tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2696942032190027495.post4985488017902576964..comments2024-03-03T09:14:13.218-08:00Comments on THE END IS NOT NEAR!: ‘Hate the Poor’ & Other Acts of SodomyCosmic Parxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15810435996806041856noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2696942032190027495.post-23256852639843312162019-07-03T09:26:49.655-07:002019-07-03T09:26:49.655-07:00I see your point but, like you, I disagree with yo...I see your point but, like you, I disagree with your conclusion. It's a false dichotomy to presume that Christians can't BOTH correct themselves AND correct their governments simultaneously. In a democratic republic, we the people are the government, so we *must* do both. Therefore, while others wait for the members of churches to correct themselves and then embark on rebuilding, I'll spend my time helping the poor and the orphaned, despising cold governments and whoring churches that bed together to legislate hate toward particular classes of citizens, and voting for those citizen leaders whose behaviors (rather than whose lips alone) serve the goals of a Gospel of peace.Cosmic Parxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15810435996806041856noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2696942032190027495.post-71950949180626713892019-06-29T14:48:06.844-07:002019-06-29T14:48:06.844-07:00I think your fallacy, the source of Mark's rea...I think your fallacy, the source of Mark's reaction, is that you reach the conclusion that it is the responsibility of government to correct all of these great wrongdoings in our society. God judged the people (all of them, not just the government) of Sodom. I would submit that we are in this predicament because the Church at large made up of individuals has fallen away from its first love and is now living predominantly unto self. The governmental evils are only a guage of the heart of the people - and that heart is rotten! Great analysis, but in my opinion, wrong conclusion and corrective. Yes, the people of God should call out these acts of governmental sodomy. However, the only lasting corrective would be to examine our own hearts and correct our behavior so that it aligns with the heart of God. Then build churches that are biblically faithful and in communities where we can actually engage with the poor, the downtrodden, and those who have suffered injustice.ChristopherFigleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10983816293354938302noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2696942032190027495.post-62758280618947830992014-01-05T09:22:16.290-08:002014-01-05T09:22:16.290-08:00Most excellent reasoning. I am agnostic, but I had...Most excellent reasoning. I am agnostic, but I had a pretty intensive religious upbringing, and I find your discipline in reading the actual words of the bible refreshing.<br /><br />Although it does take a wack at the common stereotype of Old Testament writers as a bunch of ignorant goat-herding bigots. Maybe I need to examine my own free-thinking prejudices as well?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14221099622712912518noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2696942032190027495.post-6186321045598762472014-01-05T05:32:15.586-08:002014-01-05T05:32:15.586-08:00Mark -- I agree that taking a word back to its Bib...Mark -- I agree that taking a word back to its Biblical roots and then finding its applicability in the modern activities of a fallen world can certainly feel shocking and disconcerting. Feeling insulted by the rigors of the Word of God and its implications has a long history ... in fact, the Sodomite Lot’s own sons-in-law laughed at the idea that that God would destroy their city for the neglect of the poor and the oppression of the needy, those reasons Ezekiel and Isaiah make so clear.<br /><br />I can see you feel strongly about this from a secular, political perspective. If you have a Biblical perspective that promotes the idea that only individuals … not individuals and nations … are responsible for the well-being of that nation’s poor, needy, and oppressed, I would read that Biblical perspective carefully and prayerfully. For now, I maintain a viewpoint that the Lord judges nations for their collective behaviors, a common tenet of evangelical Biblical understanding.<br />Cosmic Parxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15810435996806041856noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2696942032190027495.post-70897302825913455232014-01-04T20:16:56.441-08:002014-01-04T20:16:56.441-08:00Thank you, Nell, I agree this does not amount to h...Thank you, Nell, I agree this does not amount to hate speech (a poor choice of words and my apologies to Cosmic Parx). It is, however, intolerant and insulting to make sodomites of everyone with alternate views of government involvement vs. individual responsibility in helping the needy.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01496155556188007037noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2696942032190027495.post-42582978911593153532014-01-04T12:44:50.321-08:002014-01-04T12:44:50.321-08:00For an excellent article on the Scriptural role of...For an excellent article on the Scriptural role of government in administering social justice, I recommend the blog _God's Politics_ by evangelical author Jim Wallice, CEO of _Sojourners_ . His entry "Caring for the Poor is Government's Biblical Role" can be found at:<br /><br />http://sojo.net/blogs/2012/08/30/caring-poor-governments-biblical-role<br /><br />God bless all who find these ideas provocative and worth struggling with!<br />Cosmic Parxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15810435996806041856noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2696942032190027495.post-79112314542939654612014-01-04T12:16:59.722-08:002014-01-04T12:16:59.722-08:00Somebody needs to look up the definition of "...Somebody needs to look up the definition of "hate speech". Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17052001738268915574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2696942032190027495.post-30429515801373067532014-01-04T09:05:14.668-08:002014-01-04T09:05:14.668-08:00This article was good up until the end when it fel...This article was good up until the end when it fell into its own hate speech. Are you a sodomite if you want the wealth of the country spent wisely? Are you a sodomite if you believe that it is the nondelegable responsibility of the individual, not the government to help the needy? If you believe that the government is best at producing more dependence (not laziness)? If you believe all governments eventually use this dependence to grow into an oppressive force? We may have differences of opinion on how to help the poor but does that justify redefining hateful slurs and throwing them at each other?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01496155556188007037noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2696942032190027495.post-3917848365458326072014-01-04T06:36:00.756-08:002014-01-04T06:36:00.756-08:00A friend just introduced me to your blog today, an...A friend just introduced me to your blog today, and I must say I really appreciate your insights! Thank you.Tarahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01658557611812623734noreply@blogger.com