Christian Extremists, or Blasphemy?

But wait, didn't Christ say he came to bring the sword, divide, and not unite?

I believe the passage you are speaking of is Matthew 10: 34-37 (KJV)

34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
36 And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.
37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

And Luke 12: 49-53 is a reference to similar comments made by Jesus

49 I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled?
50 But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished!
51 Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division:
52 For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three.
53 The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.

Also, John 7: 12 says

12 And there was much murmuring among the people concerning him: for some said, He is a good man: others said, Nay; but he deceiveth the people.

Not only is the book that is worshipped filled with contradictions, but the very attitude of such religious people divide everyone on Earth.

As you can see above, there are no contradictions here. Jesus was not a liar. He knew that his death and resurrection would fulfill the prophecy of the Messiah, who he was. He also knew that many of the Jews would not believe he was the Messiah, otherwise he would not be killed would he. Therefore, any who believed on him would instantly be set at odds with those who did not. However, this was the only for salvation to become available to the entire world through belief in Christ as the son of God.

Well then, seems like the worship is of Satan. To worship Christ is to worship war, division, and an intent on separating the peoples of Earth.

Jesus does not want to cause division, but there is already a division in the world due to Satan. God created us all to be his children and wants us to believe and trust in him through Jesus Christ. However, Satan has always sought to deceive humanity into turning against God, so Jesus understood that there will always be division as long as Satan still gains control of men’s souls. This is the division he speaks of.

He also tells us in John 13: 34-35

34A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
35By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

We, as Christians are to love everyone, even if we do not agree with them. And there are many we are not going to agree with. The point of these passages is that if we are to love and follow Christ, there are going to be those who will hate and despise us, just as they hated and despised Jesus.



[edit on 8-4-2007 by lonewolf37]

There is no need to worship any thing or any one when every thing is within, without, of, and around you.

If you read Romans 1: 20-25, you will see that it is foolish to worship the creation more than the creator, for which would be the most powerful?

20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

I don't think its mockery at all. It's really pointless to do this. How can one gain a religious experience out of this?

Hey guys, just because to our 'western' culture it seems extreme doesn't mean it is to those Phillipinos. Different peoples and cultures have many ways to gain a 'religious' experience. To me it's singing praise songs, but to those people it's crucifying themselves. I don't agree with it, but who am I to say that they shouldn't do it? 'Do not judge lest you be judged'.

[edit on 11/4/07 by jimboman]

[edit on 11/4/07 by jimboman]

Originally posted by jimboman
but who am I to say that they shouldn't do it? 'Do not judge lest you be judged'.

A Human Being who should have a conscience enough to oppose fanaticism and understand what it is doing to the world? Hey, maybe you have an idea... we can let them all be and watch as they kill themselves off? Sounds sick... but I'm being serious. If you question people like this, they will demonize you and try to kill you. So I suppose it's best to leave them alone? Then what happens when there is a victor and they multiply? What happens when this type of religion blinds the Earth to what we really are and where we really are? Some people's minds are so far behind still, and here we are with spacecraft on Mars and pictures from Hubble seeing 13 billion "light years" back in "time".

Our whole Existence is based on judgements, even saying "I'm not going to judge", is a judgement. "God" judges us and we are said to be "God's" children, although I don't believe in God, but for the sake of discussion and topic. Isn't a parent supposed to be a good example? I think when people begin cutting themselves and hanging themselves from crosses in the name of a man they believe was a human sacrifice from the living Man God Himself, it's okay to judge.

But hey, who am I to judge? Not judging is only another judgement call

[edit on 11-4-2007 by LastOutfiniteVoiceEternal]

To be honest I feel offended when see these pics. The fact is mockeing Jesus is not right at any point in time. the question is are they mocking him. On there stand point they're most likely not. But What I see is pain happening not for the glory of God. No where in the bible does it say practice what Jesus went throw. Only Jesus could go throw it. I could understand a play or drama acting like Jesus was on the cross. Like a show. But there taking the next step which is actually hiting themselves and takeing a born man on a cross and puting niles in there hands. I dont think this is what Jesus would want at all. If the pain they went throw somehow saved a soul or gave glorly to God then I could see this being could. But nither of that is happening.

Nice pics and good thread.

I've been thinking (and praying) about this and I believe I got it wrong in an earlier post. This is no way to glorify God. Jesus came to free us having to pay for sin, so why throw it back in his face by doing this? It's not just my 'western' sensibilities that are being disturbed, it's the whole idea of claiming to suffer in the same way as Christ just to get 'closer' to him that's disturbing.