Family of God: RE: [Church_of_Christ] Re: Questions on Marriage

Greetings,

ED wrote:

You certainly stirred a hornet's nest. It has generated a lot of
comment.

Shawn writes: Yes. I occasionally get bored since I’ve seen, heard, and have several T-shirts on the topics that have been going through the list lately. It’s good to generate critical thinking from time to time.

Years ago I was a part of Citizens For Decency Thru Law. We
were trying to generate laws to limit XXX movie houses & book stores &
"massage parlors", etc. One of the DLC professors objected on the basis
that Christians have no business being involved in wordly government
even with good intentions. This thinking goes back to David Lipscomb and
J A Harding. It caused me to study.

Shawn writes: I would disagree with the DLC professor since every citizen should speak and make their thoughts and opinions known when they have the opportunity and privilege to do so. At the same time, I do

During my lifetime I have seen a major shift in morality and ethics.

Shawn writes: Morality and ethics come in many forms and are influenced by a number of things. I’m not sure that there is a shift as much as there is a synthesis of a multi-verse of mores and ethics that were more regional and have now intermingled across regions.

I
grew up with Roy Rogers and Sky King. The heros were good and noble and
encouraged righteousness. But Howdy Doody grew up to be Dirty Harry.
Columbine, drugs, gangs, rape, murders, Maidoff, cabinet nomineees
guilty of tax evasion, steroid home-run king, rap filth, movie ratings,
political correctness, ACLU, condom ads, -- this is progress?

Shawn writes: My father grew up with those as well and he has attested that there were drugs, gangs, rape, and murders during that time span. Some of these things are progress. Especially the public health message that sexual abstinence is the safest way to prevent the spread of sexually transmitted infections and if someone chooses to not follow abstinence, the use of condoms is the best and safer course to prevent the spread or contraction of sexually transmitted infections. Advertising condoms does not promote sexual promiscuity any more than KY-Jelly promotes homosexuality. There have always sociopaths such as Madoff, they tend to not be as overt as he was and tend to be more small-time con artists. Cabinet nominees had less exposure by the press and the growth of the media has made such issues more transparent and therefore, more likely to be uncovered. Steroids have been in baseball for several decades and I have personal knowledge of its use during the 70s and early 80s. There is a misnomer that steroid use causes increases in strength and performance. This is false. Steroids allow humans to recover more quickly from strenuous exercise, e.g. muscle development through weight training. The athlete must still engage in strenuous physical training, that doesn’t change. No training, no increased strength. I don’t have a problem with professional athlete using physician monitored strength enhancing medications. It’s their job and they have families to support. The pressure to perform from above and from fans is enormous. It’s easy to criticize outside the arena, it’s quite another to be living in it every day, but that’s another topic.

I fear for
my grandchildren. "Righteousness exalts a nation but sin is a reproach
to any people." Do righteous people have a right, or even an obligation,
to use what limited influence they have to encourage right doing and
oppose self-destructive bahavior?

Shawn writes: Certainly. Believers should encourage right doing and more especially for share the good news and model that right doing.

Is it wrong to pass laws forcing auto
manufacturers or toy makers to produce merchandise that is safe?

Shawn writes: I do not feel it’s wrong. It is important to require manufacturers who earn a profit from the sales of their products to provide safe products for consumers. They have a moral and ethical obligation to their customers and potential customers to assure the safety of their products.

If
their behavior did not effect anyone but themselves, but winking at
homosexuality as an alterior lyfestyle and offering approval by
condoning gay marriage, attacks the moral fiber of this nation, as well
as begs for God's condemnation.

Shawn writes: How does their (I presume you mean homosexuals) behavior affect anyone else? How does a heterosexual’s behavior affect anyone else differently?

Things are either right or wrong, black
and white, whether we see them as gray or not. If God's people do not
make a stand, then who will?

Shawn writes: The stand is for those who have obligated themselves to abide by the expectations of the Messiah. Those who have not so obligated themselves are not required to do so. They are certainly targets to whom the good news should be shared and their behavior will conform to how they choose to live their lives and under the belief system or no belief system to which they have obligated themselves.

I disagree that things are, “either right or wrong, black and white,” there are very few things I have found that fit so neatly within binary thinking, where most things fit into various shades of grey.

For whom are YHWH’s people making a stand? YHWH doesn’t need his creation to take a stand. So, I’m curious for whom this stand is to be made?

Thanks you for your thoughts and sharing information.

Shalom,

Shawn

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