For being negative about the state of the world?
Here is what I think it is. Most Christians have this belief that Satan is in control of the world and God is nowhere involved in its affairs. So to agree that there is anything good about the world or that there has been tremendous progress and improvements all round, is tantamount to agreeing that Satan is doing a good job. Hell NO ! you cannot agree with Satan. Hence the fighting tooth and nail despite proof to the contrary, that the world is actually in a constant state of improvement.
Here is the thing though. The fact that the world is improving should cause a rational Christian [I think there is such a thing 🙂] to re-examine their initial assumption that Satan is in control of the world. But then that would cause them to overturn much of their mistaken doctrines.
Maybe God is really in charge.
Originally posted by Rajk999I think in certain kinds of minds and certain kinds of personalities, groupism hinges on certain carefully cultivated negative beliefs about their environment, and on a sense of being besieged in some way, or the victims of something. It has a unifying effect and can also underpin uniformity or obedience. This can apply to religious people in religious groups just as much as secular groups involved in non-religious activities. Thankfully, the vast majority of Muslims, Christians and Hindus and other religionists I know in my everyday life are positive and proactive about themselves, their families, their neighbourhoods, their towns and villages, their country and their world.
For being negative about the state of the world?
24 Jul 14
Originally posted by Rajk999"Most Christians have this belief that Satan is in control of the world and God is nowhere involved in its affairs."
For being negative about the state of the world?
Here is what I think it is. Most Christians have this belief that Satan is in control of the world and God is nowhere involved in its affairs. So to agree that there is anything good about the world or that there has been tremendous progress and improvements all round, is tantamount to agreeing that Satan i ...[text shortened]... would cause them to overturn much of their mistaken doctrines.
Maybe God is really in charge.
That is a completely erroneous statement.
I'm beginning to doubt you have ever read the Bible with any comprehension at all. If you knew what the Word of God says about this world and Satan you never would have said anything so ignorant.
24 Jul 14
Originally posted by FMFBut not in this forum. Right? The Christians posting in this forum are "impotent, pessimistic, defeatist and misanthropic."
Thankfully, the vast majority of Muslims, Christians and Hindus and other religionists I know in my everyday life are positive and proactive about themselves, their families, their neighbourhoods, their towns and villages, their country and their world.
24 Jul 14
Originally posted by josephwSome of the Christians who post on [the periodically reoccurring] threads about the state of the world and the human condition clearly demonstrate a mixture of impotence, pessimism, defeatism and misanthropy in my estimation, yes. But there are numerous Christians in this forum who do not strike me as being impotent, pessimistic, defeatist and misanthropic at all.
But not in this forum. Right? The Christians posting in this forum are "impotent, pessimistic, defeatist and misanthropic."
24 Jul 14
Originally posted by Rajk999There is a surprisingly strong human attraction to large world changing events - even negative ones. If you think your country is about to enter a civil war, it is both scary and exciting. It can be so exciting that you can convince yourself that war is imminent even when it isn't. I remember experiencing this myself as a teanager during the invasion of Kuwait, and thinking it would lead to World War III. It was exciting.
For being negative about the state of the world?
I think many people experience the same sense of excitement with regards to the end of the world. There is a certain attraction to the idea that it will happen within your lifetime.
....a rational Christian [I think there is such a thing 🙂 ]
If there is, they don't remain Christian very long.
24 Jul 14
Originally posted by josephwSo tell us what the Bible did say.
[b]"Most Christians have this belief that Satan is in control of the world and God is nowhere involved in its affairs."
That is a completely erroneous statement.
I'm beginning to doubt you have ever read the Bible with any comprehension at all. If you knew what the Word of God says about this world and Satan you never would have said anything so ignorant.[/b]
24 Jul 14
Originally posted by twhiteheadI agree with the excitement thing but to be blind, or pretend that things are getting worse does not hasten the end or the return of Christ. I cannot see a good the reason for their delusion.
There is a surprisingly strong human attraction to large world changing events - even negative ones. If you think your country is about to enter a civil war, it is both scary and exciting. It can be so exciting that you can convince yourself that war is imminent even when it isn't. I remember experiencing this myself as a teanager during the invasion of K ...[text shortened]... n [I think there is such a thing 🙂 ]
If there is, they don't remain Christian very long.[/b]
24 Jul 14
Originally posted by Rajk999They are excited by the belief that the world is coming to an end, so they look for reasons to believe it.
I agree with the excitement thing but to be blind, or pretend that things are getting worse does not hasten the end or the return of Christ. I cannot see a good the reason for their delusion.
However, several of the posters in the other thread clearly didn't actually believe the claim - which was obvious by their deliberate avoidance of certain questions and deliberate attempts at using clearly flawed arguments.
I found it quite hilarious how many posters seemed to think that citing one example of something bad was proof that the world is going from bad to worse.
24 Jul 14
Originally posted by Rajk999You read it. This isn't Sunday school. You talk like you know what you're talking about, but what you say contradicts God's Word.
So tell us what the Bible did say.
We know who Satan is because God's Word tells us. We know what Satan is doing because God's Word tells us. We know what God is doing because His Word instructs us about everything we need to know about Him and how to live the Christian life.
Read it! And stop making your erroneous judgements about Christians.
24 Jul 14
Originally posted by FMFYou are now the official forum spiritual, behavioral psychoanalyst and judge.
Some of the Christians who post on [the periodically reoccurring] threads about the state of the world and the human condition clearly demonstrate a mixture of impotence, pessimism, defeatism and misanthropy in my estimation, yes. But there are numerous Christians in this forum who do not strike me as being impotent, pessimistic, defeatist and misanthropic at all.
