If all you can do is argue...

[Guest]

It's getting a little too heated in here for me.

[Twilight]

1Th 2:2 But even after that we had suffered before, and were shamefully entreated, as ye know, at Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much contention.

[Twilight]

1Th 2:2 But even after that we had suffered before, and were shamefully entreated, as ye know, at Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much contention.

[phkrause]

Good for you buddy.

pk

[LifeHiscost]

(ML: argue, reason), though L freq. form attested only in sense “babble, chatter”

____________________________________________________________

Somehow I sense a dichotomy there. Reason/babble, but I wouldn't want to argue the point.

Regards!

[LifeHiscost]

Well .... we all do need a little Grace don't we. Praise God we have the merits of Jesus to save us.

I won't argue about that.

Blessings!

[LifeHiscost]

Putting forward one's opinion is not the same as continually arguing and not getting anywhere.

If arguing was so good, then why does it drive people away instead of drawing them in? And that is the situation we have here.

I was going to respond to that one, but after careful consideration I decided I didn't want to argue about it. teehe

Blessings!

[Tom Wetmore]

Here is something that fits:

[LifeHiscost]

We have all been guilty of responding with a short response like "That's stupid"-all the while not providing evidence supporting why they think 'it is stupid'.

More often than not, "we" means "me".

Regards!

[LifeHiscost]

There is always a spirit of controversy around the gospel, always has been. We are in a state of war. :-)

Wholeheartedly agree. OTOH, while many who are contentedly secure in Jesus' promises, some who are the most offensive in all good conscience, have been raised in an atmosphere of survival of "may the best man win". Can't say that I'm totally free of that "worldly weakness".

Even Jesus kept silent when His silence was a witness to others how they could be doing God honor by not raising issues that would help no one for good.

"When He left there, the scribes and the Pharisees began to be very hostile and to question Him closely on many subjects..."Luke 11:53 NASB

"So then, I thought to myself that I had to do many things hostile to the name of Jesus of Nazareth."Acts 26:9 NASB

Blessings!

[LifeHiscost]

HEY ALL

WELL here we are having a discussion about

arguing

dgrimm60

Ironic, isn't it?

[LifeHiscost]

Originally Posted By: Stan Jensen

The statement was for those folks who just argue...

IS not!

Ooops..

Or as Stan might say___

[LifeHiscost]

1Th 2:2 But even after that we had suffered before, and were shamefully entreated, as ye know, at Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much contention.

I really don't think that was an explicit view of how to lead someone to Jesus, although there are some quotes in the OT, as well as the new, that point out how "this was of God", that revealed some pretty poor attitudes on the part of the saints.

"But Paul thought not good to take him with them, who departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work.

And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus;

And Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God."Acts 15:38-40 KJV

Regards!

[GreatLakesGramma]

There is always a spirit of controversy around the gospel, always has been. We are in a state of war. :-)

Christians are supposed to be at war with the devil, not with each other.

By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another. John 13:35

This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. John 15:12

Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another. Romans 12:10

For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. Galatians 5:13

[Woody]

Originally Posted By: dgrimm60

HEY ALL

WELL here we are having a discussion about

arguing

dgrimm60

Ironic, isn't it?

Well it is fun. Arguing about things of importance is where we get into trouble.

[Twilight]

Originally Posted By: Twilight

There is always a spirit of controversy around the gospel, always has been. We are in a state of war. :-)

Wholeheartedly agree. OTOH, while many who are contentedly secure in Jesus' promises, some who are the most offensive in all good conscience, have been raised in an atmosphere of survival of "may the best man win". Can't say that I'm totally free of that "worldly weakness".

Even Jesus kept silent when His silence was a witness to others how they could be doing God honor by not raising issues that would help no one for good.

"When He left there, the scribes and the Pharisees began to be very hostile and to question Him closely on many subjects..."Luke 11:53 NASB

"So then, I thought to myself that I had to do many things hostile to the name of Jesus of Nazareth."Acts 26:9 NASB

Blessings!

Agreed. :-)

[Twilight]

Originally Posted By: Twilight

There is always a spirit of controversy around the gospel, always has been. We are in a state of war. :-)

Christians are supposed to be at war with the devil, not with each other.

By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another. John 13:35

This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. John 15:12

Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another. Romans 12:10

For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. Galatians 5:13

I agree whole heartedly.

But God often allows controversy around the Gospel.

Question is:

Why?

Mark :-)

[CyberGuy]

When people come on, and they have to defend every post they make, usually done by 3-4 people on here, they just leave.

Surly people can also make inspiration statements and thoughts, arguing all the time just drains..

Thinks that can be posted

Post you personal testamony

Post effective reaching out

Post blessing you have given/received or heard about

Post SOP and Bible text that you read today that meant something to you

There are all kinds of other idea, that don't involve correcting folks

Post humor, little know legal facts that are funny.

Many things can contribute to the enjoyment of others..

Not saying people should never disagree, but to deal with the issue rather than the people.

On another board, I asked a Church of Christ Pastor why they did not allow musical instruments, I accept their thinking with out trying to correct them, others, however jumped all over them...

These ideas were what Ralph Blodgett wanted. Unfortunately the forum got into nothing more than one big argument between liberals and conservatives in the church. It will always be this way. What you propose is idealistic but unrealistic. It would be boring and uninteresting to read for most people. Why do you think people like to read Spectrum magainzine. Not for the testimonies I assure you but for the controversy in the church. As my wife is fond of saying. Inquiring minds want to know. VOAF was shut down because people prefered to fight rather than give the testimonies you want. Most testimonies are inspiring but are not relevant to most of us. Politics affects us all and we are very heated about it. That is why there is so much emotion over politcs. Religion people are very passionate about as well for it affects their religious life on how they feel people should live. People inwardly are not very tolerant unfortunately. What you propose has been tried before and failed. Oh it always works in the short term but it always comes down to fighting again over the long term. I have seen this again and again on every forum out there.

[CyberGuy]

In 2010 the church will have its GC Session in Atlanta. The most controveral thing that will happen will be the picking of the new GC president. Ted Wilson is leading the pack of the most probable next president. He lost by 1 vote in 2005. He is very conservative and is very anti womans ordination which will make him unpopular with North America and Europe but popular with Africa and South America where most of our members reside. So he will most likely get elected. Which will make for many heated discussions on the forum on his policies he will try to implement.

[Bravus]

Who knows, we might end up schismed like the Anglicans/Episcopalians...

[CyberGuy]

A case in point. In 2005 there was a motion on the floor of the GC to allow divorse in cases of spousal abuse and I mean physical abuse but where there was no adultery. This motion was fought by people from africa and South america where a husband can culturally beat his wife and it is accepted as ok. It was tabled until the last day when people from africa and South america were going home. It was brought back to the floor for a vote by Europe and North american and passed. Those people were told secretly to stay around for that vote. It was a slick polictically move and people from Africa and South American cried FOUL but it was done. This created a lot of heated discussion on the fairness of this kind of move. People from South America vowed to bring that topic back up for discussion and vote in 2010. We shall see if that happens.

My point is this is a heated topic and people will get very passionate and dare I say unkind in their remarks about it. But that is what happens when an emotional topic like this comes up.

Why because the bible only allows divorse in cases of adultery but SOP tells us that a woman should not stay with an abusive husband for the sake of her safety and her children but does not give council on the divorse topic. So what should we do? That is what makes for heated discussion.

[Woody]

Perhaps a valuable lesson has been learned to stick around till the Conference is completely done. Leaving early is not cool. You may get in trouble with the teacher.

[Woody]

Quote:

Post humor

You would be amazed at how much trouble I can get in for posting humor. Some feel humor has no place in Christianity. And they will "argue" with you about it till the cows come home.

[CyberGuy]

Then everyons humor is different. What one person finds funny another finds offensive. Look at those cartoons about Mohammond a year or so ago. The west finds them funny and the Muslims finds them offensive even to the point of putting bountys on the cartoonists head.

[Neil D]

CAPITALIST !!

Not bad a capitalist for a left wing communistic rable rouser, eh, Olger?