Iranians loving Christian TV

Apropos of the message in David's post, here is a bit from my favorite Christian tract, from the 17th century (which I may have posted before! if so, sorry!):

Ye are called to peace, therefore follow it; that peace is in Christ, not in Adam in the fall. All that pretend to fight for Christ are deceived; for his kingdom is not of this world, therefore his servants do not fight. Fighters are not of Christ’s kingdom, but are without Christ’s kingdom: for his kingdom stands in peace and righteousness, but fighters are in the lust: and all that would destroy men’s lives are not of Christ’s mind, who came to save men’s lives. Christ’s kingdom is not of this world; it is peaceable: and all that are in strife are not of his kingdom. All that pretend to fight for the gospel are deceived; for the gospel is the power of God, which was before the devil or fall of man was: and the gospel of peace was before fighting was. Therefore they that pretend fighting, and talk of fighting so, are ignorant of the gospel. All that talk of fighting for Sion are in darkness: Sion needs no such helpers.

~George Fox

But certainly we "Christians" are not to be victims for just any reason or no reason or all. Jesus of course spoke may times about the kinds of people we should avoid, but He also spoke about defending yourself from those you cannot.

In Luke (22) Jesus advises His disciples to arm themselves for defensive reasons:

35 Then Jesus asked them, “When I sent you out to preach the Good News and you did not have money, a traveler’s bag, or extra clothing, did you need anything?”

“No,” they replied.

36 “But now,” he said, “take your money and a traveler’s bag. And if you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one! 37 For the time has come for this prophecy about me to be fulfilled: ‘He was counted among the rebels.’ Yes, everything written about me by the prophets will come true.”

38 “Look, Lord,” they replied, “we have two swords among us.”

“That’s enough,” he said.

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There are people that will harm us just because they want to rob us. And there are even worse people that want to harm us by poisonous doctrine and cunning and clever lies. Especially those lies that look like they are coming from people that claim to be Christians. Jesus warned us of these kinds of people often.

A good way to see both political parties in America. But notice that the GOP allows for individual freedom to defend yourself from both physical attackers and spiritual attackers. The Democrats deny the (real) Christians both.

The really bad stuff...like feeding the hungry, caring for the sick, educating children, and trampling on Sacred Corporate Rights in the name of justice and equality.

You know, in our great country people are free to be selfish, cruel, heartless, bigoted militaristic jacka***s. I just wish they wouldn't wrap themselves in the cloak of Jesus of Nazareth and piously claim to be the(real) Christians.

It's distasteful, unattractive, and false.

Oh, that kind.

I was afraid you were going to make me read Oprah's book of the month.