Why are Christians so easily offended?
- Thread starter Davy
- Start date
This must surely be your own view of things in your situation.
Move to another Fellowship where love and Joy and Jesus and the Power of God is easily percepted.
Hekuran
Faithful Brother in Christ
Yes, you'd think that Christians should be the most difficult people to offend. After all we worship Jesus, who submitted himself to crucifixion.
Probably somebody who is easily offended has areas of their life that need healing, or things that they need to bring before God.
Being offended is also a sign that we take something seriously, that we attribute great value to it. If someone takes offence at cruelty, racism and greed, then that may be a sign that God's spirit is in them.
And some of us are just more sensitive than others.
Probably somebody who is easily offended has areas of their life that need healing, or things that they need to bring before God.
Being offended is also a sign that we take something seriously, that we attribute great value to it. If someone takes offence at cruelty, racism and greed, then that may be a sign that God's spirit is in them.
And some of us are just more sensitive than others.
Hekuran
Faithful Brother in Christ
I bumped into this today. I am not familiar with the author, R. Albert Mohler Jr, but its quite insightful
How not to fight atheism
There is nothing so short-sighted and unhelpful as Christian insecurity - and this kind of insecurity recently led to predictable results in Fort Worth, Texas. In early December, the Dallas-Fort Worth Coalition of Reason - a group dedicated to raising the profile of secularists, atheists, and agnostics - began running advertisements on Fort Worth public buses that read, “Millions of Americans are Good Without God.”
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Some Christians responded with outrage. “The ads are hurtful to the people who do believe in God, and I proudly believe in Jesus Christ,” said one woman. A coalition of Fort Worth pastors called for a boycott of public transportation. According to The Associated Press:
The Rev. Kyev Tatum, pastor of Friendship Rock Baptist Church, said not only the community but also some bus drivers have been offended by the ads, set to run this week until a printing problem caused a delay. Tatum called for a boycott, saying about a dozen churches would try to provide rides for anyone who refused to ride a city bus over the atheist ads.
These offended Christians called for action by transportation officials, and they did not have to wait long for a response. The Fort Worth Transportation Authority voted December 15 to ban all religious ads on buses. The policy took effect January 1, 2011. According to press reports, “both sides cheered the decision.”
Christians are sometimes our own worst enemy, especially when we claim to be offended. Those pastors and concerned Christians who demanded that the transportation authority ban the atheist ads actually gave the secularists the Grand Prize. By precipitating (and, of all things, celebrating) a ban on all religious messages from this public space, these Christians surrendered Gospel opportunities simply because they were offended by an atheist advertisement. No wonder the atheists clapped.
This is a disastrous strategy. Are Christians so insecure that we fear a weakly-worded advertisement on a public bus? These bus ads represent just how weak the atheists’ arguments really are, but the response from agitated Christians represents a far more dangerous weakness. Instead of responding to the ads with a firm and gracious defense of the Gospel, these activists just surrendered the space altogether, rather than to bear the offense of the cross.
Christianity has enemies, and the greatest victory of these enemies is to prevent the proclamation of the Gospel. The strategy so celebrated in Fort Worth is a route to evangelistic disaster. Religious liberty is a friend of the Gospel, and constraints on religious speech serve the cause of the secularists.
Being a Christian does not mean never having to be offended. Like the Apostle Paul, we are called to bear the offense of the cross gladly. If Paul had followed the Fort Worth strategy, Acts 17 would never have happened.
How not to fight atheism
There is nothing so short-sighted and unhelpful as Christian insecurity - and this kind of insecurity recently led to predictable results in Fort Worth, Texas. In early December, the Dallas-Fort Worth Coalition of Reason - a group dedicated to raising the profile of secularists, atheists, and agnostics - began running advertisements on Fort Worth public buses that read, “Millions of Americans are Good Without God.”
View Full Image
Some Christians responded with outrage. “The ads are hurtful to the people who do believe in God, and I proudly believe in Jesus Christ,” said one woman. A coalition of Fort Worth pastors called for a boycott of public transportation. According to The Associated Press:
The Rev. Kyev Tatum, pastor of Friendship Rock Baptist Church, said not only the community but also some bus drivers have been offended by the ads, set to run this week until a printing problem caused a delay. Tatum called for a boycott, saying about a dozen churches would try to provide rides for anyone who refused to ride a city bus over the atheist ads.
These offended Christians called for action by transportation officials, and they did not have to wait long for a response. The Fort Worth Transportation Authority voted December 15 to ban all religious ads on buses. The policy took effect January 1, 2011. According to press reports, “both sides cheered the decision.”
Christians are sometimes our own worst enemy, especially when we claim to be offended. Those pastors and concerned Christians who demanded that the transportation authority ban the atheist ads actually gave the secularists the Grand Prize. By precipitating (and, of all things, celebrating) a ban on all religious messages from this public space, these Christians surrendered Gospel opportunities simply because they were offended by an atheist advertisement. No wonder the atheists clapped.
This is a disastrous strategy. Are Christians so insecure that we fear a weakly-worded advertisement on a public bus? These bus ads represent just how weak the atheists’ arguments really are, but the response from agitated Christians represents a far more dangerous weakness. Instead of responding to the ads with a firm and gracious defense of the Gospel, these activists just surrendered the space altogether, rather than to bear the offense of the cross.
Christianity has enemies, and the greatest victory of these enemies is to prevent the proclamation of the Gospel. The strategy so celebrated in Fort Worth is a route to evangelistic disaster. Religious liberty is a friend of the Gospel, and constraints on religious speech serve the cause of the secularists.
Being a Christian does not mean never having to be offended. Like the Apostle Paul, we are called to bear the offense of the cross gladly. If Paul had followed the Fort Worth strategy, Acts 17 would never have happened.
offended
In fact, Jesus forewarned us that if we are persecuted for our beliefs we should not be surprised or offended. “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world”, (John 16:33).
some grow faster then others in the spirit,
and yes some of us do get our feelings hurt at little things , but as we grow the lord we will strenghten
In fact, Jesus forewarned us that if we are persecuted for our beliefs we should not be surprised or offended. “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world”, (John 16:33).
some grow faster then others in the spirit,
and yes some of us do get our feelings hurt at little things , but as we grow the lord we will strenghten
Giggles4God
Member
It is easy to be offend. The harder thing to do is to say 'not offended.' Jesus could have been offended, but instead He said 'Father forgive them for they know not what they do.'
(I had a really big post typed and then it disappeared somehow
so I tried to remember it LOL)
But the jist of what I wanted to say is that God wants to give us freedom and if we hold onto the offense, the anger, and bitterness there is NO freedom in that. Letting it all go frees us. God wants us to be obedient. He never promised that this life would be easy. He did promise that He would be with us. Happiness comes from doing the will of God. Jesus was NOT wealthy in the world's sense, but He was in what matters. That is what we are to have, too, wealth that does't fill our pockets, but wealth that we give away, maybe not money wise, with time, possessions, etc.
Freedom comes when we allow God to take away the offense, anger, and bitterness and fill us with His love, peace, and joy. To lay all the negative things down and take up the positives.
I don't know about you, but I love knowing that God watches over me. That He is taking care of me...His own. I am His servant and He is my Lord. There is freedom in that. FREEDOM! Can you taste it? (I'm making the word FREEDOM my word for 2011! woohoo!!)
(I had a really big post typed and then it disappeared somehow
so I tried to remember it LOL)But the jist of what I wanted to say is that God wants to give us freedom and if we hold onto the offense, the anger, and bitterness there is NO freedom in that. Letting it all go frees us. God wants us to be obedient. He never promised that this life would be easy. He did promise that He would be with us. Happiness comes from doing the will of God. Jesus was NOT wealthy in the world's sense, but He was in what matters. That is what we are to have, too, wealth that does't fill our pockets, but wealth that we give away, maybe not money wise, with time, possessions, etc.
Freedom comes when we allow God to take away the offense, anger, and bitterness and fill us with His love, peace, and joy. To lay all the negative things down and take up the positives.
I don't know about you, but I love knowing that God watches over me. That He is taking care of me...His own. I am His servant and He is my Lord. There is freedom in that. FREEDOM! Can you taste it? (I'm making the word FREEDOM my word for 2011! woohoo!!)
I'm not sure I'm understanding you here. Are you saying that getting your feelings hurt is a form of persecution?
Albert Mohler is not a smart man.
april showers
Member
It is easy to be offend. The harder thing to do is to say 'not offended.' Jesus could have been offended, but instead He said 'Father forgive them for they know not what they do.'
(I had a really big post typed and then it disappeared somehow
But the jist of what I wanted to say is that God wants to give us freedom and if we hold onto the offense, the anger, and bitterness there is NO freedom in that. Letting it all go frees us. God wants us to be obedient. He never promised that this life would be easy. He did promise that He would be with us. Happiness comes from doing the will of God. Jesus was NOT wealthy in the world's sense, but He was in what matters. That is what we are to have, too, wealth that does't fill our pockets, but wealth that we give away, maybe not money wise, with time, possessions, etc.
Freedom comes when we allow God to take away the offense, anger, and bitterness and fill us with His love, peace, and joy. To lay all the negative things down and take up the positives.
I don't know about you, but I love knowing that God watches over me. That He is taking care of me...His own. I am His servant and He is my Lord. There is freedom in that. FREEDOM! Can you taste it? (I'm making the word FREEDOM my word for 2011! woohoo!!)
What you say is completely true. But, harder said than done!!!! We are not perfected yet, so often we don't know how to react to things properly, or are not able to react to things properly.
I think if we knew WHY people acted like they did and said what they said, we would be greatly comforted. As you said, Jesus prayed that God would forgive them "for they know not what they do".
There have been a few times when someone in authority over me said something extremely hurtful. When I confronted him about it, he denied he said it and then told me what he really said (or at least what he really meant, because I remember well the exact words he used.) Usually, people are not trying to hurt us when they say mean things to us, but they don't realize that they come across wrong.
If they do mean to hurt us, it is because of some wrong attitude in THEM. If we get hurt, maybe...it is because of some wrong attitude in US??? Perhaps every offense is an opportunity to ask God, "What sin in me is reacting to this?"
Jesus gave us the example, however, of always doing His Father's will. It is quite a challenge for us to get to that point - of never doing or saying anything until we know what God wants.
Thank you for letting me "talk out loud". I've already learned a lot in this discussion, and must make a point of following my own advice in this!
Boanerges
Member
A simple two word answer would be- their flesh.
If one is mature in Christ then that one would reflect the fruit of the Spirit in all he does.
If one is a relative babe in Christ then he tends to be prideful of his theology,argumentative, look down on others who are "not as good or as wise as him" and etc. The flesh loves to be religious, pointing fingers is one of it's specialties.