intra christian persecution

[lilah]

So the TLDR version is a university president at a Christian college preaches on a controversial subject and loses his job. The controversial subject? Not gay right or being pro choice but the radical idea of loving your enemies.

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/formerlyfu ... ooks-like/

[doggie]

sad for sure I can see Jessa throwing the first stone at him.

[whoviana]

What do they mean by "enemies", I'm so interested in this. I don't have a single enemy in my life. And I'm not even a holly jolly Christian. They have enemies? Who? Are they enemies their man-made god's enemies?

[2xx1xy1JD]

Interesting article.

As a non-Christian, the pacifist message in the New Testament seems pretty clear to me. As I've said before, it fits in with the general "submit, obey, don't rock the boat and win everyone over through love" message - Paul's strategy for Christians was NOT to directly challenge anyone in power (husbands, fathers, slave masters, government officials, rulers), but to eventually win them over. I'm not a pacifist, but I've learned enough about both Jewish and Christian history during the Roman era to admit that Paul's strategy, in hindsight, was far more successful.

His comment about one type of Christianity simply being a label was spot-on, IMHO. I think this is true with a lot of religious conflicts, actually. Religion is simply a team jersey, and the conflict has very little to do with actual religious beliefs.

[BrownieMomma]

What do they mean by "enemies", I'm so interested in this. I don't have a single enemy in my life. And I'm not even a holly jolly Christian. They have enemies? Who? Are they enemies their man-made god's enemies?

I too am wondering about this. What is the enemy and violence and military conquests they speak of - who do they mean?

I have an enemy. I also looked this up to make sure I am using the word correctly.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/enemy

1. a person who feels hatred for, fosters harmful designs against, or engages in antagonistic activities against another; an adversary or opponent.

2. an armed foe; an opposing military force: The army attacked the enemy at dawn.

3. a hostile nation or state.

4. a citizen of such a state.

My enemy is my ex-husband although its probably more accurate to say he is a passive enemy. Pretty sure it's accurate to say he hates our children, seeing as how he done so little to ensure their survival. Fosters harmful designs against - well every month there is no child support, he does not contact them, he does not parent them... I'd say that is fostering a harmful design against them. I guess he does not engage in antagonistic activities, unless abandoning your own flesh and blood is an antagonistic activity.

But, yes, I do think we have enemies of our country and our Western culture. Our innocents have been murdered and I do not doubt that more would be if the enemy were able.

The dig at "God and (fill in the blank)" is interesting. I wish I understood more of what that guy was really railing against.

What do they mean by military conquests? As in... we are conquering other nations or countries? To what was he referencing?

[2xx1xy1JD]

I too am wondering about this. What is the enemy and violence and military conquests they speak of - who do they mean?

I have an enemy. I also looked this up to make sure I am using the word correctly.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/enemy

My enemy is my ex-husband although its probably more accurate to say he is a passive enemy. Pretty sure it's accurate to say he hates our children, seeing as how he done so little to ensure their survival. Fosters harmful designs against - well every month there is no child support, he does not contact them, he does not parent them... I'd say that is fostering a harmful design against them. I guess he does not engage in antagonistic activities, unless abandoning your own flesh and blood is an antagonistic activity.

But, yes, I do think we have enemies of our country and our Western culture. Our innocents have been murdered and I do not doubt that more would be if the enemy were able.

The dig at "God and (fill in the blank)" is interesting. I wish I understood more of what that guy was really railing against.

What do they mean by military conquests? As in... we are conquering other nations or countries? To what was he referencing?

I read the links, and it looks like he was criticizing both gun culture and military culture, pointing out that Jesus taught pacifism.

Pacifism isn't just about wanting peace. It's the turn the other cheek, love your enemy message, that sees even freedom fighting and self-defense as sinful violence.

Preaching that Christian=pacifist at a time when ISIS is a rising threat and on a campus where some students may have either served in the military or had close family/friends serving in the military is controversial. I happen to think that if you look at the New Testament text, he's probably right, but if you tell a bunch of patriotic college kids that patriotism and military service may not be totally Christian, they'll be offended. This is one of the reasons that some Christian groups, like Quakers and Jehovah's Witnesses, have traditional faced persecution.