If you haven't seen XtraNormal videos yet, this will seem very odd at first.....using computer voices and dry humor to make a point....but it does offer some interesting conversation starters -
Christian Identity and the Hegemony of Mammon
2 years ago
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4 comments:
Funny cartoon and critique of evangelism. It also does a good job of showing why you shouldn't base discussions of faith on a single verse lifted out of context. On the surface the "non-christian's" argument seems to make sense, and is even a bit of a refreshing perspective. But a closer look at its context (the whole chapter it is in shows that "through" in verse 6 means belief or faith in. The chapter starts with “Believe in God; believe also in me.” Verse 7 talks about knowing the Father. Verse 9&10 say we see and know the Father by believingthat Jesus is in the Father and the Father in him. Verses 11&12 touch on belief yet again.
However, this doesn't excuse offensive and combative evangelism. Given that Jesus was so focused on love and right relatedness, evangelism should happen in the context of relationships. Often it doesn't even require words, although it sometimes includes them, particularly if you have a genuine friendship with people (to know me is to know my thought and beliefs about things that are central to my being, like my faith). I would like to think that this cartoon hyperbolizes things, but unfortunently I don't think it does.
A very interesting cartoon. I didn't realize that the Emergent Community had such an account on You Tube.
Somewhere in my studies I learned that the word "belief" did not mean in a particular person, group or organization, as we use the word today. It meant alligning and agreeing with specific principls. There is a huge difference. This is why it is so important, if one believes the Bible contains the inspired words of God, to know what the words meant when they were written, not as we use them now.
I'm going to enjoy reviewing these cartoons.
Blessings!
Curt - the videos are made by individuals on any topic under the sun. They are usually more profane, and meant to be sarcastic. Not specifically connected with the Emergent Community at all.
Nick - You are right on to point out how silly the conversation is without looking at context. And then, you have to look at the larger cultural context, the context of the whole bible, the full biblical narrative, etc. But, again you a right, the bottom line is love and connecting with people in a just way. Condemning a person to hell in the first interaction doesn't seem very loving.
I began realizing the general nature of the site after I watched a few more cartoons. Most of them are not my cup of tea.
It's really a sad situation that so many of our churches have lost the message of love. Unfortunately, most of the members of these churches have been taught that to believe anything other than what they are taught, they are likely to go to Hell themselves. So they don't know any better and they are too frightened to question. I know, I used to be one of those!
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