You are entitled to your opinions, but as usual, you chose to express your vehement dislike for my beliefs by changing the context. I never called anyone an idiot. I would suggest that you get your facts straight before you try to run the bus over someone.
You say that you never called anyone a "God hating idiot(s)"? That is an outright bald faced LIE, and you know it, as does everyone who read the statements before you revised your post to omit them, citing "peace" as the reason for the revision.
The one post caught my attention, so I read through many others. I was quite taken back by pictures boarding on hard-core pornography, satanic symbols, vulgar and profane language. And yes, satanist's do not have any love for God. Hopefully, that does not come as any great revelation to you.
A member posted a link to what he considered good music, and you criticized the singer/songwriter for lyrics that are "dark and not very uplifting" and don't "glorify God". Had you stopped there, it would not have prompted a response (from me) as you are certainly entitled to express your opinion of the music. But you continued your comments with derogatory descriptions of the photos and comments of the singer's fans, as well, referring to them as "God hating idiots" with particular note of one whose tagline was a quote from Bill Maher.
Frankly, I considered such comments to be an embarrassment to the character of most EO members, who would NOT consider a person wearing a devil costume (for Halloween!) to be an indication of satanism, as you appeared to do. Furthermore, even those who disagree with most of Bill Maher's comments would not assume that nothing he says could possibly have any merit whatsoever, as you seem to imply. I'd like to think that most members are not quite that narrowminded.
Moreover, a child showing up at my door will be greeted with a smile and words of kindness. The child is innocent and has no understanding of the intent regarding the holiday. We always give several pieces of candy and a Gospel tract enclosed inside of a ZipLoc bag. It is our hope that mom and dad will read the tract. I have yet to have anyone complain or indicate they were being bludgeoned by the Gospel.
Examples....several pastors have already been found guilty of "hate crimes" in Canada for teaching from the Bible what it says regarding homosexuality. Churches here in America have been advised by the Christain Law Association to ammend their church constitutions to avoid frivilous lawsuits from homosexuals who attempt to challenge the church's constitution regarding appropriate behavior during their worship services.
Homosexuals can come into a church, swap spit and fondle one another, but a pastor cannot preach about the sin of homosexuality as found in the first chapter of Romans? A sin that God calls an abomination.
Level field?
On both sides of the fence...believer and non-believer alike, there those who are militant. It is not all one-sided as you would like folks to believe.
I have stood on the street corner passing out Gospel tracts, saying nothing and simply offering them to those willing to accept them. For that, I have had them ripped from my hand, chewed up and spit in my face. I have been threatened with bodily harm for passing out Bibles. Conversely, the guy on the other corner passing out free passes to casino, or the Gentleman's Club, is not bothered by anyone.
Level field?
Not. And it doesn't bother me at all...I am just stating a fact.
You continue to confuse fact with your opinion, as follows:
As a Christian I expect to be the recipient of personal attacks. Why? Simple: John 15:18, 19 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
John 15:20-22 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me. If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin.
You are not attacked for your Christianity, but for your "militant" insistence on injecting your beliefs into subjects where they aren't warranted (like the music of Dan May), which begins to look like fanaticism - a mindset that scares me a great deal. But especially for your refusal to grant others who believe differently the same respect that you feel entitled to as a human being. Your practice of including tracts in the candy given to children on Halloween, and to passersby on street corners is an indication of your lack of respect for their intellect - do you think they aren't aware of Christianity unless you tell them about it?
This country was founded on religious principles. America has been blessed more so than any other nation because its foundation is based upon those principals. Interesting when you stop to consider that other places in this world have greater mineral wealth; more oil reserves; more natural resourses; optimal agricultural climates, soil and rainfall; better access to trade routes; etc. America's wealth, as the result of those blessings, has allowed it to send missionaries, Bibles, Sunday School Literature, Pastoral Supplies, Christian School Books, etc. more so than any other nation on this earth. God has used America as an advocate to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ which can save a person from a literal place of torment, pain, suffering and gnashing of teeth.
Far be it from a litmus test...it is a fact.
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