I asked you to define your terms to save time. You didn't appreciated (realize it).

It is obvious that I evangelize. Also, the Church is a mission. I don't use terms the way you do. Perhaps you will now see why I asked you to define your terms. It wasn't helpful that you didn't do it. You asked me questions. I asked you to do something to make it easier to get to the points.

You wrote:

What is your stance on intercession(do you pray and sweat over the lost or just curse them from the ivory tower of pseudo intellectualism etc.)

Is that your definition of "intercession"? It's still unclear. This is an either/or of praying and sweating over the lost or just cursing them from the ivory tower of pseudo intellectualism etc.

I write what I do to get the word out. Is there somewhere I'm unaware of that I've cursed anyone? Your question implies that I have. However, you can't point to that anywhere. I have qualified my view on cursing on this site. Also, it's nervy to say "pseudo intellectualism."

I use the term intellectual for the sake of those who put stock in it. For you to prefix that with pseudo is a serious charge. What it says is both fake and stupid. Is that the impression you have of this site and me while in nearly the same breath you write, "There are a lot of nuggets throughout your site that I feel are led by the Holy Spirit." How can it be?

Second, you isolated parts of Luke that do not allow for the meanings you gave them. It was not a disciple that said i have a wife, and therefore cannot come. It was a part of a parable, a man using an excuse to get out of coming to a great supper.

Do you really think I didn't know that that was the source of the saying?

It is arrogant for you to assert that Jesus's words "do not allow for the meanings [I] gave them." You're cock sure of yourself, and you are also wrong. You're being myopic.

You're young, Steve, and have your nose too close to the pages.

A showing of excuses that man uses to avoid coming to the Lord, that begins in verse 18 and ends in verse 20 of chapter 14. In Luke 20 the section starts in vs 27 and ends in 40. And begins under the guise of a question about the resurrection from a group that previous to that had denied a belief in the resurrection. And the Lord says in reply to their question in verse 33" Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife does she become?" that man marry in this age but not in the age to come, and He continues to expound taking there attention to Moses in exodus 3, and the fact that God is the God of the living and not the dead.

Steve, tell me something I don't already know.

Have you ever read poetry? I assume you have. Have you ever struggled with it try to get from it what the author intended? Have you ever seen how thoughts can move over whole paragraphs and pages and chapters and even from book to book and language to language? Well, when I wrote, "And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. Luke 14:20," why did you assume that I was saying that a disciple had said it? More importantly though, why did you not allow for the sentiment of the one who said it to apply to each person who is confronted by a choice, even the most important choice of following Jesus? Is that my error or yours? Was I lacking in my writing, or are you missing something?

Do you understand hard-heartedness and what it does to thinking?

Since you appear to wish to appeal to Aristotelianism, if I said that disciples were married and if they were his disciples who followed him, how then could I have been referring to one of them if I said he refused to follow? That didn't occur to you. You prefer to think me fake and stupid but full of nuggets just the same. Slow down young man.

Take some advice from someone more then twice your age. Slow down and think before you write to challenge. You would also be better off asking questions in a more generous spirit, such as fleshing out your questions — perhaps asking fewer and being willing to cooperate in a back and forth as in, again, defining your terms.

Third, i am not a homosexual, you are very combative in the way you present your points and views in your guestbook. I am a 27 year old man with a wife and a baby on the way. I serve in youth ministry and teach sunday school for a month every quarter in Utah, where i was called to go by the Lord.

You consider it combative to inquire whether or not you are a homosexual. You need to consider that that is a matter of how you choose to take the question. Can you hear my tone of voice when you read my writing? Tell me, am I a loud person? Is my voice soft or booming? Is it deep or high pitched? Do I speak rapidly or slowly? Was I angry when I replied to you or matter-of-fact or distracted or tired? Do you know all the answers here? Are you taking my point?

Let me explain. Asking you whether or not you are a homosexual is not combative. Since you don't seem to be very good at not jumping to final conclusions about me in an instant, let me further explain that I asked you so I would be better able to prepare to answer you. You raised the section on sex. The vast majority of people who have commented on sex here have been homosexuals. I did not think you were a homosexual. I asked. In the old days, yes, such a question constituted "fighting words" in the mundane: a huge insult. I think we can't assume that people will by-and-large not accept such a question as grounds for punching someone. The times have change for the better in some ways and for the worse in others.

If you are referring to how I've handled others who come here. Well, was Jesus combative in your eyes when he called them serpents and the sons and daughters of Satan — the same spirit who murdered the prophets? People come here, read a little, don't like it that I'm not a republican, democrat, super patriot or hyper capitalist or a gung-ho militarist or sexual pervert and then go on the attack. Shall I cower, or shall I be as Jesus was? They see in my message the end of their apostate world. The end of their apostate world is salvation: Kingdom come, as it is within my heart already. Does that answer some of your questions? It should. In fact, you could have spent more time and found all the answers.

You also said, "Now i'm done." So, what have you accomplished here? Have you taught or learned? What Christians are supposed to do is not resign themselves to disagreeing with each other. We are supposed to communicate until we are likeminded. That takes work, not short shrift.

Lastly, it would behoove you to analyze your initial comment:

what is your stance on evangelism? intercession? missions (i.e the great commission matt. 28:16-20)? When Jesus said he came for the unrighteous and not the righteous? Also substitutionary atonement, wording was funny are you saying you believe sinless this side of heaven?
And my last is I would like to point out two errors in your section sex, where you take out of context luke 20:34-35, and the context of luke 14:20. Not looking to start an ignorant fight or see who can out pretzel who. Based on things read, these i believe are legitimate questions and concerns

How would you grade yourself? Is that a comment with which I should be favorably impressed? Are you really ministering to youth?

When you "disagree," how often might it be your misunderstanding or not following?

Steve, you dashed in without much thought and are ready to run before having to examine your life and what you are truly willing to do. You have much company. Few there be that find it. I'm sorry about that for you.

May God help you in all you do,

Tom Usher

First of all, we capitalize the first letter in our names here. I took the liberty of doing that for you. It is clearly stated in the text box into which you entered your submissions. I reserve the right to use my solely Holy-Spirit-led discretion in deciding concerning whom I will and will not do this in future.

Second, you've asked a number of questions. I now ask you to define your terms (evangelism, intercession, missions, substitutionary atonement) before I reply.

You wrote, "And my last is I would like to point out two errors in your section sex, where you take out of context luke 20:34-35, and the context of luke 14:20." Are you asking me for permission to attempt to do this here? Just say what's on your mind. If you are right, I'll agree and make the correction and give you full credit. If you are wrong, I'll explain why.

Lastly, you have said nothing good about this site or its theology explained in the article above. You have commented solely to call things into question. You have characterized things as worthy of "concern." That's pre-judging even though we have not dialogued. You have assumed that I am wrong rather than asking me with specifics.

I have many people come here challenging. This is not a gun fight. This is seeking truth.

Are you a homosexual?

Please get to your points.

Peace,

Tom Usher

I have two problems with your arguments against the Pastor above. First and foremost I find it utterly sickening that you believe you have the right to call into question another person's Christianity merely because he disagrees with you on an issue.

If you are sickened by truth, go somewhere else and don't come back here because I'm not interested in obfuscation and am not going to start saying homosexuality is okay in Christianity. Jesus did not, and does not, hold with it. As for the Pastor's Christianity, I suggest you go find out who he is and what he's preaching before leveling attacks against me and what I wrote in reply to his falsehoods.

It is even more sickening in light of the fact that according to scripture Jesus kept company with tax collectors, prostitutes, and sinners. As it says in Romans, "All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." This includes you, this includes me, this includes all who claim Christ as Lord and Savior and those who live lifestyles in direct opposition to what he stood for and preached.

Jesus kept company with...but wasn't one of them and told them to stop, which they did. Get the facts straight. Do you think I've never been around homosexuals? I've lived with them, whoever you are!

As for Romans, no. I take my New Testament scripture only where it's completely consistent with Jesus's own words and deeds (message).

Secondly, though I do believe that homosexuality is an abomination and a sin, I do not believe that it is right by any means and it is not Biblical to hate others because of their participation in sin. The lost are considered thus for a reason. If we are to live as Christ does we have to exercise the love that he embodied for all people. Jesus even prayed for the forgiveness of those who mocked and ultimately killed him. By the same token should we not also instead of wasting our time and efforts on hating the sin, pray fervently for the salvation of those who are lost as Christ would?

You call hating evil, which is sin, a waste of time? You're out of your depth. You're attacking someone who isn't going to lose to your arguments. Are you saying Jesus didn't hate anyone? Yes, that's what you're saying, and you're dead wrong: dead of the Holy Spirit wrong.

If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. (Luke 14:26 KJVR)

What's that say? Be honest. What's it say? It says you're wrong! It says you're here spouting off when you should be learning.

You obviously don't understand the post here. You are working against the cause of this website. You have more to your agenda than just this issue you put forth but couldn't sustain with any scripture, even Paul's writings or those attributed to him (for those of Higher Criticism).

"No one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit." What's your point?
"If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal." "...love your neighbor as yourself."

Read the post/page again. Look for the definition of "love." Read my reply to the New-Age Pastor again and for the term "love." You are one of those readers whose eyes gloss over when he gets to the parts that don't work to reinforce his position.

You have offered nothing here of any value to anyone. All you did was a hit job and failed. You find this site and me sickening? So what? Your being sickened doesn't signify. You aren't changing God's mind with your wrong emotional reactions.

Know, I just showed you truth, which is showing you real love. Many others wouldn't have bothered to give a damn about telling you where you off the narrow way and on the broad way.

Peace and Real Love and Real Truth and Real Christianity,

Tom Usher

Secondly, though I do believe that homosexuality is an abomination and a sin, I do not believe that it is right by any means and it is not Biblical to hate others because of their participation in sin. The lost are considered thus for a reason. If we are to live as Christ does we have to exercise the love that he embodied for all people. Jesus even prayed for the forgiveness of those who mocked and ultimately killed him. By the same token should we not also instead of wasting our time and efforts on hating the sin, pray fervently for the salvation of those who are lost as Christ would?

I leave you every right to call me a hypocrite, heathen, or false prophet, but the Bible does say in 1 Cor. 12:3- No one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.
And further in 1 Cor. 13:1- If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.
And finally Jesus himself said in Luke 10:27- ... and love your neighbor as yourself.

http://icfun.blogspot.com/.....

On the "Obama" search, the search result was returning just one post per page. I wasn't aware of that until you mentioned it. Thank you for letting me know. I had just changed the template and settings the day before. I've corrected the situation. It took some doing, but it was worth it. It should now give 20 results per page in excerpt form.

Much of the criticism of Obama (not all) is done by blatant hypocrites who refuse to apply the same spotlight to so-called far-right conservatives or to themselves. I am frank though about the truth that neither Obama nor McCain (or Bush, etc.) are Christians. For one simply to say he's a Christian doesn't mean he's even trying to be. All those politicians are working within, and for, the secular system. They are furthering that system. They are furthering the position that the message and exemplary life of Jesus isn't the best. They don't call for all to adopt the best. They laud Jefferson and/or Lincoln, etc., where Jefferson was actually a Deist and didn't claim to be a Christian and where Lincoln is still given undeserved credit for freeing slaves when his real motive was holding the budding empire together by all violent means he could bring to bear (evil). Mind you, there was a time when I was in the middle of the political-socialization process (education, indoctrination) where I was in awe of the Founders and Lincoln. That was before I grew up. It's easy to dupe kids. It's easy to remain duped. Jefferson was a dupe. They all were.

As for Paul (Saul of Tarsus), I treat him as anyone else. I simply listen to Jesus. Where Paul diverted (and he did), I don't follow. I continue doing my best to follow Jesus. That's it.

I'm under no illusions about how much it will take to get people to take a clear look at Paul. Paul is treated as a demigod by the traditionalists. I sat there in church for years listening to the readings and lessons, etc., not understanding. I took it on faith that my parents knew what they were talking about and went along. Then I grew up. Now I want the truth no matter where it leads — no matter what I must discard and pick up.

Your point about Isaiah is absolutely right. People twist the language.

You'll notice that in the headers on this site, I quote Isaiah. It's a link too with a mouse-over feature. The verse, as you probably know, is from the King James Version (KJV). I use it so the King James Only crowd is confronted with the truth about the term "liberal" and what it really meant and still does. Too many churls (selfish, greedy, covetous...) are trying to pass themselves off as Christians, just as are the vile. I also use the KJV because it's in the public domain in the U.S.

Anyway, I appreciate your approach. So many people come here loaded for bear. They have on their sheep's clothing, but a really ready to have a war. They don't want to discuss different views to get at the truth. They want to defend their mundane and illogical positions. That's no good.

I was once a fighter. I had to cast that off. I knew it for a long time, but I was afraid in my ignorance not to defend the flesh. It was false-heartedness. It was harmful and therefore selfish. Now I have to be what I want others to be toward one another (ultimately toward me), just as Jesus says. I have faith in God, who is spirit.

Thanks again, and God bless.

Tom

I used the search box to find posts regarding mr. Obama ... somehow I didn't turn them up. I'm going to hazard a guess that he has not won your approval.

Good answers to the 'pastor' above regarding homosexuality.
The pastor's confusion (I'm being charitable) and the homosexual-activists agenda to cast abomination in a good light are an excellent example (one of many in our society) that Isaiah was spot on:
Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Isaiah 5:20

I haven't yet read a lot of your stuff, Tom, but I think we might not disagree on too much...I am a big fan of Paul, though...

You know where to find me...don't be a stranger, eh?

IHS,

Bruce

You indicate here that you are a reverend and a pastor. Are you claiming that you are a Christian?

JESUS DOESN'T ACCEPT HOMOSEXUALITY

Look, Roger, Jesus does not accept homosexuality. He considered it, and still considers it, a sin. It is a sin, just as adultery and fornication are sins. The homosexual act was always and will always be, among other things, the act of fornication. You don't hold that anything Jesus did or said as recorded in the Gospels shows otherwise do you?

Now, let's take a look at "mean spirited" and the term "gays."

MEAN SPIRITED

Is fornication not mean? Sin is sin against God. Do you hold otherwise? Is teaching people that fornication and homosexuality are okay and not harmful not mean and cruel? "Homosexuals: What they ignore." What part of harmful is okay with you? What part of harmful is good to teach the children?

GAY

"Gay" is a poorly contrived euphemism. It used to be a good word. The real meaning of gay is still good. The homosexuals took that word so they could twist people's minds into correlating depravity with something cheerful and bright (light; truth) rather than licentiousness. All they've really done is associate it with their drama (all contrived; nothing real). It's just the same as psyops. It was a transparent, worthless psychological ploy to dupe the masses into accepting homosexuality. Well, I reject it. It hasn't worked on me and won't. I see right through it. What's your problem? Do you have scales on your eyes?

WAR, GREED

Is it good to teach them warfare? Is it good to teach them to be greedy? Do you teach the children to fight for money and then tell them that homosexuality is okay too? Are you leading them astray or are you teaching them to follow Jesus? I know you are leading them astray. I know you are being dishonest. I know you could have linked to something that would show people who you are, but you deliberately chose not to and to conceal.

REAL LOVE

Where is the love and acceptance that Jesus would show to all people as he met them where they were?

Where is Jesus telling people to sin no more and that if they reject that, that they will not find themselves accepted? Where is Jesus calling people "serpents"? You are sugarcoating and hence misleading. Real love is warning people. That's how Jesus showed his love. You aren't showing that love. Your approach shows hate only. If you loved them, you'd stand up straight and warn them. You're afraid to do that though. You're afraid the addicted will hate you. That's selfish of you. God doesn't lie to be loved in the false spirit. God doesn't lie, period.

MY FATHER'S BUSINESS

You "have homosexual family members and friends whom [you] accept and love ... as they are, their sexual orientation and lifestyle is none of [your] business…" Then what business is it of yours to come here telling me what is, or is not, my business? Isn't that none of your business?

It is my business to tell the people and to warn the children. That's what I'm doing whether any of your family members or friends or you like it or not. Jesus didn't take your approach and for right reason.

The negative consequences of homosexual behavior are not going to be on my hands. I am the watchman sounding the alarm. You are not. Those negative consequences will remain on your hands unless you turn and repent. That's the way of it, and there's nothing you can do to alter it.

As for what is between people and the real Creator, blessed is the one who comes in the name of the LORD to warn the people from iniquity that is selfishness and harm, violence (including all forms of violent, self-defense and resisting violence with violence), greed, and sexual depravity (which definitely includes the wicked choice that is homosexuality — and it is a conscious choice that no one has to choose).

BAD THEOLOGY; TWISTED DEFINITIONS; MISLEADING

As for the "spirit of love," you are using the wrong definition, the wrong connotation, the twisted connotation that Isaiah and Jesus came to set right.

You are not a Real Christian. You need to do some real soul searching. You need to consult the Gospels in full and not selectively to support your half-truths at best.

Stop misleading. Stop teaching evil in the name of Jesus. Tell the truth. Homosexuality is not all right. It is not harmless. It comes out from the dark side. There is no doubt about it. Quit the sexual addiction. That's what you should be teaching.

FALSE SHEPHERDS WAKE UP!

I truly hope you come to see the light, Roger. Until then, you're a false shepherd. You're a wolf in sheep's clothing. You may not see yourself that way, but you need to take a long, hard look in the mirror and be completely honest.

I suggest you do it alone so that you can let it all out and have the cry that will result when you realize (if you will be honest) just how much harm you've allowed and caused.

God Bless You, Roger.

REAL NEW AGE

The next time I hear from you, I hope it's after you've accepted Jesus's real words and deeds rather than some New Age, selective, obfuscation that only leads down.

WOE, SERPENTS

What Jesus did and said was, and remains, the New. Your theology constitutes the same old words spoken by the serpent. "Go ahead, homosexuality, greed, and violence won't hurt you." Liar from the beginning!

Tom Usher

In the spirit of love,

Pastor Roger D. Thompson.

Juna Kuno came from greymindz.com and left a short comment too.

Your comments are too short. They come across to the anti-spam plugin as just seeking back-links. Your comment too went to spam.

I may have to add comment rules requiring longer comments clearly on topic.

This page really isn't about Barack Obama. It would be better were you to have addressed the substance of this page or found a post dealing expressly with Barack Obama. There are plenty of them on this site.

So, I've allowed this this time; but I see a definite trend over the last several days that isn't good. I don't want this site to be for back-link-generation only. I trust you understand.

Thank you.

Tom Usher

Tom Usher

You don't understand this site, but you don't understand the Gospel either. You attack from a position of willful ignorance — no interest in seeking and doing ultimate truth. There's no comfort in the end for that.

Also, more and more people are taking the time.

You are a person of doubt. I'm not.

Do you think Jesus was crazy too? Do you not believe in blasphemy?

You're holding with the dark side. Is that sane in your book? It's not in mine. Come clean.

Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you. Bless you too.

Tom

I think you're crazy. God Bless You.

You wrote that we "completely ingnore [sic] the fact that words through time can completely devolve or reverse." Did you read the whole page above? Search the page for "Isaiah." We definitely did not ignore "the fact that words through time can completely devolve or reverse." We raised the issue and explained prophecy concerning it. It is one of our main themes.

Further comment-reply to Don Swartz

God bless all,

Tom Usher