tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5870890776473598263.post7074364841682115275..comments2024-03-27T08:06:20.417-07:00Comments on Urbanphile: Shoddy Argumentation Continued: Seeking a Common Starting PointM Cranehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11350529441985859753noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5870890776473598263.post-53460689878135495882008-11-19T06:56:00.000-08:002008-11-19T06:56:00.000-08:00I am interested in looking at the particulars. Let...I am interested in looking at the particulars. Let's suppose we are in a conversation with another believer regarding the context of war. So the thought is to start with the life of Jesus. Some would be inclined to give quotes from him such as "blessed are the peacemakers" but that just appears to make the same mistake as your post mentioned. How would we use the context of the life of Christ in explaining our particular viewpoint about war?ThaiTopherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04964652640527925489noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5870890776473598263.post-6030683581090624962008-11-17T07:08:00.000-08:002008-11-17T07:08:00.000-08:00Thanks for dropping by the blog Thaitopher. Your ...Thanks for dropping by the blog Thaitopher. Your questions are good ones. I think I tried to bite off more than I could chew in one post about a broad and complex topic. As clarification I am suggesting that the life of Jesus is widely accepted by most. <BR/><BR/>I think many of the issues that society is struggling with are grounded people's respective worldviews. Whether it is abortion, gay marriage, war, or response to poverty, we draw from our actual worldviews for our answers. In a sense, I am challenging Jesus-followers to base their views on these issues on Jesus life, teachings, and invitation into his new life. In this challenge are two components. 1) Are we as Christians actually basing our views on these issues on Christ? How many of those that feel strongly about any one of those issues can actually explain how their view is based in the Christian Scriptures? When the Christian community can explain their views on these difficult issues from the life of Jesus, I believe that will be able to communicate the point more clearly. 2) I then wanted to challenge the Christian community to adapt their approach to explaining their views on these issues. When we start with "The Bible says abortion is murder", we sound hostile and are hard-pressed to find a verse that says that. But if society has a respect for Jesus as a good man and wise teacher and then tell a story of Jesus' life where he demonstrates his value on lives that society had little concern for.<BR/><BR/>This response is getting out of hand, but I will say that Jesus-followers need to be vocal in the public square (which includes politics) but we must resist the temptation of the powerplay. The example of Jesus shows us to take the humble path.M Cranehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11350529441985859753noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5870890776473598263.post-37915612143726621512008-11-16T14:37:00.000-08:002008-11-16T14:37:00.000-08:00Are you saying that Jesus should be the starting p...Are you saying that Jesus should be the starting point with people who are not believers? I would definitely imagine that Jesus should be a starting point with believers, I am just wondering if it is the best place to start with nonbelievers. I am not saying it isn't, simply thinking aloud. What about people that say that religion should have no part of the political arena and starting the conversation with Jesus simply puts elements into the political arena that don't need to be there?<BR/>When it comes to dealing with other believers, I would imagine that many would not be satisfied to simply start with Jesus. There are many believers I know of that would just as easily consider the works of Paul and other apostles just as influential. What should our response be to them?ThaiTopherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04964652640527925489noreply@blogger.com