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Discussion Forum : News and Current Events : Meanwhile, 654,965 Dead in Iraq

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 Re:

Quote:

sermonindex wrote:
...I am not happy to see any massacares or tragedies happen. But we do live in a fallen world. I was just trying to get Corey to think outside of the box that he has made which he feels is out of the box...

Me too! We all tend to make boxes in which we feel safe. But it can so easily lead to an "us and them" attitude; or "they are wrong, I'm right" attitude. Both are "boxes", both are wrong.

We have to see clearly that our true citizenship is in heaven, not in this or that nation. But to judge anyone who maybe doesn't see this very clearly yet is to be in danger of "elder brother syndrome" (as in the parable of the Prodigal Son).

Indeed, let's move on

Blessings

Jeannette

 2007/4/21 14:23
roadsign
Member



Joined: 2005/5/2
Posts: 3777


 Re: What is Corey saying?

Corey, I think that you are trying to say something important here, and I’m listening (through your strong expressions)–

Quote:
This ethnocentricity is nauseating.



Quote:
The silence on this thread is deafening...



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Half a million Arabs dead and no one here raises an eyebrow.
Thirty-two American "best and brightest" die and the world's going to pieces.



Quote:
Where's the media on the estimated twelve million people, mostly African and Asian women and children, sold into slavery...? Where's our prayers for them? Where's our posts about them? When's the last time someone in our churches prayed for them?



Quote:
Keep it in perspective.



Are you trying to get us to see through the eyes of Christ? Really, that is the correct perspective – it is the bigger picture. The more we are tuned to Christ’s heartbeat, the more we can we see the bigger picture, and that includes a heart for the suffering individuals all over the world.

Corey, I think that you and I are on the same wavelength. Today, I was about to post a new thread today called, “Can you see the bigger picture?” Maybe I’ll do that later and for now just post my opening thoughts here:

Can you See the Bigger Picture?

Do you suspect that because of our egocentric culture we fail to see ourselves in the bigger picture? I do. That is especially true regarding God’s redemptive work in humanity. Really we are only a small blip on God’s map - his bigger picture.

Of course, from our perspective we are the center, and everything distant from us, whether past or present, is lesser. This “visual” distortion will certainly affect the way we view the rest of the world – past and present. It affects the ways we understand Scripture, and the ways we relate to others.

Cont’d….


Corey, may your observations help your heart grow bigger - and may you take on the compassion of Christ.

Diane


_________________
Diane

 2007/4/21 16:28Profile
dantejones
Member



Joined: 2006/1/6
Posts: 31
Albuquerque, New Mexico

 Re:

I think this thread could have been a lot nicer stated.
I, too, thought and prayed last monday over the 170 killed in Baghdad and Sadr City right after the VT killings. The violence in Iraq has been unrelenting and truly awful. I think, if we took all this death into account, it would cause all of us to repent and run back to Christ with more zeal.
With that being said, I have an issue with the way Corey began this thread. While I feel his perspective, certainly, I do not like the way "nauseating" and "ethnocentric" was used. It came off as very self-righteous, assuming that he, of all the posters on this board, has a heart for the lost and suffering in Iraq.
Now certainly he did not mean that, I am sure, but I think a better way to have said that would have been - 'I think we need to keep this in perspective. nearly 700,000 have been killed in this war, and hopefully this tragedy illuminates our need to grieve and pray over the death and destruction in this war, and indeed in the world that we don't even know about.'
Something like this would have been less divisive - we're all reasonable Christians here (i think), sometimes we just need something to happen or someone to remind us to be aware of the big picture - i think we're all guilty of being ignorant in some way or another. :cry:


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Ben Ordaz

 2007/4/21 18:35Profile









 Re:

Hey Cory,

I feel that your original idea and heart was in the right place, but as many people have stated, your delivery may have been harsh, especially towards the people on SI.

As I see, living in South Korea, the world may grieve or show some sort of remorse in their own way (God knows), but in reality, everyone moves on with their lives.

When this first happened (Vtech), I watched CNN and prayed for the people, and although I was watching it at my school where we have a huge 20 set TV entertainment system, no one seemed to show interest.

The next day, after hearing that it was a Korean involved, many people stopped and watched the news along with me. It has been a topic of discussion in all of my classes now, where on Monday it was just 'unfortunate'.

The thing is that it happened in America's 'back yard', so of course, their will be much attention. Would you react differently if it happened on your street, opposed to mine, here in Korea?

Do not get me wrong, I see the large amount of attention brought to this. I saw Wolf Blitzer, 'Live, in Virgina'...interviewing anyone that would sign on the dotted line.

I also noted to many people what I read Wednseday on yahoo news that 25 died in Iraq. That was a one line heading on the Internet. I shook my head in disbelief, because that went 'relatively unnoticed' as they continued to cover the VT shooting.

American media is great at hype. Actually, they do cover events quite well, to the point of over coverage. If you want the answers to problems, they will find them eventually.

However, I am not going to spend my time watching news (I rarely watch tv) and wondering what the world is doing. I know it is going to hell. I know hundreds and thousands of people die sometimes daily, some times weekly, sometimes monthly. It has been happening for thousands of years.

Hopefully, Jesus comes soon, because I am tired (even though I am relatively young) of this place.

I am ready to go home.

In the meantime, you and I must do all that we are able to do in order to share the Good News of Christ and be a light on the hill for all of those living in darkness. We have much work to do before He returns, so let us not sit and point fingers, rather lend a helping hand to those that we already know that are in need.

I love every race and color. I hate to see pain and sorrow. I will do my part to show everyone the Way of joy and fulfillment, allowing the Spirit to handle the rest.

Do not worry about what others are doing, seek the Lord in all that you do and then you will be free of judgement.

Anyway...even if half of the world died today, I would still have my joy, in Christ Jesus.

God Bless Your children,
Brian

 2007/4/21 20:59
RobertW
Member



Joined: 2004/2/12
Posts: 4636
St. Joseph, Missouri

 Re:

Quote:
Brian's: Anyway...even if half of the world died today, I would still have my joy, in Christ Jesus.



This is important, I think. All too often it seems that a Christian is supposed to be in continual mourning about things. Dom's point about folk going to hell is a real eye opener also. Folk in fact are starving to death this very minute in Africa and other parts of the world. Their souls are going out into a Devil's hell. Children are starving and sick. Not just there, but many in the west have disease that cannot be cured no matter how much money is spent.

The joy of the Lord is our strength. How could Paul write a letter about Joy from prison? Diane mentioned the 'big picture' and it is important at times to zoom out. But how will we react to what we see? Sometimes we are late to the party and folk have been grieving over things for a long time and because we don't know they grieve we may well get uptight thinking no one cares. If you think about it everyone seems to feel this pressure at some time or another. I received an e-mail from a man who wanted me to get more involved in the abortion battle. They tried to make me feel like somehow I did no0t care about the 1.5 million babies that die in our country alone every year. The fact is I [u]DO[/u] care. But I am not God. I am a man. I am just [u]1[/u] man in fact. I cannot be a good Christian, husband, father, manager, youth pastor, Sunday School teacher, outreach minister, nursing home minister and anything else and just keep adding to the list. At some point I have to stop and list my priorities. Not everyone is going to like [u]my[/u] list.

So before we go getting all uptight about how everyone don't seem to care about what we have turned our hearts towards we need to stop and realize that everyone has priorities. God comes first, family second, and ministry third. God called me to certain things and I don't have be on board with everyone else. This is how folk burn out. It is a [i]boundary[/i] issue. We need to respect one anothers boundaries. We must not become condescending of folk just because they are not as passionate about something as we might be. I think we run the risk of being judged by the same judgment we give out. And when the facts are all in- that may well be a dangerous thing.


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Robert Wurtz II

 2007/4/21 23:03Profile









 Re:

Robert, I understand your point. And I apologise for attacking you earlier. Tact's never been my strong point and I hope you can forgive me.

Diane, yes, I'm trying to see through the eyes of Christ in that I'm "trying" to not be a "respector of persons". I'm still working on the "compassion" part - just reading the Bible en masse for now. Thanks for the kind words.

Brian, I'm tired of the world, too. Good thing we're only pilgrims here.

 2007/4/21 23:47
RobertW
Member



Joined: 2004/2/12
Posts: 4636
St. Joseph, Missouri

 Re:

Hi Corey,

It's no problem brother. No hard feelings at all. We are brethren. This is the Father's house (as they say). :-) I came off a bit strong also and apologize for that. I did think a lot about this thread and believe God has used it in part to re-spark an urgency in me for how bad things are getting in the world. I fear we are fast heading towards the violence of Genesis 6. So many have no respect for human life.


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Robert Wurtz II

 2007/4/22 9:36Profile









 Re:

RobertW said:

Quote:
I fear we are fast heading towards the violence of Genesis 6.



And when war comes to North America, nine-trillion in debt and armed to the teeth...

God help us all.

 2007/4/22 16:52
RobertW
Member



Joined: 2004/2/12
Posts: 4636
St. Joseph, Missouri

 Re:

Quote:
And when war comes to North America, nine-trillion in debt and armed to the teeth...



Amen. The more I look at radical Islam I realize that that smart bombs and high tech machines will not be the savior. The Revelation among other places tells of a war going on in heaven. I don't know how it all works, but it seems like there are things going on in the heavenlies that can only be influenced by prayer and fasting. Daniel found this out and Paul tells is this in Ephesians 6. We are not fighting with flesh and blood here- this is spiritual wickedness in the heavenly realms.


_________________
Robert Wurtz II

 2007/4/22 17:29Profile





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