gregbo@houxm.UUCP (Greg Skinner) (09/01/84)
> Sender: rainbow@ihuxe.UUCP >> Jeff Sargent >> How did this get into net.singles? With your permission, I'm putting this in net.religion too, since this dis- cussion really belongs there. (Now I'll have to start reading it again :-) >> I can't agree with this; many (by no means all, but quite a few) >> non-Christians of my acquaintance like to do things which are >> self-destructive (e.g. getting thoroughly drunk or listening to the >> horribly peaceless, jarring "music" now audible on the top 40 stations), >> and they still (implicitly) defend them as good. This is but one example >> which renders the "better class" judgment questionable. As a Christian who listens (almost always) to Top 40 music, I can safely say that it hasn't done anything to me. I always have, and I probably always will. I never found it to be destructive in any way. I know some Christians who find things that are non-Christian sinful, and remove them from their lives. Someone I knew in college sold most of, and destroyed the rest of their album collection shortly after accepting Christ. I don't think I would ever do that, because I love my records, but if I felt it was standing in the way of my salvation I would do it. There is a verse which explains this type of action: "If your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. (Matthew 18:8, NIV) > I agree "better class" is subjective. The point is I do not hold vices such > as drinking or listening to loud music against anyone. Why should these have > any effect on my judgment of individuals? The important consideration for me > is how they treat others. This determines what class of people they belong in. Referring to above, these things are ok as long as they do not stand between that person and their salvation. >> Mind you, I sometimes do self-destructive things too, but I try not to >> pretend that what I'm doing is good. > I do not recall ever being told that I should participate in the above > activities because they are good. They are done because they are fun and > enjoyable for those involved. This reminds me of another scripture: "Everything is permissible to for me, but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible for me, but I will not be mastered by anything." (1 Cor. 5:12) Sure, listening to loud music, drinking, partying, etc. can be fun. But, as it has been said, everything in moderation. One should not allow such things to control their lives -- for example, there is a clear difference between taking a drink once in a while and being an alcoholic. I myself drink margaritas occasionally, not because I'm dependent on them but because I think they taste good. I don't feel that I am sinning (in that respect) because to me it's just like drinking soda. I'd say more on the subject, but (1) it's better continued in net.religion and (2) I have other articles to read. -- Hug me till you drug me, honey! Greg Skinner (gregbo) {allegra,cbosgd,ihnp4}!houxm!gregbo
yiri@ucf-cs.UUCP (David) (09/04/84)
The reference to I Cor. 6:12 (not 5:12) is more accurately rendered as follows: "All things are conceivable for me, however, not all things bring-things-together. All things are conceivable for me, however I will not be addicted to any." Read the codex sinaiticus, vaticanus, papyrii and Peshitta rather than "Christianized" versions. The interpretation then is that while we conceive of many things, not all of them are beneficial; and while we may conceive of many things, we should not be addicted to any of them. There is nothing there about extra-Torah things being "permissible". That was a notion introduced later by non-Jews of the Roman Empire. Again I refer readers to the Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible, Text NT, Abingdon Press which ack- nowledges that such "evolution" of the scriptures indeed took place and is evidenced by comparisons of manuscripts of the different periods.