Comments on: Religion—in the Worst Sense of the Word http://michaelhyatt.com/religion-in-the-worst-sense-of-the-word.html Intentional Leadership Mon, 13 Feb 2012 18:41:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Rob Sorbo http://michaelhyatt.com/religion-in-the-worst-sense-of-the-word.html/comment-page-2#comment-141094 Rob Sorbo Tue, 10 Jan 2012 21:16:00 +0000 http://michaelhyatt.com/2009/10/religion-in-the-worst-sense-of-the-word.html#comment-141094 Wow. Scary. Wow. Scary.

]]> By: V. Erickson http://michaelhyatt.com/religion-in-the-worst-sense-of-the-word.html/comment-page-2#comment-113873 V. Erickson Sun, 10 Jul 2011 04:51:00 +0000 http://michaelhyatt.com/2009/10/religion-in-the-worst-sense-of-the-word.html#comment-113873 I think what truely upsets me just as much is the silence of Christians. We watch these things and say nothing. Oh, we may shake our heads and talk to each other but we don't stand up and say we don't agree. Our silence is sometimes mistaken for acceptance or agreement. Just look at Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas. They protest against homosexuality in the most hateful way. One sign said, "God hates faggots!" They have expanded to protest at funeral of known homosexuals. Just read the entry on Wikipedia to see what a vile example they are to the world of Christians. But what to we do in response. We shake our heads, say that so wrong and move on through our lives. Why don't we stand up to the Westboro Baptist Church and other haters and perverts of God's Word? Where are the protesters that stands across the street from their signs with signs of our own. We have the truth on our side. "God is love!!!" "Judge not lest you be judge." I wonder how the homosexual community and others would respond to Christians who stood up and shouted back at them. "They're not with us." " They are counterfeit." " They have no truth because they have no love." " We're not with them." " They do not speak for us." When will we begin to shout louder so the world can hear us over them. "God is love and in Him there is no fear or shame." " Because He first loved us first we are able to love." "Christ taught us what real love is. Love is patient. Love is kind..." Let's stop shaking our heads, watching new stories about churches like this one here and Westboro Baptist. Let's get so busy showing them who Christ really is that we become God's representatives not them!!!! I think what truely upsets me just as much is the silence of Christians. We watch these things and say nothing. Oh, we may shake our heads and talk to each other but we don’t stand up and say we don’t agree. Our silence is sometimes mistaken for acceptance or agreement. Just look at Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas. They protest against homosexuality in the most hateful way. One sign said, “God hates faggots!” They have expanded to protest at funeral of known homosexuals. Just read the entry on Wikipedia to see what a vile example they are to the world of Christians. But what to we do in response. We shake our heads, say that so wrong and move on through our lives. Why don’t we stand up to the Westboro Baptist Church and other haters and perverts of God’s Word? Where are the protesters that stands across the street from their signs with signs of our own. We have the truth on our side. “God is love!!!” “Judge not lest you be judge.” I wonder how the homosexual community and others would respond to Christians who stood up and shouted back at them. ”They’re not with us.” “ They are counterfeit.” “ They have no truth because they have no love.” “ We’re not with them.” “ They do not speak for us.” When will we begin to shout louder so the world can hear us over them. ”God is love and in Him there is no fear or shame.” “ Because He first loved us first we are able to love.” “Christ taught us what real love is. Love is patient. Love is kind…” Let’s stop shaking our heads, watching new stories about churches like this one here and Westboro Baptist. Let’s get so busy showing them who Christ really is that we become God’s representatives not them!!!!

]]> By: Joshua Hood http://michaelhyatt.com/religion-in-the-worst-sense-of-the-word.html/comment-page-2#comment-81809 Joshua Hood Tue, 04 Jan 2011 02:23:00 +0000 http://michaelhyatt.com/2009/10/religion-in-the-worst-sense-of-the-word.html#comment-81809 Unfortunately, these type of people create many of the false stereotypes that cause nonbelievers to dismiss EVERYTHING, and throw the baby out with the bathwater. May God give those who are exposed to these fanatics wisdom and understanding to evaluate and understand their error, and not be further alienated from "Christians". Joshua Hood 2020visiononline.org Unfortunately, these type of people create many of the false stereotypes that cause nonbelievers to dismiss EVERYTHING, and throw the baby out with the bathwater. May God give those who are exposed to these fanatics wisdom and understanding to evaluate and understand their error, and not be further alienated from “Christians”.

Joshua Hood
2020visiononline.org

]]> By: alex http://michaelhyatt.com/religion-in-the-worst-sense-of-the-word.html/comment-page-2#comment-44088 alex Fri, 15 Jan 2010 05:26:08 +0000 http://michaelhyatt.com/2009/10/religion-in-the-worst-sense-of-the-word.html#comment-44088 Nice overalls. ;-) Those are 14 confused people. Nice overalls. ;-) Those are 14 confused people.

]]> By: Arkmow http://michaelhyatt.com/religion-in-the-worst-sense-of-the-word.html/comment-page-2#comment-38306 Arkmow Sat, 24 Oct 2009 18:15:00 +0000 http://michaelhyatt.com/2009/10/religion-in-the-worst-sense-of-the-word.html#comment-38306 I find their behavior very embrassing, but at the same time I see an opportunity to show the real Jesus to our genereation. Most likely sinners will talk amongst themselves about it and the mocking ones will use it to taunt us. But we need to steal the show by bringing it up first. Then we have the upper ground from which to declare Christ in all His glory. Thank you Amazing Grace Baptist Church for giving us a conversation starter. I strongly disagree with their stance, but I thank God for the opportunity to lift up Jesus. I find their behavior very embrassing, but at the same time I see an opportunity to show the real Jesus to our genereation. Most likely sinners will talk amongst themselves about it and the mocking ones will use it to taunt us. But we need to steal the show by bringing it up first. Then we have the upper ground from which to declare Christ in all His glory. Thank you Amazing Grace Baptist Church for giving us a conversation starter. I strongly disagree with their stance, but I thank God for the opportunity to lift up Jesus.

]]> By: Heath http://michaelhyatt.com/religion-in-the-worst-sense-of-the-word.html/comment-page-2#comment-41443 Heath Sat, 24 Oct 2009 14:29:30 +0000 http://michaelhyatt.com/2009/10/religion-in-the-worst-sense-of-the-word.html#comment-41443 Stuff like this makes my heart break and blood boil. The toughest thing is that you can't reason with people like this even if you showed them all the newer Greek and Hebrew manuscripts since the KJV was first published. Sadly, the more attention this guy gets the worse it makes us all look. Stuff like this makes my heart break and blood boil. The toughest thing is that you can't reason with people like this even if you showed them all the newer Greek and Hebrew manuscripts since the KJV was first published. Sadly, the more attention this guy gets the worse it makes us all look.

]]> By: Theological Ignorance « A Ruach Journey http://michaelhyatt.com/religion-in-the-worst-sense-of-the-word.html/comment-page-2#comment-38144 Theological Ignorance « A Ruach Journey Tue, 20 Oct 2009 11:24:42 +0000 http://michaelhyatt.com/2009/10/religion-in-the-worst-sense-of-the-word.html#comment-38144 [...] "permalink" : "http%3A%2F%2Fruach.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F10%2F20%2Ftheological-ignorance%2F" } When I see things like this, I feel shame that I might be connected with them and anger at their ignorance!  What foolishness. [...] [...] "permalink" : "http%3A%2F%2Fruach.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F10%2F20%2Ftheological-ignorance%2F" } When I see things like this, I feel shame that I might be connected with them and anger at their ignorance!  What foolishness. [...]

]]> By: Patrcik Aquilone http://michaelhyatt.com/religion-in-the-worst-sense-of-the-word.html/comment-page-2#comment-38135 Patrcik Aquilone Tue, 20 Oct 2009 03:50:16 +0000 http://michaelhyatt.com/2009/10/religion-in-the-worst-sense-of-the-word.html#comment-38135 I am amazed at this, but not shocked. I have seen this before and will see it again. Sad, sad, sad. I am amazed at this, but not shocked. I have seen this before and will see it again. Sad, sad, sad.

]]> By: Lorraine http://michaelhyatt.com/religion-in-the-worst-sense-of-the-word.html/comment-page-2#comment-38119 Lorraine Mon, 19 Oct 2009 20:30:48 +0000 http://michaelhyatt.com/2009/10/religion-in-the-worst-sense-of-the-word.html#comment-38119 I wish more people would read the whole series fo books that begins with "1632" by Eric Flint. I understand better now why we absolutely MUST have separation of church and state--for the benefit of the church. Lorraine I wish more people would read the whole series fo books that begins with "1632" by Eric Flint. I understand better now why we absolutely MUST have separation of church and state–for the benefit of the church.
Lorraine

]]> By: Vicki Small http://michaelhyatt.com/religion-in-the-worst-sense-of-the-word.html/comment-page-2#comment-37982 Vicki Small Fri, 16 Oct 2009 20:14:15 +0000 http://michaelhyatt.com/2009/10/religion-in-the-worst-sense-of-the-word.html#comment-37982 Someone above stole my thunder with a slightly different version: I have heard one man actually say that the KJV was good enough for St. Paul, so bless God, it's good enough for us. This story also reminds me of two other real happenings, over the years. Back in the '70s, a church in the midwest had been having "revival" services. The evangelist had been railing against sex and violence, bringing TV into the discussion. So before the week was over, he called for every member to bring their televisions to the church for a big bonfire to be built out back, one night. The members did that, but one fellow was more enthusiastic; he brought a shotgun (or maybe a rifle) and blasted the picture tube out of his set--in protest, of course, against violence and sex on TV. The other embarrassment took place more recently, when Terry Schiavo's feeding tube had been removed. And, sadly, this was shown on national news. One man in the crowd trying to get past a guard screamed at the guard who was only doing his job. His statement: "Jesus Christ hates you!!" Oh, yes, I cringed. Someone above stole my thunder with a slightly different version: I have heard one man actually say that the KJV was good enough for St. Paul, so bless God, it's good enough for us.

This story also reminds me of two other real happenings, over the years. Back in the '70s, a church in the midwest had been having "revival" services. The evangelist had been railing against sex and violence, bringing TV into the discussion. So before the week was over, he called for every member to bring their televisions to the church for a big bonfire to be built out back, one night. The members did that, but one fellow was more enthusiastic; he brought a shotgun (or maybe a rifle) and blasted the picture tube out of his set–in protest, of course, against violence and sex on TV.

The other embarrassment took place more recently, when Terry Schiavo's feeding tube had been removed. And, sadly, this was shown on national news. One man in the crowd trying to get past a guard screamed at the guard who was only doing his job. His statement: "Jesus Christ hates you!!" Oh, yes, I cringed.

]]> By: Butch Maltby http://michaelhyatt.com/religion-in-the-worst-sense-of-the-word.html/comment-page-2#comment-37972 Butch Maltby Fri, 16 Oct 2009 16:22:29 +0000 http://michaelhyatt.com/2009/10/religion-in-the-worst-sense-of-the-word.html#comment-37972 We joust and make fun of extreme cases of silly faith like this church but wander through most Christian bookstores and the same senseless palaver screams at you. The great books linger long after the crowds have left. But like a teen consuming cotten candy at the state fair over and over and over again we have a Christian publishing enterprise still "dumbing down" with "Hey come feel good!" books. My intelligent non-Christian friends laugh. I sometimes cry about it. We joust and make fun of extreme cases of silly faith like this church but wander through most Christian bookstores and the same senseless palaver screams at you. The great books linger long after the crowds have left. But like a teen consuming cotten candy at the state fair over and over and over again we have a Christian publishing enterprise still "dumbing down" with "Hey come feel good!" books. My intelligent non-Christian friends laugh. I sometimes cry about it.

]]> By: kyle watson http://michaelhyatt.com/religion-in-the-worst-sense-of-the-word.html/comment-page-2#comment-37931 kyle watson Fri, 16 Oct 2009 09:54:40 +0000 http://michaelhyatt.com/2009/10/religion-in-the-worst-sense-of-the-word.html#comment-37931 I'm disappointed that my two published books are not on the list to be burned. What a great and free marketing tool. I'm disappointed that my two published books are not on the list to be burned. What a great and free marketing tool.

]]> By: Tom Estes http://michaelhyatt.com/religion-in-the-worst-sense-of-the-word.html/comment-page-2#comment-37929 Tom Estes Fri, 16 Oct 2009 04:50:03 +0000 http://michaelhyatt.com/2009/10/religion-in-the-worst-sense-of-the-word.html#comment-37929 First of all, doing a book burning is crazy, that is undeniable. But you seem to think one is crazy if they believe the KJV to be the only correct version, which isn't fair. For the record, it is also an undeniable fact that the all other versions actually have verses removed, and have sort of important words like "blood" and "Jesus" taken out. Am I crazy if I don't want a Bible like that? First of all, doing a book burning is crazy, that is undeniable. But you seem to think one is crazy if they believe the KJV to be the only correct version, which isn’t fair.

For the record, it is also an undeniable fact that the all other versions actually have verses removed, and have sort of important words like “blood” and “Jesus” taken out. Am I crazy if I don’t want a Bible like that?

]]> By: Donna Maria http://michaelhyatt.com/religion-in-the-worst-sense-of-the-word.html/comment-page-1#comment-37930 Donna Maria Fri, 16 Oct 2009 04:09:46 +0000 http://michaelhyatt.com/2009/10/religion-in-the-worst-sense-of-the-word.html#comment-37930 Oh wow! That quote hit the nail on the head indeed. Oh wow! That quote hit the nail on the head indeed.

]]> By: Brandon http://michaelhyatt.com/religion-in-the-worst-sense-of-the-word.html/comment-page-2#comment-37927 Brandon Fri, 16 Oct 2009 01:58:17 +0000 http://michaelhyatt.com/2009/10/religion-in-the-worst-sense-of-the-word.html#comment-37927 I wonder if The Shack or The Message will start the roasting? :) I wonder if The Shack or The Message will start the roasting? :)

]]> By: patriciazell http://michaelhyatt.com/religion-in-the-worst-sense-of-the-word.html/comment-page-2#comment-37925 patriciazell Fri, 16 Oct 2009 01:03:50 +0000 http://michaelhyatt.com/2009/10/religion-in-the-worst-sense-of-the-word.html#comment-37925 I can't do anything about any other person's walk with God, so I don't go looking for things to criticize. None of us are perfect but all of us are loved, including those church members on the video. No matter what foolish things I do or any other believer in Christ does, God's absolute love is steadfast and unchangeable. Our focus is to love God with everything we have and to love our neighbors as ourselves. My prayer is that God will reach deep into everyone's heart and reveal His perfect, complete, and real love for each one of us. I can't do anything about any other person's walk with God, so I don't go looking for things to criticize. None of us are perfect but all of us are loved, including those church members on the video. No matter what foolish things I do or any other believer in Christ does, God's absolute love is steadfast and unchangeable. Our focus is to love God with everything we have and to love our neighbors as ourselves. My prayer is that God will reach deep into everyone's heart and reveal His perfect, complete, and real love for each one of us.

]]> By: @MichaelGHolmes http://michaelhyatt.com/religion-in-the-worst-sense-of-the-word.html/comment-page-2#comment-37924 @MichaelGHolmes Fri, 16 Oct 2009 00:57:29 +0000 http://michaelhyatt.com/2009/10/religion-in-the-worst-sense-of-the-word.html#comment-37924 This is just sad and narrow-minded!!! This is just sad and narrow-minded!!!

]]> By: Derek http://michaelhyatt.com/religion-in-the-worst-sense-of-the-word.html/comment-page-2#comment-37922 Derek Thu, 15 Oct 2009 23:35:00 +0000 http://michaelhyatt.com/2009/10/religion-in-the-worst-sense-of-the-word.html#comment-37922 These are the KJO people. I'm more sanguine than most of your commenters: I think television viewers will understand that this group is not representative of Christians as a whole. These are the KJO people. I'm more sanguine than most of your commenters: I think television viewers will understand that this group is not representative of Christians as a whole.

]]> By: Jeremy Wight http://michaelhyatt.com/religion-in-the-worst-sense-of-the-word.html/comment-page-2#comment-37921 Jeremy Wight Thu, 15 Oct 2009 21:44:25 +0000 http://michaelhyatt.com/2009/10/religion-in-the-worst-sense-of-the-word.html#comment-37921 So sad. Pray for them So sad. Pray for them

]]> By: Beth Harkins Ingersoll http://michaelhyatt.com/religion-in-the-worst-sense-of-the-word.html/comment-page-2#comment-37919 Beth Harkins Ingersoll Thu, 15 Oct 2009 19:34:27 +0000 http://michaelhyatt.com/2009/10/religion-in-the-worst-sense-of-the-word.html#comment-37919 Do I think this church has problems with its belief system? Absolutely. There's obvious issues. What really bothers me is the reaction of "Christians" to this spectacle. This is all over the blogs I frequently visit, and I'm distressed by all the condescending and snarky comments. There are many referring to the preacher's "bib overalls" (hello, judgement!) and lack of membership (what about the state of those 14 souls?). Is this how Jesus would respond to this preacher and his tiny congregation? There's a word for us - mockers. Christians participating in this kind of behavior is what gives Christianity a bad name, moreso than pastors of teeny churches. Instead of making fun of them, we need to be hitting our knees and asking God to open the eyes and hearts of this congregation, revealing the falsehoods they now believe, and use this situation for His glory. Do I think this church has problems with its belief system? Absolutely. There's obvious issues.

What really bothers me is the reaction of "Christians" to this spectacle. This is all over the blogs I frequently visit, and I'm distressed by all the condescending and snarky comments. There are many referring to the preacher's "bib overalls" (hello, judgement!) and lack of membership (what about the state of those 14 souls?).

Is this how Jesus would respond to this preacher and his tiny congregation?

There's a word for us – mockers. Christians participating in this kind of behavior is what gives Christianity a bad name, moreso than pastors of teeny churches. Instead of making fun of them, we need to be hitting our knees and asking God to open the eyes and hearts of this congregation, revealing the falsehoods they now believe, and use this situation for His glory.

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