Runner, I can find no commandment to 'insult thy neighbour in the name of Christ'.

There are times when a robust approach is required of Christians, but that is usually when there are people in a congregation who are openly offending against what God has told them to do and they need to be disciplined with love by others in the congregation.

By all means engage in robust debate and evangelism with thsoe outside of the faith, but getting some-one else's nose out of joint is the best way to turn them away from Christ. We are called to humility first, and let the Spirit do its work.

And it is humility that Christian charity should be performed: not to glorify any issue or to bring credit upon the person showing charity. Indeed I would call on Christians to be charitable by donating both to faith based causes and secular 'charities' - and then not to claim tax deductions for these.

Remembering the idea of faith, hope and charity: the 'charity' being another word for selfless love.

Pelican, I too have been wondering where some of these extreme views on religion and gender issues on these posts have come from.

I suppose that this little community of OLO is just a small sample of society mirroring the views of society at large.
Thus, there will always be a minority expressing these extremist views.

Dougthebear has restored my faith in Christian thinking a little with his last post. Fire and brimstone and eternal damnation threats are so old and tired now Runner.

Dougthebear

You make some good points. The gospel however is very offensive to those trying to justify themselves without Christ.

runner "The gospel however is very offensive to those trying to justify themselves without Christ." - agreed the central message is quite offensive but that's not the reason that you are held in such low regard by many on OLO.

It's about the very ugly side of your character which you seem to delight in showing on OLO. If faced with the opportunity to make your point firmly but without rudeness you will generally forgo that opportunity in favor of being as personally offensive as you can be.

runner generally it's not about the christian message, it's about you being someone who appears determined to paint his own faith in the worst possible light at every opportunity.

R0bert

Runner, if you are going to push the point you at least can try to understand what St Paul said: not that the gospel is offense but is:

1 Corinthians 1:23 (New International Version)

23 but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,

Note that Paul is not calling gentiles foolish.

Christ, when confronting the rich young ruler was blunt, but that was because he had to confront someone who was arrogant about their own assumed godliness. But what did he say to the samaritan woman at the well or the woman caught in adultery who was about to be stoned? He spoke plainly but politely to them, He offerred them life, not offence.

If someone is offended by the message of the gospel then they are offended by the message, you don't have to add rudeness to their misunderstanding.

Yes, true love for others is well expressed by trying to show them the way of salvation, but it is the Spirit that does the work, using us as God's tool.

So now I will be blunt - preach Christ - but not in ways that are calculated to turn people away from him.

Dougthebear,

I think you are being quite selective in your quoting of Scripture. Look what Jesus had to say to those who trust in their own righteousness. We have many in this nation who who murder the unborn are permissive in lifestyle and then have the nerve to claim to be 'good'. In fact many of the olo posters support the murder of the unborn and permissive lifestyle.

It is true that people remain blind unless they are open to truth. The work of the Spirit is to convict of sin. It is true also that unless a person knows they are law breakers they will never come to salvation. Self righteousness (pride) is generally the thing that prevents most from God's mercy.

The fact that I point out peoples hypocrisy is what generally gets up their nose. Don't forget Jesus or the disciples were not afraid to call men to repentance. Without people will spend eternity in hell.

It might be good to be thought of as Mr nice guy but at the end of the day that wont help people to much. Jesus always spoke to the repentant sinner with grace. To those who tried to justify their sin he spoke harshly.