Skan, I am speaking as a Reformed Baptist. I was completely turned off by the OP, and said so. In my opinion Rick's premise and conclusions are biased and faulty. That he is a Calvinist is of little consequence. His type of diatribe could have come from an Anabaptist.
Generational Failure
Discussion in 'Baptist Theology & Bible Study' started by Luke2427, Mar 12, 2013.
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Earth Wind and Fire Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
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This is a debate site- not an "attack the person who says things you don't like" site. -
Your discernment about theology is consistent with your discernment here. -
It is the age we live in. The best of us, that's people like you, have no backbone nor stomach for stinging truth.
Ironically, we lost most of it in the 60's and 70's.
The Christianity that the adults of those decades left us is so weak that anything remotely firm seems shockingly abrasive.
The soft Christianity people like you call for has made a generation of effeminate Christianity and turned spiritual warriors into spiritual wimps.
My op is WAY softer than countless rants recorded in inspired Scripture with God's stamp of approval on them.
Have you ever stopped to consider that maybe my unique hardness is not the problem but rather the popular softness of the day? -
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Sure, we can cite some worldly events, race riots, Watergate, assasinations, Woodstock, the Vietnam War, decline in the churches, etc as a sign of changing times for the worse compared to the last generations. However, compare that to the 20s. This problem goes much deeper that that. It goes to the human heart.
One of the first movies to come out that showed a total lack of respect for the person of Jesus Christ was "Jesus Christ Superstar." My parents would not even allow me to go.
I can blame liberals, homosexuals, activists, Communistis, socialists etc all day long, but the point Luke has made, the real point is us. If I have a point of disagreement, it would be blaming a generation instead of a series of generations since. It all gets down to two words, selfishness and laziness., and right within our own local churches. These outward sins have always gone on. What changed is the local churches not calling them to account and turing their noses inward.
The Bible tells us to put on the whole armor of God. Instead, everyone stands around and scratches their heads about why the empty pews. Instead of the armour of God, we put on pot lucks. We show no concern for the lost soul. One in 100 people show up for visitation. We have transformed local churches into a senior citizen social club. We toleratate rampant gossip. We water down the consequences of sin. We have arguments in church on what color to change the carpet. We worry more about dancing, drinking, lottery tickets and TV shows than bringing someone to salvation.
Yes, I do think my generation started the slippery slope. Now, I will say that there are times for harsh, pointed language to get a point across, but not always. Evil has always been out there. Christ and His church is what keeps it in check. When Christians for the most part become self centered slobs, the outcome is not hard to predict. -
We are in even more agreement than you realize because I am not trying to paint the whole generation with a broad brush.
As I said in the op, there are many good, godly Christians who came out of that generation. There were men like Adrian Rogers who condemned his own generation.
And I agree that it did not begin just with the adults of the 60's and 70's, but it was here where empty Christianity became a plague in this land along with rampant immorality.
The point of this thread was to humble. The reason it is called for is because some guys like me, in their mid thirties, are tired of hearing guys in their late fifties to mid 70's talk like theirs are the godly "old paths" that we need to get back to. What absolute obliviousness!! What arrogance! What idiocy!
I have presented some facts that VERY few have even attempted to deal with- facts that support my premise that this could have been the worst generation for Christianity in the history of the nation.
Now I can think of counter arguments, sound, valid contentions that I am mistaken. But FEW have even attempted to do that. They just attack.
But do you know why they do that?
An old proverb says, "If you throw a rock in a pack of dogs, the one who whelps is the one you hit." -
Earth Wind and Fire Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
What do you say to the unemployed, what do you say to the women without a husband that is struggling with 3 growing kids w/o a father. What do you say to the shut ins, to the people who's house was just foreclosed on. They all want to know what the meaning of life is on this side of the grave. I dont think the church has been answering those questions for a real long time.....rather its come in on Sunday & somehow it will all come together. Jeeze, these are the people who deliberately wont come. They are ashamed, or they are forced to work low paying jobs, or the kids are sick or they would have to drive & they no longer have cars, or whatever.
My foundational question is what has happened to a church that no longer considers the plight of the poor, downtrodden & destitute? Guess we would rather just come to church at 11 am on any given Sunday & meet with all the comfortable born again & saved. Beware: You are ignoring Christ & that is shameful. -
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