87 thoughts on “Myths About Other Denominations”

  1. @John
    a video would be priceless… with angles to catch the teens in the back row giggling at the old “defender of the platform” lady!

  2. to clarify. . “What it really says” (probably not my best use of words). . .also explain the meaning of the text (NOT what the speaker “thinks” it says). For example, sometimes it’s good to delve into the Greek/Hebrew/Aramaic for a better view of what the TEXT says, not what the SPEAKER/PREACHER thinks it says. Another example, the speaker might show how the text relates to other passages in Scripture. . .or point out other Scripture passages mentioned in one particular text (cross-references). Hope that makes more sense.

    NO WAY was I meaning or intending to mean that the “meaning” of a text is subject to private interpretation.

  3. @Don….Your reference to the Blazing Saddles is correct. However, Blazing Saddles got that line (about the badges) from the movie “Treasure of the Sierra Madre” starring Humprhey Bogart. Classic movie, I just watched it again last week on TMC.

    The fact that you did not reference the original (read: Old Paths) just proves that you are a liberal compromiser who eats babies and worships satan himself. 😀

  4. @ Scorpio does that mean you are TMC only? Black and White prefered? Or are you a purist and only really enjoy the Silent films? 🙂
    So, which “Old Paths” are you referring to? Theatre? Silent films? Black and White only? Studio Productions or Independent… (duh, that was self evident…) Color? Live Action? Animation?

    btw… I don’t eat babies….. You need to reread Jack Chick’s “The Crusaders” series…. 🙂

  5. Speaking about ignorance, I want to share with the SFL community my recent thoughts on anti-intellectualism and the Bloom’s taxonomy.

    http://pickettsmill.typepad.com/.a/6a00e5509b3be688340120a8a6da7c970b-800wi

    Most people get by using the foundational 3 steps of the thinking taxonomy. This trend has extended to religious movements. This is how it works.

    The 3 steps at the bottom require no new ideas or creativity, just working with already-established principles/doctrines. You memorize them, you understand what they mean and you apply them. With an unquestionable obedience to the pastor, reminiscent of Hylesism, there is a wall above Application. That’s as high as you can get until you get out of the movement. You can spend your whole life working on these 3 levels. This is anti-intellectualism.

    Now, when you decide to “examine all things and hold fast that which is good.” you are making a commitment to analyzing everything you hear (e.g. “The pastor said that God can only use me only when my life is right with the Lord. What does he mean by being right with the Lord? Would Jesus’ blood not do the trick? Does this depend on my awareness of my sins and continual confession? Would this presuppose a focus on my shortcomings?” ….), and to evaluating (which includes a decision to accept what aligns with the Bible, ignore the rest, confront error, and sometimes leave a movement…). It makes you want to do research and find things out on your own. At the end, you’ll come up with your own conclusions about the Bible and live a freer and happier life. Create.

  6. @Don…..Old Paths = what the IFB pastor says is acceptable. That would actually whittle the list down to only about 3 movies.
    The fact that I watched Treasure of Sierra Madre, which includes drinking and smoking, means my heart is not right with God and I need to come forward to the old fashioned altar to get it right. 🙂

    I may have gone overboard with the “eating babies” thing. I think only atheists eat babies.

    On a more serious note, since I am a fan of all movie genres, I think Darrell should have a post asking us to list our top 10 movies of all time. Then we can have fun and rebuke the posters who list movies that are not “IFB Approved”.

  7. Oops. Forgot to add a 😀 at the end of my last sentence. OK. Now I feel better.

  8. @Scorpio …. I’m not saying I won’t go all Jeffery Dahmer on you if necessary….:-)) The situtation may require it… I’m just sayin’. bwahahhaahahaha!
    If I never hear another sermon on how we need to return to the pre-1960’s Old Paths ,to dress, look, sing and act like our parents/grandparents version of legalist, Americanized, starched “Christian”… it will be too soon.

  9. That preacher Gomez is absolutely repulsive.

    BTW – again why are IFB’s so obsessed with what people wear? And why do people continue to attended these churches to be preached at and humiliated every week?

  10. Just listened to that nonsense from Northwest BBC. And browsed the website. Checked out the wedding slide show. A couple of comments:

    1st wife died in jan 08
    Re-marries what appears to be a younger woman in jan 09
    Is it just me or is that pretty quick? I mean wouldn’t you need some time to grieve for your 1st wife of 34 years? Maybe at least 6 months before you start to “court” again. That was one extravagant wedding, it would take at least 6 months to plan. Something tells me this dirtbag had her on the side while his 1st wife was sick.
    I like how he defended the new wife’s tight fitting wedding dress in the linked sermon by saying, “that was her day but it was my night”
    He is a fat pig. I think it is a power money thing.

  11. @Jordan – “I’ve been told multiple times that Methodist churches have beer on tap at their church meals.”

    Wow that would be awesome if they did. I’ve never attended a church that served beer at a function, but I do have fond memories of sitting down with my first pastor after BJU and having a beer with him at his house. Someone, shortly after figuring out that I drank asked, “What if your pastor drank what would you think?” You know the whole, well pastors should be held to a higher standard…or in this case…if you hold your pastor to a higher standard you should hold that same standard. After I told him the story of drinking a beer with my pastor it shut him up. I understand expecting your pastor to be above reproach, but if I drink why can’t he? Doesn’t bother me at all.

    The only reason I’d say a church shouldn’t serve it is just to make sure that no one is getting drunk at a function they host.

  12. The only reason I’d say a church shouldn’t serve it is just to make sure that no one is getting drunk at a function they host.

    That’s my beef with it. Well, not to mention that Methodists don’t do that anyway. Many of the Methodists I know total just as many tees as I do. 😉

  13. >>The problem is that there isnt enough explanation. The people do not understand the readings they are hearing.<>so what does everyone think about the 7 sacraments?<<

    I think they make a whale 0f a lot more sense than the rituals of the fundamentalism in which I was raised.

  14. Don’t know what happened to my post. It morphed. My response to the need for explanation was that explaining is the work of the Holy Spirit which is quite different from the pastoral manipulation of the Scriptures.

  15. Gosh, I wish we did have a beer tap at our functions. That would, of course, be difficult seeing as the denomination prohibits any use of church funds for the purchasing of alcoholic beverages.

  16. Dang. That Gomez idiot is ANNOYING! I can’t find it funny when he goes on about clothing for at least half of that junk. Geez…can anyone say CULT??

  17. I actually think the idea of a fundamentalist liturgy is a great idea. They could even have readings that line up as well (similar to what @Morgan referred to in her comment). We could have something like the following:

    Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

    2 Thessalonians 3:14 And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.

    1 Peter 1:15-16 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

    2 Opinions 5:8-10 And all ye that partake in the CCM movement (that is to say, devil worship), do err and are deserving of the most fiery hell. Because he separateth not himself from the world, he himself shall be separated from by the brethren, who shall bring upon him the rebuke and judgment of cursed Achan.

  18. Those wedding slides were a hoot, and yes, that wedding cost $$$$!

    First: No bride should wear a tight, mermaid fitting dress if she’s over 25 or a supermodel. Enough said.

    Second: The candles in the aisle were a fire hazard.

    Third: Isn’t this opulent and fussy for (I’m assuming) a second marriage? Did you see the matching kid attendant outfits??$$?

    Fourth: The audience was somewhat color coordinated!

    Fifth: at least she got a nice rock out of it…

    Sixth: isn’t it weird that they still have slides up 1 1/2 years after the wedding and on the main website page? Can you spell ‘ego’….

  19. Just listening to that sermon, you can tell he has an enormous ego. I wonder how much the church kicked in for the wedding to “honor the MOG.”

  20. Sorry to disappoint, but you won’t find a beer tap in Methodist churches – too much history with the temperance movement, you need to be Lutheran or Episcopalian for that. When I worked in an Episcopal church, the adults would drink beer out of Hardee’s cups during our spring festival. BTW, the keg was provided by a church member who owned a beer distributorship. Fun times.

  21. On That wedding slide show I would say that 3:41-3:43 is definately not avoiding the appearance of evil regardless if thats’s what it means or not. How could you even put that on a slide show for other people who might not even be part of your church to see? Maybe it was the guy’s wife but don’t know that.

  22. “I’d say perhaps a bit of balance is needed here. . .stick to the text. . .use A LOT of the text. . .but also explain what it really says.”

    Or use a translation that says what it really says in a language that the hearers can understand without further translation. 🙂

  23. Oh, and did any of you get far enough into the slideshow to see the cake toppers? Hmmmm?

  24. Yes to this post. I think most fundies would be surprised to find that FAR more Scripture is read at a Catholic Sunday Mass than at any Baptist or Evangelical service I’ve ever attended. A Sunday Mass always features a reading from the old Testament, a reading from the Psalms, a reading from Acts or the Epistles, and a reading from the Gospels. And this tally doesn’t even count the Scripture woven into the rest of the liturgy.

  25. Love the opening comment about how children have to listen to their parents preferences, and by God, his church had better pay attention to his preferences! Since when!?!

  26. Did he really just say that kid just had not had his butt beat good enough? Telling his parents they are intimidated by their kids because they don’t make him wear a tie? Sounds to me like this man knows everything-just ask him and he will tell you. So obnoxious.

  27. are sacraments “works of grace”? does anyone here believe in performing the last rites?

  28. @Mme Reyer….I didn’t make it that far to see the cake topper the 1st time I watched the wedding slideshow. Hmmmm is right. How appropriate. Talk about life imitating art.

  29. @Trex–where I come from it’s a ‘yes’ so long as (here come the qualifications): you change the terminology to call it the “means” of grace, where “means” indicates the channel which the Spirit has sovereignly chosen to use, no matter how humble it may seem to us, and secondly, you understand the “means of grace” don’t work apart from faith, as if by magic.

    No, I don’t believe in performing Last Rites, because first of all, I don’t see anywhere the Lord Jesus instituted such a thing, and then it also rests on a theology of merit/glory which I believe misleads Christians from resting in the completed work of Christ.

    So glad to find this site. If you want to get a break from dispensationalism, check out our podcast at Radical Grace, especially our episode (find it on iTunes) called “United States of the Beast.”

  30. I would beg to differ. Many “high church” lectionaries are Reader’s Digest versions where controversial passages are edited to be shorter, leaving out the real meat of the passage.

    Only Reformed Anglicans who use the 1662 Lectionary read through the entire Bible and do not edit out the passages on God’s wrath, eternal judgment, the call for repentance, etc.

    Often “high church” liturgy is Anglo-Catholic or papist and propagates pelagianism.

    On the other hand, your observation of broad evangelicalism and many fundamentalist churches is also accurate. They read only small portions of Scripture and there is no lectionary to follow a yearly reading, teaching and preaching of the whole counsel of Scripture.

    Sincerely yours in Christ,

    Charlie

    http://www.eskimo.com/~lhowell/bcp1662/

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