Paranoia... or... Jesus ?

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Feb 7, 2015
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#1
I ran across this today.

Preoccupation with conspiratorial designs leads to paranoia and immobility, even if the devil is orchestrating the whole mess. If you look hard enough, you can see conspiracy and the devil everywhere. Any idea that connects with some aspect of "New Age" thinking will immediately label the entire organization or person as part of the conspiracy, leading to: "Well, I heard the same thing from a known New Ager. He must be part of the conspiracy too."

Some have maintained that "getting your colors done" is a New Age concept. Now, it may very well be that there are a lot of New Agers who get their colors done because of some cosmic color scheme that supposedly puts them in tune with the spiritual forces of nature, but this does not make the practice evil and part of some New Age conspiracy. God created color. Arranging the colors of our wardrobe so the look is pleasing to the eye did not originate with New Age thinkers. Art in all its forms… "is God's gift." The Christian should not reject art, color-coordinated clothes, design forms, and beauty because some pagans distort and pervert their meaning. What do these people think about Joseph's coat of many colors? Were his brothers right in getting rid of him? Was he a secret New Ager?

A few years ago, my wife was asked by Walk Thru the Bible, an Atlanta-based Christian ministry specializing in monthly devotional materials, to sew a quilted backdrop for their display booth. Part of the design was a rainbow. At the National Religious Broadcasters convention in 1986, I had the opportunity to see the completed quilt displayed. I introduced myself to those manning the booth, telling them how my wife sewed the quilt. They told me that a few people chastised them for using the quilt because of the rainbow design. "Don't you know," the New Age critics said, "that the rainbow is the symbol of the New Age Movement?"

This is paranoia. The rainbow is God's covenant sign (Gen. 9:12-17).· We should always be reminded of God's faithfulness, mercy, and grace every time we see the rainbow. If there are hidden dangers in the rainbow, then they are dangers to the humanists who refuse to recognize that God made the rainbow in order to remind Himself of His covenant with man (Gen. 9:16). There are Christians who believe with all their hearts that anything stolen by Satan's followers from Christianity is forever Satan's, and any attempt on the part of Christians to reclaim it in the name of Jesus Christ is an aspect of New Age theology. These Christians take the attitude that "what's Satan's is Satan's, and what's ours is negotiable." So, for that matter, does Satan.

In a statement prepared by Evangelical Ministries to New Religions (EMNR), a cautionary word was given: "New Age teachers often use a common terminology. However, merely using a term popular among New Agers [such as consciousness, holistic, or global] no more indicates acceptance of New Age philosophy than the use of the term 'evangelism' indicates acceptance of Christianity." Christian groups that adopt the rainbow, or use such terms as "holistic" (God heals the whole person) and "global" (our presentation of the gospel should be global) are not necessarily New Agers because they use similar terms.

So........... How do you feel about displaying a rainbow in art of a "church" nature? (Not necessarily as a flag out in front of your building.) Or anything else that has been stolen from God. Yes, the word "Gay" could also enter into a conversation like this.
 

maxwel

Senior Member
Apr 18, 2013
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#2



So........... How do you feel about displaying a rainbow in art of a "church" nature?
(Not necessarily as a flag out in front of your building.) Or anything else that has been stolen from God. Yes, the word "Gay" could also enter into a conversation like this.

There is clearly nothing wrong, intrinsically, with a rainbow.

However, as a single man, if I was at the mall wearing a t-shirt with a big rainbow on it...
I would have to expect all the ladies to look at me and go, "Ohhh, he's on the other team."


We don't have to AGREE with the world we live in,
but we still have to LIVE in the world we live in.
 
Feb 7, 2015
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#3
There is clearly nothing wrong, intrinsically, with a rainbow.

However, as a single man, if I was at the mall wearing a t-shirt with a big rainbow on it...
I would have to expect all the ladies to look at me and go, "Ohhh, he's on the other team."


We don't have to AGREE with the world we live in,
but we still have to LIVE in the world we live in.
So, (assuming you like rainbow shirts), would you abstain from wearing one because of that?
 

Prov910

Senior Member
Jan 10, 2017
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#4
It seems like it would be difficult to tell what is of Satan and what isn't. I suspect that he mixes about 90% truthfulness with 10% clever lies, and 90% good with 10% evil. Just enough to appear legit and move forward with his agenda to usurp God's authority. /jmho
 

maxwel

Senior Member
Apr 18, 2013
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#5
So, (assuming you like rainbow shirts), would you abstain from wearing one because of that?

There is a difference in "standing for your convictions", and just making your life unnecessarily difficult over small, innocuous things.

I'm pretty sure you agree with this.


Now, if something is a genuine conviction, that's a different matter.




I hold no such conviction about the need to wear rainbow t-shirts.

: )
 

maxwel

Senior Member
Apr 18, 2013
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#6
Willie,

I would add that Paul, in the NT, does give allowance for people to hold different personal convictions.

It is alright, and natural, for people to have different personal convictions about a lot of little things.

We're supposed to be charitable with each other on this issue... but we often aren't.



Therefore, I will NEVER ridicule you for your rainbow t-shirt.

Well... not when you're in the room.
 
D

Depleted

Guest
#7
I do think using Christian symbols of all kinds, and words with a good reputation is very much a way to convince the naive to buy the bull. Conspiracy? Meh. More of good marketing scheme.

And I cannot get through to my sister, who is New Age, that what she believes has nothing to do with God. (She was raised in Catholicism so anything goes, as long as you bring the word "God" into the conversation here and there. But when rubber hits road, another word for God is Universe.)

I'm really not into conspiracy theories, although I am into what's going on behind the scenes. (Why I stopped using "liberal," when the problems are being caused by anarchists.) JFK was killed by Oswald. We really did land on the moon. Monsanto is not trying to poison the world. BUT, Christian symbols really are being used as marketing ploys for the naive. And many aren't naive when they say what they say.

I'm going to continue to use rainbows, if I want a rainbow, I'll continue to call homosexuals homosexuals, not gay, but I really can't say the Columbus Day celebration was gay anymore.

But isn't deciding if something is paranoia or a conspiracy the same thing? You're giving but two choices, when there is more than two choices. And that too is a marketing scheme.
 

blue_ladybug

Senior Member
Feb 21, 2014
70,860
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#8
I refuse to go to a church that proudly displays the rainbow flag on the doors of their church and in their windows. There's a time and place to welcome the alphabet people, but church isn't it...
 

Off123123123

Senior Member
Apr 3, 2006
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#9
If you don't think every person in office is a reptilian then you're pretty much outside of Christianity TBH.
 

maxwel

Senior Member
Apr 18, 2013
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#10
I think it's a conspiracy that Willie is talking about conspiracies.
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
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#11
I think it's a conspiracy that Willie is talking about conspiracies.
It is enough to make one wonder what or where Willie
drives, that he is always "running across" something...
:rolleyes:
 

Reborn

Senior Member
Nov 16, 2014
4,087
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#12
So, (assuming you like rainbow shirts), would you abstain from wearing one because of that?
l'm going to assume that you wouldn't wear one...or would you?


How about a shirt that says "I'm gay everyday!"?

Just to prove a point?


Probably not. No one on CC would.
Some battles are worth fighting, in this case, they can have the rainbow symbol and that word.
Whether we like it or not, it is what it is.


BTW, Even if they didn't use them...would you put a rainbow sticker on your car or go around telling people that you had 'a gay ol' time' anyway?
 
D

Depleted

Guest
#13
l'm going to assume that you wouldn't wear one...or would you?


How about a shirt that says "I'm gay everyday!"?

Just to prove a point?


Probably not. No one on CC would.
Some battles are worth fighting, in this case, they can have the rainbow symbol and that word.
Whether we like it or not, it is what it is.


BTW, Even if they didn't use them...would you put a rainbow sticker on your car or go around telling people that you had 'a gay ol' time' anyway?
The only reason I don't wear my rainbow suspenders anymore is because I can't wear the trousers that go with them anymore.

I really don't care if someone thinks I'm a homosexual. Let them think what they want to think. I really liked my rainbow suspenders. (Miss my mood ring and pet socks too. lol)
 
7

7seasrekeyed

Guest
#14
I don't like rainbow shirts, but I like unicorns