Waiting on Someone to tell You How to Believe?
 

I think the thing that most concerns me about the whole television issue is that some men haven't made up their mind after all of this time and debate, and still others vascillate wildly.

How could someone be so weakminded as to not know where they stand on the issue by now? Are they waiting for the right bigwig to tell them how to believe?

I have a feeling it is more political than anything else. Many moderates are probably voting on the issue based on criteria other than the actual resolution.

They may have no problem with allowing the use of TV but don't neccessarily see using that option in their future so their concern is more one of unity.

As the cons and ultra cons whine and cry and threaten to leave over it I feel that enough of these mods will be swayed once again to vote politically, not their heart.

All of which I think is pointless because the divide is growing inevitably between the ultra cons and the mods / libs in the UPC and it is going to come to a head whether over this resolution or the myriad of other gripes the cons and ultra cons have.

I've heard some say that while they don't think everything on the t.v. is bad, they also know that many people don't have enough self control to turn it off.

Most of the women I've talked to say that their men have a harder time with it.

So, I think that anyone in leadership expects and teaches balance, but getting it into the lives of others is the hoping.

Don't you agree that in many instances people try to live off of the preacher's anointing? I know a big name preacher in the UPC that has cried that people try to live off of his and he tries to stress that they need to have their own relationship with God. I've been in this way long enough to know that it is true. Sunday and Wednesday - get tanked up.

We used to have satellite t.v. and my husband and son made the decision to get rid of it. It was too much of a magnet for them. A time robber.

Each man needs to make his own decision.

Again, I can't see leadership just handing everyone a t.v. when they know it's even hard to get people to give. I mean, really. lol!

I know where I stand on this issue. I have not decided how I will vote on any forthcoming Resolution.

It's the typical cult mentality that is, sadly, common in many churches today. Saints in the pews wait to be told what to believe from the pulpit instead of being like the Bereans in Acts 17 and studying the word of God for themselves, and instead of asking the Holy Spirit to lead them into all truth.

:preach This is good!

If the resolution was presented in the same manner, and with the same lingo as last year would you then know how you would vote?

My experience has been that the teaching leans toward following after the preacher and not questioning what he has to say. If you do, you are labeled as rebellious. I don't broad brush that statement for every man of God, for the record.

Perhaps that mentality has carried over from the Catholic Church. I was reading an article about a Pentecostal preacher who was required to wear a "collar" because of a seminary assignment. He noticed he got more respect and that it seemed to reflect all of ministry.

When I was a new convert I noticed, studying for myself, that "touch not thine anointed" was speaking of the whole house of Israel. I mentioned it to one of the elders in the church, because our pastor preached on it regularly, and he put up his hands up and said, "We better not discuss this."

All I said was, "I noticed this in the scriptures." lol! He was so frightened!

I've been under elderly men that taught Adult SS and they have stated that God will not show you the deep things in the Word. He only reserves that for the ministry.

I was sitting there thinking, "Well, that is the strangest thing I believe I have heard a person say. God only tells the preacher what his Word means?"

Go figure.

Unfortunately, I believe in a lot of instances you are correct.

Well, *I* know "where I stand" on the issue... namely, that is a complete non issue being made into an issue by small minded people on BOTH "sides" of the "debate".

Hey, here's an idea....

Does the Bible forbid a church from advertising on tv?

Does the Bible authorise men outside of a local assembly to dictate how and in what way that local assembly will evangelise?

Hmmm. imagine that....