Militant Atheism Alive and Well in the "Bible Belt"

[preacher4truth]

Paul was an extremely well educated fellow. But, when he preached the gospel, he refused to use the words which man's wisdom teacheth, the wisdom of this world which is foolishness with God, or excellency of speach or of wisdom. In fact, Paul told them that he determined not to know anything among them save Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with education. In fact, becoming highly knowledgable about many things going on around us is vey useful and proper. But, when it comes to preaching the word of God, we don't need those things. We need the Spirit of God and the gospel. We also need to remember this: the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness. Preaching Christ crucified is going to either be foolishness or a stumblingblock to many people.

Yes. Amen. Thank you. Most of the soul winners I know are just plain old fellows filled with Gods Spirit and His Word. And humility.

:thumbsup:

 

[preacher4truth]

Where did anyone call Paul a simpleton? Seems to me you are looking for an argument.

Exactly.


:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:


:wavey:

 

[SolaSaint]

No one is suggesting that we abandon in any way the pursuit of holiness and growing in our personal relationships with God. The point I am attempting to make is that in the broader culture, christians have in many ways relegated intellectual pursuits to others, who then in turn "profess purely naturalistic" wisdom to assault and marginalize christianity in the broader culture.

We need, in our individual churches, to emphasize first of all doctrinal and fundamental knowledge and defense of our faith. Secondly, we should do everything we can to encourage and support young people entering college to be well grounded in the faith but to also extend that experience to the intellectual domain in general. By and large, college campuses are controlled and heavily influenced by professors and administrators who have little to no respect for theism, much less christianity.

We need to produce scholars and thinkers salted and illuminated by their faith in Christ.

AMEN Q-Faith, very well said. As an Apologist I agree we must strive to have an influence in our educational systems since they are controlled the most part by Secular Humanists. I either heard or read William L. Craig make a strong case for this some time ago. He is encouraging our young Christians to go after PHD's and to enter into the Colleges and Universities to confront the one-sided worldview that is promoted in schools today.

I do agree with other posters in here that say the Gospel is what is important but our doctrines on the Gospel must be defended or our worldview will become very marginalized. Paul was probably the greatest apologist of all time and he always defended the Gospel with gentleness and respect, and that is something I lack to see from many posters on this forum in conversing with fellow believers and it saddens me.

 

[quantumfaith]

AMEN Q-Faith, very well said. As an Apologist I agree we must strive to have an influence in our educational systems since they are controlled the most part by Secular Humanists. I either heard or read William L. Craig make a strong case for this some time ago. He is encouraging our young Christians to go after PHD's and to enter into the Colleges and Universities to confront the one-sided worldview that is promoted in schools today.

I do agree with other posters in here that say the Gospel is what is important but our doctrines on the Gospel must be defended or our worldview will become very marginalized. Paul was probably the greatest apologist of all time and he always defended the Gospel with gentleness and respect, and that is something I lack to see from many posters on this forum in conversing with fellow believers and it saddens me.

:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

 

[glfredrick]

Um, no, I'm not wrong. Your assessment is completely in error and your accusation toward me (that I called/implied Paul was a simpleton) unfounded and uneccessary.

So, I humbly suggest that you are simply wrong. :wavey:

Do you think I wasn't aware of this concerning Paul? Did I make Paul out to be a simpleton? Uh, no. You came up with that all on your lonesome by assuming and not thoroughly reading what I said.

I fully realize all of this about Paul. Yep. He was very up on culture and philosophies and as a member of the Sanhedrin, very learned. You're missing the point entirely and going knee jerk.

He didn't lean upon his wisdom or knowledge (note the passages I gave). Believing our knowledge and abilities will affect ones salvation is nonsensical.

Gods Gospel is power unto salvation. Paul would acknowlege culture, but that never saved a person, so he got to what does save, the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Also. Paul was not the first to give a reasoned Gospel message. Peter was. That message was totally of God and of His Spirit, and filled with reasoning from the Scriptures. Paul alluded to some well known knowlege on Mars Hill, for they all would argue all of these things publicly, so it was out in the air and known facts that he reasoned. I'm certain if you've ever studied Acts you would find this what I say to be true.

I apologize you feel I called the apostle a simpleton. It's purely unfounded and all of that came from you not me.

I reacted to what you wrote. You seemed to indicate that Paul "knew nothing" except the Gospel, and that is patently false. He often used that phrase as an idiom (figure of speech) to illustrate the critical importance of the gospel, but that never negated his prior learning, nor his continued learning. In 2 Timothy, he even asks for his books...

And, like I should assume that you know all this stuff about Paul, I would think that you would also assume that I have read Acts... :thumbsup: Perhaps even in the original language... :laugh:

Also, as an FYI, when I said that Paul gave us the first gospel, that was because his writings were the first by far in the New Testament. We are both right on this issue depending on vantage point. Peter preached it first at Pentecost, the Apostles practiced it every day in Jerusalem, and Paul first wrote it into the Word for the rest of the time.

 

[preacher4truth]

I reacted to what you wrote. You seemed to indicate that Paul "knew nothing" except the Gospel, and that is patently false. He often used that phrase as an idiom (figure of speech) to illustrate the critical importance of the gospel, but that never negated his prior learning, nor his continued learning. In 2 Timothy, he even asks for his books...

And, like I should assume that you know all this stuff about Paul, I would think that you would also assume that I have read Acts... :thumbsup: Perhaps even in the original language...

Also, as an FYI, when I said that Paul gave us the first gospel, that was because his writings were the first by far in the New Testament. We are both right on this issue depending on vantage point. Peter preached it first at Pentecost, the Apostles practiced it every day in Jerusalem, and Paul first wrote it into the Word for the rest of the time.

No, you reacted to what you thought I wrote.

Sometimes people want to say something negative, and thinking that their saying it makes it true in the minds of the cursory observer, then others jump in blindly and believe it. So I dodge bullets from you here and there. :laugh:

You're typically assuming the worst as is usual, seeing most as only religious, mormon, pelagian, semi-pelagian, uneducated, legalistic, and other on here in many of your threads. But I know you do it out of love.

Lighten up Francis, we aint all Harold Ticcs!

(You remember that line don't ya?) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OnpkDWbeJs

I'm glad we agreed on one thing. I'm off to read Scripture in the original!

I still lubz ya man!!!! :love2:

(Hey, watcha think of our baby lamb in my avatar? Cute huh?)

 

[glfredrick]

No, you reacted to what you thought I wrote.

Sometimes people want to say something negative, and thinking that their saying it makes it true in the minds of the cursory observer, then others jump in blindly and believe it. So I dodge bullets from you here and there. :laugh:

You're typically assuming the worst as is usual, seeing most as only religious, mormon, pelagian, semi-pelagian, uneducated, legalistic, and other on here in many of your threads. But I know you do it out of love.

Lighten up Francis, we aint all Harold Ticcs!

(You remember that line don't ya?) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OnpkDWbeJs

I'm glad we agreed on one thing. I'm off to read Scripture in the original!

I still lubz ya man!!!! :love2:

(Hey, watcha think of our baby lamb in my avatar? Cute huh?)

I'm trying not to think the worst, but I find that sometimes guys write stuff "around" a thought that they are carrying in their heads, and what gets put in printed form is incomplete enough to trigger reactions.

Know that I don't take this forum stuff personally, and I seldom, if ever attack. I will not hesitate to point out something that I think is flawed, and in theological discussions, why is it wrong to suggest that a certain thought matches that of some other vantage point. Note that when I do that, I am not saying, "You are a Mormon" (or otherwise). I am arguing the point, and giving input as to whom else holds that point. That distinction seems to get lost in traffic around here.

My general take on this forum activity is that I wish to know, as best I can, the point of view of the person I am debating so that I can represent their views as accurately as possible. To do anything other is to begin to do the work of the enemy, who is the father of lies and the accuser of the brethren. I don't have to make up stuff about people. I do glean impressions about beliefs from what people write, then comment on their POINTS (and rarely about them). I am not immune to making a personal comment from time-to-time, as you just saw... Nor do I think that others won't do likewise. In fact, the ratio is probably about 100:1 with comments coming against me for being a heretical "cal" than what I've dished out. I really do try to be fair and speak the truth in love here on the board.

In any case, we're good... :wavey:

And, yes, your avatar picture is adorable!

 

[preacher4truth]

I'm trying not to think the worst, but I find that sometimes guys write stuff "around" a thought that they are carrying in their heads, and what gets put in printed form is incomplete enough to trigger reactions.

Know that I don't take this forum stuff personally, and I seldom, if ever attack. I will not hesitate to point out something that I think is flawed, and in theological discussions, why is it wrong to suggest that a certain thought matches that of some other vantage point. Note that when I do that, I am not saying, "You are a Mormon" (or otherwise). I am arguing the point, and giving input as to whom else holds that point. That distinction seems to get lost in traffic around here.

My general take on this forum activity is that I wish to know, as best I can, the point of view of the person I am debating so that I can represent their views as accurately as possible. To do anything other is to begin to do the work of the enemy, who is the father of lies and the accuser of the brethren. I don't have to make up stuff about people. I do glean impressions about beliefs from what people write, then comment on their POINTS (and rarely about them). I am not immune to making a personal comment from time-to-time, as you just saw... Nor do I think that others won't do likewise. In fact, the ratio is probably about 100:1 with comments coming against me for being a heretical "cal" than what I've dished out. I really do try to be fair and speak the truth in love here on the board.

In any case, we're good... :wavey:

And, yes, your avatar picture is adorable!

Hey bro, don't read too much into all of it. You do it often. Did you watch the link? It's hilarious!!!

Yeah, thanks. She'll be 1 yr. old Saturday. She's a beauty and already a Daddys girl.

God waited to give her to us when I'm 46, so I can be her Dad, and Gramps.

And God did it while on preventive measures, and we didn't know til 6 months along! :laugh:

 

[glfredrick]

Hey bro, don't read too much into all of it. You do it often. Did you watch the link? It's hilarious!!!

Yeah, thanks. She'll be 1 yr. old Saturday. She's a beauty and already a Daddys girl.

God waited to give her to us when I'm 46, so I can be her Dad, and Gramps.

And God did it while on preventive measures, and we didn't know til 6 months along! :laugh:

I'll check out the link later. Too late for me to make noise. It's after midnight on my side of the world.

About the posts, I read what is there. I can't know what isn't written. I read for a living, and critical reading is part of what I do, so it bleeds off into the threads. In my sideline business, I edit and format doctoral dissertations for seminary students, and I am accustomed to diagnosing theological arguments at a high level. The comments come naturally, but I do try to make them relative to the points made, and not often to the person (unless someone does something REALLY stupid, then I figure, that as a brother in the Lord, I am duty bound to be my brother's keeper and at least say something).

I'm also a tad older than you, but we had our own kiddos early, so I have a couple of adorable grandkids. Saw them today. They come over to the seminary to have lunch a time or two a week.

 

[preacher4truth]

I'll check out the link later. Too late for me to make noise. It's after midnight on my side of the world.

About the posts, I read what is there. I can't know what isn't written. I read for a living, and critical reading is part of what I do, so it bleeds off into the threads. In my sideline business, I edit and format doctoral dissertations for seminary students, and I am accustomed to diagnosing theological arguments at a high level. The comments come naturally, but I do try to make them relative to the points made, and not often to the person (unless someone does something REALLY stupid, then I figure, that as a brother in the Lord, I am duty bound to be my brother's keeper and at least say something).

I'm also a tad older than you, but we had our own kiddos early, so I have a couple of adorable grandkids. Saw them today. They come over to the seminary to have lunch a time or two a week.

That's cool bro. Hey, watch it sometime for a good laugh.