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Originally Posted by steve05wrx
(Post 11797995)
Then you read their About Us at the bottom of the page - that is the real disappointment.
Their first stated job is delivering bibles! The people they are serving need a bit more help than a bible! I hope they do a lot more than this, in reality and that they help in more constructive ways than bible distribution. Cheers Steve |
Originally Posted by steve05wrx
(Post 11797995)
Then you read their About Us at the bottom of the page - that is the real disappointment.
Their first stated job is delivering bibles! The people they are serving need a bit more help than a bible! I hope they do a lot more than this, in reality and that they help in more constructive ways than bible distribution. Cheers Steve http://www.opendoorsuk.org/about/how_help/ |
Originally Posted by hodgy0_2
(Post 11798018)
Yes, I think this is another example of the need (for the evangelicals) to "spread the good news" that I gave earlier in this thread
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Originally Posted by neil-h
(Post 11798020)
I can't help but feel your being a touch unfair given how you've selectively picked out one item from a list of 6. If you look at the proper 'about us' section they elaborate further and they do much more than just handing out the bible.
http://www.opendoorsuk.org/about/how_help/ |
Originally Posted by JTaylor
(Post 11798023)
Do you think the world would be a better place without Open Doors?
On a wider question about religion and the prospects for humanity in the medium term - I may have a different answer |
Originally Posted by JTaylor
(Post 11798013)
Morning, Steve. It's tragic that so many are suffering at the hands of Islamic State and Open Doors' aim is to support their brothers and sisters in faith. On the face of it it may seem peculiar to single out Christians, but actually OD are carrying out their religious duty.
There's a quote at the bottom of the page that says this "If one part (of the body) suffers, every part suffers with it" which is from 1 Corinthians 12:26. OD and I believe that helping persecuted Christians, not just in Iraq, but across the world, alleviates the suffering of Christians everywhere. There are numerous other charities who tend to other worthy causes and many of the volunteers are indeed Christians. I guess if every charitable organisation had a universal remit they would spread themselves very thin and may well risk being less effective. For me, whilst your point is a fair one, I could equally question why Save the Children don't save adults and why Cancer Research doesn't research AIDS. I'm afraid when it comes to compassion and welfare, a Christian sounds to be pitifully limited with his duty of compassion and care to all n' sundry, while a real human will have a larger remit with no discrimination of such sort. Christianity is narrow with its approach where it comes to humanity, and I find it terribly disturbing. You have given your reason in past that in order to enter the wide world of God, one has to pass the narrow path. OK, but a Christian or any other religious folk with favourable attitude towards its own religious kind will never reach Him. That's my belief, I don't care what Bible or any other religious scripture says. The belief of the Christian is that by giving people the Bible you open a door through which people can walk in to a room of hope and consolation. Whilst this may not seem practical, when one is tormented by the knowledge that one's daughter is in the clutches of evil, the means of grace found within the Book is of tremendous importance. It can keep people alive. When one has an understanding of why evil exists and how that evil will be defeated, one goes on to find the strength to live each day and carry out the means of physical survival. Open Doors can't be everything to everyone, but they can attend to the body of Christ. In that way they help to shore up the foundation of world. |
Sorry, I forgot to say on this post of yours..............
Originally Posted by JTaylor
(Post 11797955)
Just back from a church meeting where a brother and sister from Open Doors* gave a convicting presentation regarding their mission in northern Iraq. The persecution faced by Christians at the hands of IS is heartbreaking.
One family had had their three year old daughter taken from them by IS as they fled Mosul; apparently the younger the girl the more she can be sold for at the 'market'. Jesus wept. If you've never prayed before I'd ask that you mutter something skywards that acknowledges the evil that is IS and that you ask God to protect that little girl. I thank God that those families can still find hope and consolation in Jesus and shudder to think what their lives would be without Him. If you'd like to give to the work, there's an opportunity to do so on the webpage. * http://www.opendoorsuk.org I prayed for this little girl and her family and wished to God for her safe return and for transforming the mindset of the IS to a good one, but I prayed to my God, not to the Christian one. Hope that's ok, and hope my prayers will be meaningful enough to reach Him up there? |
Originally Posted by JTaylor
(Post 11798013)
Morning, Steve. It's tragic that so many are suffering at the hands of Islamic State and Open Doors' aim is to support their brothers and sisters in faith. On the face of it it may seem peculiar to single out Christians, but actually OD are carrying out their religious duty. There's a quote at the bottom of the page that says this "If one part (of the body) suffers, every part suffers with it" which is from 1 Corinthians 12:26. OD and I believe that helping persecuted Christians, not just in Iraq, but across the world, alleviates the suffering of Christians everywhere. There are numerous other charities who tend to other worthy causes and many of the volunteers are indeed Christians. I guess if every charitable organisation had a universal remit they would spread themselves very thin and may well risk being less effective. For me, whilst your point is a fair one, I could equally question why Save the Children don't save adults and why Cancer Research doesn't research AIDS.
The belief of the Christian is that by giving people the Bible you open a door through which people can walk in to a room of hope and consolation. Whilst this may not seem practical, when one is tormented by the knowledge that one's daughter is in the clutches of evil, the means of grace found within the Book is of tremendous importance. It can keep people alive. When one has an understanding of why evil exists and how that evil will be defeated, one goes on to find the strength to live each day and carry out the means of physical survival. Open Doors can't be everything to everyone, but they can attend to the body of Christ. In that way they help to shore up the foundation of world. I suppose that is why their strap line said "60 years of serving....." - rather than "60 years of helping...." Giving them new Bibles would be low on my priority to help these poor persecuted people - I think they need far more practical help. It is simply horrendous what IS are doing to people in the name of their God. Cheers Steve |
Originally Posted by ditchmyster
(Post 11797846)
"These people try hard to keep their real feelings inside but end up revealing them in subtle, under-hand but often far more destructive ways" Another fail on your part. Give it up mate - go fix your roof. |
Originally Posted by steve05wrx
(Post 11798080)
Hi,
I suppose that is why their strap line said "60 years of serving....." - rather than "60 years of helping...." Giving them new Bibles would be low on my priority to help these poor persecuted people - I think they need far more practical help. It is simply horrendous what IS are doing to people in the name of their God. Cheers Steve Which, incidentally, is the same god that Christians and Jews worship! |
Originally Posted by steve05wrx
(Post 11798080)
Hi,
I suppose that is why their strap line said "60 years of serving....." - rather than "60 years of helping...." Giving them new Bibles would be low on my priority to help these poor persecuted people - I think they need far more practical help. It is simply horrendous what IS are doing to people in the name of their God. Cheers Steve one poster mentioned he/she had read a report that said a group of Nuns were on the first plane out of the country someone made the comment "that's because they were there to convert not to help" |
Originally Posted by JTaylor
(Post 11797955)
Just back from a church meeting where a brother and sister from Open Doors* gave a convicting presentation regarding their mission in northern Iraq. The persecution faced by Christians at the hands of IS is heartbreaking.
One family had had their three year old daughter taken from them by IS as they fled Mosul; apparently the younger the girl the more she can be sold for at the 'market'. Jesus wept. If you've never prayed before I'd ask that you mutter something skywards that acknowledges the evil that is IS and that you ask God to protect that little girl. I thank God that those families can still find hope and consolation in Jesus and shudder to think what their lives would be without Him. If you'd like to give to the work, there's an opportunity to do so on the webpage. * http://www.opendoorsuk.org |
Originally Posted by hodgy0_2
(Post 11798096)
a few years back, when the Haitian earth quake struck a Scoobynet thread was created to discuss the tragedy
one poster mentioned he/she had read a report that said a group of Nuns were on the first plane out of the country someone made the comment "that's because they were there to convert not to help" |
Originally Posted by JTaylor
(Post 11798027)
The primary aim of Open Doors is to get the Bible in to people's hands and to bring the Gospel alive. Do that and everything else follows.
The same sentiment goes to Hodgys comments about the nuns flying to Haiti. I'd imagine they did a dam slight more humanitarian work out there than most of Scoobynet did. |
Originally Posted by neil-h
(Post 11798155)
I can't help feel that's doing Open Doors quite a disservice. Looking on there website they do a reasonable amount of humanitarian work and trying to say that it's all achieved by handing out Bibles seems to belittle there work slightly.
The same sentiment goes to Hodgys comments about the nuns flying to Haiti. I'd imagine they did a dam slight more humanitarian work out there than most of Scoobynet did. But as Hodgy says, a Christian has to be a salesperson of the Christianity. James also explains that the bible distribution is a Christian helper's (in this instance it's Open Doors') primary duty. |
Originally Posted by Turbohot
(Post 11798055)
Sorry, I forgot to say on this post of yours..............
Very bad news, James. :( I prayed for this little girl and her family and wished to God for her safe return and for transforming the mindset of the IS to a good one, but I prayed to my God, not to the Christian one. Hope that's ok, and hope my prayers will be meaningful enough to reach Him up there? |
Originally Posted by Geezer
(Post 11798095)
Which, incidentally, is the same god that Christians and Jews worship!
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Originally Posted by Devildog
(Post 11798098)
Jesus isn't going to bring her back James. Jesus may provide the family with some consolation, but Jesus isn't going to help that little girl from whatever horrors she may face.
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so the same God or not? (without getting into semantics with the trinity etc)
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Just to confirm that I met the guys from Open Doors for the second time yesterday and Hodgy's right, their primary function is missionary work, i.e. spreading the Gospel. I get that this is unpalatable to non-Christians, but we Christians believe we are bringing good news to people who desperately need it.
My pastor often says that one can't argue somebody in to faith and I agree with him. What Christians can do is act as watchmen and messengers. We are to have the courage of our convictions whether this means sticking one's neck out on Scoobynet or risking it by smuggling Bibles in to Mosul. |
Originally Posted by hodgy0_2
(Post 11798172)
so the same God or not? (without getting into semantics with the trinity etc)
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lol, ok
take out the caveat |
Originally Posted by hodgy0_2
(Post 11798179)
lol, ok
take out the caveat |
that's a no then
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Why don't the 'gods' have a fight to see which one is chief god.
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Originally Posted by urban
(Post 11798188)
Why don't the 'gods' have a fight to see which one is chief god.
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Originally Posted by hodgy0_2
(Post 11798184)
that's a no then
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Originally Posted by JTaylor
(Post 11798169)
Jews and Muslims both worship the unitarian Abrahamic God, but Christians worship the trinitarian God whose incarnation is Jesus.
That's a bit of a cop out, isn't it. Besides, Jesus is in Islam, but he is a prophet, not God. Why are they wrong and you're right? Obviously we can extend that to the 4.8 billion people who think Christianity is a myth, if you like? |
Originally Posted by Geezer
(Post 11798203)
That's a bit of a cop out, isn't it.
Besides, Jesus is in Islam, but he is a prophet, not God. Why are they wrong and you're right? Obviously we can extend that to the 4.8 billion people who think Christianity is a myth, if you like? Second question: what is myth? Please define it. |
Originally Posted by Geezer
(Post 11798203)
That's a bit of a cop out, isn't it.
Besides, Jesus is in Islam, but he is a prophet, not God. Why are they wrong and you're right? Obviously we can extend that to the 4.8 billion people who think Christianity is a myth, if you like? |
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