A Shame?

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On Wed, 9 Sep 1998 13:26:29 -0500 tlwitness@juno.com (Jerry Welch)
writes:
>Then why the blanket condemning of television in the 40's?  Why the 
>blanket condemnation of video games in the late 70's?  In BOTH 
>scenarios, the technology was INNOCENT, and still undefined.  By our 
>public statement of withdrawal from any influence on the direction it 
>would travel, we almost certainly condemn such technology from the 
>outset.

We have not rejected technology, but some forms of it. 

 I took my daughter to a little lecture today on "How to Make Staight
A's".  During much of it I was comparing the teacher and the things she
was saying to the students with a pastor and saint.  I would like to use
some of that here.

First she said, " You cannot do homework with a TV on.  You can have a
radio on low, preferably with no words, but you simply cannot do your
homework with a TV on."  She was emphatic about it. 
She did not go into detail, but I thought "Okay, why?"  Well, TV takes up
more of our senses than radio.  It gets our attention better.  Also,
scripturally the lust of the eyes is a big thing to watch out for.


>I agree.  The ironic part is, that had these experiences (plural) not 
>happened, I would still be an ignorant follower of a Pastor.

Yes, so God used those experiences to make you a better person.

>But that doesn't answer my comment.  I don't believe that Pastors have 
>further vision necessarily than saints.  That assumes either ignorant 
>or uncaring saints, and I simply don't believe that to be a fact.
 
In the lecture today, the teacher said " You have to learn to watch your
own neck, not because teachers are out to get you, but because teachers
are human and make mistakes."  She went on to explain how to keep papers
in order in case the teacher said they didn't hand in papers and then
they could get them and give them to the teacher for credit.

The difference between pastors and saints is authority.  It's like
husbands and wives.  Husbands are not better than wives or smarter. 
Husbands can learn alot from their wives if they will listen.  But the
responsibility for the family is on the husbands shoulders.  Likewise,
the responsibility for saints is on the pastors shoulders.

The beautiful thing about submission is that when we see other choices we
*choose* to submit.  We recognize the God given authority and when we
disagree we trust God ( not man) to work it out.  

Really, saints who follow blindly are hard on a man of God because he
feels an extra weight.  It's easier when people are personally
responsible.

>Some are, I'm sure, but to blanketly assume that your congregation is 
>ignorant and/or uncaring is a false assumption.

I don't think many pastors would assume this.


>But WHY?  If you'll remember, (I don't, but I have read about it) soap 
>operas started on RADIO, not television; television started out as 
>local talent shows and the sort; no real programming at all...

Television is a more powerful medium.

>Then contradict my theory with something solid.  The premise of my 
>theory is this: 
>
>That ANY arena that the people of God purposely withdraw from totally 
>will by definition be controlled by unGodly people.

Things like this are very hard to measure.  We can only compare to what
we have.  For example:  Many apostolic children go to public schools. 
Are the schools less wicked because of it?  How do we measure this?  I
see them having dances, drugs, gangs etc.  They may not be any less
wicked at all.  

>Then why isn't there a confirmation of sorts to an individual when 
>they are basically commanded to obey a new standard?  Are saints 
>expected to obey such a standard merely because it has been spoken 
>behind a pulpit or should they seek God and see if it applies to them?

I think a saint should obey and seek God. A saint should obey the pastor.
 If the standard is so grossly off a person should pray to the Holy Ghost
for release from that church and only leave if they get one.

>>I think he just did what he wanted and used the old prophet as an 
>>excuse to do what he wanted to do anyway.


>Based on what?  I believe that he was probably taught to blindly obey 
>his elder.  After all, 
>
>>One thing I have learned is that God will speak to those above me 
>about certain 
>>things.  
>
>Perhaps the young prophet believed the same way...
>Jerry Welch

I believe the younger prophet full well knew he shouldn't listen to the
old prophet.  Do you really think God would have slain him with a lion if
he was innocently following and had no knowledge?  I don't.

Lynne Yohnk

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