The degrading of a nation

[billwald]

>If someone steals, is it hate to tell them stealing is wrong?

Stealing is a criminal offense. Homosexuality is not, neither is abortion.
So let's change the challenge question to "If someone drinks alcohol, is it hate to tell them drinking alcohol is wrong?" Baptists are supposed to thing drinking alcohol is wrong. When you go out with friends and someone orders a beer, do you tell him it is wrong? If so, how many times would you tell him? Would you avoid him if he refused quit drinking an occasional beer?

>By not telling them it's wrong, don't they grow to believe that the act is not harmful, and thus encouraging them to greater acts of stealing?

If it is a felony, you report it to the police. If they are conducting personal business on company time, taking company pens home, then what? Spending to much time at the water cooler? Tell them they are stealing? Complain to the boss?

>What you call "hate" is a despising of sinful acts that are harmful to the soul. It is love to warn people that these acts will be harmful to them in a long-term way. It would be hate, or at the very least uncaring, to not warn them, to not speak of the act in a way that shows we despise things that are harmful to us.

When Mormons or JWs come to your house, do you thank them for being concerned about your soul? I do.

>Would you rather we keep silent, and be uncaring?

If you are being a nag about it, then yes.

 

[Don]

>If someone steals, is it hate to tell them stealing is wrong?

Stealing is a criminal offense. Homosexuality is not, neither is abortion.

All three are addressed in the bible, aren't they? (commandments referencing murder and stealing; multiple verses regarding homosexuality)

So let's change the challenge question to "If someone drinks alcohol, is it hate to tell them drinking alcohol is wrong?" Baptists are supposed to thing drinking alcohol is wrong. When you go out with friends and someone orders a beer, do you tell him it is wrong? If so, how many times would you tell him? Would you avoid him if he refused quit drinking an occasional beer?

I don't drink, and when people ask me why, I tell them.

The difference being, beer isn't equated the same as homosexuality in the bible. Homosexuality is actually identified as abomination; drinking alcohol is not.

>By not telling them it's wrong, don't they grow to believe that the act is not harmful, and thus encouraging them to greater acts of stealing?

If it is a felony, you report it to the police. If they are conducting personal business on company time, taking company pens home, then what? Spending to much time at the water cooler? Tell them they are stealing? Complain to the boss?

Exactly. To be fair, you should point out that what they're doing is against the law, or against company policy, or whatever rules/regulations; then report them if the behavior continues.

>What you call "hate" is a despising of sinful acts that are harmful to the soul. It is love to warn people that these acts will be harmful to them in a long-term way. It would be hate, or at the very least uncaring, to not warn them, to not speak of the act in a way that shows we despise things that are harmful to us.

When Mormons or JWs come to your house, do you thank them for being concerned about your soul? I do.

Yup; then I ask them if they wanna compare notes.

>Would you rather we keep silent, and be uncaring?

If you are being a nag about it, then yes.

I take that to be, if they're not being a nag about it, then you would want them to say something.

Consider this: Most people who try to tell someone they're doing something wrong aren't "nagging"; the first time they try to tell that individual they're doing something wrong is when the individual blows up and harps about nagging. This is because no one, no one, likes to be told they're wrong or doing something wrong. It's a defensive gesture, born of "I'd rather do what pleases me, even if it's not right."

 

[Don]

To be fair, and answer your other question:

You all don't think continuing hate of anything bleeds over into other areas?

I can certainly see what you're trying to say; but my hatred of abortion doesn't mean I hate women. My hatred of stealing doesn't mean I hate people, because some people steal.

Do I hate individuals who continue in their sins? I have to admit that yes, I probably do. Women who have 3, 4, or more abortions, and are basically using abortion as birth control--I have no tolerance for. Homosexuals who have been made aware that homosexuality is a sin, I can't say that I hate them; but I can't tolerate an unrepentent sinner. Since my children have all grown to the point where their sexuality is defined, I can't put myself in the shoes of someone who's child claims homosexuality; so I can't honestly answer that question. I can only tell you that I'd tell my child they were living in sin, and we'd have to see how that turned out.

 

[Sapper Woody]

So when the day comes (and it will come if you persist) that you receive your General Discharge (or less) for making your opinions known, will that open your eyes?

It doesn't matter what you or your commander or first shirt think. Would either one of them (CC or shirt) stand up in a formation and or make a speech at a dining-in stating their opinions about homosexuality? Would you?

As part of my duties as an NCO, I must counsel (in writing) my soldiers on what I expect from them. An excerpt from what we call an "Initial Counseling", or the first counseling they receive from me when they become my soldier:

Good Order and Discipline
As a member of [insert my team, squad, platoon, company], you will at all times conduct yourself so as to bring credit upon your country and the US Armed Forces. Should anything come to my attention that does not lend itself to good order and discipline, you will receive negative action befitting your behavior. Actions that do not lend to good order and discipline include, but are not limited to: drug use, alchohol abuse, adultery, homosexual behavior, and disrespect to officers and NCOs.

Now, as of the repealment of the DADT, I will have to take out the reference to homosexual behavior, as it is no longer a punishable offense. But, I will still make my opinion known, just like I've made my opinion known that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and that He is the only way to Heaven.

The interesting thing about the military is that you can discuss your opinion on pretty much anything, as long as you are not perceived to be proselytizing. I was telling my Agnostic soldier the other day about what I believed, and I actually was able to walk through the entire "Romans Road", explaining our method of getting to Heaven.

People on this board seem to hold a double standard for those of us in the military. "If you don't get kicked out then you are doing something wrong." Yet, how many civilians on here have been thrown in jail for "hate crimes", or lost a job due to "discrimination" by preaching out against homosexuality?

As to whether or not I would stand up in a formation and say something about my opinion about homosexuality, no I would not. It would not accomplish anything at all, so there would be no point. Again, anytime the subject comes up I state my opinion on the matter. I have written to people concerning the matter. But there's no good in just randomly getting in front of my soldiers to talk about why I disagree with homosexuality. (Especially in my unit, where almost everyone has verbally expressed disdain over the repealment of DADT.)

and it is downright UNCOOL to be Christian. Try praying in your workplace or on the way to work

And that's the neat thing about the military. A lot of military actually claim the title "Christian". (Although most of them do not practise any religion, and I would wager that only a minute percentage of them are saved.) I pray before my meals, silently. I also lead my truck in prayer (in my truck is another "Baptist", one Mormon, and one "undecided") before missions. During my last deployment, as a PFC I led my platoon in prayer before each mission. Unfortunately, my current PSG won't allow that. So we do it in our truck.

 

[billwald]

Sapper Woody - might your Christianity cause you to hesitate just a micro second before blowing away a bad guy?

 

[Sapper Woody]

Sapper Woody - might your Christianity cause you to hesitate just a micro second before blowing away a bad guy?

This is slightly off topic, but I'll answer it anyway. The simple answer is no. In a firefight, your instinct and training takes over and you don't pause to think whether or not you should kill the man who is trying to kill you. Afterward, my personality coupled with my beliefs as a Christian made me feel bad that it had to be done, but not that I did it.