Seen in public

[Ivy]

Thanks, I appreciate the well wishes.

Gordie....how did everything turn out?

[Opie]

I remember is a "evangelism" class as a young adult that we should be aware that when someone loses a loved one that they are good candidates to convert since they are thinking about death and the afterlife. So if you have a friend that loses a parent, that is a prime opportunity to approach them about a Bible study. And of course, I did that on at least two occasions that I can recall.

Yes. I had a friend who died suddenly when I was in my 20s, and the members of her church tried to convert people she knew. They met us at the funeral and started inviting us to their church. I was put off when they implied that my friend might be in hell instead of heaven. She had died in a car crash late at night and there was a lot of undue speculation about what she was doing out at the time of night, and where she had been. This upset me a great deal and I was put off by it.

The CofC really needs a "last rites" type figure.....like the Catholic church. The older I have gotten, the more I have seen the parallelism of CofC and Catholic theology.....it seems that Campbellism in the final analysis was simply a retreat back to Roman theology, after all, Campbell was at first himself a product of Reformed thought. When one looks at the CofC in that light, it becomes more understandable as to why they tick the way they do....the irony is that they condemn Catholicism right along with every other tradition of Christianity.

Really, you have to have a special personality to be attracted to a group so obsessed with judging others and patting themselves on the back while and for doing so. I remember sermons about how we can never know whether we or anyone else is saved, that we can only hope and pray, that God has the last say....what joy. I guess due to my cretinous brain, I could never understand what you do with all the scriptures that talk about our redemption, justification, and reconciliation to God in present terms......I guess it's a focus and expectation on perfect obedience with a resulting complete neglect of what Jesus did for us.....like He made it only an attainable possibility, as an example of perfected obedience, for us to behave perfectly like Him and then gain favor from God and access to heaven....so that God in the final day tells us if we have "attained" it. All I know is I'm glad that on my own I realize I could never attain it, and would abhor myself thinking I did. It renders glory to one's faith to trust in Jesus only as the one who has and does attain my favor with God for me.....such a liberating feeling and a sense of having already entered the Shalom of God.

Excellent post SolaDude

[SolaDude]

Thank you, Opie......

[gordie91]

Ivy,

No official meeting. They came back for an anniversary and I was so busy with that that no discussion was entered into during that visit, about 2 weeks ago. However, the demeanor was different maybe seeing an icon in my son's room influenced that subdued behavior. I am pretty sure my wife told them here recently that discussions would not be beneficial and that she would have to make her own decision. Wife is in regular contact with her mother and there is no new news or pleas for "discussing" our heretical beliefs. We will see next weekend when we get together for new years.

[Ivy]

So far so good, then!!

Yes, have experienced the subdued (or sullen) behavior when something non-cofc was seen or said in my home. Better than an
all-out brawl.......

Keep us posted!!

[gordie91]

So far so good, then!!

Yes, have experienced the subdued (or sullen) behavior when something non-cofc was seen or said in my home. Better than an
all-out brawl.......

Keep us posted!!

Update, sullen=yes brawl=no

This gathering had two of my wife's siblings and their families. They were perfectly normal but said nothing. One is back in the church and the other ain't coming back and neither is his wife. The in-laws however never came close. Mom-in-law is sweet and all about being with her kids and grand kids and relaying news about extended family up north. Father-in-law, he is the sullen one. A once outgoing and joking fellow has now kept his distance but no mention of religion what ever.

A little back story that may explain. Years ago, his oldest daughter not only fell off the wagon but got into new age spiritualism, big time. There were major arguments and fights and very uncomfortable situations when everyone was together. A couple of years ago, right before learning about our leaving, he mentioned that he could have been a better parent when she was younger and or handled her high school and college years better. He seemed really sad at the time, something I had never really seen before. So, I think this with us has hit him hard and he may be applying some of the things he wished he had done with his oldest daughter.

Either way, the past weekend was very enjoyable.

[agricola]

Good to hear! The way forward might see a few bumps, but at least it sounds like there IS a way forward!