By Michael Smith (Veshengro)
This is one of the many reasons that I got very turned off by so-called Christians who would always come out with the “let us pray about it” rather than to be prepared to actually do something about an issue.
Many years ago I have had the experience time and again when practical help was needed for Gypsy children or homeless people or whatever. Instead of the congregations getting practical and looking for things with which to help the reply would, invariably, be “let's pray about it to see whether the Lord wants us to do and what.”
Very few, especially of the so-called “born again” groups were prepared to get the finger out and do something, unless there was conversion mileage in it, and that is and was another thing that irks me... In order for help to be made forthcoming people have to convert. Convert not to just biblical standards. No... but to the standards of the “leaders” of the particular church.
The New Testament states that “faith without work is dead” but the problem is that too many Christians, especially of the “new” churches seem to believe that prayer is work in this sense.
Well, folks, it is not. Prayer is prayer and work is work and that's how simple the equation works.
Recently I have been able to observer this claptrap again on Facebook where way too many that call themselves Christians talk a load of bovine excrement instead of offering any real help or similar.
We all can talk a lot, especially in terminology, but that is no more than a sounding drum or a cymbal. It does not solve the problems and to come with talk, when we are trying to confront poverty and other issues, of demons having taken over this or that country and that we need to pray for deliverance is the greatest of garbage possible.
As someone once said: I have no problem with God, it is his ground personnel that I have issues with, and not just the so-called pastors and elder. Nay, also the followers of those that just babble a lot of nonsense that they have copied from those that they believe are their leaders.
I also do not need to have the Bible (New Testament is what counts only) expounded to me by this or that pastor, elder, missionary, etc. in a Bible study group. Thank you, but I am well capable of reading the book myself.
In addition to that there is nothing writing between the lines, as someone once tried to explain to me when he came up with some stuff that he claimed was what was meant in a biblical text. Upon my question as to where this was written I was told that I would have to be able to read between the lines.
The truth is, and that is why the Catholic Church of old was so worried when the Bible was being translated into the vernacular from Latin that people could read the Word themselves and they too then claimed that they needed the priest to explain it to them.
The modern churches which are but sects have the same attitude. Know the truth and the truth will set you free.
© 2011
