I signed up to renew the sites hosting plan and stay online…but instead of renewing for a year I’m going month to month.
There is little vitality here or on other “Christian” sites that do not tow the political evangelical line.
We live in a space now similar to that in first century Judaism…where the Jews were waiting for a nationalist savior and murdered the Messiah for political capital.
We crucify Him over and over again…and if those carrying the nails have their way, some of us will really follow Him.
We’ll continue posting here when we feel we have something to say and a duty to say it…and hope it matters a tad.
Michael, although I don’t post alot and can’t speak for others, I for one am thankful for you and this site and for several years now it seems like a rare Christian site that hasn’t been hijacked by extremists and “christian jerks”. Yes, alot of us have similar views here, but what you just wrote above speaks to me and many other believers who are flat out tired of of being pegged into the corner of “you’re probably not saved because you don’t subscribe to such and such or vote for so and so.” I am glad we connected on FB too!
I’ve finally rigged the algorithm over there to where I mostly see postings about cats and natural soaps… 🙂
I do mourn when I see old friends who are now caught up in an endless cycle of right wing memes and Covid mitigation complaints…they have so much more to offer.
Michael,
I shudder to even think of the next election. And the COVID that we knew four years ago is not the COVID we have now…people can’t seem to move on.
Thank you for a safe place where politics are not worshiped and where is God is exalted. It’s why I keep coming back.
And let’s hear a round of applause for cat memes!!
I am growing increasingly concerned about the teachings that:
Jesus’s blood is flowing in believer’s veins,
That all power is given to believers,
Atonement being defined as “at-one-ment”,
Justification means “just as if I’ve never sinned”,
That Melchizedek is Jesus,
And rain falls on the just and the unjust means bad things happen to good people.
So I’m not surprised that people are duped by politicians. Of course you must decide for yourself.
The first two teachings are weird…I get the next two…a little oversimplified, but ok…Melchizedek is a mystery…bad things do happen to good people…and vice versa.
Kind of you to ask.
We’re still here…but I anticipate the next year to be so combative that I want the option to cancel the project .
I usually pay year to year…but not this year.
I’m 65 and tired…I’ve paid my dues and refuse to host non stop Trump/Covid clashes.
I’m so old that I remember when we actually debated theology…
Thanks, my friend…we’ll all hang in as long as we can.
Linn said, “Thank you for a safe place where politics are not worshiped and where is God is exalted. It’s why I keep coming back.
And let’s hear a round of applause for cat memes!!”
I second that Amen for what Linn said. I see this site as a light in a dark place. I still check in here almost daily even if some of the topics are ones that I don’t participate in,
“The secret power of lawlessness. Meanwhile, even during the period of restraint, and before the lawless one is revealed, *the secret power of lawlessness is already at work* (2 Thess. 2:7a). ‘The secret power’ translates *to mysterion*. It cannot here bear its usual meaning in Paul’s writings of ‘a truth once hidden but now revealed’, since it is still secret and is contrasted with the coming ‘revelation’ of the man of lawlessness. Before he is revealed openly, however, the lawlessness he embodies is operating secretly. His antisocial, anti-law, anti-God movement is at present largely underground. We detect its subversive influence around us today — in the atheistic stance of secular humanism, in the totalitarian tendencies of extreme left-wing and right-wing ideologies, in the materialism of the consumer society which puts things in the place of God, in those so-called ‘theologies’ which proclaim the death of God and the end of moral absolutes, and in the social permissiveness which cheapens the sanctity of human life, sex, marriage and family, all of which God created or instituted.” — John R. W. Stott
You said above “I do mourn when I see old friends who are now caught up in an endless cycle of right wing memes and Covid mitigation complaints…they have so much more to offer.”
Yes, they/we have so much more to offer. That is very true. How much time do we spend online and in public trashing each other about politics, when we have a better way to offer. Much better stuff to give to others?
Keep this thing going. I just spent 5 days on a short mission outreach in Mexico, partly with believers I don’t know. So much Biden hating, Trump will save us, etc. People buying Ivermectine at the pharmacia. I had to endure a message that the rapture is about to happen because of the war in Gaza.
I had private conversations, but getting into a group argument would be pointless. Fundamentalism is evolving into something much more toxic than it was 50 years ago.
Michael,
I will add to the voices here that are glad this site still exists. I’ve been reading here for almost 10 years, commenting occasionally when I felt like I could actually add to the conversation.
This site has, in a way, become church for me. The church I have attended for years has changed and declined to the point where I have a hard time attending anymore.
But the truth is always spoken and discussed here. I have learned and gained much from the articles, links, and discussions. This place is a haven.
Thank you, may God sustain you.
Pineapple Head – We served in the communities around Bucerias, north of Puerto Vallarta. Over the past 25 years we’ve done annual trips in that regions and helped support multiple church plants there.
Are you familar with the Crowded House song, “Pineapple Head”? Good song!
Yes I drew that name from Crowded House. Big Neil Finn fan.
I’ve been to Bucerias, but only as a tourist. That’s a really cool area. We were in one of the resorts, and I had to break out. Got a taxi and headed to Bucerias for a fun day walking about and dining next the beach.
My Mexico missions trips have been Ensenada, Tijuana, and San Quintin.
I miss those Mexico Missions days. We lived a couple hours north of the border (Menifee, CA), so trips were super easy. Now in idaho, we’re about the same distance from the Canadian border…but it’s not the same. 🙂
It’s all yours today…
I signed up to renew the sites hosting plan and stay online…but instead of renewing for a year I’m going month to month.
There is little vitality here or on other “Christian” sites that do not tow the political evangelical line.
We live in a space now similar to that in first century Judaism…where the Jews were waiting for a nationalist savior and murdered the Messiah for political capital.
We crucify Him over and over again…and if those carrying the nails have their way, some of us will really follow Him.
We’ll continue posting here when we feel we have something to say and a duty to say it…and hope it matters a tad.
Michael, although I don’t post alot and can’t speak for others, I for one am thankful for you and this site and for several years now it seems like a rare Christian site that hasn’t been hijacked by extremists and “christian jerks”. Yes, alot of us have similar views here, but what you just wrote above speaks to me and many other believers who are flat out tired of of being pegged into the corner of “you’re probably not saved because you don’t subscribe to such and such or vote for so and so.” I am glad we connected on FB too!
Thanks, Dan.
I’ve finally rigged the algorithm over there to where I mostly see postings about cats and natural soaps… 🙂
I do mourn when I see old friends who are now caught up in an endless cycle of right wing memes and Covid mitigation complaints…they have so much more to offer.
I’m glad to have another sane friend on the site.
I think we live in historic times…with both the church as we know it and the country are close to collapse.
The single figure most responsible for both is the bloated demon who 80% of one branch of Christianity can’t wait to re-elect.
God may well give them what they desire…in judgment.
Michael,
I shudder to even think of the next election. And the COVID that we knew four years ago is not the COVID we have now…people can’t seem to move on.
Thank you for a safe place where politics are not worshiped and where is God is exalted. It’s why I keep coming back.
And let’s hear a round of applause for cat memes!!
I am growing increasingly concerned about the teachings that:
Jesus’s blood is flowing in believer’s veins,
That all power is given to believers,
Atonement being defined as “at-one-ment”,
Justification means “just as if I’ve never sinned”,
That Melchizedek is Jesus,
And rain falls on the just and the unjust means bad things happen to good people.
So I’m not surprised that people are duped by politicians. Of course you must decide for yourself.
Linn,
I’m glad you’re here.
We’ll keep it going and hopefully keep it safe…it’s going to be a hard year…
JD,
The first two teachings are weird…I get the next two…a little oversimplified, but ok…Melchizedek is a mystery…bad things do happen to good people…and vice versa.
You must run in different circles than I do… 🙂
Michael,
if we, your readers chipped in, would you reconsider?
~JTK
jtk,
Kind of you to ask.
We’re still here…but I anticipate the next year to be so combative that I want the option to cancel the project .
I usually pay year to year…but not this year.
I’m 65 and tired…I’ve paid my dues and refuse to host non stop Trump/Covid clashes.
I’m so old that I remember when we actually debated theology…
Thanks, my friend…we’ll all hang in as long as we can.
Linn said, “Thank you for a safe place where politics are not worshiped and where is God is exalted. It’s why I keep coming back.
And let’s hear a round of applause for cat memes!!”
I’m adding an “Amen” to that!
I second that Amen for what Linn said. I see this site as a light in a dark place. I still check in here almost daily even if some of the topics are ones that I don’t participate in,
“The secret power of lawlessness. Meanwhile, even during the period of restraint, and before the lawless one is revealed, *the secret power of lawlessness is already at work* (2 Thess. 2:7a). ‘The secret power’ translates *to mysterion*. It cannot here bear its usual meaning in Paul’s writings of ‘a truth once hidden but now revealed’, since it is still secret and is contrasted with the coming ‘revelation’ of the man of lawlessness. Before he is revealed openly, however, the lawlessness he embodies is operating secretly. His antisocial, anti-law, anti-God movement is at present largely underground. We detect its subversive influence around us today — in the atheistic stance of secular humanism, in the totalitarian tendencies of extreme left-wing and right-wing ideologies, in the materialism of the consumer society which puts things in the place of God, in those so-called ‘theologies’ which proclaim the death of God and the end of moral absolutes, and in the social permissiveness which cheapens the sanctity of human life, sex, marriage and family, all of which God created or instituted.” — John R. W. Stott
Duane,
That was prophetic…now why ask why the church seems unaware that a spirit of lawlessness is at work…and can’t be stopped with secular methods…
Michael,
You said above “I do mourn when I see old friends who are now caught up in an endless cycle of right wing memes and Covid mitigation complaints…they have so much more to offer.”
Yes, they/we have so much more to offer. That is very true. How much time do we spend online and in public trashing each other about politics, when we have a better way to offer. Much better stuff to give to others?
Dan,
Nobody “offers” anything political for discussion…they do it to draw a line.
That is now who they are and all that matters…and there’s nothing we can do to change that.
Keep this thing going. I just spent 5 days on a short mission outreach in Mexico, partly with believers I don’t know. So much Biden hating, Trump will save us, etc. People buying Ivermectine at the pharmacia. I had to endure a message that the rapture is about to happen because of the war in Gaza.
I had private conversations, but getting into a group argument would be pointless. Fundamentalism is evolving into something much more toxic than it was 50 years ago.
Terry……………… fun times!
Michael,
I will add to the voices here that are glad this site still exists. I’ve been reading here for almost 10 years, commenting occasionally when I felt like I could actually add to the conversation.
This site has, in a way, become church for me. The church I have attended for years has changed and declined to the point where I have a hard time attending anymore.
But the truth is always spoken and discussed here. I have learned and gained much from the articles, links, and discussions. This place is a haven.
Thank you, may God sustain you.
Owen,
thank you…you and your family are a blessing to me…
Terry, where in Mexico was your trip?
Pineapple Head – We served in the communities around Bucerias, north of Puerto Vallarta. Over the past 25 years we’ve done annual trips in that regions and helped support multiple church plants there.
Are you familar with the Crowded House song, “Pineapple Head”? Good song!
Terry,
Yes I drew that name from Crowded House. Big Neil Finn fan.
I’ve been to Bucerias, but only as a tourist. That’s a really cool area. We were in one of the resorts, and I had to break out. Got a taxi and headed to Bucerias for a fun day walking about and dining next the beach.
My Mexico missions trips have been Ensenada, Tijuana, and San Quintin.
PH – We work with a mission in Zona Norte (TJ) and have built playgrounds with Kids Around The World in San Vincente and San Quintin (Baja).
Also a Neil Finn fan.
I miss those Mexico Missions days. We lived a couple hours north of the border (Menifee, CA), so trips were super easy. Now in idaho, we’re about the same distance from the Canadian border…but it’s not the same. 🙂
Terry, do you work with a particular ministry for your trips?