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Were They All Self-Righteous Pharisees?


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I've hear it from numerous preachers that one should not go into a movie house as it would sort of go against their testimony as the non-Christian would see the Christian at the movie house and not know which movie he/she was viewing.


True, but why go watch a movie that portrays sins against God, how can a child of God get pleasure, enjoyment, call it entertaining, watching anything, movie or TV show, that portrays sins against their Fahter which is in Heaven.

How many Christian's children have been led into sin by the example set by Hollywood?

The problem is, many Christians, or those that call them self Christian, enjoy watching moves, TV shows, that portrays sins against God, in fact if it does not portray sins against God, most people will not watch the movie, or even TV show.

John R. Rice wrote a book about going to the movies many years ago, he was right on, them, & its still right on.
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For some time now, movie theaters have had marquees that have the names of the movies playing.

I have not been to a movie theater in many years, but I would go if the only movies showing on the marquee were "G" rated or of a Christian theme.


I would not, because even G-rated movies portrays sins against God.
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I would not, because even G-rated movies portrays sins against God.
Many internet forums portray sins against God, yet you are a member of an internet forum are you not?

Many web pages portray sins against God as well. So why not be consistent and get off the internet too? Edited by Standing Firm In Christ
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True, but why go watch a movie that portrays sins against God, how can a child of God get pleasure, enjoyment, call it entertaining, watching anything, movie or TV show, that portrays sins against their Fahter which is in Heaven.

How many Christian's children have been led into sin by the example set by Hollywood?

The problem is, many Christians, or those that call them self Christian, enjoy watching moves, TV shows, that portrays sins against God, in fact if it does not portray sins against God, most people will not watch the movie, or even TV show.

John R. Rice wrote a book about going to the movies many years ago, he was right on, them, & its still right on.


I wasn't advocating....I wouldn't go myself either, haven't in many years. I've given up TV programs as there isn't anything I care to view on there.
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Many internet forums portray sins against God, yet you are a member of an internet forum are you not?

Many web pages portray sins against God as well. So why not be consistent and get off the internet too?


A person can find a way to defend anything they want, & that is what your doing, your doing, one way is to attack.
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I am not defending myself at all. I am pointing out an inconsistency.

You say you would not go to G rated movies because even G rated movies sin against God.

Yet you are on the internet and all one has to do is go to google and search for angels and reveal that the internet sins against God.

So why justify being on the internet when it is a medium of sin as much as a G rated movie is? Actually, more than a G rated movie?

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I am merely pointing out your inconsistency.


Inconsistency is a plague. Inconsistency stirs up so many of my emotions such as anger, hate, sorrow, shame etc etc. Inconsisency is one area that makes it so easy for the world to pick us apart and to make such labels as "pharisees" and "puritans". Love is blind. Are we so blinded by the love of our preachers or our church that we are blind to our own inconsistencies? Are we so blinded by the love for ourselves that we can't recognize the areas where we are inconsistent?

RSSRobot stated, "The term “Pharisee” is thrown around lightly today, but to charge someone with being a Pharisee is a very serious accusation. It is to charge them with being a self-righteous hypocrite who denies salvation through grace, who hates sinners, who exalts tradition to the same authority as God’s Word, and who is a Christ-rejector"
I am guilty of this. I have used the term "pharisee" in the past, but I wasn't accusing someone of rejecting Christ or denying salvation through grace. I used it to label someone who is a whited sepulcher, with their outwardly standards, puffing themselves up, but meanwhile being filled with dead man's bones. Basically putting their standards above their Christian love. When I talked to my wife about the fact that I will be preaching at an IFB church, she got to a point where she was shaking and scared. She is scared of the "IFB crowd" because we were made to feel like outcasts at the IFB church we attended for 3 years. And it had nothing to do with the lack of our standards, but inconsisencies in the standards and I will try to explain.

When I rededicated my life to Jesus in 2006, I had to take a $20,000 pay cut that year. This put a financial burden on my family as we just had our first child the same year and was pregnant with our 2nd. The church we went to was small and the pastor's wife and the younger women my wifes age would get together and have their nails and hair done. My wife could not afford to do this with them and it was hard for her but she understood that we were making sacrifices. They would shop together and look nice on Sunday morning with their nice dresses and hair and make-up and nails. This was ok too. My wife found nice clothes at goodwill and we were happy and not a bit jealous. But when you have to listen to sermons on outwardly appearance and not looking worldly and my wife would look at the "other woman" with their beautiful, shorter hair nicely styled and their expesive make-up and nails and clothes, it was getting hard for her. Especially a sermon on women and modest apparel and costly array, and yes I now modest doesn't have to mean cheap. The pastor's wife had actually made a statement that she wouldn't answer the door unless she had her make-up on. And it wasn't colorful make-up and was "tastefully" done. We definately felt poor going to this church, but we were happy and not jealous so that feeling really didn't matter to us. Then you have a sermon on tatoos. OK, we are to look at tatoos as marking God's temple and that could be portrayed as sin. I can believe that and am not looking for a difference of beliefs on tatoos. But I will ask, what is the difference in tatoos and make-up?? What, because one is permanent and one is not that there is actually a difference? Who is to draw the line, man or God? When man does it we have inconsistencies. When God does it, there isn't any inconsistancy. What, we look at Tammy Faye Baker and say that her make-up looks like a prostitute but "tastefully" done is ok. By who's standards? Why does a woman feel the need to wear make-up? Can we use the same answers to answer the question why a person would feel the need to get a tattoo? Is there similiar reasons? Did puritan women wear make-up? Yes, I have heard preaching on getting back to "the old paths" and that our churches are looking too worldy and need to go back 100 or 200 years. But, when you hear that preaching from a pastor and then look around at his own wife and the other women in the church, the 2 don't add up. I did talk to my former pastor about this, and to this day he probably still feels I am a nut job for drawing a line from tattoos to make-up. Or associating costly array with manicured nails and that I am just jealous.

Please, know my heart. This wasn't a conclusion of mine from jealousy. This wasn't me having a judgemental attitude toward the women of the church. It was me, hearing some good preaching from the pastor, and looking around and it seeming to be inconsistant to his actual beliefs and to God's Word.

This wasn't the reason we left the church either. There were so many "inconsistancies". When I walked in to the church, I felt I was walking into an ice box. It was almost depressing. The church was cold with its hard preaching and standards and I did not feel love there. I did not see love there. All I saw was a "whited sepulcher". The church would "puff" itself up with the hard-line fundamental standards that they said they believed and then look down at anyone else that didn't profess the same standards. The problem was all the professing and none of the living. So, yes, I used the label "pharisee". No, I don't feel all IFB churches or members are this way. We just saw so much of this during our time at this church.

I just noticed that I did a quote from Standing firm. In doing so, it might look like I was agreeing to his post about Jerry being inconsistant. This was not the case. I was wanting to run with the word inconsistant because of some issues I have had in my life. Edited by robmac68
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Another statement I feel is inconsistant is the one that concerns CCM. "If it effects the foot before it effects the heart, it is of the flesh." I have heard this statement made for the reason CCM is sinful. Does this make Contemporary Christian Music a sin? When I hear that statement, I feel the person making it is also making the statement that "all things of the flesh is sin". Is all things of the flesh sin? I can think of quite a few things that are of the flesh that I would not associate as sin. I believe when Paul made the statement that he believed it would be better to be like him, unmarried, but it would be a gift from God to remain this way and not all have this gift, that Paul was talking about sexual desires. It is better to marry that than to burn. I believe Paul is saying that if we can't control our sexual urges that we should marry so we have an outlet that would not be sinful. But if I believe CCM is sin because it appeals to the flesh, is it sin for me to "know" my wife for any other reason than to procreate? I don't believe it is. Would it be a sin for me to satisfy my hunger, flesh desire, by eating a cupcake rather than something that is healthy for my body? My brother-in-law believes CCM is sin because it is of the flesh. I asked him why he felt this way and he told me because the first thing I would want to do when listening is to dance. DANCE!!!??? That is his belief?? I want to dance?? What a bunch of hooey! I never felt like dancing because I heard some CCM. Some of the music effects me the same was a good hellfire and brimstone sermon does. I want to charge hell with a squirt gun. Not to dance.

Someone might feel I am really stretching here, but I dont feel I am. I feel someone making that statement is the one stretching. I feel it is inconsistant to what the Bible teaches. If someone feels CCM is a sin, point out the words that make it sinful. Point out the type of song it is and call it sin. The type I am referring to is something like the song "Jesus Freak". That song basically says "look at me" and does not have much to do with praising God. Our songs are to praise The Almighty and not to pat oneself on the back for being a freak. I feel alot of CCM is used for entertainment and not for praise, but if thats the case, point that out.

A babe in Christ that is stuck with CCM for entertainment reasons is not going to grow by making outlandesh statements about the reason it is sin. It will offend them and turn them away. And if we offend for any other reason than the Bible, we are wrong. Is there a verse in the Bible that relates all things of the flesh as sin?

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There is no inconsistency in pointing out the wickedness even in G rated movies while using the internet. The internet is like a city. Just as in a city, one can choose where to go and where to avoid on the internet. One can get online, check their local church website or a devoltional site, see if they have email from family, spend some time on OB, check the weather and never partake of the myriad of wicked sites online.

I've seen parts of several G rated, "family friendly" movies on TV while visiting my sister. Each one had many objectionable aspects to them, from "cute cussing" to promotion of evolution, false religions and the end justifies the means.

There are those who struggle with separating from movies and for some, seeing a known Christian attending the theater would be that stumbling block which would make them think it's okay to attend the movies; which often leads to little discernment as to just what movie is showing. I've actually known several people who have experienced this, some to the point of justifying watching vile horror movies because if it's okay to see some movies there should be no problem seeing any movie.

In the end, it's up to each of us to decide whether or not God would have us attend a theater. Myself, I've not been to a movie theater since 1986.

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Is it a sin to practice birth control or to get a vasectomy? We as Christians are supposed to believe that children are a blessing from God. I have heard the man with a full quiver is blessed. I looked around the church and noticed how small the families were. My former pastor's wife would love to have a little girl. They have talked adoption. They have 3 sons. I asked why adoption. Because if they keep trying for a girl, they might end up with a bunch of boys. Ok, what is wrong with that? Does the Bible teach us anywhere that we should decide how many kids to have? Anywhere? Shouldn't this be left up to God? Will God give us a burden we can't handle? How can we say we fully trust God in our lives, but yet we make our own decisions on such matters. Oh yea, I prayed about it and feel God is leading me to get a vasectomy. Is that really a Godly statement? Doesn't God open and close wombs as He sees fit? I actually asked my mother this some time back as she feels it isn't sin to practice birth control. When I told her my thoughts she replied, "can you imagine the ------ family having more kids, they can't control the ones they have so it is good they are taking steps to not have anymore?" Where in God's Word does it give me the right to look at another family in church and decide they don't need anymore kids?

I am not trying to point a finger at my former pastor as being a hypocrite. I don't feel he is a hypocrite. He never preached on a subject and then went out and did it, that I know of. I believe his beliefs are inconsistant with the Word of God. I believe when he preaches on faith in God and for us to put our faith in Him fully, and then letting it be known that they might not be having any more kids because it is their decision, than it is inconsistant.

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