The "Rebel" Jesus

[Guest]

Gabby - being a pacifist does not mean one is passive.

Being a pacifist REQUIRES one to have a zeal, a burden, a passion, to be bold, to stand firm, - being a pacifist does not mean sitting in the corner somewhere.

Oh, and perhaps the song is older than I or perhaps not - what does age have to do with it?

 

[tim-from-pa]

Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword

Now there's a "pacifist" I can relate to. Not the 'gentle Jesus' we mockingly hang pictures of holding a lamb in one hand, staff in the other with his head cocked lovingly to one side. :-D

 

[Guest]

Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword

Now there's a "pacifist" I can relate to. Not the 'gentle Jesus' we mockingly hang pictures of holding a lamb in one hand, staff in the other with his head cocked lovingly to one side. :-D

Do you know why Jesus might be carrying that lamb? Shephards would somtimes need to 'break/bruise' the leg of wayward sheep.

The verse you are quoting is not meant to be that Jesus is bringing a literal sword to do combat.

 

[tim-from-pa]

The verse you are quoting is not meant to be that Jesus is bringing a literal sword to do combat.

True. Symbolically it is the Word. We have the written Word, and we have it Incarnate. However, notice this sword comes out of His mouth to smite the nations in Revelation 19:15. So much so that his "vesture was dipped in blood".

 

[Vic C.]

True. Symbolically it is the Word. We have the written Word, and we have it Incarnate. However, notice this sword comes out of His mouth to smite the nations in Revelation 19:15. So much so that his "vesture was dipped in blood".

:-D

 

[Gabbylittleangel]

[/quote]

Gabby - being a pacifist does not mean one is passive.

Being a pacifist REQUIRES one to have a zeal, a burden, a passion, to be bold, to stand firm, - being a pacifist does not mean sitting in the corner somewhere.

I was using this definition of the word pacifist.
pacifist

adjective
Inclined or disposed to peace; not quarrelsome or unruly: irenic, pacific, pacifical, pacifistic, peaceable, peaceful. See peace
http://education.yahoo.com/reference/th ... y/pacifist

NOUN:
The belief that disputes between nations should and can be settled peacefully.

Opposition to war or violence as a means of resolving disputes.
Such opposition demonstrated by refusal to participate in military action.
http://education.yahoo.com/reference/di ... y/pacifism

Oh, and perhaps the song is older than I or perhaps not - what does age have to do with it?

The simple fact that you did not seem to relate to it gave me the impression that either you had never heard it, or were not familiar with it.

The line from the song, that refers to the passages that followed says to me that Jesus had no problem with being aggressive rather than pacific.

 

[tim-from-pa]

Gabby:

I'm listening to that song now on my Rhapsody. It's a good one I remember well. That was not that long ago was it? The 1960's :-D Geez, maybe we are getting old. ;-)

 

[Guest]

I was using this definition of the word pacifist.
pacifist

adjective
Inclined or disposed to peace; not quarrelsome or unruly: irenic, pacific, pacifical, pacifistic, peaceable, peaceful. See peace
http://education.yahoo.com/reference/th ... y/pacifist

NOUN:
The belief that disputes between nations should and can be settled peacefully.

Opposition to war or violence as a means of resolving disputes.
Such opposition demonstrated by refusal to participate in military action.
http://education.yahoo.com/reference/di ... y/pacifism

As I explained in an earlier post - I believe the term pacifist - atleast in relation to what I would call "biblical pacifism" - is misunderstood, and mis-defined.

I agree, Jesus was confrontational - as a pacifist, so am I. The crux of the matter is "how" one is confrontational, and but what means one will use in being confrontational.

The simple fact that you did not seem to relate to it gave me the impression that either you had never heard it, or were not familiar with it. The line from the song, that refers to the passages that followed says to me that Jesus had no problem with being aggressive rather than pacific.

Being 'aggressive' does not mean being violent.

 

[Gabbylittleangel]

Being 'aggressive' does not mean being violent.

What is this in reference to? ie: I have made no accusations of violence. It seems that we are on different pages when it comes to definitions

 

[Guest]

What is this in reference to? ie: I have made no accusations of violence. It seems that we are on different pages when it comes to definitions

Perhaps I misunderstood - it seemed to me that you were saying that Christ could not be a pacifist because He was 'agressive'.

Did I misunderstand?

 

[Gabbylittleangel]

Perhaps I misunderstood - it seemed to me that you were saying that Christ could not be a pacifist because He was 'agressive'.

Did I misunderstand?

Reread the dictionary quote that I posted for pacifist. that is the definition that I used for the term.

 

[cyberjosh]

This topic reminds me of a message I heard once preached by John Bevere about how the original Christians were a counter-culture rather than todays version of Christianity which is a sub-culture (which moves with and in the confines of secular culture when the culture changes). An example he used was he asked how many Christians, if marajuana was legalized, would actually say "Hey its legal its cool, don't worry about it" and proceed to smoke it. But he quoted from an early Roman account which demonstrated the difference in lifestyle of the early Christians, even in the Pagans eyes: The Roman basically said, "These band of people called Christians submit themselves to our (Roman) laws, but they live for a higher law." So its not exactly rebellion againt Government, infact the Epistles make it very clear that we should submit to our respective goverments and even pray for the prosperity & salvation of their leaders, but at the same time we should not "go with the flow" of the worldly things and instead submit to God's higher law of righteousness.

God Bless,

~Josh

 

[Guest]

Celsus - a pagan philsopher - wrote against the Christians in Rome because they were not taking part in the empire - either by serving in the civil government or as a soldier.

He uurged Christians to "help the king with all our might, and ..to fight for him... and ... lead an army along with them.: He argued that if the Christians did not participate and if everyone did as the nonresistant Christians did, the empire would be ruined.