Insult Islam, get sent to prison?

[Sam]

Originally Posted by Aquila

Bro... the Apostles weren't running around calling people "f@gs" or "towel heads", and making people angry. The Apostles simply taught about Jesus and preached the power of his name. It wasn't about attacking the Jews or the Romans with sharp words... it was about telling EVERYONE about Jesus. If you "preach" using sharp words that inflames a Muslim or a gay person and they beat you up, you weren't "persecuted". In a way, you deserved it. LOL But if you were talking about the power of Jesus Christ, how he alone can save, how it is by his stripes that we are healed, and they attack you because of his name's sake... while you pray that God not lay that sin to their charge... now that's persecution.

I am not saying we shouldn't preach the Gospel and compare the grace of Jesus Christ to the teachings of Islam. But this has to be done with wisdom that the Holy Ghost can give us.
...

Acts chapter 18 tells about how the Apostle Paul came to Ephesus around October AD 53. He first found some Baptists and told them about Jesus. They responded by believing and getting baptized in Jesus name. Then Paul laid his hands on them and they received the Holy Ghost Baptism manifested by prophecy and speaking with tongues. He went into the synagogue and preached for about three months. He then used a school to hold meetings and was there about two years. Lives were changed. In the autumn of AD 55 he sent two workers into Macedonia but remained in Ephesus for a while. The silversmith's union which had been making money off selling idols became alarmed when so many turned from idols to Jesus and their business dropped off dramatically. They held a huge rally in the theater. I don't know how many were there but I've read that the theater could hold 30,000 people. For a couple of hours they cried out "Great is Diana of the Ephesians." Finally the town clerk got them quieted down enough to speak to them. He told them that they could get in trouble for rioting and that they could take legal action if they wanted to. He reminded them that Paul and his team "were neither robbers of churches nor blasphemers of their goddess." For two years Paul had preached, people had been converted, the idol business had dropped off, and Paul had done it without "blaspheming" their goddess. Maybe we could learn something from this.

[Aquila]

Originally Posted by Sam

Acts chapter 18 tells about how the Apostle Paul came to Ephesus around October AD 53. He first found some Baptists and told them about Jesus. They responded by believing and getting baptized in Jesus name. Then Paul laid his hands on them and they received the Holy Ghost Baptism manifested by prophecy and speaking with tongues. He went into the synagogue and preached for about three months. He then used a school to hold meetings and was there about two years. Lives were changed. In the autumn of AD 55 he sent two workers into Macedonia but remained in Ephesus for a while. The silversmith's union which had been making money off selling idols became alarmed when so many turned from idols to Jesus and their business dropped off dramatically. They held a huge rally in the theater. I don't know how many were there but I've read that the theater could hold 30,000 people. For a couple of hours they cried out "Great is Diana of the Ephesians." Finally the town clerk got them quieted down enough to speak to them. He told them that they could get in trouble for rioting and that they could take legal action if they wanted to. He reminded them that Paul and his team "were neither robbers of churches nor blasphemers of their goddess." For two years Paul had preached, people had been converted, the idol business had dropped off, and Paul had done it without "blaspheming" their goddess. Maybe we could learn something from this.

Amen. Preach Jesus.

[Praxeas]

Originally Posted by Aquila

But not as offensive as the terms "fags" or "queers".

Actually. more offensive. As I said gay people call themselves queer. They wear it as a badge of honor today.

You've still not addressed the position a preacher puts me in as a father if he uses those terms. I don't want my son using pejoratives like that. How can I conceivably raise a gentleman who speaks like a Christian when the pastor doesn't have the decency to speak like a Christian gentleman in the pulpit?

Why do I need to address it? You are the father, do what you feel is right, find another church.

I don't think it's "wrong" or shouldn't be used. Personally, I wouldn't use it that often in the pulpit because the visitor that I'm trying to reach might be one of those "Sodomites".

I agree, but then that would be taking our ques from them.

I don't want him to get angry at me, I want him to see the love and feel the power of Jesus.

I'm not going to compromise the word of God for fear of anger, but there is no reason to anger someone unnecessarily. But truth is truth. Sin is sin. It does not matter if it is the adulterer or the "sodomite", they need to hear and repent.

He knows his sin, he knows it far better than I do. He's already feeling the uncomfortable conviction while being in the presence of the Holy Ghost.

maybe not. The proud heart doesn't feel. That is what thewayofthemaster.com has made very clear. Law to the proud, grace to the humble. Some need to hear that they are sinners and know what their sin is. I can tell you to, we have had people get very upset when they were told homosexuality was a sin...they didn't know it was until then.

God's Holiness is convicting him as he sits there. I just have to point to the cross as his way of escape.

What is the word for again?

[Praxeas]

Originally Posted by Sam

Acts chapter 18 tells about how the Apostle Paul came to Ephesus around October AD 53. He first found some Baptists and told them about Jesus. They responded by believing and getting baptized in Jesus name. Then Paul laid his hands on them and they received the Holy Ghost Baptism manifested by prophecy and speaking with tongues. He went into the synagogue and preached for about three months. He then used a school to hold meetings and was there about two years. Lives were changed. In the autumn of AD 55 he sent two workers into Macedonia but remained in Ephesus for a while. The silversmith's union which had been making money off selling idols became alarmed when so many turned from idols to Jesus and their business dropped off dramatically. They held a huge rally in the theater. I don't know how many were there but I've read that the theater could hold 30,000 people. For a couple of hours they cried out "Great is Diana of the Ephesians." Finally the town clerk got them quieted down enough to speak to them. He told them that they could get in trouble for rioting and that they could take legal action if they wanted to. He reminded them that Paul and his team "were neither robbers of churches nor blasphemers of their goddess." For two years Paul had preached, people had been converted, the idol business had dropped off, and Paul had done it without "blaspheming" their goddess. Maybe we could learn something from this.

And....they almost lost their lives. If you think you will never get someone mad or offend someone by doing the will of God, then you haven't done very much. You can wrap it up in candy, but at some point folks are going to be offended or get mad...not necessarily at you, not because you packaged it in obscene language, but because you spoke the truth even with love.

[Praxeas]

What is the word of God? A two edged sword

[Aquila]

Originally Posted by Praxeas

Actually. more offensive. As I said gay people call themselves queer. They wear it as a badge of honor today.


Why do I need to address it? You are the father, do what you feel is right, find another church.



I agree, but then that would be taking our ques from them.


I'm not going to compromise the word of God for fear of anger, but there is no reason to anger someone unnecessarily. But truth is truth. Sin is sin. It does not matter if it is the adulterer or the "sodomite", they need to hear and repent.


maybe not. The proud heart doesn't feel. That is what thewayofthemaster.com has made very clear. Law to the proud, grace to the humble. Some need to hear that they are sinners and know what their sin is. I can tell you to, we have had people get very upset when they were told homosexuality was a sin...they didn't know it was until then.


What is the word for again?

African Americans use the "N" word when speaking to each other, but that's the way they've taken the sting out of the word. The word is still an uncouth pejorative. I would never expect a minister, be him black or white, to use the "N" word behind the pulpit. Praxeas, if you're the kind of man who doesn't care about cursing or pejoratives over the pulpit that says a lot about you and that's an issue you and God are going to have to work out.

[Praxeas]

Originally Posted by Aquila

African Americans use the "N" word when speaking to each other, but that's the way they've taken the sting out of the word. The word is still an uncouth pejorative. I would never expect a minister, be him black or white, to use the "N" word behind the pulpit. Praxeas, if you're the kind of man who doesn't care about cursing or pejoratives over the pulpit that says a lot about you and that's an issue you and God are going to have to work out.

Right AND because most find it offensive...when we refuse to use it we are "taking our ques from African Americans"... I don't have a problem with doing that or admitting that is why we don't use certain words

[Tim Rutledge]

Is calling a queer a "twinky" politically correct.

I have heard on tape.. a black preacher use the N word. Br. Johnny James.

I've always really been concerned about being politically correct.

[Sam]

Originally Posted by Tim Rutledge

.
...
I've always really been concerned about being politically correct.

Bro. Rutledge,
good thing you posted that smiley with that.
I just can't picture you being worried about being PC (politically correct).
I think of you as being more like Jeremiah was told to do-- root out, pull down, destroy, throw down, and then build, and plant (Jeremiah 1:10)

[Aquila]

Originally Posted by Praxeas

Right AND because most find it offensive...when we refuse to use it we are "taking our ques from African Americans"... I don't have a problem with doing that or admitting that is why we don't use certain words

Bro... even straights with class know it's insulting. Many whites know that the N word is insulting. Stick to the Word bro. They are perverts, dogs, Sodomites, reprobates, etc. However, I think it only shows a fundamental lack of grace and wisdom when one uses words like that over the pulpit. Frankly, if a minister can't control his tongue, he's not worth his salt.

And then there's the issue of being a father, trying to raise a boy to be Christian gentleman in this world with preachers talking like this. As a Christian and a father, I think it also shows a fundamental lack of respect for every parent in the sanctuary if you say it within earshot of their children. Frankly, if my son began to use words like that calling his friends or kids he doesn't like "queers" or "fags", I'd do two things. First, I'd tell him that Christian men don't talk that way. We are to bless our enemies and pray for them, not curse them. Then I'd go to that pastor and put my finger in his chest and tell him what I think of him.... but I'd choose to do it in a public forum like a banquet so that everyone could hear that my boy was picking up language like that....from him.