CatahoulaCur

Well done Freauxzen… you seem to be someone I’d like to grab a beer with and talk about these things.

Aquinas is one that I’d love to know more about, but haven’t put the time in.

That differentiation is helpful. I’m going to look into that. I know love isn’t warm fuzzy feelings, but never seen the willing good.

And certainly it is an empty platitude in and of itself, but again it points to the loss of the Christian message… “love” in general has been hijacked by the left into as you said meaningless platitudes… however it isn’t a meaningless platitude to me. It’s an essential message that is tied to something I fundamentally don’t believe in. So, as Christians, how are we doing with this? Is this ok?… to me it’s not.

A man dying and coming back to life is pretty amazing. With that being said, Jesus brought Lazarus back from the dead… we don’t follow Lazarus bc he was dead and he now lives, or anyone else that has died and has come back from that.

We follow Jesus because he is God and that God chose to interact with mankind in a personal manner, and in doing so brought literal heaven to earth in the process.

Sorry I disengaged for awhile…. Not sure if you will see this or not.

First two are valid, the 3rd not so much… not looking to convince anyone especially to win people over to my side.

Back to first question, anyone else wake up a little convicted by the “cringiness” of the billboard “the only thing more powerful than hate is love”. Again, I know in my brain that doesn’t mean what it says, especially the way I think of love, so in that I am immediately turned off to the message. However, that said message, LOVE, is fairly consistent a very big role in my faith.

Im sorry if I came across vague, wasn’t my intent, and more or less I was processing it myself as I’m listening to others (thoughtful) responses, such as your own.

To say I haven’t been vilified is sticking your head in the sand (not sure if you said that, but others have asked that question). One of the reaponses was “you and your people killed Charlie Kirk”… what’s more vilifying than that? This is a pretty important juncture where politics and faith intersect. There are several things as a Christ follower I would like to say, but in saying that, it would take a position that could be considered left leaning, and you are absolutely going to be vilified for that.

Is there still a “grey area” for Christian conservatives that genuinely care about their faith and that is what is primary in their life?

There’s no gotcha moment, genuinely wanted to see the sentiment. You’ve had some good points and again I appreciate your thoughts.

I’m not arguing for a particular point of view, but does feel the left has won with hijacking “love” in any sense.

As a case study, in a couple of weeks, make a post stating that you love both democrats and republicans equally and without question. Not because they repent and follow Christ, but because they are a human being that has infinite worth in the eyes of Jesus. Regardless of what they believe, how they act, or how they treat you, you love them and should be treated equally…. Which as Christian’s, should be our heart posture- right?

There is truth along with distortion here as a follower of Jesus…

Christian love is never opposed to truth, but Scripture never defines love as contingent on our ability to speak or receive truth correctly. In Christ, love is what creates the space where truth can actually be heard.

Otherwise you are a clanging symbol.

Thoughtful on everything, thank you.

When you see these platitudes “love trumps hate”, “love conquers all”, “love is love”… is it not frustrating that these are all coming from left leaning groups.

Maybe like you said it’s part of the great perversion of taking something that should be good and twisting it, but it’s come to a point where it’s impossible for me to say I wish more things like this were being stated because I’m grouped into the people that killed Charlie Kirk.

I’m sorry you see it that way.

Jesus loved like no one else, and all the things that come along with that- forgiveness, mercy, justice, truth, etc. That is who he was and was what people remember most about him.

It would be hard for anyone to say what Jesus wanted to communicate is that the Kingdom of God has now come to earth (core message)… doesn’t mean that this reduces or changes any of his teachings, but this was the purpose of his arrival. The Kingdom of God is now setting up shop on Earth.

But this has nothing to do with my concern. My concern is how progressives have hijacked this message that should reside with the only group that should have it… Christians. Now this message has been hijacked, and it is now angering to see to Christian conservatives.

Can you rephrase this? I’m genuinely curious, but trying to figure out what your saying.

Using your example, would Jesus have not continued to love her if she decided to”no thanks”.

Does love extend only to those that think like us, act like us, and pursue Christ like us?

I agree that love should move you towards repentance, but those two should not be tied to one another. Only God can move people towards repentance… our job is to love, correct?

So you’d fall into the category that feels the message of “love” in general has been hijacked… are you ok with this? Again, the central message of Jesus (most important of all the commandments) is no longer associated with the people that want to bring forth Jesus’ message, but rather associate love with progressives… again I ask, as a Christian, is this sustainable?