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I wrote this in response to a blog asking how Christians should respond to the movie The Golden Compass. It covers a lot more than that, though. It's too good for me to come up with, so I think God did something. I hope to act like this more each day. Wouldn't it be amazing if the Christian community said: "We understand people feel differently about God than we do. We're finally mature enough that it doesn't phase us. We just want to remind people that God loves you, Jesus died for you, and, as much as we flawed Christians can be, we are here for you." |
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LorenDP |
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December 07, 2007 at 2:24pm |
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If I could add a million zillion stars to this blog and these words...I would.
HOW POWERFUL
HOW TRUE
AMEN
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Joey |
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December 07, 2007 at 2:26pm |
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| That's what Jesus would want us to say... wow, Jess |
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LorenDP |
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December 07, 2007 at 2:26pm |
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| I'm not against anyone pointing out heresy....or evil....protecting our children from such...but everything we do must be done in a spirit of humility and love. |
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| Love one another... that's what Jesus said. |
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JessIAm |
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December 07, 2007 at 2:38pm |
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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. |
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| Jess you said it just right. |
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MaKelly |
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December 07, 2007 at 3:44pm |
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Excellent Blog
I have been around a lot of those kind of so call christian I say get off the throne, your not quilified,
high and mighty additude all about them and not about our God, we are suppose to lead people to God not self. that a lot of selfrightoueness and PRIDE and you know what happens when you full of that. |
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JessIAm |
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December 07, 2007 at 3:54pm |
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Thanks All, I'm seriously kind of wierded out by this. It sort of typed itself. I don't know how to explain it. |
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| yeah...true true. Jesus never got offended. I just won't watch it, because I know i would be! lol |
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| it seems the only way that anyone will let the holy spirit into them to work is when they get really p***ed off, and finally say "ok, you win, your turn". i think that's weird. |
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Jen |
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December 07, 2007 at 4:25pm |
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| Jess - Don't be weirded out, dude! The Holy Spirit was speaking through you, brother. Thanks for being His vessel!! |
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Jen D |
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December 07, 2007 at 4:25pm |
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| Amen! |
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| now you want to know what's really weird? Jen's post was before mine, now it's after! |
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JessIAm |
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December 07, 2007 at 4:38pm |
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| It's funny King, I was just kind of pleasently sad after reading this blog about pets in heaven, where ds13099 tells the story of a godly postal worker. Then I went to the Golden Compass blog, where mstovall2003 was saying we need to have a Christ like response to the movie. My response just kind of bubbled up from I don't know where. I just started typing it and thinking "Wow, this is good stuff". |
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JayKTX |
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December 07, 2007 at 4:41pm |
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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. |
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JessIAm |
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December 07, 2007 at 4:47pm |
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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 |
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Gene |
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December 07, 2007 at 4:50pm |
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I just want to know how someone with such a silly hat got to be so smart. . .
(kidding!)
Great comment, Jess.
would that we could all live like that. |
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Amen, Jess Amen.
We as Christians have been beaten, bombarded, harassed,ridiculed, etc, etc, etc. As CHRISTIANS our response should be LOVE, RESPECT, COMPASSION, UNDERSTANDING to each other and everyone else. Satan's tools are harassment, nitpicking, provoking in some of the most subtle ways and we must constantly be on our guard but we should never stoop to his level. We avoid and ignore movies and any other materials through whatever venue he chooses to spew out his filth but we do it with LOVE. We guard our minds, our childrens minds, our families and friends by keeping them aware of what is going on and we continue to spread his love, his word to all who need, wantand are curious about OUR WONDERFUL SAVIOR. We pray constantly and ask the Holy Spirit to continue to help us stay on this narrow road.
Love ya Jess and let the Holy Spirit continue to speak through you. |
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| As I read what was written, I could feel the Holy Spirit's presence. Jess, thank you for allowing the Holy Spirit to use you. Givin it a *star*!!! :) |
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| Jay, that was a pretty amazing story, thanks for sharing it! And thanks Jess for facilitating another fascinating discussion! ~mike ....and have my star too :-) |
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| Jess, you go dude (i think that's a good thing)----------When we expect "the lost" to act, well, lost I think we have grown! When we expect "the found" to walk in love toward all, I think we have grown! The scriptures tell us "to guard our hearts", they don't tell us to be ugly about it... |
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Deb |
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December 08, 2007 at 11:43am |
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| Excellent Jess! |
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| Amen Jess. God drew us with lovingkindness and we are to draw others with it as well, but so often we smack them upside the head, then wonder why they run away when they see us coming. I totally agree with the comments: we are to stand for righteousness, but there's a way to do it in love. Excellent post! |
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JessIAm |
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December 10, 2007 at 9:37am |
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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? |
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Gene |
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December 10, 2007 at 10:43am |
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Jess, just to clarify, you're not asking for other people to smack you up side the head, right?
lol |
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JessIAm |
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December 10, 2007 at 1:57pm |
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| Ha! No, I think life will manage to smack me upside the head sufficiently ;) |
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| No Jess, you are definitely not the only one who does that. All we end up with is a headache and the same sin problem we had before, lol! Only when we realize that only God can cleanse us do we stop beating ourselves up and submit our lives to Him to fix. |
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Eliza |
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December 11, 2007 at 7:15am |
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| I don't know if this has any relevance, but I was watching this movie named Saved. Not sure if you have heard of it, but this kind of reminds me of that movie...they condem people for being "holy", when the "holy" couldn't even live up to their own standards....Anyways...Great Blog..... |
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Kathy |
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December 13, 2007 at 5:06am |
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| Good message, Jess! |
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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!
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JessIAm |
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December 13, 2007 at 3:58pm |
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| Thanks all. |
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| Amen brother. Great message. |
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Becky |
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December 14, 2007 at 6:31am |
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Perfect Jess. You summed up perfectly how we should act towards all things, political debates regarding religion, God on our money... If we could just make that public statement everywhere!
Thanks |
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JessIAm |
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December 14, 2007 at 12:54pm |
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Thanks again. It's odd, I really feel I can't take any credit for this. |
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JessIAm |
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December 18, 2007 at 1:06pm |
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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! |
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Gene |
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December 18, 2007 at 3:05pm |
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Jess, are you British? You know, they're known to "get" a joke days later. . . .
My condolences on the lost cap. |
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JessIAm |
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December 18, 2007 at 3:57pm |
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| I'm of Scottish, English, and Irish descent. Hm...... |
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| I think we should quit giving that whatyamacallit free publicity. |
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JessIAm |
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December 19, 2007 at 9:29am |
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Does whatyamacallit = my hat?
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