Thanks For Telling Me!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBlBk7lw-fk

I just love reading self-anointed preachers of the "Word." Honestly, they make most of us fundamentalist Christians look kinda stupid and scared of a few action figures. I've been to churches like this as a visitor (and left pretty quick, thanks). I **DO** understand and respect people who are a bit nervous about things like Star Wars and Lord of the Rings. I absolutely understand the point that they would want to stay away from evil influences as possible. I even know people who refuse to have even a picture of an owl in their house because the owl is the symbol of the devil somewhere in the Old Testament and they don't want various "powers and principalities" introduced into their home. I'm ok with that, though it's a bit hard to know when you're offending sometimes when there are so many rules they follow. You want to maintain your own freedom, but not flaunt something they find to be sinful in their faces.

In any event, I find very few people who are really like this video. Most Christian folks who err on the side of caution with their own families and congregants can tell you why they think what they do, base it on God's Word, and then leave you to do what you're going to do in humility. I appreciate godly advice when it's sought. I've seen people say, well, I believe "this thing" because of this verse, and as your pastor/mentor/whatever, I urge you to consider the consequences of... whatever.

But listen to this guy. It's EITHER God OR Star Wars? I find Star Wars to be pretty demonic, really, with all this talk of "the Force" and whatnot. But D has the movie and lets the kids watch it occasionally. If it were up to me entirely a whole bunch of stuff like that would be in the dustbin, including the looser translations of the Bible.

Some comments from the preacher: "When you step into hell you will regret your stupidity and rejection of God's Word." OOh! Can I join his church pretty please? I need to be blessed by his "messages" every week! Another: "Fool, You obviously are not saved and you reject the Bible. Have your heroes and your wizards and your force...and go to hell. If you were saved , you would be against them."

I'm reading some of the comments and laughing. Can you tell some of these folks are intentionally goading him on and cackling at him when he freaks out in response?

OK. Why am I riding on conservative Christianity lately? Aren't I conservative and Christian myself? Why am I posting this today??

I've had to post this because my good friend "anonymous" has left me several comments. He/she thinks that I should be using my blog to gain souls for Christ. Do you know what? That would be great! But I never want to do it this way (see video). And I never want to sit here and pretend that all is PERFECT in our Christian circles. God is Truth. Anonymous wanted me to know that it was very wrong of me to post about Mr. and Mrs. A online, but I should confront them directly.

Maybe.

But isn't it innnnnteresting how the person telling me this is "anonymous?" Hmm. And anonymous also knows what God intends for my blog because he/she is a Christian and thinks that I should think on whatever is pure, lovely, of good report, etc. and even quotes the verse for me.

Also true.

Here's something lovely and pure. God is all-knowing. His sheep hear His voice and follow. He knows the ones who are His. No man can take His sheep from His hand. If you're a sheep, you will ultimately (at the end of the story) be safe and secure for all eternity. Jesus is the ultimate action figure, no blasphemy intended. He is so GOOD that He did all this for us.

And we're fighting about Bible translations and who reads which books? Please do give me your considered opinions if they're based in some sort of knowledge. For example, the pastor at the church I'm attending speaks fluent Hebrew, having lived as a missionary kid in Israel. I think he'd have a few things to say about this or that verse in the original I'm going to miss! I ought to consider his opinion about that. That's wisdom. Stupidity is listening to some guy about the evils of Star Wars because... well... look at this picture of this character in the movie. Doesn't that look like the DEVIL to you?

(See, I've never had a face-to-face conversation with him to know that.)

I hope that I'm not pigeonholed into the "Christian blog" category. I love Jesus. I'm a Christian and unashamed of that! But it's almost as though sometimes the Christianity is a separate entity rather than something intertwined in every messy bit of life. Hard to explain what I mean. But I want to be welcoming to EVERYBODY and not just the Christian. I want to be blog friends with people I disagree with congenially. I can't imagine becoming a Christian after hearing something like, when you get to Hell, remember this conversation! What a downer.

So, this post is for you, anonymous. Feel free to come out with an identity of some kind and I'll publish your comments. Even made-up initials are ok. Just be consistent.

PS Unfortunately I can't embed this video. I found it a few days ago hoping to find a snippet of Adam Race's old pastor preaching love and tolerance, something funny like that. Couldn't find it.