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What are your thoughts on catholic reconciliation? (For those who don’t know, reconciliation is where catholics go (supposed to be at least every month) to confess their sins. And then they are forgiven for them.) And what questions do you have. (That definition is the most simple version, there is more to it.)
I’ve never heard of that. It’s not a thing in my church (I’m a Protestant definitely, but I wouldn’t be able to tell you the denomination). I don’t think it’s strictly necessary, and others have explained why, but from your description it doesn’t seem particularly wrong either.
What are your thoughts on how the church is portrayed in media?
Depends. I’m not gonna expect non-Christian content makers to portray us accurately, but Christian content makers have a higher standard, so a poor portrayal of the church or any other Christian tenet coming from one of them would get me on alert.
How do you feel on videos doing a joke based on something from the Bible. (Ex. this video titled “Their conversation at dinner after Abraham almost sacrificed Isaac.” )
Again, this depends. Sometimes it’s funny; other times it strays into bad territory. It really comes down to what idea they’re trying to push using the jokes.
What do you think of the new churches (like mega churches.)
Others have said this, so I’m just reiterating, but I feel like if a church is too big, its members won’t be able to interact with each other like they should.
Have you ever told something false to someone about a church, and or the bible?
No, at least not on purpose. If I’ve said something and someone intentionally took it the wrong way, in most cases it’s not my fault for that.
If someone makes fun of the church, or mocks it, how do you respond.
I haven’t had to deal with that yet, so I don’t really have an answer.
What do you react to finding out that an artist you like begins to do wrong things. (Like a draw and art piece disrespectful to God, or Jesus. Or makes a song about demons and worshiping them or something. Any range of “art”)
Again, it’s really down to how far they’re willing to go, what’s their motive, and whether the wrong thing is the whole point of the story or whether it’s just a blunder that doesn’t change the ultimate outcome. I’m gonna call back my answer for your “church in media” question and point out that I really can’t expect a non-Christian to portray Christians or any tenets of our belief accurately (e.g. TF2 and its short portrayals of heaven and hell in the comics, when Scout and Medic are both injured at different points in time and have near-death experiences. These scenes are humorous on some aspects, but wayyyy off the line on others. But they contribute virtually nothing of lasting importance to the story itself besides explain some character points, so I’m willing to let it slide and pretend it never happened. On the other hand, if the writers had actually tried to openly mock Christianity using these story points rather than just basically demonstrate they really have no idea what they’re talking about, I would probably have never read the series again.)
Same goes for other things–gay stuff in fan art of any fandom, which is stupid whether it’s canon or not, but if the artist has clean works that aren’t that, I’ll focus solely on those and ignore the ones that are trouble. If I’m tipped off that there’s anything obviously sexual in a particular work of a fandom that doesn’t delve into that otherwise , I won’t read/view that part, and that’s that, whether it’s canon or a fanwork. (Sometimes, before I get into something, I search around reviews and wikis to figure out what to avoid and what to pay attention to.) Despite the fact that I love fan fiction, I have no accounts on any fan site for those reasons.
In terms of music, I’m picky about what I listen to. I don’t just binge everything from a certain artist, say. I might hear one song, like it, look up it’s lyrics to make sure it’s clean, and then maybe add it to a playlist.
"When in doubt, eat cheese crackers."-me to my charries who don't even know about cheese crackers
I don’t see why the priest has to be involved. I could go into this and why I believe it’s unbiblical, but this is a time when I’m not going to. Honestly, are you going to convert me to catholicism? No. Am I going to convert you to Reformed Baptist? No.
I find this topic really interesting, enjoyable, and even helpful, don’t get me wrong. But I feel like some things aren’t worth pursuing when we’re never going to agree on it. Make sense?
if you want to than I’m willing to for a little bit, but I’m not seeing where the fruit of such a debate would come in. 🙃Lauren Daigel had lgbtq+ people in her band and started really pushing that as well as hinting in her more recent songs that she was leaning that way. I stopped listening to her a few years back, and her most recent album covers have not been encouraging of a change of heart.
Man is born for the fight, to be forged and molded into a sharper, finer, stronger image of God
(I asked this question because I met someone who used to be a Protestant, and she said she used to hate catholics, she said that she thought they could sin and do what ever they wanted and then go to reconciliation and everything would be fine… that is FAR from the truth!)
Oh wow. I think reconciliation could be helpful in providing accountability. Like, why would you steal something if you know you have to tell a priest? That’d be embarrassing. Not that you should steal anyways, but still.
So long, and thanks for all the fish!
Hi Kefa (just realized I haven’t said anything on your WIP page yet, still need to do that)
What are your thoughts on catholic reconciliation? (For those who don’t know, reconciliation is where catholics go (supposed to be at least every month) to confess their sins. And then they are forgiven for them.) And what questions do you have. (That definition is the most simple version, there is more to it.)
I think it makes sense, as we’ve talked about before, we have a very similar thing, if not essentially just the same thing. Though perhaps a big difference is that it’s not necessarily a periodic thing we need to do. Here’s a question I have actually: in the LDS faith, when we need to talk to the Bishop to confess sins, usually that’s more for serious sins and sins that we have trouble forsaking, such as addiction or sexual transgression. More minor sins you’ve committed you can simply repent of through prayer and partaking of the sacrament (Euchrist). In the Catholic faith, are you supposed to confess all your sins to the priest, big and small, or only the big ones? Of course, theologically all sin is equal unto God, but what about in practice?
What are your thoughts on how the church is portrayed in media?
When you say church, you’re simply talking about Christianity in general right? Or the Catholic Church? I’ll just give three separate responses:
The representation of the church as in Christianity in general I find hard to pin down because I’m not really sure if I can say it’s been represented as more positive or negative globally, though I’ve seen a lot of both. That being said, the face I think most people imagine when they hear the word “Christian”, at least in the US, is Evangelical. (🔥HOT-TAKE WARNING🔥: this is in no way an attack on my Evangelical brothers and sisters here or anywhere else, this is just what I’ve perceived in the media.) Evangelicals I think are generally viewed more negatively because some (definitely not all, probably a minority really) of the mainstream Evangelical pastors participate in forms of cancel culture, instead of testifying of Christ and His love, they simply condemn everyone around them who doesn’t conform to their views, which leaves a bad taste in peoples mouths. This wouldn’t be a unique issue to Evangelicals obviously, as there can and will be people like this in every faith. Various factors would be involved for why it’s Evangelicals that are perceived in this light specifically, but if I said anything more it would just be speculative musing.
The representation of the Catholic Church I think is interesting because it has such a long history, and thus many caricatures. On the far negative end, when people think of the word “cult” they often imagine hooded monks in a cathedral. While they might not directly connect this to Catholicism, that is the obvious root of the notion. Then there’s the overly-strict nuns, and the corrupt priests. The Catholic moms that are intolerant of their children wanting to explore other views. Or since you brought it up, I think a lot of people think of confession as merely the act of saying “I have sinned”, and you’re all good to go even if you don’t feel truly repentant. The kindly down-to-earth priest or monk is a nice trope I’ve seen a bit of, which is good.
I wanted to also mention how the LDS faith is portrayed in media. One of the very most common tropes you’ll ever see regarding us is “they’re the nicest people you’ll ever meet, but they’re also the most naive”, or “they’re the nicest cult members you’ll meet.” Beneath that, I would actually go as far as to say we’re the most hated Christian faith, both by non-Christians and Christians alike (once again, not hating on any of my brothers and sisters in Christ here, this is just a statistical phenomenon. Everyone here that I speak with maintains a true, loving, Christ-like demeanor that I hope I can embody more myself). Why are we so disliked? I could offer no explanation beyond my own testimony of its truth. Over the past two years, there’s also been a lot of recent movies and shows explicitly about us that people have started making, such as Under the Banner of Heaven, Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, Heretic, and American Primeval, all of which betray us as very sexist, ignorant/brainwashed, and even dangerous.
I’m being negative, for which I must apologize. This is just something that has really bugged me, especially with the more recent developments that talk about us instead of to us. I think a big thing is that the media makes people feel alone in their worldviews and opinions where everyone is against them, when in reality they’re actually part of the majority, which applies heavily to Christianity. I think that’s enough of a rant here though. What do you think?
How do you feel on videos doing a joke based on something from the Bible. (Ex. this video titled “Their conversation at dinner after Abraham almost sacrificed Isaac.” )
Personally I actually don’t have much of an issue with this. Of course we shouldn’t make light of sacred things, but where is the line in that exactly? I think humor can be both clean and respectful while also admitting some of the absurdities we see from a modern 20th-century era, knowing full well that things were just different back then. Like Bible Cop from JK Studios makes fun of Elisha and the she-bears, which I found hilarious, and I don’t think God is offended by that. I think there’s also a time and place for everything, a time to laugh, and a time to be reverent. Maybe I go to far on this, but I don’t know.
What do you think of the new churches (like mega churches.)
I don’t know much about them honestly. Some are probably better than others, I know some literally do things like water slide baptisms and such, which I find to be a turn off, but I’m at least assuming the majority are pretty conservative. One of the big things I have is the Pastors claiming authority to lead people, and those same pastors are paid by the congregation essentially, which I see to be problematic both theologically and in practice.
Have you ever told something false to someone about a church, and or the bible?
Definitely. Though my intent is always sincere, I am not perfect and have at some point or another said things out of the ignorance of my mind and the pride in my heart.
If someone makes fun of the church, or mocks it, how do you respond.
First I would try to reason with them and invite them to see more, but if they don’t listen, I just have to walk away.
What do you react to finding out that an artist you like begins to do wrong things. (Like a draw and art piece disrespectful to God, or Jesus. Or makes a song about demons and worshiping them or something. Any range of “art”)
Depends on the magnitude. I’ll still follow and respect people I disagree with heavily, but if they are going as far as you describe, then I would be disgusted, and would simply stop following them.
He is perfect in Justice, yet He is perfect in Mercy, even when we fail Him. For this, He is good.
Depends. I’m not gonna expect non-Christian content makers to portray us accurately, but Christian content makers have a higher standard, so a poor portrayal of the church or any other Christian tenet coming from one of them would get me on alert.
Yeah, I was a little upset when I read wingfeather to find that they rarely prayed to God, and they didn’t have any reference to a sort of church or mass, or communion. But that isn’t the same thing lol 😂 😂😂😂😂😂
Others have said this, so I’m just reiterating, but I feel like if a church is too big, its members won’t be able to interact with each other like they should.
😭
Same goes for other things–gay stuff in fan art of any fandom, which is stupid whether it’s canon or not, but if the artist has clean works that aren’t that, I’ll focus solely on those and ignore the ones that are trouble. If I’m tipped off that there’s anything obviously sexual in a particular work of a fandom that doesn’t delve into that otherwise , I won’t read/view that part, and that’s that, whether it’s canon or a fanwork. (Sometimes, before I get into something, I search around reviews and wikis to figure out what to avoid and what to pay attention to.) Despite the fact that I love fan fiction, I have no accounts on any fan site for those reasons.
In terms of music, I’m picky about what I listen to. I don’t just binge everything from a certain artist, say. I might hear one song, like it, look up it’s lyrics to make sure it’s clean, and then maybe add it to a playlist.
I have had one of my favorite games ruined by fan stuff. THERE IS SO MUCH SHIPPING! TOO MUCH! And they are never straight ships either! (well there is like two ships that are straight… BUT ONE OF THEM IS WITH A BROTHER AND SISTER! THESE PEOPLE ARE TWISTED IN THE MIND!!!!!!) Like none of the ships are cannon (nor will they ever be cannon cause the creator has morals) but no matter where you go you can’t escape them! Like watching a video about the game, talking about it in public, or even playing the game!!! I hate fans.
"MAMA! I AM SCARED MOMA! MOMAAAAAA!!!!!!! TALK TO ME MAMA!"
tis fine!
I think it makes sense, as we’ve talked about before, we have a very similar thing, if not essentially just the same thing. Though perhaps a big difference is that it’s not necessarily a periodic thing we need to do. Here’s a question I have actually: in the LDS faith, when we need to talk to the Bishop to confess sins, usually that’s more for serious sins and sins that we have trouble forsaking, such as addiction or sexual transgression. More minor sins you’ve committed you can simply repent of through prayer and partaking of the sacrament (Euchrist). In the Catholic faith, are you supposed to confess all your sins to the priest, big and small, or only the big ones? Of course, theologically all sin is equal unto God, but what about in practice?
Ah yes, I can see why you are asking that. We are taught both that we should confess both big and little sins. (Which we call Mortal and Venial sins) but if you have Eucharist with venial sins on your soul all those venial sins are forgiven.
When you say church, you’re simply talking about Christianity in general right? Or the Catholic Church? I’ll just give three separate responses:
yep!
The representation of the church as in Christianity in general I find hard to pin down because I’m not really sure if I can say it’s been represented as more positive or negative globally, though I’ve seen a lot of both. That being said, the face I think most people imagine when they hear the word “Christian”, at least in the US, is Evangelical. (🔥HOT-TAKE WARNING🔥: this is in no way an attack on my Evangelical brothers and sisters here or anywhere else, this is just what I’ve perceived in the media.) Evangelicals I think are generally viewed more negatively because some (definitely not all, probably a minority really) of the mainstream Evangelical pastors participate in forms of cancel culture, instead of testifying of Christ and His love, they simply condemn everyone around them who doesn’t conform to their views, which leaves a bad taste in peoples mouths. This wouldn’t be a unique issue to Evangelicals obviously, as there can and will be people like this in every faith. Various factors would be involved for why it’s Evangelicals that are perceived in this light specifically, but if I said anything more it would just be speculative musing.
Yeah, that was a lot so I am unsure what to respond to first 😅 when I hear church or think of it in media is catholic, but I think that is just me.
The representation of the Catholic Church I think is interesting because it has such a long history, and thus many caricatures. On the far negative end, when people think of the word “cult” they often imagine hooded monks in a cathedral. While they might not directly connect this to Catholicism, that is the obvious root of the notion. Then there’s the overly-strict nuns, and the corrupt priests. The Catholic moms that are intolerant of their children wanting to explore other views. Or since you brought it up, I think a lot of people think of confession as merely the act of saying “I have sinned”, and you’re all good to go even if you don’t feel truly repentant. The kindly down-to-earth priest or monk is a nice trope I’ve seen a bit of, which is good.
All true 😭
I wanted to also mention how the LDS faith is portrayed in media. One of the very most common tropes you’ll ever see regarding us is “they’re the nicest people you’ll ever meet, but they’re also the most naive”, or “they’re the nicest cult members you’ll meet.” Beneath that, I would actually go as far as to say we’re the most hated Christian faith, both by non-Christians and Christians alike (once again, not hating on any of my brothers and sisters in Christ here, this is just a statistical phenomenon. Everyone here that I speak with maintains a true, loving, Christ-like demeanor that I hope I can embody more myself). Why are we so disliked? I could offer no explanation beyond my own testimony of its truth. Over the past two years, there’s also been a lot of recent movies and shows explicitly about us that people have started making, such as Under the Banner of Heaven, Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, Heretic, and American Primeval, all of which betray us as very sexist, ignorant/brainwashed, and even dangerous.
Wow, my grandma was right! You really are a nice cult! (JOKING! I am sorry… did that offend you? Sorry..)
Personally I actually don’t have much of an issue with this. Of course we shouldn’t make light of sacred things, but where is the line in that exactly? I think humor can be both clean and respectful while also admitting some of the absurdities we see from a modern 20th-century era, knowing full well that things were just different back then. Like Bible Cop from JK Studios makes fun of Elisha and the she-bears, which I found hilarious, and I don’t think God is offended by that. I think there’s also a time and place for everything, a time to laugh, and a time to be reverent. Maybe I go to far on this, but I don’t know.
yeah, I think God enjoys some of the jokes people make! As long as (like what you said) they are respectful at the same time!
I don’t know much about them honestly. Some are probably better than others, I know some literally do things like water slide baptisms and such, which I find to be a turn off, but I’m at least assuming the majority are pretty conservative. One of the big things I have is the Pastors claiming authority to lead people, and those same pastors are paid by the congregation essentially, which I see to be problematic both theologically and in practice.
Ah, I remember being an infant sliding down my custom made water slide into a pool and doing a cannon ball down into the pool made of chocolate pudding. 😂😂 My church is a mega church, but at the same time it is pretty traditional! Like how we do traditional baptism or readings. Also I have to say, this one person complained about how we have Eucharist adoration in a separate room so you can be alone with Jesus. But why would you complain?
Definitely. Though my intent is always sincere, I am not perfect and have at some point or another said things out of the ignorance of my mind and the pride in my heart.
Wow! You admitted you were human! Unlike all of the others who said they were unsure or out right said no, that is impossible! Thanks!
"MAMA! I AM SCARED MOMA! MOMAAAAAA!!!!!!! TALK TO ME MAMA!"
Ah yes, I can see why you are asking that. We are taught both that we should confess both big and little sins. (Which we call Mortal and Venial sins) but if you have Eucharist with venial sins on your soul all those venial sins are forgiven.
Good to know, thanks!
Yeah, that was a lot so I am unsure what to respond to first 😅 when I hear church or think of it in media is catholic, but I think that is just me.
No worries! When I hear “the Church” I think of the LDS faith as well, so it’s a good thing to clarify.
Wow, my grandma was right! You really are a nice cult! (JOKING! I am sorry… did that offend you? Sorry..)
No you’re good🤣 I don’t mind any jest, I joke about it myself actually (sometimes even as a form of rhetoric against it). It’s when someone says that to shut down any conversation before it even begins that ruffles my feathers.
yeah, I think God enjoys some of the jokes people make! As long as (like what you said) they are respectful at the same time!
Yep! I also think God has an awesome sense of humor Himself with they jokes He sometimes plays on us😂
Ah, I remember being an infant sliding down my custom made water slide into a pool and doing a cannon ball down into the pool made of chocolate pudding. 😂😂 My church is a mega church, but at the same time it is pretty traditional! Like how we do traditional baptism or readings. Also I have to say, this one person complained about how we have Eucharist adoration in a separate room so you can be alone with Jesus. But why would you complain?
Chocolate pudding pool sounds fun although very unsanitary😂 Yeah, I don’t know enough about Eucharist in other denominations, so I don’t have any context on why he would have any issues with that.
Wow! You admitted you were human! Unlike all of the others who said they were unsure or out right said no, that is impossible! Thanks!
Thanks in return!🙏 I’ll make sure to not let such praise of my incredible unequaled humility get to my head🤣🤣
Everyone has the natural inclination to push away guilt. It’s even a natural defense mechanism to pin potential blame away from ourselves. It’s just that the question you gave is essentially “have you ever lied?” Most people the first time they hear that will have not only an inclination to say no, but they would convince themselves with a genuine belief that they are free of that guilt. Even if they admit that they have lied, they often justify it as a white lie or less serious falsehood. Being more self-aware of those things I think helps, as well as simply coming to terms with one’s own vices. I talk about Church and scriptures a lot, and to say that I’ve never said any falsehood for the duration of that time concerning those things would be a fat lie. This makes me think of Doctrine and Covenants 42:14 “And the Spirit shall be given unto you by the prayer of faith; and if ye receive not the Spirit ye shall not teach.” Something I can say with boldness is that I have sought to teach without the Spirit in the past (of course not intentionally, but simply being of the wrong spirit, specifically a spirit of contention), instead relying on my own intellectual prowess to convince people of the truth. It is for that reason that I know that I have also taught falsehoods to varying degrees. Even if I spoke with sincerity, I spoke from a place of authority I had no right to claim.
He is perfect in Justice, yet He is perfect in Mercy, even when we fail Him. For this, He is good.
What are your thoughts on catholic reconciliation? (For those who don’t know, reconciliation is where catholics go (supposed to be at least every month) to confess their sins. And then they are forgiven for them.) And what questions do you have. (That definition is the most simple version, there is more to it.)
I basically agree 100% with what Whaley said. 🙂
What are your thoughts on how the church is portrayed in media?
I guess it depends what that media is? Idk, I haven’t really seen in portrayed in any way that catches my eye….
How do you feel on videos doing a joke based on something from the Bible. (Ex. this video titled “Their conversation at dinner after Abraham almost sacrificed Isaac.” )
I find those funny, tbh. XD As long as they’re not being disrespectful of the Bible or God, then I don’t have a problem with it.
What do you think of the new churches (like mega churches.)
I don’t believe there’s anything in particular that’s wrong or that just because they’re big that makes them bad or anything…but I would probably never attend one. The early church (in Acts) met in people’s homes. It was more intimate and definitely relational. And as a person and a follower of Jesus, I need to be surrounded by God-lovers who will help me in my walk with the Lord—people I can trust and rely on. Not to say you wouldn’t find that in a mega-church, but from what I’ve heard, that’s not really what they’re focused on. A lot can be easily corrupted with just trying to see how many people they can get in, and not focusing on how they can best fulfill the Great Commission. (I’m not saying all mega churches are bad, don’t get me wrong. Because that’s just not true).
Have you ever told something false to someone about a church, and or the bible?
Not that I was aware of.
If someone makes fun of the church, or mocks it, how do you respond.
It honestly depends. Like, I’m still gonna love you, but I’m not going to agree with you. And for the most part, their mockery might be based upon stereotypes that aren’t actually true. So really they don’t know what they’re mocking. (Idk if that made sense…. XD)
Idk, it really does depend. I’m not going to just not talk to you forever (unless of course that’s all you constantly say…then I probably should not be hanging out with them, lol)
What do you react to finding out that an artist you like begins to do wrong things. (Like a draw and art piece disrespectful to God, or Jesus. Or makes a song about demons and worshiping them or something. Any range of “art”)
Again, it depends. If one of my favorite music artists makes one song that I don’t agree with, I’m not going to write them off. I’ll probably still listen to their old music, but I’d be wary about new releases.
Write what should not be forgotten. — Isabel Allende
1. What are your thoughts on Catholic reconciliation?
I don’t think we have to go to a priest to have our sins forgiven. Jesus is our great High Priest, and He is the One through whom our debt has been paid and sins forgiven, so all we have to do is ask Him for forgiveness and we can receive it. Now if it is a sin against another person, I do think there should be the appropriate confession to that person and asking them for their forgiveness. And if it is not a sin against another person, I still think confessing it to someone you trust is powerful and can bring another layer of healing. I don’t have a problem with going to a priest to confess sins, but I don’t think that is necessary to be reconciled with God.
2. What are your thoughts on how the church is portrayed through the media?
I’ve seen so many different portrayals depending on who is giving the news, the report, the podcast, whatever it may be. It varies… as one of the others mentioned, it’s hard to expect a secular media source to give a positive view of Christianity when some of them have probably had bad experiences with people who weren’t an accurate representation of Christ.
3. I haven’t really seen videos making jokes about the Bible… but I agree with what others have said before about the difference between a video outright mocking God and videos just poking fun at some things that aren’t that important.
4. What do you think of the new churches (like mega churches)?
Not all new churches are mega churches, if you’re defining new churches as churches that tend to be nondenominational and have been established within the last 50 years. I think I’ve already shared my opinion on mega churches before, so I won’t go into all that again.
5. Not on purpose- I don’t remember ever saying anything false about the church or Bible to someone. Of course, it’s possible I have, if I had a wrong interpretation of Scripture and didn’t realize it was wrong. But for years I’ve done my best to be honest with anyone and everyone, to the best of my knowledge. I’ve grown and changed and my theological views have matured over the years as well, so it’s likely I said something to someone years ago that wasn’t true, but I didn’t know at the time that it was false.
6. I think it depends on the situation, like Ellette said, but typically I would respond with grace. I’m not going to retaliate or mock them back- likely they’ve already had a bad impression of Christians and that would only make it worse. I would try to keep my tone gentle and respond with kindness. I also like Whaley’s idea of simply asking them questions, rather than responding with my own defense. But if I’m defending someone else than I would probably still be more firm without attacking them. There was one time during my singular year in public school that I overheard a classmate ranting to a friend about “those d*** Christians”, but she wasn’t talking to me, and I don’t think she would have said it to my face. I don’t think she was aware that I was a Christian at the time, because it was still the beginning of the school year, but she definitely knew where I stood by the end of the year, and she never said anything about it to me directly.
7. I’m pretty careful about what I consume, whether music or entertainment or media of another kind. I think it very much depends on the situation, but if someone I’m following gives hints or blatantly releases something that goes against Biblical values or is dark and demonic, then it raises red flags and I’m going to pay closer attention to whatever they’re putting out. My discernment is gonna be on high alert, and again, it depends on the situation, but generally “from the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks”. If it’s starting to come out of them, then it’s a good indication of what’s in their heart. There are some cases where there is still good content (books or music or whatever), but I would be much more careful when consuming it, and there are other cases where I would just disregard entirely whatever they’re releasing. If it doesn’t honor God, is it really worth my time and attention?
This is more of a side note, but I love what @thearcaneaxiom said:
I think a big thing is that the media makes people feel alone in their worldviews and opinions where everyone is against them, when in reality they’re actually part of the majority, which applies heavily to Christianity.
I definitely agree! I think it applies to more than just Christianity- for years the media has pushed out a lot of views that are counter to the beliefs of the majority of people, but they want you to think that what they’re telling you is what everyone else thinks when it really isn’t. Fortunately, I’ve seen more people waking up to this and bringing more balance into the realm of media in the past few years.
We live in a day and age where there is so much in front of us, being fed to us, and we have been taught to consume it all at an alarming rate. Lately God has been telling me to slow down and cut out a lot of the things I usually watch or listen to- shows and podcasts that can be really good and offer some wisdom in certain situations, but when I’m absorbing multiple per week, in addition to scrolling social media and news outlets, I’m overloading myself with a flood of information that I really don’t have time to process. This crowds my mind and makes it harder to focus on what really matters and listen for the gentle whisper of the Holy Spirit. It might not necessarily be bad things, but if it’s noise, it clutters the space I need to leave open for Him to speak.
Anyway… that’s been my soap box this week and I’ll get down now lol.
"Real love is for your good, not for your comfort." -Justin Whitmel Earley
What do you react to finding out that an artist you like begins to do wrong things. (Like a draw and art piece disrespectful to God, or Jesus. Or makes a song about demons and worshiping them or something. Any range of “art”)
I recently dealt with this in a way.
At my 2024 piano recital, a student of my piano teacher played Runaway by Kanye West. I knew nothing about Kanye West, I don’t have much interest in celebs since I personally am disgusted by most of them, all I knew was I heard a song and liked it. I found the piano version (haven’t listened to any other version actually) and added it to a playlist of piano songs I listen to when I write. Come to find out that Kanye West recently started selling a shirt with a black swastika, just hours after releasing pro-Nazi, anti-Jew tweets. I have since removed the song from my playlist.
To me, if someone messes up in a small way, like accidently saying something wrong or whatever, I’ll usually just be wary to see if it truly was an accident or not. But if someone starts supporting an anti-God, murderous group like the Nazi’s, I’m out right then and there. That goes for anything Satanic as well.
Every time you smile, a flower blooms somewhere in the world.
#AnduthForever (hopefully💕)What are your thoughts on catholic reconciliation? (For those who don’t know, reconciliation is where catholics go (supposed to be at least every month) to confess their sins. And then they are forgiven for them.) And what questions do you have. (That definition is the most simple version, there is more to it.)
I don’t think it’s wrong that you guys do that, but I am kind of wary about the fact that by confessing your sins through a priest, you are forgiven by God. It doesn’t make sense to me, because why would you not just go to God directly? I do think it can be very beneficial to tell a priest your sins, but I don’t really like the fact that you have to do that in order to be forgiven. Only God can forgive sins, and it’s not through a human.
What are your thoughts on how the church is portrayed in media?
I don’t watch a lot of media from the world’s POV, so I wouldn’t really know lol
The stuff I watch is mostly from a Christian POV, so for the most part I think it’s portrayed fairly well. However, I don’t really like how society is “romanticizing” the church…like “to go to church and be a good Christian girl, you must wear cute outfits and have aesthetic Bibles and highlighters” is kind of a subconscious theme that gets pushed across. Being a Christian girl isn’t all glamourous and it isn’t easy. And it isn’t always “aesthetic” either…and I just wish media got that across more often.
How do you feel on videos doing a joke based on something from the Bible. (Ex. this video titled “Their conversation at dinner after Abraham almost sacrificed Isaac.” )
I find them quite hilarious XDXD
…just don’t be making fun of my guy Jesus… XD
What do you think of the new churches (like mega churches.)
I didn’t really know mega churches were a thing until recently.
I think mega churches can be a good thing, but as long as they preach the Gospel. A lot of mega churches (from what I’ve heard, I’ve never been to one so I could be completely off) water down the truth about Jesus, or they put on a “show” with lights and smoke, when being a Christian is really not all glamour and it isn’t always exciting. As long as they speak the truth of the Gospel, I don’t mind it.
However, I do agree that a lot of times they get so big that people get disconnected and cliques start forming, which isn’t unity.
Have you ever told something false to someone about a church, and or the bible?
Probably, but I can’t think of a specific instance, lol
If someone makes fun of the church, or mocks it, how do you respond.
It depends on how well I know them and if they’re talking to me.
If the person is a classmate or a friend, I would probably try to explain my beliefs about it.
I don’t tend to respond in anger, though. I think honestly, I would probably ignore them XDXD
I know what I believe, and I’m probably not going to convince them otherwise if they’re that passionate about mocking it.
What do you react to finding out that an artist you like begins to do wrong things. (Like a draw and art piece disrespectful to God, or Jesus. Or makes a song about demons and worshiping them or something. Any range of “art”)
It depends…
I don’t really listen to Bethel music because their school teaches false teaching. And their songs can be a little iffy.
I had no idea about Lauren Daigle!!! I looked it up and I was shocked…
The whole artist thing is really confusing to me. Because I believe God can still work through the artist’s songs and touch lives through the truth of the words, even if the person who wrote the song isn’t perfect. God can make good come out of evil, and I know He is still working in, through, and despite Lauren Daigle’s beliefs. But at the same time, I don’t want to support what the artist supports… I’m not sure what I believe *cries*
I heard someone talking about the issue of “should I listen to Bethel and Hillsong even with all the bad things going on?” and she said “If God can still use me, He can still use Bethel”. which I think was really cool, but I also really don’t know what to think about all this.
This lady thrives on the divine grace of Faith and the rich embrace of caffeine.
But just to clarify, I don’t really ever listen to secular music. I only want to listen to music that glorifies God!
This lady thrives on the divine grace of Faith and the rich embrace of caffeine.
I find those funny, tbh. XD As long as they’re not being disrespectful of the Bible or God, then I don’t have a problem with it.
Yup! I saw one that I thought was going to be disrespectful, but it actually but christianity in the light! (in a good way)
I don’t believe there’s anything in particular that’s wrong or that just because they’re big that makes them bad or anything…but I would probably never attend one. The early church (in Acts) met in people’s homes. It was more intimate and definitely relational. And as a person and a follower of Jesus, I need to be surrounded by God-lovers who will help me in my walk with the Lord—people I can trust and rely on. Not to say you wouldn’t find that in a mega-church, but from what I’ve heard, that’s not really what they’re focused on. A lot can be easily corrupted with just trying to see how many people they can get in, and not focusing on how they can best fulfill the Great Commission. (I’m not saying all mega churches are bad, don’t get me wrong. Because that’s just not true).
hm, my church is definitely not corrupted! All the people there truly care and want to give people a god church experience to make them care about church. And we do try to get people into the church, but that is us just following the mission of Jesus and being fishers of men! Like most churches just stay in their own community and do not go out into the world and make followers of christ. And we don’t just do that for our church, but my church goes all over the world rebuilding the churches. (Either literally fixing them, bringing people to them, or fixing the community of the church!) The funny part is we work with only traditional churches. (No we do not make them mega churches. We just bring people to them, and teach how to bring people to them.) We work with them until they are independent enough to sustain themselves! We also work with a ton of protestants churches! Like my dad worked with my friends non-denominational church once.
It honestly depends. Like, I’m still gonna love you, but I’m not going to agree with you. And for the most part, their mockery might be based upon stereotypes that aren’t actually true. So really they don’t know what they’re mocking. (Idk if that made sense…. XD)
not really 0_0…
Again, it depends. If one of my favorite music artists makes one song that I don’t agree with, I’m not going to write them off. I’ll probably still listen to their old music, but I’d be wary about new releases.
hm, I am the same way (kinda)
"MAMA! I AM SCARED MOMA! MOMAAAAAA!!!!!!! TALK TO ME MAMA!"
I don’t think we have to go to a priest to have our sins forgiven. Jesus is our great High Priest, and He is the One through whom our debt has been paid and sins forgiven, so all we have to do is ask Him for forgiveness and we can receive it. Now if it is a sin against another person, I do think there should be the appropriate confession to that person and asking them for their forgiveness. And if it is not a sin against another person, I still think confessing it to someone you trust is powerful and can bring another layer of healing. I don’t have a problem with going to a priest to confess sins, but I don’t think that is necessary to be reconciled with God.
hm, interesting! I find it very important, I feel if you tell people every sin you do against them might harm them and cause them hurt. But that is what I think!
I’ve seen so many different portrayals depending on who is giving the news, the report, the podcast, whatever it may be. It varies… as one of the others mentioned, it’s hard to expect a secular media source to give a positive view of Christianity when some of them have probably had bad experiences with people who weren’t an accurate representation of Christ.
I haven’t really seen videos making jokes about the Bible… but I agree with what others have said before about the difference between a video outright mocking God and videos just poking fun at some things that aren’t that important.
well I have heard about a movie where Mary sings about having an abortion… 😬 so I have seen how the church is portrayed negativity a lot. And I hate it.
6. I think it depends on the situation, like Ellette said, but typically I would respond with grace. I’m not going to retaliate or mock them back- likely they’ve already had a bad impression of Christians and that would only make it worse. I would try to keep my tone gentle and respond with kindness. I also like Whaley’s idea of simply asking them questions, rather than responding with my own defense. But if I’m defending someone else than I would probably still be more firm without attacking them. There was one time during my singular year in public school that I overheard a classmate ranting to a friend about “those d*** Christians”, but she wasn’t talking to me, and I don’t think she would have said it to my face. I don’t think she was aware that I was a Christian at the time, because it was still the beginning of the school year, but she definitely knew where I stood by the end of the year, and she never said anything about it to me directly.
“those d*** Christians” Did she say dumb? Or something else Idk about… but besides that, I think that would take patience, not snapping back at them.
"MAMA! I AM SCARED MOMA! MOMAAAAAA!!!!!!! TALK TO ME MAMA!"
I personally am disgusted by most of them
AMEN!
Kanye West recently started selling a shirt with a black swastika, just hours after releasing pro-Nazi, anti-Jew tweets. I have since removed the song from my playlist.
WAIT WHAT!!!!! sorry for the caps, but WHAT?! I did not know about this! I just knew that he existed! Nothing else!!
To me, if someone messes up in a small way, like accidently saying something wrong or whatever, I’ll usually just be wary to see if it truly was an accident or not. But if someone starts supporting an anti-God, murderous group like the Nazi’s, I’m out right then and there. That goes for anything Satanic as well.
Yeah, that is one of the ways I look at it too…
speaking of jews, what are your honest thoughts on them? Like how to you see them?
"MAMA! I AM SCARED MOMA! MOMAAAAAA!!!!!!! TALK TO ME MAMA!"
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