Are Christians in America sheltered too much?

sermonindex Feb 4, 2013

After reading through the posts on the home schooling thread I felt promoted to open up this thread. The question occurred to me are American believers too sheltered?

Against the backdrop of 100 million believers worldwide who are persecuted or oppressed in various ways does not resonate in our spirits. We in America live in a bubble that insulates us from this.

The idea of over 2 hundred bodies crammed into a shipping container in Eritrea with one bucket for human waste is inconceivable to our middle class sensibilities. The idea of believers picking through rat drippings to survive in a N. Korean death camp is repulsive to us

I remember a VOM magazine that showed a sweet child who had been horribly burned for her faith in Jesus. That is her face had been horribly disfigured. Despite reconstructive surgery she still had a horrible disfigured face. Yet a precious smile in Jesus.

Despite the ministry of VOM to speak for the persecuted. They took much flack over showing that picture. I have heard other believers will not read Fox's Book of Martyrs or Martyrs Mirror because of the horrid things done to the saints during that time. It makes me wonder how these same people handle the Scriptures that say saints were sawed in two. Ugh. Too gruesome. But it is in the Bible.

I remember listening to a tape about the physical torture of crucifixion that Jesus went through. That being aside from thr spiritual torments he went through. That tape would not be for the faint of heart.

Are we as American believers sheltered too much? Yes, we are. Far easier to live in our soccer mom homes at the end of our nice WASP cul de sacs then hear the cries of the afflicted.

Bearmaster.

T

TMK Feb 4, 2013

Bear-

I seems like you are trying to make us feel guilty that we are not being tortured daily for our faith.

Are you being tortured daily for your faith? If not, what are you going to do about it? Are you going to seek out some nut who will torture you for being a Christian? They are out there, if you look hard enough.

I thank the Lord that me and my family are not being tortured for our faith. I am sure that those who are being tortured would rather not be tortured.

Of course we should be praying for the persecuted church.

But the point of your post escapes me.

S

SkepticGuy Feb 8, 2013

even in the bible not every christian was tortured or martyred 4 their faith. some churches flurished. sum churches were encouraged by paul to take up a collection for their brothers in the poor and persecuted church in in jerusalem. this implies that those to who this was written were not poor and persecuted. paul did not condemn them for not being poor and persecuted, or try to guilt them. makes we wonder why christians feel that they must try to make christians who are not suffering 4 their faith feel guilty abuot the blessings and gifts they have received FROM GOD?

fact is i think god blesses sum believers with great wealth in order 2 fund the furthering of the gospel, and 2 help the poor and persecuted. god gives his gifts and blessing to his children as HE purposes, not as WE think he should.

there r 2 many brethren who enjoy viewing themselves as fiery angry prophets sent by god to tell off other believers, and spread guilty feelings around. being redeemed in the lord means never needing 2 feel guilty. all of that was washed away, and grace came in and wiped out guilt. do we sin? yes. do we hate our sin? yes. should we go around feeling guilty? NO. guilty of what? all has been washed white as snow.

if u want 2 feel guilty all the time and worried that god duznt luv u anymore, go join the catholic church. true christianity is covered in grace and forgiveness, not guilt and self loathing.

the irony is the more a self proclaimed angry prophet is ignored the more emboldened they become in their own mind.

sermonindex Feb 8, 2013

Amen brother. Appreciate your balance. Was not trying to make people feel guilty. But to realize that what we percieve as the Christuan life in America is not the norm in tbe rest of the world. Just trying to wake us up. Me included.

Good you are skeptical with your questions. Shake us up. My sincerest apologies for our earlier disagreements. I did not know your heart. But then brother I do not know mine either. I hope you can forgive me. You are a man of God. And bro never stop being skeptical. In doing so you will never drink the cool aid.

Blessings in Jesus.

Bear.

S

SkepticGuy Feb 8, 2013

many confuse skepticism with unbelief. it is not so.

thank u for ur words.