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Addressing the misguidance of unbelievers and the media concerning the Church.
Let's face it. When we talk about the evils of the world that have been committed by those who hold erroneous beliefs or false religions, people gladly point the finger at Christians. Archie decides to challenge me in this position. After all:
(("There are plenty of bizarre and evil people calling themselves Christian too. Look at the Westboro Church."))
Is he wrong? How did he and many others come to this conclusion about Christians? Read on.
A message to the believers
Today we are hearing about how "Christians" have done some of the most violent and horrible things in history. Where is this all coming from? You'll hear it from both individuals and groups. Anywhere from Athiest conventions, European Pagan groups, the LBGT community, Wiccan groups, to today's mainstream news outlet. Unbelievers seem to always paint all Christians with this broad brush by pointing out what some religious individuals or groups have done in the past. Or perhaps they themselves were done wrong by a professing Christian or church group.
Looking at all of this, on the surface; it only makes sense to the unbeliever. Anywhere from wars, the Catholic Crusades, Constantine, John Calvin, witch burnings, beheadings, to religious conflict and oppression, some can't help but to only view those things when they view the history of Christianity as it is presented in mainstream academia or media. It has directly affected what people think of Christianity or Church in general. So, it's only evident as to why these people only look at these things, and not all of the good that Churches of Biblical Christianity have brought.
That said, some questions crossed my mind.
What about the teachings of Jesus? Did these professing "Christians" keep God's commandments or not? These are the questions we should really be asking.
The scriptures state: "He that says 'I know him' and keeps not his commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him".
Jesus said: "If you love me you keep my commandments."
The Truth About The Church in Europe
What about what Jesus went through? Can that also be paralleled to the Christian persecution in Europe?
Unbelievers talk about professing Christians and churches who abuse, but what about the persecution of the early Christians and those who were fed to lions? Here is a piece of history we all should learn:
Below is a video demonstrating the persecution of early Christians in Europe. Warning: it's a tear-jerker.
To view this video click the link: This video is age "restricted". So view with discretion.
Persecution against early Christians went for over 400 years in ROME, the Rome catholic church did not exist up till then, history shows that clearly and so does common sense because nowhere in History is mentioned that the Roman Catholic church stood up against these atrocities, needful to say, that after Rome adopted Christianity into its Paganism culture which was blended in very subtly it was the birth of the Roman Catholic Institution.
Many today are AWED by what the Muslim group ISIS is doing to Christians, while they are ignorant of the fact the Papacy did far worse during the Dark Ages, during the INQUISITION, and all this because Christians chose to believe the word of God over the religion of Rome.
A Lamp In The Dark - The Untold History Of The Bible
A Lamp in the Dark is an exciting new documentary that unfolds the fascinating "untold" history of the Bible, revealing critical information often overlooked in modern histories. Enter into a world of saints and martyrs battling against spies, assassins, and wolves in sheep's clothing.
Throughout the Middle Ages, the Papal Inquisition forbade biblical translation, threatening imprisonment and death to those who disobeyed.
Learn the stories of valiant warriors of the faith, such as John Wycliffe, William Tyndale, Martin Luther, the ancient Waldenses, Albigenses, and others who hazarded their lives for the sake of sharing the Gospel light with a world drowning in darkness.
Once the common people were able to read the Bible, the world was turned upside down through the Protestant Reformation. The Reformers subdued whole kingdoms by preaching the grace of God and exposing the unbiblical doctrines of Rome. In response, the Vatican would launch a Counter-Reformation to destroy the work of the Reformers, including the bibles they produced.
History Concerning One-God Christian Believers
If you would like to learn more about the history and persecution of the Church by the Roman Catholic Power, read "By The Way Called Heresy" By Thomas Weiser.
This volume gives documented proof of the existence of Oneness believers in every century since the church began.
This volume affirms that the fulness of God dwells in Christ and tells the stories of men and movements that have held to this belief down through history.
The Tri-theistic Trinitarian Dogma, which was established at the Council of Nicaea in 325 A.D.; was challenged by a man named Michael Servetus. And those who chose to oppose that doctrine were arrested or burned at the stake.
He stated:
"I do not separate Christ from God more than a voice from the speaker or a beam from the sun. Christ is the voice of the speaker. He and the Father are the same thing, as the beam and the light, are the same light."
-Michael Servetus
Read the story of Polycarp, Ignatius, and Michael Servetus, and some of the early Martyrs of Jesus and champions of the faith as they faced the relentless persecution through the dark ages.
The Confusion Between Christianity and Roman-Catholicism
Only an ignorant person would look at what the Religious/Political Papacy has done in the middle ages and say: Look at how evil Christianity is.
If you are looking at the monstrosities that were committed by people who held to a very unbiblical worldview while painting this broad brush on all Christians, you are unlearned.
Persecution has always existed since the birth of the Church all the way to today, especially in China, the Middle East, and Africa. No media coverage. All swept under the rug.
Please pray for our Christian brothers and sisters in these parts of the world.
What approach should we make when discussing this with the unlearned?
All these questions come to mind when thinking about this.
For the record; I had been studying the Bible and Church history for quite some time. And I have realized where I went wrong when talking to people about this stuff. I was expecting too much out of people. For years, I have expected these misguided individuals or groups to understand what I understood.
As someone who has done extensive research on Church history dating all the way back to Jesus' time, you can't expect everyone to know what you know, or to understand what you understand. Especially when they are only at the peak of understanding God's word.
You may be studied, but they aren't. So always keep that in mind when talking to unbelievers or people that do not know the Bible. And be ready to give a simple answer to those who may question you.
Just because they don't understand doesn't mean they are incapable. Many people reject what they don't understand.
Always have that inner readiness at all times!
So, why are unbelievers so hell-bent on demonizing all Christians and painting them all as hypocritical, violent, or hateful groups? The answer is evident. They are unlearned. They don't know God's word. They don't know how to decipher truth from heresy concerning the teachings of the Bible.
As Clayton Jennings stated:
What unbelievers don't understand is the difference between the truth and the false religious groups who call themselves Christians.
And how can we know the difference? The scriptures state: "By their fruits you shall know them". And if we don't know his word, we don't know the truth, and we don't know him. Simple as that!
A message to the unbelievers
What about those churches/people that call themselves Christians who have done wrong against others such as the Westboro Baptist Church?
It comes down to the same question. Are they Biblical? Or are they not?
What are the teachings of Jesus? Are what these professing "Christians" doing lining up with what he taught in the scriptures? Or are they not? These are the questions we should really be asking.
Thousands of people are coming to Jesus and you will never see the mainstream media talk about it at all. Where is the national media telling about all the goodness that is being done in the church? What about all the churches that are reaching out to the LGBT community and loving on them and saying: "We love you?" What about all the churches that are reaching out to drug addicts on the streets saying: "We're here to help you"? What about all the churches that are bringing homeless people in and into their homes, and into their churches and feeding them? The national media won't talk about it. Why? Because they are too busy talking about Westboro Baptist Cult!
I won't call them a church because they're not a church, and they're not a part of the church of Jesus Christ. They're a cult, and the national media loves that.
They love painting with a broad brush saying: "This is what the church is like: haters of gay people, holding up signs screaming all these obscenities."
That's not Jesus. Jesus never acted like that. Jesus would never do that, and those people don't represent my king!
You see, Jesus yelled at people, but when he did; it was at the religious hypocrites: people who twisted truth. People who held things over people's heads and yelled at them. If Jesus was here today, you know who he'd be yelling at? Westboro Baptist Church. He wouldn't be yelling at the LBGT community like they are doing in Orlando today. And it's trending online! The national media is talking about it. Two hundred delusional people (a tiny little group), and the national media can't get enough of it!
National media! Where are you? For the hundreds of thousands of people who are spreading love? Where are you when true change is being dealt with? When drug addicts are being set free when marriages are being put back together when broken lives are being restored? Where are you when the true message of Jesus is actually being preached?? You are nowhere to be found because you're too busy covering hate!! YOU LOVE HATE!! And Jesus loves! So I'll be saying this now!
Don't buy everything the media tells you! Because they are there to just sell you a little portion and say: "This is what the church looks like." The REAL church is nothing like Westboro Baptist Cult. The church looks like love.
Jesus taught it. And he said: "You'll know them by their love for one another." Just because the media isn't talking about it doesn't mean it's not happening!
If a gay person that accepts Jesus doesn't get taken into heaven then I'm cast out too.
-Clayton Jennings
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