Off the Deep End
The folks at Carried Cross have certainly caught my attention. I was introduced to these guys a few days ago through stevenb, and I don't know whether to laugh or weep. The people of this organization are beyond fundamentalism, and have turned from any hints of "loving your neighbor" and having "joy in the Lord." They preach a twisted message of hating your life (suffering for Christ) and hating the world (separation from culture). How tragic! My heart really goes out to the people who are buying these lies, and who are living in such bondage. Nevertheless, after you get over feeling sorry for or even being angry with these people, you can view their website for entertainment purposes. Here are a few highlights:
Tracts:
Titles include "Halloween Alternatives," "Loser for Jesus," "Kill the Easter Bunny," and "Hating for Jesus"
Here are some excerps from "What is Acceptable Music?"
- Rather than frame our discussion by the use of human logic, let us look at God’s word.
- A Christian’s music should be alien and strange to the ungodly. In short, they shouldn’t like it.
- Using music for evangelism is to sing songs to demons and wicked men, and to lure the most
unholy and unrepentant into our temples.
- If we use music to call the worldly to the church, we might as well give away free beer.
Here are some excerps from "A Holy Christmas," instructing how to have a holy Christmas:
- First, do not invite your family over for dinner (Luke 14:12)
- Second, show an attitude of hating and despising money. In other words, don’t care anything
about presents, Christmas bonuses or days off. (Luke 16:13)
- Third, give all your presents to Jesus by giving your gifts away to the poor. Tell others that
whatever they plan to give, that you will give it to the poor who need it more. (Luke 12:33-34)
- Fourth, Make sure all cold or lukewarm worshippers of God are thoroughly rebuked and not
allowed to come to church on December 25. That only those who plan to repent, coming to
church all year long, loving God and others deeply will be permitted through the door.
(Ephesians 5:5-7)
- Fifth, spend time fasting and praying rather than feasting and indulging the flesh with food,
sports, and relaxation. Fast from all anxiety that comes from the preparation for Christmas.
(Luke 21:34)
The Doctrinal IQ Test:
I scored an 11 out of 25, simply because for many of the questions, they offered no right answer. When my score was announced it said "11/25 Have you even ever read the Bible?" Good question... As a matter of fact I have, and I read it IN CONTEXT!!!
Here's the quiz:
1. Which three testify to the power of Jesus?
a. Christians, Blood, Holy Spirit
b. Spirit, Blood, Bible
c. Bible, Church, Spirit
d. Spirit, Water, Blood
Answer: d (see 1 John 5:7).
2. When Jesus said we would be one, what did he mean?
a. That all churches will be united
b. That we would be one with God
c. There will only be one true Christian per church
d. That all religions would be united
Answer: b (see John 17:1).
3. Who are Christians not allowed to eat lunch with?
a. Tax collectors
b. Sinners
c. Hypocrites
d. Musicians
Answer: c (see 1 Corinthians 5:9-13).
4. What is the message of the cross?
a. Foolishness to those who are perishing
b. Just another religious idea
c. A purely theoretical concept
d. I really don't know.
Answer: a (see 1 Corinthians 1:18).
5. How did Paul preach in Corinth?
a. With great boldness
b. With fear and trembling
c. With signs and wonders
d. With stories of victory and recommendations from other towns
Answer: b (see 1 Corinthians 2:3)
6. Who quoted Psalm 91:11-12 to Jesus?
a. Herod
b. Satan
c. Peter
d. A demon
Answer: b (see Matthew 4:6).
7. How should Christian's treat money?
a. They should be good stewards
b. They should have it in it's proper place
c. They should hate and despise it
d. They should use it for God's glory as they see fit
Answer: c (see Matthew 6:24)
8. Which of these did Jesus come to do?
a. Bring peace and goodwill to all men
b. Bring division to men and families
c. Bring prosperity and fun for everyone
d. Bring some nice new moral rules
Answer: b (see Matthew 10:34-36)
9. What must you do to be a true disciple of Jesus?
a. Hate your life, carry your cross, follow Jesus
b. Change your life, go to church, pray to Jesus
c. Do good deeds, perform miracles, preach the gospel
d. Achieve inner peace, become debt-free, live in unity with all other religions
Answer: a (see Luke 14:26-27).
10. How are we to love God?
a. More than any thing
b. More than anyone except our friends
c. More than anyone except our families
d. With ALL our heart, mind, soul, and strength
Answer: d (see Mark 12;30).
11. What will happen to a church which counts its members?
a. God will bless it
b. Christians will flock to it
c. Jesus will leave it
d. People will be impressed by it
Answer: c (see John 4:1-3)
12. Why do most people follow Jesus?
a. Because he deserves to be followed
b. Because they like his teaching
c. Because of what they can get from him
d. Because they love him
Answer: c (see John 6:26)
13. What will happen if the gospel is preached correctly?
a. Great numbers of people will repent
b. Many people will benefit from the good moral teaching
c. Most will find it hard, offensive, and reject it
d. Stadiums will be full of those desperate to hearAnswer: c (see John 6:60-66)
14. How should we treat the command that women should wear a covering in worship?
a. We should humble ourselves and see that it is obeyed
b. We should ignore it because it was just a cultural issue
c. We should ignore it because it is too legalistic
d. We should have women wear hats as a nice compromise
Answer: a (see 1 Corinthians 11:3-16)
15. If you are not married, what should you do?
a. Go join a Christian singles club
b. Do not seek a wife
c. Ask the Lord to bless your dating
d. Pray for a wife
Answer: b (see 1 Corinthians 7:27)
16. How are Christian men to treat Christian women?
a. As prospective dates
b. As prospective wives
c. With good intentions
d. With absolute purity
Answer: d (see 1 Timothy 5:2).
17. Are the spiritual gifts, like speaking in tongues and prophecy, still valid today?
a. No, they ceased with the early church
b. Yes, but only in charismatic churches
c. Yes, of course
d. Yes, but only the ones I'm comfortable with
Answer: c (see 1 Corinthians 14:1)
18. How should someone who ignores the Scriptures concerning spiritual gifts and orderly
worship in 1 Corinthians 14 be treated?
a. They should be completely ignored
b. They should be tolerated
c. Their arguments and justifications should be listened to
d. They should be accepted in love
Answer: a (see 1 Corinthians 14:37-38)
19. How should a married man live his life?
a. He should devote his time to his wife and family
b. He should be constantly attending to his wife's needs
c. He should balance the needs of God with those of his family
d. He should live as though he were not married
Answer: d (see 1 Corinthians 7:29)
20. If you are a true Christian, which of these should be happening to you?
a. You should be experiencing prosperity
b. You should be being persecuted
c. You should be seeing many brought to Christ through your ministry
d. You should be loved and accepted by everyone
Answer: b (see John 15:19-20)
21. Which of these will not inherit the kingdom of God?
a. Those who steal
b. Those who are greedy
c. Those who gossip and slander
d. All of the above
Answer: d (see 1 Corinthians 6:9).
22. Which of these will not inherit the kingdom of God either?
a. Those who are sexually immoral
b. Those with selfish ambitions
c. Those who are envious
d. All of the above
Answer: d (see Galatians 5:19-21).
23. Is it possible for a Christian to have believed in vain and lose their salvation?
a. No, absolutely not
b. Not if they are really sincere in what they believe
c. Yes, its quite possible
d. No, God wouldn't allow that
Answer: c (see 1 Corinthians 15:2)
24. Can a Christian be cut off from God and end up in Hell?
a. No, absolutely not
b. Yes, its quite possible
c. Not if they were really a Christian
d. No, God would never do that
Answer: b (see Romans 11:20-22)
25. Who are those who love Jesus?
a. Those who say they love him
b. Those who pray and go to church
c. Those who obey some of his commandments
d. Those who obey all his commandments
Answer: d (see John 14:15).
After, I finished the quiz, with my 11/25 score, this paragraph appeared on the screen:
If you're a Loser for Jesus (which I wasn't), congratulations! If not, you should be worried. This test was designed to test the basics. Anything less than a top score means you obviously have some serious issues to deal with. We suggest you read the book "Even the Demons Believe" for a start. Remember, you won't get the chance to retake this test on the Day of Judgement.
I guess, I really don't even have anything left to say about this. It kind of speaks for itself.
Tracts:
Titles include "Halloween Alternatives," "Loser for Jesus," "Kill the Easter Bunny," and "Hating for Jesus"
Here are some excerps from "What is Acceptable Music?"
- Rather than frame our discussion by the use of human logic, let us look at God’s word.
- A Christian’s music should be alien and strange to the ungodly. In short, they shouldn’t like it.
- Using music for evangelism is to sing songs to demons and wicked men, and to lure the most
unholy and unrepentant into our temples.
- If we use music to call the worldly to the church, we might as well give away free beer.
Here are some excerps from "A Holy Christmas," instructing how to have a holy Christmas:
- First, do not invite your family over for dinner (Luke 14:12)
- Second, show an attitude of hating and despising money. In other words, don’t care anything
about presents, Christmas bonuses or days off. (Luke 16:13)
- Third, give all your presents to Jesus by giving your gifts away to the poor. Tell others that
whatever they plan to give, that you will give it to the poor who need it more. (Luke 12:33-34)
- Fourth, Make sure all cold or lukewarm worshippers of God are thoroughly rebuked and not
allowed to come to church on December 25. That only those who plan to repent, coming to
church all year long, loving God and others deeply will be permitted through the door.
(Ephesians 5:5-7)
- Fifth, spend time fasting and praying rather than feasting and indulging the flesh with food,
sports, and relaxation. Fast from all anxiety that comes from the preparation for Christmas.
(Luke 21:34)
The Doctrinal IQ Test:
I scored an 11 out of 25, simply because for many of the questions, they offered no right answer. When my score was announced it said "11/25 Have you even ever read the Bible?" Good question... As a matter of fact I have, and I read it IN CONTEXT!!!
Here's the quiz:
1. Which three testify to the power of Jesus?
a. Christians, Blood, Holy Spirit
b. Spirit, Blood, Bible
c. Bible, Church, Spirit
d. Spirit, Water, Blood
Answer: d (see 1 John 5:7).
2. When Jesus said we would be one, what did he mean?
a. That all churches will be united
b. That we would be one with God
c. There will only be one true Christian per church
d. That all religions would be united
Answer: b (see John 17:1).
3. Who are Christians not allowed to eat lunch with?
a. Tax collectors
b. Sinners
c. Hypocrites
d. Musicians
Answer: c (see 1 Corinthians 5:9-13).
4. What is the message of the cross?
a. Foolishness to those who are perishing
b. Just another religious idea
c. A purely theoretical concept
d. I really don't know.
Answer: a (see 1 Corinthians 1:18).
5. How did Paul preach in Corinth?
a. With great boldness
b. With fear and trembling
c. With signs and wonders
d. With stories of victory and recommendations from other towns
Answer: b (see 1 Corinthians 2:3)
6. Who quoted Psalm 91:11-12 to Jesus?
a. Herod
b. Satan
c. Peter
d. A demon
Answer: b (see Matthew 4:6).
7. How should Christian's treat money?
a. They should be good stewards
b. They should have it in it's proper place
c. They should hate and despise it
d. They should use it for God's glory as they see fit
Answer: c (see Matthew 6:24)
8. Which of these did Jesus come to do?
a. Bring peace and goodwill to all men
b. Bring division to men and families
c. Bring prosperity and fun for everyone
d. Bring some nice new moral rules
Answer: b (see Matthew 10:34-36)
9. What must you do to be a true disciple of Jesus?
a. Hate your life, carry your cross, follow Jesus
b. Change your life, go to church, pray to Jesus
c. Do good deeds, perform miracles, preach the gospel
d. Achieve inner peace, become debt-free, live in unity with all other religions
Answer: a (see Luke 14:26-27).
10. How are we to love God?
a. More than any thing
b. More than anyone except our friends
c. More than anyone except our families
d. With ALL our heart, mind, soul, and strength
Answer: d (see Mark 12;30).
11. What will happen to a church which counts its members?
a. God will bless it
b. Christians will flock to it
c. Jesus will leave it
d. People will be impressed by it
Answer: c (see John 4:1-3)
12. Why do most people follow Jesus?
a. Because he deserves to be followed
b. Because they like his teaching
c. Because of what they can get from him
d. Because they love him
Answer: c (see John 6:26)
13. What will happen if the gospel is preached correctly?
a. Great numbers of people will repent
b. Many people will benefit from the good moral teaching
c. Most will find it hard, offensive, and reject it
d. Stadiums will be full of those desperate to hearAnswer: c (see John 6:60-66)
14. How should we treat the command that women should wear a covering in worship?
a. We should humble ourselves and see that it is obeyed
b. We should ignore it because it was just a cultural issue
c. We should ignore it because it is too legalistic
d. We should have women wear hats as a nice compromise
Answer: a (see 1 Corinthians 11:3-16)
15. If you are not married, what should you do?
a. Go join a Christian singles club
b. Do not seek a wife
c. Ask the Lord to bless your dating
d. Pray for a wife
Answer: b (see 1 Corinthians 7:27)
16. How are Christian men to treat Christian women?
a. As prospective dates
b. As prospective wives
c. With good intentions
d. With absolute purity
Answer: d (see 1 Timothy 5:2).
17. Are the spiritual gifts, like speaking in tongues and prophecy, still valid today?
a. No, they ceased with the early church
b. Yes, but only in charismatic churches
c. Yes, of course
d. Yes, but only the ones I'm comfortable with
Answer: c (see 1 Corinthians 14:1)
18. How should someone who ignores the Scriptures concerning spiritual gifts and orderly
worship in 1 Corinthians 14 be treated?
a. They should be completely ignored
b. They should be tolerated
c. Their arguments and justifications should be listened to
d. They should be accepted in love
Answer: a (see 1 Corinthians 14:37-38)
19. How should a married man live his life?
a. He should devote his time to his wife and family
b. He should be constantly attending to his wife's needs
c. He should balance the needs of God with those of his family
d. He should live as though he were not married
Answer: d (see 1 Corinthians 7:29)
20. If you are a true Christian, which of these should be happening to you?
a. You should be experiencing prosperity
b. You should be being persecuted
c. You should be seeing many brought to Christ through your ministry
d. You should be loved and accepted by everyone
Answer: b (see John 15:19-20)
21. Which of these will not inherit the kingdom of God?
a. Those who steal
b. Those who are greedy
c. Those who gossip and slander
d. All of the above
Answer: d (see 1 Corinthians 6:9).
22. Which of these will not inherit the kingdom of God either?
a. Those who are sexually immoral
b. Those with selfish ambitions
c. Those who are envious
d. All of the above
Answer: d (see Galatians 5:19-21).
23. Is it possible for a Christian to have believed in vain and lose their salvation?
a. No, absolutely not
b. Not if they are really sincere in what they believe
c. Yes, its quite possible
d. No, God wouldn't allow that
Answer: c (see 1 Corinthians 15:2)
24. Can a Christian be cut off from God and end up in Hell?
a. No, absolutely not
b. Yes, its quite possible
c. Not if they were really a Christian
d. No, God would never do that
Answer: b (see Romans 11:20-22)
25. Who are those who love Jesus?
a. Those who say they love him
b. Those who pray and go to church
c. Those who obey some of his commandments
d. Those who obey all his commandments
Answer: d (see John 14:15).
After, I finished the quiz, with my 11/25 score, this paragraph appeared on the screen:
If you're a Loser for Jesus (which I wasn't), congratulations! If not, you should be worried. This test was designed to test the basics. Anything less than a top score means you obviously have some serious issues to deal with. We suggest you read the book "Even the Demons Believe" for a start. Remember, you won't get the chance to retake this test on the Day of Judgement.
I guess, I really don't even have anything left to say about this. It kind of speaks for itself.
posted by Alex & Laura Beth @ 10:42 AM
1 Comments:
At 12:44 PM,
Choral Advocate said…
I am by no means a qualified theologian, but with Christians fighting against so many things these days(liberal persecution)...do these extreme fundamentalist Christians not realize they are hurting the cause to spread faith and love. My relationship with Christ has been rocky at times because of things that happened to me in the past, but I am working at strengthening that relationship...telling people to hate and despise money or for women to wear a covering( ahem burka)does not exactly feel like a welcoming idea...we need to try to bring people into Christianity not run them off ...just my rambling but its what I think...latuh(aka later or talk soon)
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