Oprah's Last Show

[Shimmie]

I was talking to an Muslim soldier one time and I was asking him to tell me about his faith and some stupid dude came over and started spewing crap about Islam and the soldier was like, "See, this is why I don't discuss my religion with others and why I am not interested in converting to theirs." That made me very sad.

I am very well-versed in Islam and I think learning to understand where people are coming from, why they believe what they believe is very important for conversion. A lot of people approach people of other faiths (or even Christian denominations) in a very patronizing, disrespectful and belittling manner. Yes, there are people who chose their faith because that's how they were raised. There are those whose religion is nothing more than cultural to them, those whose religion is all about appearance but not substance. However, there are very many people who logically, emotionally and spiritually connect with whatever it is they believe or do not believe. If you go ahead and start by insulting, pontificating your faith and belief there is no way to reach them.

If one's faith is so important and so real to him, you making the person feel stupid, pagan damned or insincere is just a nail on the coffin. It is so much better to be nuanced in your approach, get people witnessing you, reflecting on their own faith, asking those difficult questions of how and why they believe. Looking for what's missing in their lives, looking for comfort, looking for support...IMO, then is when you really reach out and touch someone.

This happens to Christians quite often.

Right here, there are literally thousands of threads/posts (combined) in the OT Forum, ET, which mock, malign, bash, disrespect Christians. Many faiths have this affront upon them. And yes, when it occurs to anyone of any faith, it is very sad.

While I am not 'versed' in the Muslim faith, I can say that I am well accepted by my Muslim friends with open arms and they are likewise accepted by me. At the beginning, the end and throughout the day, we are still human beings, the one thing that we will always have in common with one another. We may not share the same faith, but our hearts do share love for one another.

 

[Shimmie]

I've been doing some research about this 'many paths to God' theory.

It's call the "Gospel of Inclusion'. All faiths are included which in turn defines, the many paths to God theory.

In addition, it is not something new. It's simply been ressurrected (re-surfaced). It's is also well known as Universalism -- "New Age'.

I can understand the need to be at peace with 'everyone', however, one can still be at peace and not compromise the true Gospel of Jesus Christ.

I can't help but wonder just how close one was / is with God who chooses to become 'all inclusive'.

For the truth of Jesus' words still remains and will never change:

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me --- John 14:6 .

How much better a GPS does one need than that?

 

[Shimmie]

Oprah's last show and farewell did not sit well with me. As I would see clips of "Oprah saving starving children" "Oprah healing relationships" "Oprahs being the one who saved the day" I was literally turned off.

Oprah was and has been idolized for the 25 years she has been on the air. I was actually offended that she would have the nerve to to say on her LAST SHOW that people questioned her religion and to set the record straight she was talking about the one and only omnipotent one, then at the end she said to GOD be the glory. She is not fooling anyone.

God deserves the glory, honor and praise in everything we do. He is to be the first, we're to give him the first fruits of everything not the last.

I had a strange feeling as I watched, (I did watch the farewell) I mean literally these people were worshiping her, their god. it was like they were entranced by the spirit behind Oprah.

I agree with what everyone else has said about her next agenda with the OWN network. Also her and Gail are very pro-gay, I have seen Gail's show and she is quick to mention how much support she has for the gay community.

I pray that the blinders are removed from her followers eyes and that the agenda will never prosper.

@the bolded...

Beautiful . . .

 

[Farida]

Laela
Shimmie

There are some people who you cannot even mention anything remotely spiritual to them. Those are the toughies and there's only so much you can help someone. There are people who have a natural gift for converting people, but even then if the person is unwilling to let go and let God...that's the end of it.

I used to be a member of a Christian forum and there was this atheist who used to hang around in there all the time, always arguing, questioning. He was an interesting guy. He knew the bible very well and many of his questions and arguments were extremely logical and well-presented. I couldn't help but believe he was on that board because he wanted to badly to believe. He didn't come across as wanting to tear or drag down believers or mock the faith. If that wasn't the case, the only explanation I could think of is that he was trying to reach out, that he was trying to believe and understand.

I'm no longer active on that site, and he did concede to some of my counterarguments but I don't think he ever got where God wanted him. I think about him sometimes and hope he got/gets there.

We had a new baptism for an adult member of our church. Atheist all his life and he was seeking, he was bouncing from church to church. The interesting thing is he chose to start attending our church regularly, because in his testimony he said he asked the Pastor a question. The pastor thought about it and said, "that's a good question. I honestly do not know the answer. Let me look into it and I will get back to you." He said he was touched by the pastor's humility. We're all human and we do not know everything. But there's some leaders out there who would rather scorn/berate or flat out lie to someone about spiritual matters rather than admit they don't know.

There's many questions I have unanswered but I look at it as, my Lord is a just God and whatever he were to do in that situation would be just/fair and loving.

 

[Shimmie]

Laela
Shimmie

There are some people who you cannot even mention anything remotely spiritual to them. Those are the toughies and there's only so much you can help someone.

There are people who have a natural gift for converting people, but even then if the person is unwilling to let go and let God...that's the end of it.

I used to be a member of a Christian forum and there was this atheist who used to hang around in there all the time, always arguing, questioning. He was an interesting guy. He knew the bible very well and many of his questions and arguments were extremely logical and well-presented. I couldn't help but believe he was on that board because he wanted to badly to believe. He didn't come across as wanting to tear or drag down believers or mock the faith. If that wasn't the case, the only explanation I could think of is that he was trying to reach out, that he was trying to believe and understand.

I'm no longer active on that site, and he did concede to some of my counterarguments but I don't think he ever got where God wanted him. I think about him sometimes and hope he got/gets there.

We had a new baptism for an adult member of our church. Atheist all his life and he was seeking, he was bouncing from church to church. The interesting thing is he chose to start attending our church regularly, because in his testimony he said he asked the Pastor a question.

The pastor thought about it and said, "that's a good question. I honestly do not know the answer. Let me look into it and I will get back to you." He said he was touched by the pastor's humility. We're all human and we do not know everything. But there's some leaders out there who would rather scorn/berate or flat out lie to someone about spiritual matters rather than admit they don't know.There's many questions I have unanswered but I look at it as, my Lord is a just God and whatever he were to do in that situation would be just/fair and loving.

Farida

Farida, thank you for sharing this. It's stirring and filled with a lot of reflection. I pray for God to soften the hearts of those who 'fight' against the love of God for them; that they will yield to the love of God and surrender their all without further doubt, unbelief, ambivalence or resistance. In Jesus' name, they shall be set free.

@the bolded. What a wonderful man of God your Pastor is.

I'm praying for the man from the other forum you used to be a part of. I pray that he remembers your love for him and that he receives Jesus with all of his heart.

Your post is such a blessing and it's all from your heart.

 

[anartist4u2001]

I love the Book of Ruth...


Naomi said, "Look, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her god. Follow your sister-in-law."

But Ruth replied:

Do not persuade me to leave you

or go back and not follow you.

For wherever you go, I will go,

and wherever you live, I will live;

your people will be my people,

and your God will be my God.

Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried.

May the LORD do this to me, and even more,

if anything but death separates you and me.


*** Ruth 1:15-17

i love that scripture!!!!!! Ruth is an amazing book! we are doing a study of it at my church. i think it's an amazing love story too!

oh my gosh i love that book!!!! LOL Boaz is such a caring man of God!

sorry guys, ugh, i am just enjoying my study of Ruth.

 

[Shimmie]

i love that scripture!!!!!! Ruth is an amazing book! we are doing a study of it at my church. i think it's an amazing love story too!

oh my gosh i love that book!!!! LOL Boaz is such a caring man of God!

sorry guys, ugh, i am just enjoying my study of Ruth.

You're so right, it is very 'Romantic'.

Boaz was Ruth's "Kinsman Redeemer'. He traveled far away from home to redeem her from another connection to be his...wife.

He fell in love with Ruth at first sight. She was working in the fields, no makeup, no LHCF regimes, no 'PJ's" on order or a Black bag of hair goods from the beauty supply shop; no DC's or hair steamer. her nails weren't 'did', no toe rings or cute sandals. She had no money...

HOWEVER, Naomi, told her how to 'clean up', and then lay at the man's feet. He woke up and proposed to her...

:scratchch: Hmmmmmm......

Somewhere, there's a lesson in all of this...