Picture of the Day |
by Jason Bruce |
And we wonder why people don’t like Christians. There’s got to be a better way for this church to send "a loving warning to teens."
(Image courtesy of Tampabays10.com)
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Picture of the Day |
by Jason Bruce |
And we wonder why people don’t like Christians. There’s got to be a better way for this church to send "a loving warning to teens."
(Image courtesy of Tampabays10.com)
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I wasn't aware of the song, so at first the message hit me as particularly..."off". Even so, though, it seems a bit unwise.
...Not to mention misleading, since it directly implies that whether or not you're going to hell is a direct result of your actions rather than of what you do with the person of Jesus. I'm guessing this isn't what the church actually teaches (salvation by works), which makes it even more unfortunate. If it were what they taught, at least you could say they were being consistent. :P
Posted by: joel | September 11, 2008 at 11:20 AM
Hmmm - I hadn't heard of the song, so the sign immediately reminded me of the joke about the guy filling out the form with a description of his automobile accident: "I was driving down the freeway, looked at my mother-in-law, and drove off the cliff."
I.e., I thought it was from a church that stresses that the only reason for sex is procreation.
Either way, the theologically naive will draw the wrong conclusion from the sign. Sin isn't all about external behavior; you can't "act your way" out of Hell or into Heaven.
Posted by: LeeQuod | September 11, 2008 at 11:21 AM
Soundbite theology (correct or incorrect) is generally a very bad idea.
The irony with this sign is it appears they want to show cultural awareness, yet are just pushing everyone away. The sheep and the goats : not separated by the sheep. (Now that might make a good bumper-sticker).
Posted by: Steve (SBK) | September 11, 2008 at 11:31 AM
Apparently it is referencing a song promoting homosexual sex.
We have to preach the Law so that people might see the need for the Gospel. Put another way, afflict the comfortable and comfort the afflicted. We first have to make God's Law plausible, though, and that church sign does not achieve that end, and miscommunicates to all of us who don't listen to the current manufactured pop culture.
Joel, actually people do go to Hell because of their sinful choices. It is only by the grace of God made possible by Christ's death on the Cross in our place that we might be forgiven and saved.
Posted by: labrialumn | September 11, 2008 at 01:16 PM
labrialumn wrote: "Joel, actually people do go to Hell because of their sinful choices."
(blink, doubletake) Wow, lab (Can I call you "lab"?), I had you pegged as a 5-point Calvinist. My apologies.
(To not entirely derail the thread, I'll add that the sign opens Christians to the charge that only certain behaviors cause one to go to Hell. I'm convinced, lab, that you and I agree that's not the case. Brian, for one, has fought tirelessly to keep that issue clarified at The Point.)
Posted by: LeeQuod | September 11, 2008 at 02:09 PM
Ah, the church marquee. How many times I have wished for a camera while driving through rural GA. We used to joke that you could tell the churches that were squabbling with their pastors by the pointedness of the message on the sign.
Posted by: Susannah | September 12, 2008 at 12:41 AM
An unintelligent billboard is a discovery? One sentence propaganda capsules are almost always stupid whatever cause they espouse. Why not try discovering an intelligently written one?
Posted by: Jason Taylor | September 12, 2008 at 10:40 AM
Steve (SBK): Sadly, I can't make bumper stickers, but with your approval your statement is about to be formally Facebook Flaired.
Posted by: Samuel X | September 15, 2008 at 11:31 PM
I'm so uncool - never having heard of the Flair app before.
I officially give my stamp of approval :)
Posted by: Steve (SBK) | September 15, 2008 at 11:50 PM