Quote:
Originally Posted by rgcraig
Read the rules:
AFF FORUM RULES
Let it be understood that Apostolic Friends Forum is an Apostolic Forum.
Apostolic is defined on AFF as:
Those that believe that every sinner must repent of their sins.
That Jesus name baptism is the only biblical mode of water baptism.
That the Holy Ghost is for today and is received by faith
with the initial evidence of speaking in tongues.
The saint will go on to strive to live a holy life, pleasing to God.
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Ya know... I dunno... with my long history in the UPC and deep family roots it's hard to walk away... but... maybe it's time.
Concerning "
the initial evidence of speaking in tongues..." c'mon. Nobody has ever adequately defended this position - not since it was
added to the UPC's Articles of Faith a few decades ago. By taking this position AFF has "disfellowshipped" generations of UPC and Apostolic brethren from the past.
I'd still like to see a response to my post concerning the sister who had
no tongue at all when she received the Holy Ghost. Did she die "saved?" Her sister and brother-in-law pastor one of the few UPC churches that could be said to be thriving today. Should we bounce them out?
Should we have closed down our evangelistic efforts at the time because our theology simply couldn't encompass the situation? Did "God" (perhaps just your "god") not have a plan for the lives a beautiful family that still blesses the Apostolic movement today?
Concerning gays - as I said, it's really up to them to show that their lifestyle (the "boring" ones) is different than that which is condemned in Scripture. But some are making the case. Do we just ignore those reaching out to us?
FWIW - that horrible murder 2 years ago in
Knoxville is just the exact kind of thing I was talking about concerning the male dominance hierarchy in ancient times. Do you think the male victim was raped because he was "pretty" and somehow "attractive" to his attackers?
Or was it because he was "white" and represented an avenue for the crazed killers to "get even" with their idea of what "white society" represented to them. Psychologically, - and even the prosecutors won't touch this angle - but it cries out - that part of the crime was simply a "
male dominance" thing and the perps are not "gay." They're violent, sick and reprehensible. But what caused them act out like they did was too much machismo and too much testosterone.
Too much of trying to be "a man" and not even an attempt at trying to be a human being.
And wait for the testimony about the woman who was arrested. Her male black friends dated "white women" at times. Get ready for horror.
What do we say to people who are caught in that whole churning miasma of passion, violence and hate? People who are looking for a way out? Do we just tell them, "Quiet! I don't have answers and don't want to talk about it!" That's pretty much what we say to most of life's problems.
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