I believe this to the bottom of my heart and it’s what I have been expressing in my own small way! Those who try to force their Christianity on us are not truly Christians at all but some type of control freaks basically. Mike Johnson comes to mind when I think of these people who call them selves Christians but seem more like they have stones instead of a heart. He in particular really is dangerously! The type of Christianity he preaches has nothing to do with Christianity at all. He’s a man that wants to take Social Security and Medicare from the American people, how is that Christian? Leaving people to possibly starve and become homeless! So anti Christian it’s shocking!
Several years ago, Tim LaHaye wrote a series of books—the Left Behind series—relating current times to Revelations. The anti-Christ was named Nicolae. Every time I see Mike Johnson, I think of Nicolae. I agree with Ingrid—they are no better than the Taliban. CHINOS—Christians in Name Only.
I think it's dangerous to draw parallels between scripture and current events. LaHaye wrote fiction that distorted scripture to sell a particular religious POV. JMHO.
Yes O have a particular feeling about Mike Johnson, he’s nothing but a phony about his so called Christianity! It doesn’t appear that he’s read or follows The Sermon on the Mount he’s a totall PHONEY
Holy Smokes 😩 If you don't help the needy,feed the hungry, help the sick and welcome the stranger,than these people are Not Christians ! Thank you, Brother John, excellent piece this morning ☕ and will reStack ASAP 🙏💯👍
The current crop of MAGA "Christians" don't just believe, they KNOW that Jesus made the wrong choice when he was tempted by Satan in the wilderness. He should have grabbed that power and taken over the world! That's what they would do, and are trying to do, and fully expect Him, when He returns, to pat them all on the head and say, "Good job". They are in for a very rude awakening, but until then... What we have to live through...
John. This is such a timely essay of truth on today’s far right brand of Christianity. They talk a good game but they don’t walk-in the footsteps of Christ. Today more than ever we truly need to love our neighbors and fight for their rights to basic freedoms and needs. As far as I am concerned evangelical people for the most part are charlatans and intimidate with their power. I pray we can always spot the true believers.
Well said. What Jesus offered was not a set of rules or ritualized obligations but an invitation to discover the naturally arising obligations of the heart, so that we, like him, might embrace one another, support one another, and invite one another to discover and live by the truth he lived and breathed.
I don't think "christians" on the far right are actually following Jesus' examples; I don't think half of them even KNOW HIS story. They're following and worshipping a man, a very flawed man.
I had to study the Bible as a kid because I went to Christian schools because of the better education, not because my mother was a Christian; she "hated" God.
I also studied the Bible on my own in the 90s, while going to a nice church with a very good Pastors. I loved worship. I eventually left going to church because the children's pastor, unmarried and a teenager still, got pregnant. I had a 12 year old daughter who had pledged to stay abstinent from sex until she was married. She got married at 20 years old, lol. They're still married almost 19 years. She has a different faith now than what she grew up with. She became discouraged with churches too.
Faith is essential, I believe. I don't know who or what to have faith in, it sucks.
Supporting, loving, caring for other people even if they do not look like you act like you or believe like you is what comes to mind for me when I think of how Jesus acted and showed his followers by his example how to act. There was no mention of pressure or force or gaining power. There was no tolerance for lies, hypocrisy or any of the false piety shown by the pharisees. This was the Christianity of Jesus, but he would not even like the fact that people named a religion or belief system after him.
Hate of others and worship of money seem to be what Christian’s Nationalists are about. They don’t walk the walk OR talk the talk of a true Christ follower. Only looking out for themselves.
Today, many Christians observe the Feast of the Annunciation. Let us not forget that Mary was not compelled or coerced into becoming the mother of Jesus. She CHOSE the role and responsibility of her own free will.
I guess the only thing I will add right now is that if any of our true brothers and sisters in Christ have fallen to the wiles of the devil in this Trump theocracy movement then I ask God to forgive them and guide them back to His love and grace. I have been ensnared before into following the church’s false teaching on the “gospel of prosperity” and lost not only my home, but my church, my marriage and my faith in the Lord. It is only by Gods grace that Jesus left the 99 and came after me and restored me Him. I fear the judgment of God by judging my fellow Christian’s because we are warned against this are we not.
I have often wondered if what happened to me could have been avoided if those around me in church had come to me in person and told me the truth in love. Maybe I wouldn’t have listened but then the Bible instructs us to take two people to talk to that person in love and pray for them fervently to be released from Satans snare. Maybe that would have been the time where Gods grace could have abounded and set me free. I will never know the answer to that but I do know that God says that where sin abounds Gods grace does more abound.
I was told once by the Lord that when I judged someone in the church because of her weight that it was only by Gods grace that I was not that heavy. I fell to my knees and asked for forgiveness but I have never forgotten that moment. Only God can change us by His grace to be free from any sin in our life so we cannot judge someone because it is God who is at work in them. Only He can judge one person from another in regards to their salvation through faith in Jesus.
It is very easy for the enemy to slip into our lives and deceive us if we are not walking in humility and transparency before each other and the Lord.
Because of that warning of “there but for the grace of God go I” I will do everything possible to be on guard against the temptation to judge others but instead I will pray and ask Gods mercy for myself and others and pray for Gods grace through Jesus to set my brothers and sisters free from any sin that ensnares them. That is true Christian love that we follow Jesus and act justly, love mercy and walk humbly before our God. I pray that I love others as Christ has loved me and stay in prayer and trust the Lord to win the battle for their souls.
I believe this to the bottom of my heart and it’s what I have been expressing in my own small way! Those who try to force their Christianity on us are not truly Christians at all but some type of control freaks basically. Mike Johnson comes to mind when I think of these people who call them selves Christians but seem more like they have stones instead of a heart. He in particular really is dangerously! The type of Christianity he preaches has nothing to do with Christianity at all. He’s a man that wants to take Social Security and Medicare from the American people, how is that Christian? Leaving people to possibly starve and become homeless! So anti Christian it’s shocking!
Several years ago, Tim LaHaye wrote a series of books—the Left Behind series—relating current times to Revelations. The anti-Christ was named Nicolae. Every time I see Mike Johnson, I think of Nicolae. I agree with Ingrid—they are no better than the Taliban. CHINOS—Christians in Name Only.
I think it's dangerous to draw parallels between scripture and current events. LaHaye wrote fiction that distorted scripture to sell a particular religious POV. JMHO.
Yes O have a particular feeling about Mike Johnson, he’s nothing but a phony about his so called Christianity! It doesn’t appear that he’s read or follows The Sermon on the Mount he’s a totall PHONEY
The “Christian Taliban” has been my label for the ‘wannabe theocracy’ followers.
Same brutality, same attitudes, same restriction, same “my way or your destruction”.
Mine as well.
Holy Smokes 😩 If you don't help the needy,feed the hungry, help the sick and welcome the stranger,than these people are Not Christians ! Thank you, Brother John, excellent piece this morning ☕ and will reStack ASAP 🙏💯👍
The current crop of MAGA "Christians" don't just believe, they KNOW that Jesus made the wrong choice when he was tempted by Satan in the wilderness. He should have grabbed that power and taken over the world! That's what they would do, and are trying to do, and fully expect Him, when He returns, to pat them all on the head and say, "Good job". They are in for a very rude awakening, but until then... What we have to live through...
John. This is such a timely essay of truth on today’s far right brand of Christianity. They talk a good game but they don’t walk-in the footsteps of Christ. Today more than ever we truly need to love our neighbors and fight for their rights to basic freedoms and needs. As far as I am concerned evangelical people for the most part are charlatans and intimidate with their power. I pray we can always spot the true believers.
This is EXACTLY why I left the evangelical church 20+ years ago!
Well said. What Jesus offered was not a set of rules or ritualized obligations but an invitation to discover the naturally arising obligations of the heart, so that we, like him, might embrace one another, support one another, and invite one another to discover and live by the truth he lived and breathed.
I don't think "christians" on the far right are actually following Jesus' examples; I don't think half of them even KNOW HIS story. They're following and worshipping a man, a very flawed man.
I had to study the Bible as a kid because I went to Christian schools because of the better education, not because my mother was a Christian; she "hated" God.
I also studied the Bible on my own in the 90s, while going to a nice church with a very good Pastors. I loved worship. I eventually left going to church because the children's pastor, unmarried and a teenager still, got pregnant. I had a 12 year old daughter who had pledged to stay abstinent from sex until she was married. She got married at 20 years old, lol. They're still married almost 19 years. She has a different faith now than what she grew up with. She became discouraged with churches too.
Faith is essential, I believe. I don't know who or what to have faith in, it sucks.
These religious extremists do not have any morality as I understand morals. They are out to HURT other people. That is not what Jesus taught.
Supporting, loving, caring for other people even if they do not look like you act like you or believe like you is what comes to mind for me when I think of how Jesus acted and showed his followers by his example how to act. There was no mention of pressure or force or gaining power. There was no tolerance for lies, hypocrisy or any of the false piety shown by the pharisees. This was the Christianity of Jesus, but he would not even like the fact that people named a religion or belief system after him.
Hate of others and worship of money seem to be what Christian’s Nationalists are about. They don’t walk the walk OR talk the talk of a true Christ follower. Only looking out for themselves.
Sadly, what they do want is for you to like their version of Jesus, they one who hates who they are told to hate.
Today, many Christians observe the Feast of the Annunciation. Let us not forget that Mary was not compelled or coerced into becoming the mother of Jesus. She CHOSE the role and responsibility of her own free will.
I offer a simple Amen ❤️
All that has been said is why I far prefer to spend spiritual moments within Nature’s wonder than any moment sitting in a pew.
I guess the only thing I will add right now is that if any of our true brothers and sisters in Christ have fallen to the wiles of the devil in this Trump theocracy movement then I ask God to forgive them and guide them back to His love and grace. I have been ensnared before into following the church’s false teaching on the “gospel of prosperity” and lost not only my home, but my church, my marriage and my faith in the Lord. It is only by Gods grace that Jesus left the 99 and came after me and restored me Him. I fear the judgment of God by judging my fellow Christian’s because we are warned against this are we not.
I have often wondered if what happened to me could have been avoided if those around me in church had come to me in person and told me the truth in love. Maybe I wouldn’t have listened but then the Bible instructs us to take two people to talk to that person in love and pray for them fervently to be released from Satans snare. Maybe that would have been the time where Gods grace could have abounded and set me free. I will never know the answer to that but I do know that God says that where sin abounds Gods grace does more abound.
I was told once by the Lord that when I judged someone in the church because of her weight that it was only by Gods grace that I was not that heavy. I fell to my knees and asked for forgiveness but I have never forgotten that moment. Only God can change us by His grace to be free from any sin in our life so we cannot judge someone because it is God who is at work in them. Only He can judge one person from another in regards to their salvation through faith in Jesus.
It is very easy for the enemy to slip into our lives and deceive us if we are not walking in humility and transparency before each other and the Lord.
Because of that warning of “there but for the grace of God go I” I will do everything possible to be on guard against the temptation to judge others but instead I will pray and ask Gods mercy for myself and others and pray for Gods grace through Jesus to set my brothers and sisters free from any sin that ensnares them. That is true Christian love that we follow Jesus and act justly, love mercy and walk humbly before our God. I pray that I love others as Christ has loved me and stay in prayer and trust the Lord to win the battle for their souls.