Hey Everyone,
From time to time I receive messages here from older Christian men (it's always been men; oddly enough, a woman has never done this to me in a PM) who have read some of my posts and feel a need to correct my beliefs and/or state their concerns about the state of the church. They often state something such as this, that today's Christianity isn't actually Christianity at all, and needs correction, then will offer their full critiques as to what people are doing wrong in detailed form. They then ask me questions about my own view, often because there is an implied desire to want to "test" my own level of Christianity. One man once wrote me, "I'm surprised you even wrote back. I figured you were like all the other faithless Christians out there. I could still be right."
Personally, I choose not to engage in such battles, because, as I explain to them, it's all circular reasoning that will only go back and forth as they raise the bar further and further with their questions in order to see if I "meet" their standard of a "real" Christian. Personally, I feel that someone who knows nothing about me and has never even spoken to me before does not have that right to judge my faith or walk, but maybe that's just me. Sometimes they're not judging me in particular but want to talk about everyone else's supposed lack of faith or talk about the worldliness they feel has invaded the church. I am often told, in varying ways, to "make sure I'm looking through God's eyes instead of looking through my own," as it's assumed that my own view as well is too worldly and based on my own feelings, rather than God's ultimatums, which is something I'm sure we all struggle with at times. But if I don't feel convicted by God, I have to admit that I tend to shrug these complaints off when they are made by strangers.
Now of course these matters are important. But since I don't feel I have the same calling as some of the people who write me do, I feel I am of little use in such conversations. Additionally, because these men who do not know me and I do not know them, I ask that we can bring things to the public forum instead, so that neither one of us can go off on too bad of a tangent as could happen in a PM.
The last time I declined to get into this kind of discussion, the person wrote back with a post that I myself had written: "I do believe I asked a valid question. And in return, I never from a question or accusation pointed at myself, either." The person even included the date I wrote it--July 19, 2014.
Although this statement was meant to pertain to questions and accusations aimed towards me in the forums (therefore, in public and not in a PM), I can understand why those who have written me regarding such concerns would push for more of an answer than what I usually give. I explained to the other person what I intended to do, read his reply, and have decided to try to answer the questions I've been asked in a series of threads. To protect the privacy of the men who ask me these things, I am going to combine and paraphase their questions into ideas of my own (NOTHING I write is a direct quote unless I specifically state that it is.)
The reason I'm doing this is:
1. There has been some insistence from those who write that I address these issues, so answer I will, even if it's only a simple reply.
2. I am publicly so that, as I said, it keeps the conversation on track. I would also like to know what all of you think about these situations and how you choose, or would choose, to reply
3. I'm writing in response to men who are older in age than I am and whom I do not know, which is, as I've said, the reason why I'm answering publicly. If it were someone I knew or had a regular dialogue with, of course I would answer in private.
My questions for you are:
1. When people (who are Christians themselves) complain about the lack of power, faith, sincerity, or purity of other Christian's lives, how do you respond? If someone tells you that the church has gone too soft and doesn't accept God's Word or correction anymore, what is your answer?
2. How do you respond when a fellow Christian implies that your own faith is worldly and not Godly, or at least not "Godly enough" (or, not as Godly as theirs)?
(I will answer for myself in my next thread, as I want to present another train of thought first, but am curious as to how all of you feel about this.)
Thank you so much for taking the time to read and consider the presented thoughts. I always look forward to learning from all of you.
From time to time I receive messages here from older Christian men (it's always been men; oddly enough, a woman has never done this to me in a PM) who have read some of my posts and feel a need to correct my beliefs and/or state their concerns about the state of the church. They often state something such as this, that today's Christianity isn't actually Christianity at all, and needs correction, then will offer their full critiques as to what people are doing wrong in detailed form. They then ask me questions about my own view, often because there is an implied desire to want to "test" my own level of Christianity. One man once wrote me, "I'm surprised you even wrote back. I figured you were like all the other faithless Christians out there. I could still be right."
Personally, I choose not to engage in such battles, because, as I explain to them, it's all circular reasoning that will only go back and forth as they raise the bar further and further with their questions in order to see if I "meet" their standard of a "real" Christian. Personally, I feel that someone who knows nothing about me and has never even spoken to me before does not have that right to judge my faith or walk, but maybe that's just me. Sometimes they're not judging me in particular but want to talk about everyone else's supposed lack of faith or talk about the worldliness they feel has invaded the church. I am often told, in varying ways, to "make sure I'm looking through God's eyes instead of looking through my own," as it's assumed that my own view as well is too worldly and based on my own feelings, rather than God's ultimatums, which is something I'm sure we all struggle with at times. But if I don't feel convicted by God, I have to admit that I tend to shrug these complaints off when they are made by strangers.
Now of course these matters are important. But since I don't feel I have the same calling as some of the people who write me do, I feel I am of little use in such conversations. Additionally, because these men who do not know me and I do not know them, I ask that we can bring things to the public forum instead, so that neither one of us can go off on too bad of a tangent as could happen in a PM.
The last time I declined to get into this kind of discussion, the person wrote back with a post that I myself had written: "I do believe I asked a valid question. And in return, I never from a question or accusation pointed at myself, either." The person even included the date I wrote it--July 19, 2014.
Although this statement was meant to pertain to questions and accusations aimed towards me in the forums (therefore, in public and not in a PM), I can understand why those who have written me regarding such concerns would push for more of an answer than what I usually give. I explained to the other person what I intended to do, read his reply, and have decided to try to answer the questions I've been asked in a series of threads. To protect the privacy of the men who ask me these things, I am going to combine and paraphase their questions into ideas of my own (NOTHING I write is a direct quote unless I specifically state that it is.)
The reason I'm doing this is:
1. There has been some insistence from those who write that I address these issues, so answer I will, even if it's only a simple reply.
2. I am publicly so that, as I said, it keeps the conversation on track. I would also like to know what all of you think about these situations and how you choose, or would choose, to reply
3. I'm writing in response to men who are older in age than I am and whom I do not know, which is, as I've said, the reason why I'm answering publicly. If it were someone I knew or had a regular dialogue with, of course I would answer in private.
My questions for you are:
1. When people (who are Christians themselves) complain about the lack of power, faith, sincerity, or purity of other Christian's lives, how do you respond? If someone tells you that the church has gone too soft and doesn't accept God's Word or correction anymore, what is your answer?
2. How do you respond when a fellow Christian implies that your own faith is worldly and not Godly, or at least not "Godly enough" (or, not as Godly as theirs)?
(I will answer for myself in my next thread, as I want to present another train of thought first, but am curious as to how all of you feel about this.)
Thank you so much for taking the time to read and consider the presented thoughts. I always look forward to learning from all of you.
