Would you leave

Kudos to you for consistency in your position now.

Maybe I'm a coward, or just lacking faith, but I'd still walk out .

 

Matt, you want to borrow some of my violent streak?

I'd have to stay, but they better kill me quick cause when I found a way around them, well, lets just say, it won't be good. For them. I wasn't raised to be a victim of terrorists. (whether they be homegrown or some other variety.)

 

Coward? Nah, what would it have proved? Should Jesus have jumped of the cliff when the Devil asked him to?

Lacking if faith? Because you don't buy into this test by a terrorist? Who made them the authority?

A believer isn't second class to such fools as these terrorist. Really... I'd leave and be back shortly. No fear, just a matter of authority.

 

Yeah, letting me leave would be their first mistake, and missing the point that I be coming back with Salty so we could play Rambo together would be their second!

 

I hope I would stay, but saying that here is not the same thing as facing it in real life. Looking down the barrel of a loaded gun can be an intimidating experience. And yes, I have faced a loaded gun, but it did not have anything to do with my Christian testimony.

 

I carry at church; I suspect there's at least one other...still, with several it would depend upon the situation (and I'd probably wish I had my Beretta instead of the S&W 5 shot revolver I usually carry).

Outside of a "shoot out" scenario I play through my head, yeah I'd stay and not walk out. I don't think I'd let my children make their own decision on this though...I don't know.

 

I never knew this thread could be so stressful as to how to answer and handle it. I agree with Benjamin about being tested by terrorists and Jesus not accepting the test of the devil. Also, I agree with the others about fighting back or maybe even going to get a gun myself and trying to free the others. To be quite honest with you, I guess the only way I would know for a surety how would react is if, God forbid, I found myself in the situation itself. One thing for sure it has made me contemplate the scenario.

 

I agree with your answer, well said.

 

Our Lord was crucified and He knew the pain and suffering long before He went up that cross, yet He "set His face to go to Jerusalem".
All the apostles, save for John they say, are known to have died painful deaths and went bravely to face that defeated enemy.
Our Christian brethren, who have not seen Christ and witnessed His miracles, His resurrection, or His ascencion, faced death bravely whether it comes by the wild beasts, the rack, the burning oil, the executioner's sword, hunger, thirst, drowning, or anything else that this fallen world and its king could think up.
In our age and time many of God's elect people all over the world, regardless of their theology or soteriology, are experiencing persecution.
A Filipino pastor and friend of mine was executed by communist rebels as he conducted his visitation among his flock in the hills of an island province.
Another suffered a similar faith from muslim separatists in another province.
Indonesian christians are being massacred by muslims in Java and Indonesia.
Pakistani and Indian believers are not spared, either.
They all gave their lives bravely.
I guess when push comes to shove, the real source of strength is still the Holy Spirit.
I read from a biography of Dr. David Livingstone that when he was attacked by a lionness, and the teeth sank into his shoulders, he did not feel the pain at all and he said that must be God's merciful provision for His creation, for the shock to be so much that the nerves have no time to immediately feel the pain.
My prayer is that if faced with a situation of choosing certain death over renunciation of my Lord, the God of Mercy who knows my name, will grant me the grace to be brave, for without Him, I am a worm and may be a traitor to His Name.
I also pray that if such a time comes He will put in my heart love for the people whom the enemy will use to snuff out this miserable life from me, like Polycarp, who it is said, set a table before those who have come to arrest him and take him to his death in the arena and bade them eat while he communed with his Lord a final time on earth.
I know I can fight back, have the ability to, and the will to, maybe even the courage to, IF such matters as the safety of my family and loved ones in the flesh are in the balance.
But to be truthful, the temptation to give in and renounce the Name of Someone whom I have not seen personally though I call Him Lord may be a very strong one under such a choice and situation, though it is a dreadful thought and a deed that will forever shame me before my God here on earth, even if even such a dastardly and cowardly act has already been covered by His blood.

 

I would offer to buy the gunmen a burger off the McDonald's value menu, and everyone would be happy.

Seriously, there would be no decision to it, especially with my children present. Either the gunmen or I would be dead about one second after a choice like that was presented to me. There is no thinking or pondering about it.

 

Stay...and pray...for God has the final say

peace to youraying:

 

Sorry, but given those circumstances described in the first post, with my family, I would shoot first and pray later. There is no question about it, no shades of gray.

 

I've read of Christians in other parts of the world given the same options and many were killed because they believed so much they would not make that choice. But I guess each to their own.

 

I'm a Donatist Baptist (I'm starting a new group called Donatist Baptist). Our Church (Donatist Baptist) believe that if you save yourself and offer incense and alms and offerings to the Emperor God you have reject Jesus and thus cannot come back and are condemend for all eterninty. If you leave the Church you cannot come back and fellowship with real christians (the elect Donatist Baptist) or seek a leadership role as you have rejected Jesus christ and there is no second sacrifice as it says in Hebrews.
Therefore once you go out that door your not coming back.

 

I demand that each person on this thread that would stay and be shot do what I now say.

If you are truly a Christian you must send me 100 dollars. If you are not a Christian you are free to not send me anything at all. By not sending me money you will prove you are not a Christian and will deny Christ.

Ok, so really, what's the difference? Obviously you aren't going to cave in to my ridiculous demand. Why would you cave in to the ridiculous demand of a gunman?

 

You obviously not familiar with Donatist Baptist we only deal with life and death issues. We laugh at your Money request as it is stupid. We collectively spit on your shoe and laugh at your silly green money God.

 

I haven't seen where anyone belittled anyone else for saying they would leave, why the need to belittle those that feel they should stay? How anyone would respond is really between them and God, who are you to mock their convictions?

 

Have everyone of you lost your mind?