Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Pastimes : Ask God -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: John S. who wrote (22475)	11/23/1998 7:39:00 PM
From: Darrin Vernier	Respond to of 39621

John, "When I first read the verses concerning salvation and understood them and was saved I later became very angry. I had been searching as a youth and not getting any answers in my families faith even when I asked those who should have known, namely the priest and the Sunday school teachers. I was even an altar boy participating in the services. I stopped attending church when I was 16 or 17 years old." Thanks for posting about your experience. Mine in the Catholic Church was much the same, and this is likely also where my anger comes from. My perception of the institution was that it was not based upon bringing God to the people, but upon keeping them separate from him. I too speak of the institution and not of the many good Christians. Thanks again for your story. I hear stories just like that surprisingly frequently. Peace, Darrin

To: John S. who wrote (22475)	11/23/1998 8:52:00 PM
From: Emile Vidrine	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 39621

"Do you see where I am coming from Emile?" Yes! "The prayer you posted cannot be offensive Emile. But what about vain repetition? Repeating a prayer as a tradition is not believing in the heart." I repeat and meditate on the Lord's Prayer often. The Catholics call the Our Father often. Is it crude reptition in their case because they're Catholics and holy meditation in mine because I'm Protestant? Isn't this just a bit arrogant and judgmental? In the Orthodox faith I may well have repeated the same in the Liturgy in my youth following the crowd and I know I never once meant it. It was even in a different language." Where does the blame lie, in you that refused to internalize the words, or in the Church that give you these beautiful and life changing words. There are many in the Protestant Churches who go through the same procedure. In the Baptist Church, we hear the Gospel every week in Sunday School and also during the serive. There are many invition to accept Christ put forth in beautiful biblical terminology. Should we blame the preachers, the Sunday schools, and the Baptist Church because so many never really accept Christ? It is my opinion and experince that all truly Christian Churches present the Gospel of salvation, but for a variety of reasons some people never get truly Born Again. I don't think that we can place the blame only on the Churches. Sometimes it is not in God's timing and other times they are not to be saved. The holy and scriptural attitudes about Christ and humanity that I have experienced in all Christian Churches generally puts a positive spiritual attitude in the people who go through even if they are not saved. That positive attitude towards Christ often leads to these persons salvation later in life. Your experiences in the Catholic and Orthodox Churches were powerful testimonies to the need for revival in those Churches. Arrogantly resting on the traditions without giving out the simple and pure Gospel leads to death. Thank you for your life-changing story. This whole exchange may have been for the salvation of some Catholic or Orthodox who was reading and had never experienced what it means to be Born Again. May Christ complete the work that he has begun in your life. Emile