Stupid Things Christians Say

Recently there was a discussion involving whether or not tattooing is a good thing or a bad thing, i.e. whether it is smiled upon or frowned upon by God. Now honestly, I think it’s not something God likes, but at the same time, you’re not going to Hell for it. God bless you if you get one, God bless you if you don’t get one.

However, there are more important issues in the body of Christ than tattooing. Although I do think tattooing falls into a category that is very important in the body of Christ, not tattooing, but the category.

During this “discussion of intellectuals” I saw many things brought out that were really frightening to me. This discussion was held among mostly Bible college students. The things said were from people that were learning to be ministers of the Gospels. I do think though that there were some in this discussion that were not Bible students, and as I looked back over what was said, I could see that. I could also see that these students were honest and sincere, yet either ignorant or stupid, whether by choice or not. Of course this was not all of them, but some. I didn’t want that to be a blanket statement because it’s not intended to be.

But as this discussion went on I noticed things popping out that just blew my mind(One of the things I covered in a previous blog, but I will cover it more so in this one). These things I wanted to cover in this blog and try to show you the error of what was said. Is this to show that the people that disagreed with me were stupid? No. Not at all. However, that might come out.

A lot of what was said was used to argue one person’s point or another. The problem that appeared is that the way the people argued was not logical, not reasonable, and not truthful. More so, where discussing and debating on the Bible, God, and truth, there are certain things that must be taken into account that are not required in other discussions/debates/etc. Here I want to chronicle some of them.

Of course I won’t be using anyone’s name if you wondered. Please remember that these statements were made online and thus can be short, non-formatted, and without proper grammar. Also remember that the issue being discussed is whether or not tattoos and tattooing is a sin or smiled upon or not by God.

The first one I want to mention is this one:

• I'm sorry for you . I'm sorry ur umcomfortable with an outward expression of someone individuality. Quoting the bible "for I bear the markings of Jesus Christ" well my markings or "ink" are another way for me to be able to reach someone for the kingdom

Two things on this one. First, don’t tell someone to their face (or online in a discussion) that “you’re sorry for them.” Another issue brought up later is whether or not someone was being judgmental. This short line is a smack in the face to whoever is on the other side. Nothing says, “I’m right. You’re wrong.” more than “I feel sorry for you.” Well, unless it’s “I’m right. You’re wrong.” That in itself will harden a person’s heart, mind, and ability to receive anything from the speaker.

The second thing is the use, or should I say misuse of scripture. When you quote scripture, make sure it is needed and in context. For Christians, a discussion with a atheist needs almost no scripture to begin with. Why? Because it’s something that they have totally abandoned as insignificant and full of lies. But when it comes to the point when you use it, make sure it is in context and relevant to the situation. I can’t quote you John 3:16 during a discussion of whether God thinks music in church is okay. It just doesn’t fit. In like manner, comparing the marking of Jesus—whip lashes, nail punctures—from someone who hated him and wanted him to die, to some ink that you willingly sat down and paid a lot of money to put on you, is not in context of the situation and is a terrible comparison. Though Jesus’ willingly allowed those who hated him to beat him, it still doesn’t fit.

• I believe if you have a Godly motive that's the important thing.

On the first glance this sounds good, like many things. However it’s not. Another word for motive is intentions. There’s a saying that goes that the road to Hell is paved with good intentions. Of course this here is God intentions, not good intentions. What’s the difference? A second ‘o.’ Don’t get me wrong. Godly motives are great, desirable, needed, and the Bible speaks good things of them. However, if you have good intentions (even God intentions) and still do a bad thing, especially after you have been told it’s bad (even if you don’t agree with it or have taken the time to think/pray on it), is it still okay? If I had the intention of glorifying God by killing some world leader who I thought was evil, say Kim Jung Ill (or however you pronounce it), would that be okay because my intention was good and motivated by my Godly desire to glorify God? Of course not. However, it might help just a little that glorifying God was my motive, but not much.

• If this is an interesting issue think of the Law of First Use and then go check on the origins of tattooing.

This one is interesting. In case you don’t know, The Law of First Use is something taught in Bible Interpretation. It states that if you want to know the meaning or use of something (such as a Hebrew word) go back to how it was first use (or it’s origin) and look at it there. This not only points the discussion (that is dealing with the Biblical and Godly applauding or booing of tattooing) back to the Bible, it also asks people to seek out more information for themselves. Good and bad things here. The good thing is that one issues of Biblical discussion you involve the Bible and Biblical principles (scripture would later be used in the discussion). This also asks people to seek more information themselves, the only problem—people are lazy bums. I don’t know how many times I have asked people to just look at the facts, and they can’t even do that because the facts are located at the library and not in their hands.

If people have to do things themselves, there is a likelihood that they won’t. Adolf Hitler once said, “What luck for rulers that men don’t think.” People are often too lazy to investigate what they believe, even Christians. How sad it will be on judgment day for many people when they realize that if they would have just spent a few hours reading one book of facts about Christianity that it would have changed their whole eternity. Greek historian Thucydides wrote “So little trouble do men take in their search after truth; so readily do they accept whatever comes first to hand.” Humans, Christian or non, tend to accept what is more pleasing to the flesh that what is truth. It is natural. The issue that we have to deal with is realize we are not natural, we are spiritual. We are a spirit, have a soul, and live in a natural body. Too many people won’t search out and investigate truth, and so many will get what Thomas Hobbes once said, “Hell is truth seen too late.”

• But does it really matter if just one tattoo on someone body gets just one person saved is it not worth it?

The reasoning on this one is just bad. If I kill you now, and some one comes to Christ because I murdered you, does that I mean I actually did a good deed? Does that make me a saint? No. God can use anything to bring a person to Christ, even sin. But the reasoning is flawed, and it's not Biblical. If you want to argument an issue over whether it is good for a Christian to do something or not, you have to use the Bible. The Law of First Use is Biblical, saying it gets someone saved is not. Paul became all things to all people to win them to the Lord, but that doesn't mean he became a pedophile to win pedophiles to Christ.

• Lev 19:28 - You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead nor print or tattoo any marks upon you; I am the Lord. (Amplified)

This was brought up as the scriptural point in the discussion. However it was then brought up that it was Old Testament and was under the Law and we are now under the New Covenant and under grace. This was the argument. However, it again fails to prove their point. We must understand that thought the Covenant changes, some things do not. For one, God never changes. Things like murder, homosexuality, lying, etc do not over night go from an abomination unto God to alrighty good to go. People have used this same argument with tithing. However tithing was introduced around 500 years before the Old Covenant was made by God. We must understand certain things don’t change. Grace may be grace, but sin is sin.

• When I see that scripture I interput it as no r.i.p. Tatts.

So no R.I.P. tatts, but Mickey Mouse is okay? Those three words are damned above all others. This one is just one you have to think one. Don’t be stupid in your arguments.

• i have never once felt convicted about my tatts so i guess to each his own.. i use my tatts to be a witness to other ppl and to get them to ask questions them so that i can possibly use those to win them to the lord.

The argument of “I have never once felt convicted” falls flatter than a pancake. There are many honest, sincere Christians who don’t believe in the baptism of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues and never once have they felt convicted. While these people are sincere, they just plain wrong according to the Bible, not a denomination. Some times conviction doesn’t come from the heart, it comes from the head (guilt, might be a better word for it then) and thus, we have to actually think or meditate on it, and a lot of us don’t do that. As for the other part, a t-shirt can’t do the same, without being in the debatable proper/improper question of a tattoo (or anything)?

• Yes there are a lot of ways to lead the next generation astray, I personally know of two youth pastors in my hometown, one is teaching that there is nothing wrong with consuming alcohol, the other is dating a 17 year old girl from his youth group, and he is 32. Now if you ask me, a tattoo seems a little meek compared to either one of those situations…

This statement here, if you can read into it, is the same argument many non-saved people use as their excuse to be going to Heaven when they died. I’m a good person. Define good. God is the one who defines good, and we define good by other’s evils. We may have cheated and lied, but we haven’t murdered anyone or raped anyone. In like manner, I may have this thing, but I don’t tell kids to get drunk or date 17 year olds. If you try to say something is okay by comparing it to something bad, you will fail. Something is good because it is good, not because it is better than something worse.


• Who are we to judge someone motives or heart?

This statement, along with many other saying how Christians shouldn’t judge, popped up numerous times. Many times you could hear something revolving around “judge not, lest ye be judged.” This was a big one for me, because the Bible has some seemingly conflicting things to say on it. It’s not conflicting, it just seems like it sometimes. First, let me say that the Bible says repeatedly that we are not to judge the motives of the heart. God is the judge. With that said, look at some other points with me.

* 1 Corinthians 2:15, “But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.” Of course this used in an argument is likely to receive a “you’re full of pride” rebuke. As well, this scripture by itself doesn’t say much.

* 2 Timothy 4:14-16, “Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works: Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words. At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.” This is Paul writing. Here Paul forgives this Alexander but he also keeps a not of what the man did to him so as he is not fooled again. In such a way, Paul judged this man as not being trustworthy.

* In one Bible translation 1 Corinthians 5:9 has as it’s heading Immorality Must Be Judged. Paul goes on to talk about casting those who are immoral out of the congregation of Believers.
* In 1 Corinthians 5:12-13 Paul says to judge those in the church, and expel the wicked man from among you.

* In 1 Corinthians 10:15 Paul tells believers to judge what he says. And in 11:31 he tells us to judge ourselves and we won’t be judged.

* In Hebrews 11:11, the Bible says that Sarah even judged God Himself.

Why do I share all of these? I do it so you can see that judging isn’t necessarily a bad thing. In fact, if we change the words around that mean the same, we’d see that we judge all the time. When we put our trust, hope, and faith in God, we judge Him worthy or such a thing. I like manner, when we don’t do that we judge Him as unworthy for such a thing.

At one point in history John 3:16 was the most famous scripture. People around the world knew it. Things have changed. Now Matthew 7:1 is the most famous. What does it say? “Judge not, that ye be not judged.” Judging others has become taboo in today’s culture. Yet are Christians not judging when they say homosexuals are sinning (besides being ‘intolerant’ that is)? I want us to read some more of this scripture to understand something.

Matthew 7:1-5 states, “Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the splinter that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the splinter out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.”

Again, too many people think we are not to judge, just like they think we are to be humble in the same manner as the world. Picking this scripture apart we can see some things. First, the criteria that you judge someone by will be the same you are judged by. The scripture tells us not to judge because all too often we like to judge others by standards we don’t like to place upon ourselves. The next part is to see that this scripture is talking a lot about hypocrisy. However, notice the last line-“ first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.” The Word here is telling us to get ourselves straight that we can help others get themselves straight. That is what people in leadership—ministers, do. Pastors and ministers are called to equip the saints. One way of doing so is calling sin sin and not glazing it over with sweet words. The intent is not to harm, but to help so the person can go on with God and be all He has called them to be and help others.

This is the last one (I know this has been a long one). This one too was stated over and over so I just put them together so you can get the full meaning.

• well this generation is a "live out loud" bunch group. i rather put what i believe on my body where it strikes a question…I dont think tat(ink) is OMG sooo evil and it shuldnt be so related with the WORD u knw its like a fashion statement in this Generation.. Thats dat individual....The negative stereotype of people with tattoos has changed; tattoos have become an exceptable form of self-expression for this generation.

Every one of these comments goes back to one thing—this generation. They are seeking approval, acceptance, and point to this generation for the person to justify them instead of God. You can tell these are young people, can’t you? Again, on issues such as this, Biblical questioning, the answer, the justification is not a generation, it is God. It might have become acceptable to this generation, but we aren't supposed to to decide things by this generation. This generation will not judge you when you draw your last breath. God will.

• if we can dress our church up to follow the trends of the world and christian music evolves as the worlds music evolves what wrong with us/the church change also…

Sadly, too many think this is how things should go, that we should try reaching the world by being like it in appearance and other areas. The problem is that we are not the world. God is not Satan. As one anointed teacher said, “If you look like the devil, and smell like the devil, and act like the devil. You is the devil.” But I don’t act like the devil. Well you got two out of three. Something’s wrong there. That same teacher said, “ I looked for the church and found it in the world. I looked for the world and to my dismay, I found it in the church.” At this many people get offended. They won’t take an honest look at things because they’ve become so emotionally attached, offended, or given into their flesh. Jesus Christ was relevant to the world and looked nothing like the world. In fact, as it has been said, the church has been most effective on the world when it has looked least like the world.

I’m sorry. But if you have miracle healings and the glory of God, fire falling from Heaven—you don’t need tattoos (not knocking them here), Christian “rock” music (not knocking it), or people dressed just like the world or anything else that comes close to resembling the world. And you don’t get the fullness of the glory of God by looking like the world. Look at Azusa Street. No one there looked like the world. They were too busy engulfed by the glory of God to try those things.

Some times in discussions like the ones I was in, people get so emotionally attached, so offended, their heart gets hardened or they get so convicted that nothing you can say can touch them because they are so focused on defending themselves and attacking you. It is at this point that you loose the purpose of the discussion, which is hopefully to show love to the other person (among other things depending on the topic).

Winston Churchill said that the most valuable thing in the world is truth. So valuable is it, that it has often been barricaded by a bodyguard of lies. And while many seek after truth, so do many give up when they see the bodyguard, mistaking it for the truth, not imagining that something greater, something better could be behind the larger than life bodyguard that stands between the seeker and the truth. It is the honest investigator that makes the best one. Many atheists who have taken an honest approach to Christianity have found the truth—J.R.R. Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, Josh McDowell, Lee Strobel, just to name a few.

I’ll leave with a comment one person stated. I hope this has helped, and has not seemed to much like an attack on the issue discussed, but more a help in discussing issues that can mean a person’s eternity.

If we want the greater glory, we have to walk in greater reverence. Dad Hagin was not one to call names, but I heard him in more than one large meeting state that we do not have to look, dress, smell or act like the world to reach the world. Love also instructs and does it's best to bring guidance and correction. We don't take the word of God and conform it to us, regardless of our generation. The word is the rock that we break on and let God mold us to. The things I used to do apart of salvation, I don't want to do. My "want to" changed, and as I continue on, it is still open to God for correction. Love opens doors to hearts, it will cross any line, any race, any age. If you that think getting a tatoo will reach people, any of us could be around those same people and see God's love pierce their heart. Bottom line is, there is a price to pay for the greater glory; coming out from the world's influences is one of the biggest ways to pay that price…. We don't have to preach about such things if our lifestyle leads in it. God cannot fully get the church in the world until he can fully get the world out of the church. While it is a process, hearts must be yielded to him for that process to work, we are to lay things down and put things off.

God bless.

Krist

The Purpose of Discussion

The other day I had the utter pleasure of joining in on a ‘discussion’ on a certain topic. Of course I’m being sarcastic. Utter pleasure is definitely not the word I would choose unless I wanted to be sarcastic.

Halfway through this exchange of ideas it came to me, “What is the purpose of all of this”? Why am I involving so much of my time, of my energy, and of myself? A few weeks ago God brought this to my attention when it came to designing graphics. What is the purpose of doing this design, besides just doing it? It hit me that there was no purpose except for fun, and just to do it. In light of everything else I could be doing and should be doing, this repetitive activity passed into the shadows of my desire.

In like manner, the purpose of this conversation suddenly dropped to the bottom of my list of priorities. Why? There was nothing at stake in this conversation because all that were involved were too emotionally invested, too blind to truth, and too hard-hearted to see anything beyond their own preference, own option, and own desires.

This discussion was based on whether or not a certain activity was smiled or frowned upon by God. And sad to say, the conversation looked more like a discussion between enemies than family, as I’m sure all who were involved were. This all made me think, what is the purpose of a discussion.

As Christians, discussion, the exchange of ideas, can ultimately be one of the greatest ways to allow someone to see the light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Of course living your life like you should would be right up there with it, if not more so. So in a discussion, what does the purpose become.

In the one like I participated in, it was became (it was not originally intended however) to show which point-of-view was the right one of a certain issue. When that purpose has been lost of it becomes clear the purpose can no longer be achieved, there is no point in the discussion, and thus you are wasting your time.

Years ago my pastor was living as a missionary overseas and one day two Jehovah Witnesses came to his door to proselytize. They asked to speak to him about their faith. My pastor ablidged because he realized something. If you give someone time to speak their mind and their side of an issue, proper etiquette demands that that person give you time to speak your side. He did and they did. The time was late and the discussion was getting nowhere, mostly because they two gentlemen that came to his door were young and stubborn. They asked if they could come back and bring their superior. My pastor agreed.

When they returned the discussion continued with my pastor as he blasted ever point, comment, opinion, and witness manual-fed argument full of wholes. Yet no matter how factual, how reasonable, or how honest he could be with these three gentlemen, they would not relent on the thought that they were right. Finally, frustrated and tired of hearing the same thing over and over, he decided to ask them to leave. “We’re getting nowhere,” he told them.

And they left. Even though facts and truth stared them straight in the face, they held strong to their opinions no matter how much they didn’t agree with logic, reason, fact, or truth. Sadly, this happens more often than not, especially in discussions of truth. And that is when we have to realize that the purpose of the discussion has been lost, and we must abandon the time-absorbing activity in exchange for something else. Of course if it is a discussion of truth, the “something else” to replace our time waster would be prayer. At least that would be the best option.

Too often though, conversations on the Bible, religion, the truth, are taken up by people that lack the ability to ponder “Maybe I Could Be Wrong”—Christians included. Whether it’s on the validity of the Bible, the existence of a God, or whether a certain thing is acceptable by God. Too many times do people come into a discussion with their minds already made up, and thus, the discussion was over before it began, and you have just wasted your time, your energy, your words, your life. All that wasted on something that wasn’t even up for discussion in the first place, even if someone said it was.

So I ask us, as people, as Christians, open yourselves up to the possibility that you might just be wrong. On an issue like the existence of God, just opening up to the thought of God not being there will do nothing more than strengthen your belief and reliance on Him (if He’s there). For issues like the one I was involved with, the thought that you could be wrong could open you up many things. It could open you up to a deeper relationship with God, a reverence for a Holy God, the freedom in Christ, the forgiveness of a holy God. It could open you up to the truth. And it is the truth that will make you free.

The New Ipod Shuffle: Keep Your Old One

I had to grab a link from apple earlier for a website I was working on and notices that Apple has come out with a new iPod shuffle, which I had no clue about. Now don't jump me if it's been out a week, I had no clue. I love apple, I loved my iPod when it worked. Still love it, I'd just love it more if it worked.
But I saw that they had the video guided tour so I decided to take a look at the new iPod Shuffle and after seeing it, I have to say-stick with your old one. The only really good improvement I saw was the increased storage space. That's great. Other than that, it's a glorified piece of junk that made to take your money.
How so? How can someone who loves Apple so much, and if you know me you know I do, say something like that. Well, quite simple, I'm an honest guy. I watched the tour and here's the issues I've found.
The controls for the iPod have been moved from the iPod itself to the new headphones. This is great except for one thing, I've never liked the headphones that have come with an mp3 player, especially iPods. The people that I talk to don't like them either. Some do, don't get me wrong, but a lot of people I know, just don't like them. It's the whole earbud thing.
You may not have this problem, but the people I talk to do-every time you put the buds in, it's only a mater of time before they fall out. That is, unless you push them so far into your ear that they begin to assimilate into your skull. But that's only the beginning.
Besides that, Apple has now decided that the new iPod shuffle shall not just be the metal (or plastic) piece of technology that you clip on your pocket, but it shall be the headphones you try to keep in your ear. The controls for the new iPod are not on the actual iPod as they have been, but they are all on the headphones. You could previously get headphones that had controls on them(and not just for the iPod), but they were not self contained in the headphones. You always had something on the actual iPod. This has changed.
So what does this mean? It means that when a wire shorts out on your headphones that you didn't just loose your headphones, you just lost your iPod. And now you get to go fork over thirty bucks at the Apple store just to get to hear your music. You can imagine while all the smart guys were sitting around the table in Silicon Valley trying to come up with the next best iPod, the thought had to cross their minds-how can we make even more money? And course the idea of putting the controls on the headphones seemed like a winner. Of course they don't market it that way, they market it as a cool, new thing.
That's the big thing that gets me, because I've always had to go back and buy accessories for my Apple stuff, not the actual product but necessary accessories-like headphones, or power adapters, or even the cable that goes from the iPod to the computer, which died long before my iPod did the first time.
The other things are small really. Small, just like the size. I know America has an issue with small things when it comes to technology, but it just seems some things are unnecessary. The new iPod shuffle is about the size of your pinkie. Which of course means-a lot easier to lose. Fitting technology into smaller areas is great, but what do you lose by doing it? Maybe the technology itself. First try in the couch cushions.
What else is there? Apparently when skipping through songs, if you pass one you wanted, you have to go all the way through your list to get back to it. However this could just a small over sight the video didn't cover, but if not, just another reason to pass on Apple's newest iPod gift to the world.
Finally, this iPod shuffle is being billed as the first mp3 player that talks to you. That would be great except for the fact that it still sounds like a computer. This would be different if Apple had done something new with voice technology that made the robotic voice in your years sound more....human. But they haven't. So you still get to hear a robot tell you what you're listening to. However, I guess this is better than not knowing what you're listening to at all, except it is your music, you should know.
But even without the last things mentioned, the added bonus of having to buy new, crappy headphones (in my opinion) if and when they break just seals the deal on keeping my old mp3 player. Apple's marketing team might be good and highlighting the positive points of the new shuffle, but hopefully the teenagers and the other consumers out there with the cash will see that the new iPod shuffle will is nothing more than a glorified step down from previous generations.

Torn From The Headlines

To understand what this is about, check out this link here. It's a news story that was on yahoo news earlier this morning, maybe still up there depending on when you read it, but doubtful because yahoo changes its news stories so much (except that one on Bill O'Reilly I talked about last time). What has happened in this news story in case you don't want to watch it, or if they pull it before you can?
It is a news story out of California of a woman whose husband passed away in the past year or so (I believe that is when it was, just recently). And since his passing she has gotten a facebook account. Of course she's upset because in the relationship status identifier, it doesn't have anything for widow. Of course it has something for single, which technically is what she is. In traditional weddings, which I don't know if she had, it states you are married until death do you part. So this woman has started a campaign and even joined a group to get facebook to change that status and add an option for widow.
Now why do I bring this up besides the fact that this woman seems like a complete idiot to me? Okay, maybe not an idiot, but a fool no doubt. But why? Because this woman has taken something that is meant to be fun, a helpful tool, a communication device, and let it define her. Does it matter that 5 million people that DON'T EVEN KNOW YOU know that you're a widow? No it doesn't. And if it does matter to her that much, she has more problems than facebook not having widow on their options.
How does this relation to you however? We, as humans, and more so, as Christians, do the same thing all the time. When the time is drawing closer and closer of Christ's return, time is running out to reach the lost, we fill our time with stupid, needless, time-devouring things that have no meaning or baring on the earth. We play video games all day long for the entire weekend, we get rolled up in dating this girl or that girl or this boy or that boy, we fill our times with TV, books, and all sorts of stuff that makes no difference one way or another in light of eternity.
Now are these things wrong? No, not necessarily. But like most other things, they have their place. They have their time limits and they have their prioritized level of importance that many of us remove from their spot and put higher up on the 'food chain' if you will, in exchange for moving God, prayer, and studying the Word down a few notches.
Now when I first saw this story on this woman, I thought, "what a complete moron." But sitting back and reviewing it, I see many of us are the same way and my first reaction, like most, was the wrong reaction. Was it true? Yeah, she's stupid for allowing something so dumb to take so much of her time, but we're stupid for allowing the same thing, whether it be facebook or something else.
I'm Krist Adams, and now you know the rest of the story.