We read the story of Joseph in Genesis the other evening, and I found myself thinking, "This would make an amazing movie". I'd always known the story, at least the Sunday School condensed version, but this was one of the first times I'd engaged in an in-depth reading of the text. Done right, done respectfully, done as a serious drama, that would be something I'd gladly fork over the cost of a ticket to see in the theater.
I see Thunderbottom beat me to it. :-) That's what I get for failing to refresh the page for new comments before tossing in my two cents!
You have statistics to back this up? Plenty of people die from alcohol poisoning, and plenty of people die from legal prescription drug overdoses, so why should we think that legalization would equal fewer people dying? And don't you find it at least mildly ironic that many of the liberals who are all for large-scale drug legalization also support banning, among other things, cigarettes and trans fats?
I tried to give you an up-thumb, but one too-small iPod screen plus one clumsy finger later and, well, I accidentally gave you a down-thumb instead. Sorry. :-( So mentally give yourself a +1, and I'll, uh, try to refrain from rating comments when I'm using the iPod.
Sorry, wasn't comparing your posts with Westboro. I was trying to make the point that HOW we represent the Truth matters, and they are the obvious over-the-edge-of-the-cliff example of what not to do. Also, nowhere did I characterize your posts as "ridiculous". Although (and I say this not with malice, but with a chuckle), "I've omitted all my defenses because you consider them inappropriate" may perhaps cross over the line into the territory of "slightly ridiculous". If you considered your posts reasonable, if you are confident in the content of what you said and the manner in which you said it, why in the world would you delete them because of some stranger with a little different take?
Please, consider looking into Stand to Reason and Greg Koukl's podcast. Good, good stuff. You won't be disappointed.
I hope you're not trying to imply that you know whether my Christianity is hot, cold, or lukewarm. I was not saying that the message isn't important, I was saying that our manner is as important as our message. I doubt those Westboro Baptist Church folks have inspired many people to commit their lives to Christ, but I guarantee they've made more than one person think, "If that's what being a Christian looks like, then I don't want to be one!" That's not how evangelism is supposed to work. If we win the argument but lose the person, what have we gained? We should present the Truth fervently and with diplomacy, never losing sight of the humanity of the person on the other side.
Grew up in the SF Bay Area, so been there, done that, as far as seeing conservatism and Christianity trashed on a daily basis. I've even been on the receiving end of some attempts at dehumanization because of my political beliefs, but I refuse to think of myself as a victim. I'm not talking who's who of victimhood, anyway, I'm talking about how we conduct ourselves when we disagree.
Are you familiar with Greg Koukl or Stand to Reason (str.org)? I highly recommend you check them (and their fantastic podcast) out. The focus is on being ambassadors for Christ. We should be well-equipped to share and defend our message without falling into the traps of emotional arguments or hyperbole, which only undermine what we have to say. I recognize your passion, and we absolutely need passionate people out there spreading the Word. After reading through much of what you've written in this thread, however, I humbly submit that you often come across as ARGUING!!!! instead of engaging in reasoned discourse. I think we get more done when we're engaged in reasoned discourse.
But . . . gays *are* people. We're *all* people. We can disagree with a political agenda or behaviors, but we shouldn't fall into the trap of subtly dehumanizing a group because we disagree with them. It instantly weakens the credibility of our arguments.
I'm sensing a troll in our midst. If you're trying to (very clumsily) highlight the hate you think is endemic amongst conservatives, I've got a newsflash for you: wherever there are large groupings of people, you'll find pockets of hate, regardless of which side of the aisle the grouping happens to fall. Why don't you grow up and try to engage us in something resembling intelligent discourse? Who knows, we might learn from each other. But this? This is like a bad version of a middle school lunch room taunting.
On the other hand, if you are sincere in what you've said, you might want to try Iran; I hear they're completely homosexual-free.
I've sometimes wondered the same thing about the Parents Television Council.
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