain" that he wrote after he lost his wife which hits this topic on the head. I've read excerpts of it but never cover to cover. It would be a good grab for someone though thinking about this topic!

Thanks for mentioning the CS Lewis book. I really need to get a hold of that.

Big fan of CS Lewis. Not that I agree with everything he's written, but most of his apologetic writings rank pretty highly in terms of wisdom-per-page.

 

[Zow]

My college reference was only to refute Gally's sweeping claim that "nobody discusses ideas anymore."

What I meant is *everyone talks past each other without listening to other viewpoints. Most people hang with like minded folks and talk the same talk. When a "discussion" does come up there isn't enough listening from each side to gain an understanding and possibly learn something.

*by everyone I mean most people. Enough that discussions have gone from learning other perspectives to forcing your perspective on the other person.

One of my better friends is a stout lifelong atheist and we ve had many conversations that got heated but never came close to compromising our friendship. If anything he made me question why I believe what I believed and forced me to be a bit more open minded than I was. I may have made him a little more agnostic at least and less of a Christian hater.

Its proven the algorithm we are all exposed to daily pushes us to more extreme ideas by feeding us what we want to hear perpetually. This goes against the best interest of humanity in general as the collective wisdom of a group is nearly always better in the long run provided everyone listens to and gives merit to the best ideas of each individual at any time. Our politicians have lost sight of their job, which is ultimately find the best compromise as opposed to fight for your side.

I've always been of the mind I can learn something from anyone, and I think I'm better off for it.

Back to the original topic - CS Lewis has a great book called "The Problem of Pain" that he wrote after he lost his wife which hits this topic on the head. I've read excerpts of it but never cover to cover. It would be a good grab for someone though thinking about this topic!

Thanks for mentioning the CS Lewis book. I really need to get a hold of that.

Big fan of CS Lewis. Not that I agree with everything he's written, but most of his apologetic writings rank pretty highly in terms of wisdom-per-page.

Agreed. Mere Christianity was a backbone of my theological and philosophical thinking from when I was like 16-21.

 

[Psychopav]

My college reference was only to refute Gally's sweeping claim that "nobody discusses ideas anymore."

What I meant is *everyone talks past each other without listening to other viewpoints. Most people hang with like minded folks and talk the same talk. When a "discussion" does come up there isn't enough listening from each side to gain an understanding and possibly learn something.

*by everyone I mean most people. Enough that discussions have gone from learning other perspectives to forcing your perspective on the other person.

One of my better friends is a stout lifelong atheist and we ve had many conversations that got heated but never came close to compromising our friendship. If anything he made me question why I believe what I believed and forced me to be a bit more open minded than I was. I may have made him a little more agnostic at least and less of a Christian hater.

Its proven the algorithm we are all exposed to daily pushes us to more extreme ideas by feeding us what we want to hear perpetually. This goes against the best interest of humanity in general as the collective wisdom of a group is nearly always better in the long run provided everyone listens to and gives merit to the best ideas of each individual at any time. Our politicians have lost sight of their job, which is ultimately find the best compromise as opposed to fight for your side.

I've always been of the mind I can learn something from anyone, and I think I'm better off for it.

Back to the original topic - CS Lewis has a great book called "The Problem of Pain" that he wrote after he lost his wife which hits this topic on the head. I've read excerpts of it but never cover to cover. It would be a good grab for someone though thinking about this topic!

Thanks for mentioning the CS Lewis book. I really need to get a hold of that.

Big fan of CS Lewis. Not that I agree with everything he's written, but most of his apologetic writings rank pretty highly in terms of wisdom-per-page.

Agreed. Mere Christianity was a backbone of my theological and philosophical thinking from when I was like 16-21.

Seems to be something most of us can agree on (unless Crosseyed is still around?)

 

[Joe Bryant]

Jen Hatmaker is a writer I like.

She wrote this a few years ago and like to go back to it on Christmas Eve.

It covers a good bit of things I see and feel about Christianity today.

Can we talk about Jesus for a second? Here on Christmas Eve?

Probably like a lot of you, church, organized religion, denominations, labels, Christmas chaos, faith words, political affiliations, cliches, Christians, all the ancillary faith things have muddied the waters at best, drained them entirely at worst.

Which I get. I am all over the place on those things. I have shed so many labels and affiliations in the last few years, there is hardly anything left that I can stand by, that I can believe in. I'll tell you what is left for me:
Jesus.

I can't quit him. Not all the BS that got attached to him, all his name has been used and abused for, but just him. That he would come to us poor, born to a young girl with no accolades, in a manger attended by shepherds. That he bypassed the palace where he rightly belonged as King and placed himself in the margins. His very birth explaining his kingdom.

So when we keep trying to put him on the Red Carpet, in the White House, under the spotlights, in the Winner's Circle, I get flustered and angry and fed up with the whole charade. I want to turn my back on the Enterprise which we had our chance at and ruined and be done.

But then I hear:

Oh holy night
The stars are brightly shining
It is the night of our dear Savior's birth.
Long lay the world
In sin and error pining
Till he appeared
And the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope
A weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks
A new and glorious morn...

And I am gone. An absolute goner over this Jesus. The real one. Who came so every soul could feel its worth again. Who brought lasting joy to this weary, hard world. This Savior is indeed so dear to me. To my tired heart.

He is all that makes sense to me of everything he has ever been branded for. I love him and I can't not love him, and that is basically what I have left.

And it is more than enough. He always was.

If that is all you have left in your precious little hands too, you have all that matters.

Merry Christmas, beloveds. Here is to a new and glorious morn.

 

[El Floppo]

Thought this was another Paddington thread. Nttawwt

 

[Joe Bryant]

Thought this was another Paddington thread. Nttawwt

I started this one a little while back and changed the title to be more general.

 

[El Floppo]

Thought this was another Paddington thread. Nttawwt

I started this one a little while back and changed the title to be more general.

So basically, yes? Lol

 

[Joe Bryant]

Thought this was another Paddington thread. Nttawwt

I started this one a little while back and changed the title to be more general.

So basically, yes? Lol

I don't think so. This is a thread I started. Thought it might be good for discussion.

 

[pollardsvision]

I wish there was a term for "it seems like there's a good 70% or so chance that there is a Creator, but I don't see the point in trying to figure it out. I've been here 45 years and that Creator doesn't seem to think it's important that I know they exist and who they are. If there's a Creator that thought it was important that I know, I'd think they could work that out.

So I'm going to go about the business of treating people the best I can while I'm here. We only get a short time here. All this other stuff is way above my pay grade. If other people that have been on this Earth a couple decades are certain what happened in the millions of years before we got here and what will happen to our souls in the millions of years after we're gone, good for them.

I just can't be certain of any of that any more than my dog would understand how the house stays warm in the winter and cool in the summer"

If there's a word for that, that's what I am.

If other people can solve all the mysteries of the universe, fantastic. I'm just a dummy that's going to spend this life treating people the best I can until it's over.

 

[Joe Bryant]

I wish there was a term for "it seems like there's a good 70% or so chance that there is a Creator, but I don't see the point in trying to figure it out. I've been here 45 years and that Creator doesn't seem to think it's important that I know they exist and who they are. If there's a Creator that thought it was important that I know, I'd think they could work that out.

So I'm going to go about the business of treating people the best I can while I'm here. We only get a short time here. All this other stuff is way above my pay grade. If other people that have been on this Earth a couple decades are certain what happened in the millions of years before we got here and what will happen to our souls in the millions of years after we're gone, good for them.

I just can't be certain of any of that any more than my dog would understand how the house stays warm in the winter and cool in the summer"

If there's a word for that, that's what I am.

If other people can solve all the mysteries of the universe, fantastic. I'm just a dummy that's going to spend this life treating people the best I can until it's over.

For what it's worth, I don't think you're a "dummy". I think we're all in similar boats trying to do the best we can.

 

[El Floppo]

I wish there was a term for "it seems like there's a good 70% or so chance that there is a Creator, but I don't see the point in trying to figure it out. I've been here 45 years and that Creator doesn't seem to think it's important that I know they exist and who they are. If there's a Creator that thought it was important that I know, I'd think they could work that out.

So I'm going to go about the business of treating people the best I can while I'm here. We only get a short time here. All this other stuff is way above my pay grade. If other people that have been on this Earth a couple decades are certain what happened in the millions of years before we got here and what will happen to our souls in the millions of years after we're gone, good for them.

I just can't be certain of any of that any more than my dog would understand how the house stays warm in the winter and cool in the summer"

If there's a word for that, that's what I am.

If other people can solve all the mysteries of the universe, fantastic. I'm just a dummy that's going to spend this life treating people the best I can until it's over.

I consider myself an agnostic theist, fwiw... I share a lot of your sentiments.

 

[El Floppo]

Thought this was another Paddington thread. Nttawwt

I started this one a little while back and changed the title to be more general.

So basically, yes? Lol

I don't think so. This is a thread I started. Thought it might be good for discussion.

Sorry joe - was just busting your chops a bit.

 

[IvanKaramazov]

I wish there was a term for "it seems like there's a good 70% or so chance that there is a Creator, but I don't see the point in trying to figure it out. I've been here 45 years and that Creator doesn't seem to think it's important that I know they exist and who they are. If there's a Creator that thought it was important that I know, I'd think they could work that out.

So I'm going to go about the business of treating people the best I can while I'm here. We only get a short time here. All this other stuff is way above my pay grade. If other people that have been on this Earth a couple decades are certain what happened in the millions of years before we got here and what will happen to our souls in the millions of years after we're gone, good for them.

I just can't be certain of any of that any more than my dog would understand how the house stays warm in the winter and cool in the summer"

If there's a word for that, that's what I am.

If other people can solve all the mysteries of the universe, fantastic. I'm just a dummy that's going to spend this life treating people the best I can until it's over.

Since I mentioned CS Lewis earlier on this page, it's worth noting that he makes pretty much exactly this same analogy.

 

[Chaos34]

I have shed so many labels and affiliations in the last few years decades, there is hardly anything left that I can stand by, that I can believe in. I'll tell you what is left for me:
Jesus.

I can't quit him.

Describes me.

So many times I've been tempted in that other thread to go all in against the church, against the scriptures, against the old testament god, and for a rational understanding of science and history, and for the unexpressed arguments of agnostics and atheists alike, but I don't. There's reasons the agnostics and atheists hold back there. I think one is to avoid a "politics" style discussion breaking out. I can't speak for them but my reason is different. For all the problems I have with religion, I can't quit Jesus.

Also, I built some high-end near-field speakers for Christmas specifically for this pc I'm sitting at. Her article reminded me of a song, so I just cranked them up for the first time.

Merry Christmas everybody. It's okay to say that for Pete's sake.

 

[Joe Bryant]

I shared this in a few places. This art always makes me think.

Merry Christmas. Peace and Grace to You and Yours.

x.com

x.com

 

[Joe Bryant]

Some people asked about the graphic and what I thought it means. It's some of the same stuff from the Jen Hatmaker post I shared above.

As some have said, we Christians sometimes don't live out our lives in ways I think we're called to.

And I think sometimes a good "check" on that is to to think how things from the Bible might apply today. The manger scene with Jesus in the barn and the wisemen and shepherds is a beautiful image but it's pretty sanitized from what I think was likely the way it actually happened. If that story were to happen today in the USA, I think it probably would look more like the graphic. Stressed young soon to be parents struggling to find shelter. We're not going to turn this political, but it makes me think.

And on a bigger picture, makes me think about how and if I'm following Jesus' teaching.

 

[Chaos34]

Some people asked about the graphic and what I thought it means. It's some of the same stuff from the Jen Hatmaker post I shared above.

As some have said, we Christians sometimes don't live out our lives in ways I think we're called to.

And I think sometimes a good "check" on that is to to think how things from the Bible might apply today. The manger scene with Jesus in the barn and the wisemen and shepherds is a beautiful image but it's pretty sanitized from what I think was likely the way it actually happened. If that story were to happen today in the USA, I think it probably would look more like the graphic. Stressed young soon to be parents struggling to find shelter. We're not going to turn this political, but it makes me think.

And on a bigger picture, makes me think about how and if I'm following Jesus' teaching.

I love the image and looked it over for awhile. Here's a few takes. It's titled Jose y Maria; Joseph and Mary. It made me think the more things change the more they stay the same. Times are rough and this married couple expecting a child needs shelter. It's raining. There's no vacancy. They're exposed in a rough part of town. Litter, grafiti, weeds, even the mechanical pony is out of order. But there's a twofold spiritual message. As God was watching over Joseph and Mary, he's still here, always here; and he's watching over Jose and Maria. In the toughest of times. he's there.

On the window the wiesman are following good news towards a star. A dove is flying towards salvation. And while there's no vacancy, signs are pointing to a new manger. It's my kind of Christmas image. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Terminalxylem]

I wish there was a term for "it seems like there's a good 70% or so chance that there is a Creator, but I don't see the point in trying to figure it out. I've been here 45 years and that Creator doesn't seem to think it's important that I know they exist and who they are. If there's a Creator that thought it was important that I know, I'd think they could work that out.

So I'm going to go about the business of treating people the best I can while I'm here. We only get a short time here. All this other stuff is way above my pay grade. If other people that have been on this Earth a couple decades are certain what happened in the millions of years before we got here and what will happen to our souls in the millions of years after we're gone, good for them.

I just can't be certain of any of that any more than my dog would understand how the house stays warm in the winter and cool i in the summer"

If there's a word for that, that's what I am.

If other people can solve all the mysteries of the universe, fantastic. I'm just a dummy that's going to spend this life treating people the best I can until it's over.

I think the word is humility.

 

[tommyGunZ]

Some people asked about the graphic and what I thought it means. It's some of the same stuff from the Jen Hatmaker post I shared above.

As some have said, we Christians sometimes don't live out our lives in ways I think we're called to.

And I think sometimes a good "check" on that is to to think how things from the Bible might apply today. The manger scene with Jesus in the barn and the wisemen and shepherds is a beautiful image but it's pretty sanitized from what I think was likely the way it actually happened. If that story were to happen today in the USA, I think it probably would look more like the graphic. Stressed young soon to be parents struggling to find shelter. We're not going to turn this political, but it makes me think.

And on a bigger picture, makes me think about how and if I'm following Jesus' teaching.

Good on you Joe. I would love to hear from more Christians about how they have turned a blind eye to the lessons from Christ’s birth over the last decade.

 

[Joe Bryant]

Some people asked about the graphic and what I thought it means. It's some of the same stuff from the Jen Hatmaker post I shared above.

As some have said, we Christians sometimes don't live out our lives in ways I think we're called to.

And I think sometimes a good "check" on that is to to think how things from the Bible might apply today. The manger scene with Jesus in the barn and the wisemen and shepherds is a beautiful image but it's pretty sanitized from what I think was likely the way it actually happened. If that story were to happen today in the USA, I think it probably would look more like the graphic. Stressed young soon to be parents struggling to find shelter. We're not going to turn this political, but it makes me think.

And on a bigger picture, makes me think about how and if I'm following Jesus' teaching.

Good on you Joe. I would love to hear from more Christians about how they have turned a blind eye to the lessons from Christ’s birth over the last decade.

Thank you GB. You're kind.

I do sense there's some momentum for taking a fresh look. That's good for me as well.

 

[Joe Bryant]

Some people asked about the graphic and what I thought it means. It's some of the same stuff from the Jen Hatmaker post I shared above.

As some have said, we Christians sometimes don't live out our lives in ways I think we're called to.

And I think sometimes a good "check" on that is to to think how things from the Bible might apply today. The manger scene with Jesus in the barn and the wisemen and shepherds is a beautiful image but it's pretty sanitized from what I think was likely the way it actually happened. If that story were to happen today in the USA, I think it probably would look more like the graphic. Stressed young soon to be parents struggling to find shelter. We're not going to turn this political, but it makes me think.

And on a bigger picture, makes me think about how and if I'm following Jesus' teaching.

Good on you Joe. I would love to hear from more Christians about how they have turned a blind eye to the lessons from Christ’s birth over the last decade.

Thank you GB. You're kind.

I do sense there's some momentum for taking a fresh look. That's good for me as well.

Also, you may have seen @tommyGunZ but some of the "He Gets Us" clips hit on some of these topics.

- YouTube

Auf YouTube findest du die angesagtesten Videos und Tracks. Außerdem kannst du eigene Inhalte hochladen und mit Freunden oder gleich der ganzen Welt teilen.

youtu.be

 

[tommyGunZ]

I have seen some of those Joe - love them! One of my best friends is a pastor in Charleston, SC and he’s a huge proponent of a more compassionate and empathetic embrace of migrants and the less fortunate.

 

[SWC]

my big thing is i think there is a big kahuna from down under and the only thing i know for certain that i am not him and neither is any other mortal so i just try to live the best i can and be the best to others that i can and help out whoever i can and make whoever i can feel loved to the best of my ability and just live how i think a good god would want me to and i get super frustrated by all the mortals who try to ram down my throat how they think i have to behave and believe in order to make thier version of god happy man i think 90 percent of those people dont care about god or what he actually wants they are just using god as a prop to exercise control or make money and one of the things i really think the true big kahuna from down under will do is deal with those people like they should be dealt with when they get to the pearly gates take that to the bank brohans

 

[Joe Bryant]

There's a lot of talk about churches and how we as Christians are to live in the world.

House Of Mercy is a church not far from us In Asheville that we partner with and I think they get a ton of this right.

2024 CSPC Mission Conference: House of Mercy

This is "2024 CSPC Mission Conference: House of Mercy" by CedarSpringsPresbyterianChurch on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who…

vimeo.com

 

[Joe Bryant]

The House Of Mercy video above also touches on some of the "tough things to good people" aspect with the pastors son's health challenges.