Shane, why are you such an extremist?

Someone sent me my first negative review letter, and I guess some people may ask "Shane, why are you such and extremist?"  The letter mentioned that it was just them and me and the holy spirit, but I think the whole point to the web page is to go public with your thoughts and experiences, and I realize that I'm placing my life out there for the world to see, and may past has quite a few checkers, but I don't want to hide it, because my reply contains information that may not be on the web page I'm posting it here fore your review.  The letter came as a response for an award nomination, as it gets a link on another Christian page, and I would like to generate some web traffic here.  It may be wrong or it may be the right point of view, but it's a viewpoint to consider.  I feel that all men (including my self) and their words are fallible and that you can only really trust God and his word.  I would strongly suggest you take everything you here from men (men and women, mankind, not male humans only!) with a grain of salt, and realize that we are all sinners, all fallible, and that many have a hidden agenda, and that placing your faith in men will hurt you because people will almost always fail you, regardless of their good intentions.  God however will never fail you!  Look at what people have to say and ponder it and hold it up to God's word in our scriptures, and decide based on God's teachings, because man will fail you, God wont!

Here's their letter:
"I have always thought that Jesus Christ have spoken and taught about "Love", and not hatred. Understanding and not judging others. Forgiveness and not persecuting brothers. Everyone is a sinner. Even you and me, Shane.  So is the rest of the world.  We REAL  CHRISTIANS don't put anybody on our web sites as a target for darts.  Jesus is the vine and WE are the branches. If you're going to destroy the other branch, we are all going to suffer.  You have your own opinions as I've read your pages.  This thing that I'm saying is NOT an opinion. This is what I have learned from the Sunday schools and by reading the Word of God, (the Bible) which is a living testimony of our Christ, Jesus.  Read the bible, Shane.  You'll know what I'm talking about.  Nobody knows about this email.  Just YOU, ME and THE HOLY SPIRIT. Let's pray and not condemn. In Jesus' Name.  Forget this world.  Prepare for the Eternal Life.  This world will pass in .... say , how old are you now, Shane?  Is it still going to be more than 100 years from now?  Think about the eternal life. Think not of being a US citizen, which is but temporary. Think about being a citizen of HEAVEN and this is ETERNAL. God Bless!

 

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart;
and lean not on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
and He shall direct your paths"
Proverbs 3:5-6"
 

Here's my reply:
I agree that as a Christian that we are to love and not to hate, and I am the first to admit that I have and even still sin.  If you notice, on my page, I do not speak against anyone or group that is not of a political nature.  As a Christian I have struggled with the concept of love and tolerance and whether or not we are to speak against those things that we find offensive because they violate the will of God as given in the Bible.  The Bible does say we are to love and not to turn away those that are not in God's will, but it also says we are to be the salt and light in our land, and the reference to the salt is in the context of a preservative.  I find that many Christians have an attitude of politics or activities of the secular world, that they are to remain passive and not offend anyone because they may damage the public view of Christianity, but I suggest to them that they look to the example of Jesus, he proclaimed God's word and reached out to people and told them of the wrongs and ill's of society and of the grace and glory of God and his kingdom.  He was viewed as radical extremist who was against the views of society and was arrested for inciting rebellion and protesting the church and community leaders and their ways.  Many of the apostles spent time in jail for acting against the governing authorities, we are to honor the laws of our land and give respect to our leaders, but when they go against the will and ways of God we have to choose to follow our creator, for he holds our eternal future.  I have no (none, nada, zero!) questions as to where I will be in 100 years, I will be with my Lord, Not because I was passive and silent or because I was boisterous and outspoken, but because my God sent his son my Lord to die on a cross and be resurrected again, and he was a sacrifice that fully and completely atoned for my sins, and my actions, sinful or glorifying have no impact on my salvation, for as pleasant of as glorifying as my actions or works may be they will never be enough to get me into heaven, it is only God's gracious gift of the sacrifice of Jesus that washes away all of my sin and gets me into heaven.  This is not to say that we are free to do what we want, because of my love and thankfulness to God I wish to please him, and will do what I can to do so, but my salvation is secure even if I do not, for he is greater than my actions and his grace is abundant.

As for the branch theory, I have one word.  Pruning!

As for condemnation, I do not consider it condemnation, I consider it to be exposing the truth about the people we choose to represent us and our resources.  The world looks at America as a Christian nation, and they also look at it as a land full of fornication and depravity, as a Christian I feel it is my duty to expose the actions of our representatives that we as Christians do not support, and to let the world know that this is not a Christian viewpoint, and to also do all that I can to ensure that the people I call my representatives are representing my viewpoint as a Christian and an American.  We are to be the salt and the light of the world, and to withdraw and become a quiet, submissive,  non confrontational Christian may be more pleasant and seem to be less offensive to a corrupt world, but it goes against the teachings of the bible and our Lord.  You say to think of being a Christian and not a US citizen, but that would be self centered, and we are constructed to go into the world and tell all of creation he lives, to be the salt and light of the world, and to be a light in the darkness, and to follow the example of our Lord Jesus.  I feel that being silent about things that so offend my Christianity would be passivity and in many ways, condone the behavior of those who offend the nature God has given me.  (Yes, what God has given me:  because prior to being a Christian, I could have cared less if the government was run by vial men, or if they passed laws that killed millions of innocent unborn babies, or oppressed minorities, or silenced the word of Gods people, or killed a bunch of people to cover up their indiscretions, but God entered my life, and I spent the first few years thinking I was important and could make a difference, then I spent the next few years realizing that I was just a lowly human and was virtually ineffective and I was quiet and passive and had little power or influence in this world as a common lowly man, and I've seen over the last few years that God is powerful and active and can do incredible things with a common lowly man.)

Am I a perfect Christian, No!  Am I sinless and free to condemn others for their sin?  No!  Am I throwing stones? No, I would never throw stones (an act in biblical times to punish the criminally guilty by physical harm and often death.), but I am identifying and challenging a sinner, and saying "Go and sin no more!"  I don't think the president should be killed or harmed, but I feel he needs to Go and Sin no more, and I don't thinks he is qualified to represent me, and I am offended and sickened by his actions and do want the world to know that I, as a Christian, and a US Citizen, do not condone his behavior, and do not consider him a representative of my views.  As a man, I love and feel much sorrow for the events in Clinton's life, and I spend more time in prayer for him than I do for most of my friends, and I would be willing to help and support his recovery and well being in anyway that does not put others at risk.  The rest, and the majority, of my web page is not political, and most of my commentary is about my experience, there are a couple articles that speak out against homosexuality and being unmanly in one's duties to being a man, but neither is anywhere close to being as inflammatory as the bible it's self, and both are based on biblical teachings and concepts. (I'm not smart enough to come up with this stuff on my own, I give any glory or credit for appearing to have a some measure of intelligence to God and his teachings through his word.)

I do appreciate your opinion, and removed and refrained from placing many things on my web page because I believe that would have been going too far.  I do believe that showing abundant love and grace is important and that we are all different and used differently by God and that all ways of getting his word and influence out into the world are important, as long as they are in accordance with his teachings, and his teachings show us hundreds of examples of how to reach people and that there are many different ways to do so, and that some ministering techniques may reach out to one group but not another, I happen to have talents and blessings that stem and branch into the political, computer technology, scientific, and a couple of other areas, and I do my best to represent my views in a Godly way that will minister to those people who respond to a different type of ministry.  Your ministry is better for Christians who need a word of grace beauty and reassurance and to see what God has done and can do for those who need that information and that reflection of our Lord.  I get many letters from people who say they have been touched, and I have to praise God and thank him for letting me be a small part of the process in which he changes peoples life's.

As for requesting the award, I am not looking to glorify myself as a great web page author.  I have realized that the awards are generally linked to a web ring type of community and they share similar views and cornerstones, and that participating in groups and awards programs increased the amount of people that view my web page, and that there is a greater possibility that it may touch someone's life who needs to be touched that way, anyone who doe's not respond to this type of ministry will just blow it off and go on the the next page.  I thought your award was an attractive graphic and might be used by God to guide someone who would be receptive to the type of witness my page offers, and that they might come to see it by way of your award system.  I think that you should trust your convictions and do what the spirit guides you to do, and I will do the same.  If you feel that my page will dishonor you or your beliefs and the holy spirit is guiding you that way, then I would recommend you follow his will, because it may not be the way he wants to do it at this time.  but if you feel it might help someone and God is guiding you that way, then I will place it on my page and link it to yours page, and pray that someone comes to know our Lord through the effort.  Either way, I thank God for all he has done, and that he is using us, and I pray that we can touch the people he is reaching out to.  He can do it with or without us, and the blessing is really ours.

May God abundantly bless you and your family, and those that you have touched, and may we give him all the glory he deserves.

Shane