To whomever sent this anonymously - since when are we, as Christians, afraid to proclaim the words of the Bible? Why not sign this? There’s not even a return address. If this is from one of the LifeBridge 6, where’s that whole ‘warrior’ thing? Or does that only apply when bombing clinics? Also, since this person referred to ‘your website’ and didn’t have the wit/skill/means to indicate which one, I’ve answered this on my personal site since they wrote to my home. Note: this kind of tactic is pretty creepy - who would Jesus stalk?
For the curious, these are the two passages being referred to (since this person didn’t see fit to write them out)
Matthew 7:1-5
Matthew 7
1“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
3“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
1 John 4:7-21
7Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son[a] into the world that we might live through him. 10This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for[b] our sins. 11Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
13We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. 16And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. 17In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. 18There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
19We love because he first loved us. 20If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. 21And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.
Hm.
First, to whomever sent this: again, why not write to me directly - my email’s no secret… or call me - I’m in the phonebook - unlike the LifeBridge 6 - What are you so afraid of? If it’s someone I know and you just can’t face me, pah! Again, where’s the whole ‘warrior’ thing?
As for ‘loving my brother,’ to paraphrase the religious right, “love the person, hate the sin” - and the LifeBridge 6 are very definitely committing a number of sins. If anyone’s got a ’speck of sawdust’ in their eye, it’s the wild-eyed developers trying to bulldoze our town into submission.
Since this person didn’t identify themselves (or whom they’re writing on behalf of), let me give them this to think about:
Ezekiel 25:17
“The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he who shepherds the weak through the valley of darkness, for he is truly his brother’s keeper and the finder of lost children. And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger, those who attempt to poison and destroy my brothers. And you will know my name is the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon thee.”
Chew on that as you’re saying your “imprecatory” prayers.
Stop the Unholy Union - Vote Yes to Repeal the Union Annex.
Posted by macguiguru as Discuss!, Politics, Religion at 8:00 PM MST No Comments