Young Americans today are more skeptical and resistant to Christianity than were people of the same age just a decade ago, says a new study.
Young Americans today are more skeptical and resistant to Christianity than were people of the same age just a decade ago, says a new study.
Comments
The problem with christians today is that they have abandon true faith in christ, We as christians are so busey pointing out where everyone is wrong that we forgot to show love to the world, we have become judges rather than forgivers who lead with charity and truth, We need to learn what the gosple means before teaching it. One must let christ live in him somuch that one is truky dead to self." It is not i but christ who lives in me" When christ lives and you die you will have good conscious with god, It is not the easy answer that churches teach, but the hard road that was suggested by the apostles, A total comitment to christ and his comandments and complete desetion of ones self, When we do this then christ living through us in his perfact love and patience will set us apart from the word making us the testimony to the world. Until christians learn this and live it the world will never see truth and christianity will be critisized by even those who are seeking christ. Let the church return to christ and christ will bless our efforts, In his love i speak,
Passage 1 Corinthians 6:9-11:
9 Dont you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Dont fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, 10 or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat peoplenone of these will inherit the Kingdom of God. 11 Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. (new living translation)
Forever_Doomed: why are you looking for the term that wasn't around back then. As for a ref: Romans 1:26,27. Also this is a basic principle in which God commanded us to be fruitful and multiply. if your the same sex how is that possible
sophanse: The term atheist is confusing to me because everyone on this earth has faith in something. regardless what they say. whether its faith in themselves or fellow man. So for one to say they dont have faith in anyone or thing is a lie. i think ppl say that moreso for an excuse so they cant be held accountable for anything they do. Meaning if i say i dont believe in the word of god, you cant correct or at least it would be difficult to do so.
I don't know how much this research is relevant. But I am stuck by the word "atheists". Does this word refer to non-Christian believers or no-existent God believers?
Why is it is necessary to call some one else atheist or agnostics? American's value is egalitarianism in which tends to promote pluralism and equality.
So, I think it is not appropriate to differentiate people through their religions or ways of living by calling them atheists or agnostics.
Sophan
"Wiccan: As Christians, we believe in a Biblical worldview, and according to God's Word, there would be clear signs of the beginnning of end times, a time of escalated violence, the love of many would grow cold, and men would become lovers of themselves, rather than lovers of God! This is all prophecy unfolding in our time."
My point is also, this claim has been going on for centuries, "it's unfolding in our time." When I was a born-again Christian, they used different "proof," but the rally cry was the same. And so it will be in the next generation.
I don't believe this article proves anything. It makes broad brush, sweeping arguments without presenting context.
Christians have always been accused of being "judgemental." That is what happens when sin is exposed for what it is. The purpose is not to hold this over people but to bring them to repentance and faith in Christ.
FYI. Homosexuality is sin but it is not unforgivable.
ok so everything in this world has problems. the church is bein called out and bein called bigoted and w/e else. and in some places this is true but not in all. people constantly refer to homosexuality as a sin but not yet have i seen the actual proof that it is. people constantly refer to the bible as their source of reference but, while i have not read the whole thing, each time i've seen these quotes no where does it say out right that homsexuality is a sin. that is wat people percieve it to be but it is not shown as the truth just wat evangelicals and other close minded christans want people to believe. no one ever asked you to change your beliefs. no one ever told you that you were wrong. and while i may be wrong if these people have done this it is because they cannot accept someone and their beliefs. they are choosing to force their beliefs on others w/o caring wat people actually believe. thats wat is happening in the church the beliefs of some ministers, evangelicals, and pastors are being forced on others as true. and people choose to follow these beliefs and accept them as true. all a person needs in their life is their family and God. you do not need a church to tell you wat is wrong and wat is right. read the bible and pray for understanding and stand by your beliefs but don't press your beliefs on others. Just follow the bible and your understanding of it and then pray to God for guidance and forgiveness for watever sins you commit along the way and change yourself and sin no more.
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HIS ARMS ARE WIDE OPEN.
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ANYONE CAN GIVE MONEY AND THAT IS GREAT. YOU CAN SUPPORT MANY CAUSES IN THIS LIFE AND MONEY IS A WONDERFUL TOOL THAT CAN BE USED TO DO MANY THINGS.
THO YOU GIVE YOUR BODY TO BE BURNED AND HAVE NOT CHARITY, WHAT GOOD IS IT.
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UNTIL YOU HAVE EXPERIENCED CRISIS OR POVERTY, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT ONE FEELS. THE FALTER AND DEVASTATION IS BEYOND ANYTHING ONE CAN IMAGINE.
THIS IS NOT JUST SOME GOOD IDEA I DREAMED UP, NO! NO! I LITERALLY HAD A VISION. I WILL SAY A FEW WORDS HERE ABOUT THAT DREAM OR VISION WHICHEVER YOU PREFER.
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ISOME OF THEM WOULD ACCEPT ME, THEY WOULD LISTEN TO WHAT I WAS SAYING. OTHERS WERE MEAN AND HATEFUL, HARSH.
MANY WERE REACHING FOR MY CLOTHES, HUNGRY, SICK, FRAIL LOOKING, DIRTY, BEGGARS, POOR, POVERTY- STRICKEN. WHEN I LOOKED, A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE DROPPING LIKE FLIES.
WHAT I KNOW, IS HERE IN AMERICA, WE ARE A BLESSED, BLESSED NATION. THERE IS SO MUCH FOOD, FREEDOM OF CHOICE, FREEDOM OF RELIGION, MUCH TO BE GRATEFUL AND THANKFUL TO "GOD" FOR. WE ARE LIVING IN AMERICA.
TO WHOM MUCH IS GIVEN, MUCH IS REQUIRED. LUKE 12:48.
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abhodim: Consider yourselves lucky that people still use jesus as a moral measuring standard, and that they want to so much that they interpret his "teachings" to support gay rights. Christianity will really be in trouble on the day when people decide that they don't need their morality to come out of the mouth of a character in 2000 year old middle eastern myths.
This article states (Quote) present day Christianity is "anti-homosexual." Another article in the CP speaks of the Folsom Street Fair, where it is evident that homosexuality is "anti-Christianity." Very confusing, if inaccurate in both directions.
If Christianity is a modifiable set of teachings (which it isn't), then it could fare well in any surveys. But consistent teaching and explaining the Scriptures as they read will not allow this to be. If the secular world desires the Christian faith to be mol;dable and changing, then we would have the situation of the itching ears that Paul speaks of in 2 Tim. 4: 3, 4.
A thought to consider.
People stop buying what they are selling, and many Christians decide its the end of the world. The world didn't end because Zoroastrianism is small and marginalized, or because few take the Greek Gods seriously any more. To all of you who are preparing for armageddon: get over yourselves.
I think Im a fairly typical non-believer, in that I have lived most of my life ignoring the religious, and just not paying any attention to what went on in religious circles for most of the last fifty years. I toiled in the computer industry, raised two kids, owned homes, gave to charity, stayed out of trouble, and was pretty much an ordinary American.
A lifelong Republican, I voted for Bush twice (the second time cause I couldnt vote for someone I believed to be a traitor), and supported many Republican candidates over the years. I served my country in Vietnam, and was proud to do it, at the time.
A year or two after 9/11, someone gave me a copy of End of Faith, by Sam Harris. Boy, what an eye-opener! While I had been asleep, along with much of America, the Christian right had made great strides in their effort to subvert our secular constitution, and replace it with the laws, science and moral structure of the dark ages. Creationism, along with other superstitions, was creeping into our public schools, usually in the guise of ID, or some other foolishness. Attempts were being made in congress to pass legislation that would make it impossible for ordinary Americans to use the courts to enforce provisions of the Bill of Rights. Sound science was being ignored, watered down, or contradicted by the administration, in the name of god.
It was obvious to anyone that the leaders of this extreme Christian movement were aiming for nothing less than turning this country into some kind of a theocracy, aided and abetted by millions upon millions of ordinary Christians who followed their lead, voted as they were told, hated whom they were told to hate and supported the bigots with hundreds of millions of dollars.
To make things even worse, the administration itself poured millions into the coffers of the church in hundreds of faith-based give-aways to organizations that were free to use the money any way they saw fit.
Do you think your kids cant see through this stuff? Do you think they dont see where all of your efforts are heading? Do you think any of them really believe what you are trying to sell? Apparently not, and about time! Another generation, perhaps two, and what is going on in America today will seem like a bad dream. Your attitudes, outlooks and worldviews will seem as foreign to your descendents as those of the Salem witch-hunters (I hope) seem to you.
Wiccan: As Christians, we believe in a Biblical worldview, and according to God's Word, there would be clear signs of the beginnning of end times, a time of escalated violence, the love of many would grow cold, and men would become lovers of themselves, rather than lovers of God! This is all prophecy unfolding in our time. Almighty God has His plan of salvation that HE is working out here, whether or not man believes Him or not. It is not a matter of our perception, it is a matter of God's Soverignty. Man cannot change the plan of God, this world is dead and dying and it is reserved for fire. You take a good look around this world and you tell me that man can change the state that it is in! If you believe that, you are deluding yourself. See, I know that I cannot change things, I cannot even change myself! I surrendered to Jesus Christ, and cried out to God to save me from myself. I didn't always believe God, or His Word, but after trying everything in the world to find satisfaction in my life, NOTHING worked! My life was a complete breakdown going nowhere! When I cried out searching for God, HE answered! Imagine my surprise when HE showed me who I was created by and for! That my life has purpose and meaning, in HIM! He is all I need. But until HE is all you need, you won't know Him! HE opened my heart to HIS love and forgiveness. I am a sinner saved by HIS grace, and love. HE's already died for this world, but man rejects Him. We do indeed live in the end times, brethren all over the world know this as truth, and what we can do, is keep our eyes on Jesus Christ, and watch The Kingdom of God come! Hallelujah! Praise to You Lord God!
Folks, you can continue to deny the Lord, that is your choice. We are called to speak the truth in love, as the Lord God directs us. The World doesn't even know what the true JESUS looks like, so how would they know if Christianity looks like Him! HE is Christianity (the true Christianity) there are those out there that teach/preach a false Gospel. The Lord will deal with those folks. Our commission is to preach the Gospel, in season and out of season. We are simply obeying the Lord God. The Lord told us, the world hates Him, and the world will hate us too! That's Okay! Jesus is LORD!
As I read this article, and then the comments, all I see is the "oh, it's the end times, nothing we can do about it" and nothing about "hey, let's take a closer look at these perceptions and work to make things right."
I believe that this article only proves that we are in the end times, whether the beginning or near the end, I am not sure. However, we are still to be salt and light in this dark sinful world. Anytime you are salt and light, someone is offended. We MUST continue to teach our children, the next generation of believers, to know what the Bible says and know what they believe. Sure - homosexuality is a sin, but so is gossip, cheating, slander!!! God hates the sin, not the sinner. He doesn't excuse the sin, he forgives the sinner. Consequences still happen. We must give those around us a right perception of who God is. We must resolve to stand strong against what we believe is wrong, teach our children, and then teach them to be lovingly steadfast. No matter what you do or say in this corrupt world, if you believe contrary to them, you will be the bad guy!
What do people expect sending kids to public schools. Try home schooling or send them to a true Christian school
Perhaps this has something to do with what our youth are being taught in our public school system as well as the media. I wonder what would happen if the true followers of Christ were to stand up and say - I will no longer pay school taxes to a system that portrays me as a homophobic, bigoted ,rightwing, intolerant,old fashioned jeck who believes the Bible to be the infallible inspired word of God. Pay the same amount for home schooling or to a Christian school - give a receipt to the tax collector and say take me to court!
In 1997, shortly after entering full time ministry, the Lord gave me a vision. He told me that I would see this happening in my lifetime - I was 56 at the time.
I saw His Holy Spirit turn the churches upside down and shake them violently. I saw that a few were falling out of their comfortable pews and into the world. When the churches were turned right side up there were still a large number in the churches. I assumed that those remaining in the churches were the true followers of Christ.
In 2003 as I was pastoring a small rural church I was given the rest of the vision. I saw "The Body of Christ" - the true believers - meeting and worshiping in their homes; witnessing in the streets; ministering to the lost with the love of Christ. They were giving of themselves much more than of their money and worldly goods. They were truely fullfilling the Great Commission and being His ambassadors - bringing the agape love of Christ to sinners. Many were repenting of their sin and coming to Christ as His people.
As this was happening those who were remaining in the "churches" were persecuting the "True Followers of Christ".
I heard the Lord say, "The time is near when many will be deceived. Go into the streets and warn my people saying," (Romans 11:17-22) 17 If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root,18 do not boast over those branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you.19 You will say then, "Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in."20 Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid.21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.22 Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off.
I firmly believe that the Lord is urgently calling and warning with a "Compassionate Roar" "The Body of Christ" to repent and to fullfill the Great Commission.
Perhaps this has something to do with what our youth are being taught in our public school system as well as the media. I wonder what would happen if the true followers of Christ were to stand up and say - I will no longer pay school taxes to a system that portrays me as a homophobic, bigoted ,rightwing, intolerant,old fashioned jeck who believes the Bible to be the infallible inspired word of God. Pay the same amount for home schooling or to a Christian school - give the tax collector your receipt and say take me to court!
In 1997, shortly after entering full time ministry, the Lord gave me a vision. He told me that I would see this happening in my lifetime - I was 56 at the time.
I saw His Holy Spirit turn the churches upside down and shake them violently. I saw that a few were falling out of their comfortable pews and into the world. When the churches were turned right side up there were still a large number in the churches. I assumed that those remaining in the churches were the true followers of Christ.
In 2003 as I was pastoring a small rural church I was given the rest of the vision. I saw "The Body of Christ" - the true believers - meeting and worshiping in their homes; witnessing in the streets; ministering to the lost with the love of Christ. They were giving of themselves much more than of their money and worldly goods. They were truely fullfilling the Great Commission and being His ambassadors - bringing the agape love of Christ to sinners. Many were repenting of their sin and coming to Christ as His people.
As this was happening those who were remaining in the "churches" were persecuting the "True Followers of Christ".
I heard the Lord say, "The time is near when many will be deceived. Go into the streets and warn my people saying," (Romans 11:17-22) 17 If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root,18 do not boast over those branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you.19 You will say then, "Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in."20 Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid.21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.22 Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off.
I firmly believe that the Lord is urgently calling and warning with a "Compassionate Roar1" "The Body of Christ" to repent and to fullfill the Great Commission.
In the end times, many will fall away from the "true body of Christ", this is prophecy. The Word of God speaks of many of these events that are happening. It's funny to me that God's Word warns of these very events and yet man continues to deny God and His truth!
Jesus said, "I am going to build my church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it", while many may say they are Christians, only God knows the heart, and HE knows those who truly walk with Him in fellowship. The Lord says, you will know them by the fruit in their lives. You know when you see Jesus in anyone, their lives are changed, they no longer hang with their old gang, everything about them changes. Jesus never promised us wealth/health on this earth, He told us to not lay up for ourselves treasures on earth, but to lay them up in heaven. Are our lives showing Jesus to the extent that others say, she/he has been with Jesus! That's a Christian! Not just someone who goes to church on Sunday, and lives their life for themselves the rest of the week. The road to heaven is a narrow one, not the larger one. My position is to make sure that I am faithfully following the Lord God, and to make sure that I'm being taught by HIS Holy Spirit, and not just taught any old thing by man. Jesus came to restore us back to a loving relationship with our Father and HE holds that out still to anyone who calls upon the name of the LORD! Man doesn't get to decide who can come to the Lord, JESUS paid for that! The world is turned upside down, and what is wrong is now right and what is right is now wrong. God's Word speaks for itself, and man just chooses to not obey Him. The Church of God is still following Jesus Christ, take personal inventory folks and work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For those who choose not to believe Jesus, the wrath of God remains on them, that is God's Word. This world doesn't want to hear God's Word, and so many have made their own choice. We are called to be salt and light to the world and if that salt loses it flavor and the light goes out, what good is it for. So, you gain prosperity and health, but lose your own soul, what profit is in that?? JUST GIVE ME JESUS! AMEN!
This is a good indicator of us either being in the End-Times or we are looking at the end of the Millennial Kingdom when Satan is let loose to attempt to combat God's army again... the church is sick, Christ's Body is getting weaker by the day... if you look when the trend started.. it was when the Pentecostal and Charismatic movements went haywire back in the early 1900's, then the plague came back full circle starting in the early 60's.
The church is sick because the leaders are no longer leaders. They are salesmen who do not typically care about the salvation of the people, but how many butts are in the seats in their buildings. On top of that, with mega-churches running with budgets blooming over 20 million per year, with only a scant amount used for the poor, hungry and outreach, no wonder there are more lost people in the pews then in any other building in America.
No longer is proper theology taught on Sunday's, nor proper Worship being sung to our Lord (these 3 line songs are just nauseating!), but it is all wrapped around this child-like, spoon-fed preaching that teaches the gullible that God wants you to be rich, to perform miracles, speak in tongues and act like a moron in front of the unsaved (unholy laughter, drunk on the spirit, etc)...
Yes, the church is sick, but so are the members of Christ's body.
What concerns me here is that when we try and be like Jesus and love the sinner and not the sin, the sinner then comes into the church and starts demanding changes to God's word. Jesus did tell the sinner to "go and sin NO MORE", not "oh, I still love you and you don't have to change anything, just keep on doing what your doing, and I will still love you." There has to be a heart change for those who come to the Lord.
Many are called but few are chosen;
Narrow is the path that leads to eternal life.
Prophet:
::quote::
Jesus never condemned a sinner for their sin.
::end quote::
Matthew 19:16-22 (NASB)
16 And someone came to Him and said, "Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?" 17 And He said to him, "Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is only One who is good; but if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments." 18 Then he said to Him, "Which ones?" And Jesus said, "YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT MURDER; YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY; YOU SHALL NOT STEAL; YOU SHALL NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS; 19 HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER; and YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF." 20 The young man said to Him, "All these things I have kept; what am I still lacking?" 21 Jesus said to him, "If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." 22 But when the young man heard this statement, he went away grieving; for he was one who owned much property."
Jesus didn't have to condemn the rich young ruler. God's Law did the condemning. Jesus used the law to show that that man loved money and that he was violating the first commandment. Never once did Jesus say, "I love you and so I'm going to forgive your sins". It took conviction under the Law and repentance for Jesus to grant forgiveness. Christians should not be condemning sinners. It's not our place. But the love, mercy and grace that were demonstrated at the Cross won't make sense to sinners unless they first understand sin.
Romans 7:7 (NASB)
What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? May it never be! On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, "YOU SHALL NOT COVET."
When I read through this article, I cannot help but agree with all of the survey's findings. Even though I am in the church I share a lot of the views of the participants. I do not think there is much difference between the church and the world we are *cough* "attempting" to save. I see these as symptoms of a sick church, there is so much infighting and hypocrisy in modern Christianity that when the world looks at us it says "if they don't even know what they believe so why should we believe it?" Not to mention that there are so many "Christians" who are committing as many, if not more, sins than the world is and often it is right along side of them. No wonder we have a poor witness.
When I look at the church in the U.S. all I see coming out of the mouths of it's leaders is in a sense hate speech. The big issues in the US church seem to be homosexuals and abortion. When the church puts all of the focus on these issues and denounces the people who are participating in these sins instead of trying to show love towards the individuals involved in these sins. When the church attacks these people based on their life choices, their walls and defenses go up and they stop listening. What happened to love the sinner and hate the sin? Jesus once said that the world will know his children by our love, but will they really? Or should it be that they will know us by our lack of love or hate?
There are much bigger issues out there, like poverty, Aids, thousands of people dying of malnutrition (most of them going to hell) every day, and wars. The church seems to be largely silent on these issues, except in supporting the war, and people who seem to be speaking out against these other issues are getting a bad rap for it by the main stream church leaders because they are going against the narrow minded focus of the mainstream denominations.
I don't really have a solution or an answer as to how to fix the church or it's image in the world, perhaps there is none. Maybe we just need to get back to basics and start being known for our love and compassion?
I think it would be helpful to know what the 87% of non Christians mean when they say Christians are "judgmental." I can't help but wonder if they equate being judgmental as having high moral standards, convictions, and principles? The Apostle Paul "judged" (1 Corinthians 5:3) and yet saw himself as the "chief of sinners." As Christians, we will one day "judge" Angels (1 Corinthians 6). The Bible warns against hypocritical judgment. It seems to me the only Christians who won't be accused of being judgmental are those who are committed to the idea of acceptance, but have no place for the engagement of church discipline (1 Corinthians 5). I am afraid many seeker sensitive Pastors will interpret such polling data as fodder for them to pursue and continue church growth strategies on the form of Bill Hybels and Rick Warren. The media has been very effective in portraying Christians as anti-Homosexual when in fact we are opposed to the sin of Homosexuality as well as all other sin. A straw man that they easily blow over is the perception that all across America Sunday after Sunday, all Fundamentalist and Conservative Evangelical preachers preach against is homosexuality. I have heard a few Fundamentalist and Conservative preachers make a slight comment against homosexuality, but rarely an ENTIRE sermon against it. An unfortunate peculiarity of this sin is the minority militant leadership of this movement that is attempting to normalize and force this sin upon the church. This is helped out considerably by Satan's successful infiltration of his people in the form of clergy in the mainline denominations. Homosexuality has been brought to the doorstep of the church through no choice of her own. The degree to which the homosexual militant leadership forces this sin upon the church is the degree to which it is resisted and this is in turn interpreted as hatred and singling out one sin over another. No doubt when Lot's righteous soul was tormented by the evil around him he was then accused of being "judgmental." You have my permission to have the healthy Christian characteristic of a tormented soul in the midst of evil and if the world interprets that as being "judgmental" that is their loss.
God has given each person the faith to receive Him (Romans 12:3b). No matter what the church looks like (never judge His Bride, that shows contempt for the Husbandman!). God, the Holy Spirit, is just as quick and powerful as He ever was and we, True Saints of God - aka disciples, must never rely on our emotions (Proverbs 3:5-6). Every man will give an account, but those who are rightly partaking of the Holy Communion (which is missing in some churches) will always be cleansed (1 John 1:9) and returned to service for His Highest. One Lord, One Faith, and One Baptism....this will save - just as Jesus has promised. The devil has caused "depreciation" in this world....don't be deceived, God is still in control, Amen. Thank God for surveys, but we must "rise up and be on our way, still in 2007".
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The reason young people feel this way is because their parents and mentors are lost, saying they are Christians, giving $$$$ to these huge churches, and acting like the devil himself six days out of the week. Most Christians are hypocrites albeit ignorant. Jesus said to come to HIM. The vast majority of Christians don't do that, they only go to church. Church will not save anyone, goodness in and of itself saves no one. Total obedience and humility is what is attractive to a lost and dying world. This characteristic was lost hundreds of years ago. Churches today know how to generate mailing lists, huge amounts of money, Hollywood followings, stock options, but they don't know Jesus. Jesus will indeed say, I never knew you. "Whoever offends the least of these, it is better that a millstone be hung about his neck and he be cast into the sea." So-called Christians think this applies to someone else. They live in an unreal world, they don't use their intellects, they go by their emotions. It's really sickening when you think about it. Bottom line: This report is not news.
It's true that Christianity doesn't resemble the teachings of Jesus. There is no more grace, mercy, compassion that Jesus displayed. The reason that homosexuals think that we are anti-gay is that we don't treat them as Jesus would. Jesus never condemned a sinner for their sin. He merely spoke the truth in love. And to all those sinners who came to Him, He said "You are forgiven...go and sin no more." Who did Jesus heal? Did He heal the church goer? Did He perform miracles for those who professed to be a folllower? No. He healed the sinner...even before the sinner repented. He forgave the prostitute even without her asking for it. Yet, we horde these blessings for ourselves and the "elite" that call themselves Christians. He wants us to go out to all the world (i.e. non-believers) and heal the sick, forgive the trespasser, and bring hope to the hopeless.
Christians! Get out of your chairs/pews of complacency, go outside of your comfortable four walled church and share the compassion, healing, forgiveness, love, mercy and grace that Jesus showed you! Jesus never once berated the sinner, but he sure came down hard on the religious people of His time. He hasn't changed a bit.
I can't help but think about Francis Schaeffer.He was warning about this before his death in 1984.The churches were already at that time no longer standing for absolute truth.When young people are looking for answers, and they see that the churches are not providing any, they are going to look elsewhere.They are not stupid.I visited the church my aunt attends recently, and the preacher was denying the authority of scripture and the divinity of Christ.What are we standing for? Why even go to church if you don't believe in Jesus? It is a colossal waste of time.I'm not surprised that young people see through the facade.
This is a sad statistic, but we must not grow weary in doing good. We need always to be ready to give testimony as to the reason behind our faith whenever we are called upon. We must give it with the complete knowledge and understanding that God's word is the most powerful weapon and will not return void from whever it is sent.
THIS ONLY COFIRMS WHAT WE HAVE BEEN TAUGHT FOR YEARS YOU CAN ATTRIBUTE IT TO THIS OR THAT BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS THE WORD OF GOD AND THE BIBLE HAS THE BLUE PRINT FOR THIS ENTIRE EPISODE SO DONT SIT AROUND ACTING CLUELESS WHEN BIBLE PROFECY IS AND HAS BEEN COMING TO PASS FOR A VERY LONG TIME .LIVE LOVE LAUGH AND SEEK GOD FOR THEIR IS THE TRUE PEACE AND ETERNAL SALVATION . GOD BLESS THE WORLD
And the point of the story is? We have been hearing this type of information for years. It's nothing new. "Young People" in the age group they are talking about have always had a distorted sense of their own mortality and don't "need" religion or God. It's only after they have experienced life's trials and tribulations that they tend to look for a deeper meaning and a higher power than their own.
We faithful Christians simply need to live the life the Bible tells us to and pray for these lost souls. There is always hope for them and since God does not give up on them, then neither should we.
This report only confirms what the Bible said would happen in the end times. Christians are not "anti homosexual", we're anti-sin. Christianity ''is'' old fashioned. Why should it change to suit the misguided beliefs of today's ''modern" people? You either accept it or you don't, and as a Christian, I hope and pray these young people will accept it and not be led to a belief by the immoral voices of today that since the Bible teaches against sin, it is somehow evil. It is mankind that has deteriorated morally, and now wants to change the inspired word of God to suit their lifestyle. How absolutely amazing and down right stupid. They may infiltrate certain denominations which we've seen with the episcopal church, but we are seeing many 'true' Christians from that church leaving in droves. Christianity is based on the life of Christ and the inspired word of God which says what it says, and always will.