Quote:
Originally Posted by aegsm76
Sometimes loving someone means telling them things that they do not want to hear.
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Yes... I know that.
However, I do think there is a time and place. If you're running a business, it's a terrible witness to use it to push your religion on others. A Christian business should be known for providing the best product, the best customer service, the best business ethic, and the highest standards of service... to all. It's a business... not a "church".
Some are too dumb to understand this. And that's telling some folks something they don't want to hear.
I used to frequent a Christian Book Store in Beavercreek, Ohio. The owner was a hyper-dispensationalist Baptist. He and his wife were very friendly, they had great titles, they could order nearly anything for me, and I was very pleased with my experience. However, he never ceased to give me a flier inviting me to his church. The fliers were posted, I saw them, and if I were interested, I would have seen the fliers and chosen to visit. However, I wasn't interested. At one point he asked me why I wasn't willing to at least visit. I told him that I was an Apostolic Pentecostal, and had been for over 10 years (at the time). And with a snide voice he said, "Hmmm Apostolic Pentecostal... isn't that the legalistic heresy taught by the UPCI and several other cults?" I was floored. There were customers in the store when he said it. I was so very uncomfortable. I said, "Everyone's entitled to their opinion, I guess." He said, "It's not an opinion, it's truth. You need to leave that mess." I said, "I'll do what the Lord bid me to do." And I left. I was so taken aback. I almost felt sick. I went into the store once more just to see if maybe he had been having a bad day during my prior visit and I wanted to tell him that I had no hard feelings and that I really enjoyed shopping in his store. As soon as I walked in he cornered me and started preaching about how baptism doesn't save, how speaking in tongues was of the devil, and that if I wanted to "really get saved" I needed to repent of my "heretical mess". I was shaking. Then I said, "Look Terry, I don't want to offend anyone. I'm not sure why you're acting like this." He said, "The LORD rebuke you! We don't need your kind here in this store, and you can excuse yourself right now, or I'm calling the police. You Apostolics are all alike! Get out." So... I left. He made some remark about my wife about not being welcome either, calling her a "little witch". And yes, there were people in the store at that time too.
I was so angry, I had half a mind to go into his store and punch him in the nose. But I didn't. That was over 9 years ago. I didn't want to sue or anything. But I was hurt. His store was to serve the community with Christian titles. Not to cast judgments on customers. Not to proselytize. And not to harass those believers who didn't agree with him. I made sure that I told everyone about how I was treated there. He blurred the lines. He's a store providing a service and product for the community. Not a church.
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