The "Death Cookie" rises again...

[Professor Zen]

This time in Tennessee

http://www.tennessean.com/article/20100304/NEWS06/100304012/Baptist-pastor-supports-distribution-of-anti-Catholic-booklets-at-school


Sigh..... being raised Catholic this REALLY bothers me...

[Voltronfan83]

Sigh, the "Death Cookie" again? And in Pigeon Forge no less? Sigh....

On a side note, how goes it Zen? Feels like I haven't talked to you in forever.

[Matt_Tracker]

I'm not Catholic, but I find this pastor's reasoning and view of personal responsibility to be seriously flawed.

From the article:

"I'm obviously not schooled in the Catholic religion, I've not read the Catholic canons. I study the King James Bible and that's what I preach from, what I study from," Pastor Hatcher said.

When asked if he's concerned about passing out literature targeting a religion about which he admits he doesn't know much, Pastor Hatcher says he trusts the publishers of the material.

"The people who distribute these tracts, or put them on the market, say they are schooled in it," Pastor Hatcher said. "Our goal is not to spread not to start violence, not to spread hatred, but to share the Gospel."

/end article/

The road to hell is paved with good intentions. I think you should learn about those with whom you want to share the Gospel. I also think that you shouldn't blindly trust any Christian (or so called) Christian literature without reviewing it for yourself and comparing it with the Bible and your own study of the subject matter - using reliable sources and not just Internet drivel.

I know I'm on my soapbox, but I find it disheartening and scary when Christians refuse to think and reason for themselves. It is dangerous and irresponsible to act like this - for his congregation, for the lost souls he is trying to witness to, and for Christendom as a whole. Rant off.

[WesUAH]

*does some checking*

Yep. Chick tract. Figures.

But even that ain't the real problem. If this feller's idea of "to share the Gospel" means "pass out anti-Catholic tracts" rather than, oh, "preach Christ and Him crucified for the forgiveness of sins"... well, then the problem here runs a little bit deeper than overly-credulous acceptance of Jack Chick's blatherings!

God have mercy on us all.

[Jackie Chad]

I'm not Catholic, but I find this pastor's reasoning and view of personal responsibility to be seriously flawed.

Exactly what I was thinking. How can you lead a flock if you don't know what you're stepping in? Hm, inspiration for my own track is starting to spark.... A guy is walking through a yard. He's not watching where he's stepping because he trusts the owner of the yard to keep it clean. Except the owner of the yard thinks dog presents are good fertilizer. So the guy walking steps in a big ol' pile o' smelly. He goes to witness to someone and tracks gunk alllll through the house. He walks away proud of the job he's done for God while the owner of the house just stares disgusted at the mess that he now has to deal with.

[strider]

Guys it's a Chic Tract. Odds are anybody who reads it will laugh and toss it into the garbage where it belongs. It's not like they're masterful pieces of propoganda after all. I can see where the principal of the thing is disturbing but really anyone who's opinion is actually influenced by one of those things is probably not the sharpest knife in the drawer anyway. I say invite em to a game of poker or charge them to see a "Man Eating Chicken" and use the money for God.

[Professor Zen]

Sigh, the "Death Cookie" again? And in Pigeon Forge no less? Sigh....

On a side note, how goes it Zen? Feels like I haven't talked to you in forever.

Yep the land of arcades waterslides and amusement parks...and chick tracts

Good to hear from you Voltron I dont have internet access so Ive gotta go to Krystal or a friends house

[Eriedragon]

anyone who's opinion is actually influenced by one of those things is probably not the sharpest knife in the drawer anyway.

Great harm can be done b y the stupid and ill informed.

"I didn't know", "I was just following orders.", "I trusted what I was told.", "They told me no one would be hurt."

These people need another bite from THE apple.

[Eriedragon]

"Our goal is not to spread not to start violence, not to spread hatred, but to share the Gospel."


Now wouldn't it just be better to pass out Bibles, or Old or New Testaments.

They would do less damage handing out Fortune cookies.

[CubOfJudahsLion]

Catholic, Protestant, etc. Let's set the labels aside (I call them labels when they get in the WAY of actual discussion of the Gospel). "Is your doctrine defensible not just with necessary but sufficient Biblical argument?" Personally, I think this is the only question that truly matters.

Then again, it's probably one of the hardest questions to answer, ever. We hold the Bible to be inerrant and yet different denominations have different versions of the Bible, so we handle the assumptions that everyone else's doctrine is wrong using a curtain of political correctness -- which is not the same as tolerance. Tolerance means forgiveness on personal issues. Political correctness means sweeping things under the rug.

This is not about finger pointing -- we're all guilty of something and we're all wrong somewhere. Christianity at large has this problem. How can we be PC when doctrinal differences might mean the difference between salvation and doom?

Here's another tricky question. Do credentials really equate being right? Are we really right because we have a title? Because we come from a long line of preachers? Because we're backed up by tradition? Because we're 'smart' by anyone's definition? Does any of this equate anointing or revelation?

[SteveRacer]

well if we don't go by credentials, what do we go by? How do we know who to listen to? Or do we turn inward and only listen to ourselves?

[CubOfJudahsLion]

3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.

4Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:

5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;

6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.

7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.

1 Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you?

2 Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:

3 Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.

4 And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward:

5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God