Play muse to a preacher
Offline I've got an open spot either next week or the one after for what I want to talk about in a sermon I'm giving. I like outside perspectives. PLEASE, don't bother with appeals for me to tell them to abandon their faith and such. I'm asking now for thoughts on what some of you would like to see christians do or be told to do if we accept the situation of their faith.
Your displayed volunteer work/fund raising is a good example. "Preach: Stop being hypocrites and show the love Jesus told you to. Where is the fruit of your belief?" Would be a good response to this post.
In other posts I've mentioned using Ayn Rand in my appeals to christians, along with medical research showing the area of the brain responsible for triggering religious/spiritual experiences. I've also used the band Papa Roach's song Last Resort recently to remind people that simply offering 'eternal life' to people in situations where life is scarcely bearable is retarded. OLD song, I know, but it did seem to help. I mention these to help assure you that I do want to put your thoughts to work, or those you link me to.
If you know bible texts and have something positive they can work with, that'd be awesome too. Things for them to mull over critically I'm open to, but that sort of thing I often need to keep in small groups because of the 'mixed classroom' setting. If its good I'll still use it when/where appropriate 
Oh, do keep in mind that I'm speaking to other people who don't believe in intangible soul beings within them, or floating off to other dimensions at any point, or that they should be subject to jewish law as gentile believers. I'm trying to ground them in the, well, ground of the earth(and scientific reality), reminding them of how precious it is in their worldview and trying to move them to being more productive members of society. Obviously, I think I can do this with the bible but I don't believe it should be the only source of information these people are exposed to.
Thanks!
Mike Gravel for president!
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I always wanted to hear a talk between a priest and his audience on the laws they choose to go with, and what is the driving force behind their morality. I always wanted to hear a priest saying in front of a congregation that we are all humans, after all, and everyone can be good and bad as well. I always wanted to hear a priest telling his flock that "good" and "bad" cannot be absolute, and what is "good" for one may be "bad" for someone else.
A sermon based on these is one that I'd gladly go to.
Inquisition - "The flames are all long gone, but the pain lingers on..."
http://rigoromortis.blogspot.com/
Personally, I think the biggest problem those of us lakcing faith have with most xtians is their apparent desire to control others. If xtianity was just about getting together on Sun. morning, singing and such we wouldn't really care. However, more and more xtians feel the need to try and impact other people's lives with their own morality and world view. Can they not see the slippery slope they are carving for themselves? I think every preacher should end every sermon with "The path to hell is paved with good intentions". Make people realize that just b/c you think differently about some issue, doesn't make you any less human. Life is life is life is life. We are all the same. I thin kthat would be a good sermon...
No Gods, Know Peace.
I agree with Ninja. People need to preach tolerance. When I still went to church, I was being judged constantly by my peers in the youth group and the leaders in the church. One parent accused me of inappropriate behavior with a guy during a lock in. One youth member spread a rumor about me performing sexual acts in the church parking lot. I was one of the only virgins in the whole church. However, people can be cruel. I would like to see a church teaching real camaraderie.. I would like to see a church that actually cares about the community. I would like to see a Christian that doesn't run people out of the church for being different. Church should be friendly and supportive. Unfortunately, it rarely is. Of course this is a generalization. However, that would be an excellent sermon.
Ah, the pitter patter of tiny feet in huge combat boots.
I think she likes me guys....
No Gods, Know Peace.
Oh, shut up... you big loser head!!!
If all they did was sing and hold hands I wouldn't have any interest. There is great danger in influence, but influence is not inherently evil. Especially amongst the willing and the alert. My job isn't to tell people what to believe, its to help people check themselves for how they line up to their claims. Its my job to beat the drone mentality out of people
I was inspired by the RSS vs. Ray 'banana man' Comfort debate, so I used that and Pascal's Wager to point out how "it is not good to have Zeal without knowledge." Gave a guy a banana to eat while telling him about the 'atheist's nightmare,' explained the origins of the banana, offered him a coconut and pineapple. My thanks to those who so succinctly put the counter arguments out there.
Mike Gravel for president!