If I could add a million zillion stars to this blog and these words...I would.

HOW POWERFUL

HOW TRUE

AMEN

I'm not against that either LorenDP.  We do need to be careful in a world that is just as sinful as we can be.  I just think the Christian community in America has, by and large, picked up a dogmatic arrogance which stinks to heaven.  I litteraly think it offends god like the skinky garbage I took out last night.  We act as though everyone in America owes God (we really mean us) a code of conduct we don't even attain ourselves.  We think we can be a substitute for the Holy Spirit.  We're forgetting the only proof of God's power in us is the love we show others.

Dogmatic arrogance is the Satan's tool to oppress.  It's in every abusive action - from over-correcting a child to blowing up a building.  It's in every self righteous saying - from malicious gossip to misquoted scripture.  It says "I know so much about your problems you don't even need to go to God to find an answer."  It tries to take God off of His throne in the lives of people around, and set itself up as an idol.

Lord, there are times when I've spoken with this disgusting attitude, or in this disgusting way.  Please pour Your grace over me so I no longer do so.  You don't have to help me with this, but Your word says You want to.  I'm very grateful for that.

Thanks All,

I'm seriously kind of wierded out by this.   It sort of typed itself.  I don't know how to explain it.

truly powerful Jess! 

As a grandmother of 7 little ones, I hate to see them ensnared in the devil's schemes and there are many such schemes at work in our society today. So I prayerfully speak up but I have been learning from the Holy Spirit how to do it. Recently my 7 year old had some role playing cards with demonic monsters on them. He asked my husband to play with him. He said in a calm, natural voice, "Those are bad cards, I won't play with them." Later he asked me to, and I said quietly, "No, I don't play with monsters." Later he handed me his child's Bible that had a bookmark in it and asked me to read his "favorite scripture." It was the crucifixtion! I thought, "He's too young to understand this." But I read it and we talked about the love of God causing Jesus to die for our sins and that he is not mad at us anymore because of that. We then prayed about what we had read, after which he reached over and said, "These cards are bad," and started tearing up the offensive cards. This was totally the work of the Holy Spirit! There was no coaching on my part and no suggestion he do that!

You are right, Jess, we drive people away with dogma. But the truth can be spoken calmly in love under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Thanks for that story Jay.

Just to clarify something - dogma refers to a definition of beliefs, which is OK, it's just a list of what is believed.  The problem is Christian dogmatism.

Webster defines Dogmatism as:
1  : positiveness in assertion of opinion especially when unwarranted or arrogant
2  : a viewpoint or system of ideas based on insufficiently examined premises

Thanks All,

I appreciate all the feedback.

Minister Abbey,  you said something I wanted to add a little to:

but so often we smack them upside the head, then wonder why they run away when they see us coming.

Is it just me, or am I the only one who tried to overcome my own sin by smacking myself on the head? 

This is profound Jess.

You know something that has finally occurred to me. The Pharisees and Religious Teachers of the Law, Loved God. They were loving, seeking, and serving God in the best way they knew how.

Even other religions today, they seek God.

In Romans chapter 1, Paul gives us a great truth about this. He is basically telling us that it is our job to tell them the truth. It is the GOOD NEWS that is POWER of GOD UNTO SALVATION.

Romans 2:4 says that it is the GOODNESS of GOD that leads man to repentance.

In my opinion, we do not need to convince others of their sin. Romans 1:19-20 basically says that all men have an inherent knowledge of the things of God. Maybe they don't recognize it, but it was created within them.

I like your position, "We are here for you"

Awesome!

Thanks again.

It's odd, I really feel I can't take any credit for this. 

Gene, I just caught this (LOL):

I just want to know how someone with such a silly hat got to be so smart. . .
(kidding!)

I loose, on average, about 2 of those caps a year.  Boy, I miss that hat!