News: Declining Churches Oppose Iraq War

Amen James. Couldn't have said it any better myself.

Joseph Botwinick

 

JamesJ:

I actually agree with you that if people would take responsibility for their actions, then there would be very few unwanted/unplanned pregnancies (for men! haha or women). (There would always be exceptions.)

But before people can take responsibility for their actions, they need to be taught to be responsible. You are probably a responsible person--but you weren't born that way! Your parents and community and church probably shaped you into a responsible person (with a good deal of work on your own behalf, of course).

Now the question is how do you teach people to be responsible for their actions? That's an entirely different can of worms to disagree about!

I think that abortion should be the absolute last resort, but I think that it should be an option. When the government says that you can't have an abortion, then it is effectively forcing you to carry a child to term and give birth.

Anyway, this is all off-topic,sorry about that!

Cal

P.S. I think that God is supremely merciful--he sent his Son to die for the sins of the world so that we would not perish, but have everlasting life. I have not chosen homosexuals over God, but I would choose compassion over judgement every day. For sinners are what we once were, and but for the grace of God are not judged accordingly.

 

Jesus DID come to preach the love of God. He ALSO came to point out that we are ALL sinners and in need of forgiveness for those sins. It is the Word of God that condemns us, not the person who repeats what God has said. I can say, "If you are a murderer, then you are worthy of death", because this is what God has taught. It is not MY judgement, but God's. I am only repeating what He has said.

Jesus hung out with "known" sinners like tax collectors and prostitutes. When he called them to repentence, they readily admitted their guilt and asked for forgiveness, because it was easy to see that they had sinned.

Jesus saved his scathing denunciations for the religious leaders of that day. These leaders had rules and teachings and ceremonies and believed that, somehow, if they did everything correctly, then they were righteous in God's eyes. They were prideful and Jesus told them that while they presented a good appearance on the OUTside, their HEARTS were not repentent. Internally, they were full of SELF-righteousness. Their public life was all rosy, and they knew it, but they had sinned in secret places thinking that nobody else knew.

It is just the opposite today with the Liberal Christians in this country! They are the ones who promote and encourage other people to engage in sinful behaviour. You think Jesus Christ used some scathing denunciations toward the religious leaders of that day wait till he gets his hands on the people in this country!