Jesus Disappears

[classhandicapper]

Originally Posted by thaskalos

Any idea why Christianity is losing customers in the first and second world countries?

Some is the self inflicted infiltration of sinners, some is self inflicted poor judgement, and the rest is because it's a target of political enemies on the left that don't like its rules and judgements about the morality of their behavior.

[dnlgfnk]

Originally Posted by classhandicapper

Some is the self inflicted infiltration of sinners, some is self inflicted poor judgement, and the rest is because it's a target of political enemies on the left that don't like its rules and judgements about the morality of their behavior.

Ryan Burge does a lot of heavy lifting for these types of questions...

Twitter

I think the white, non-degreed Trump voter nos. would surprise you. And assimilation into a technologically successful and relative affluent culture, combined with yes, sexual libertinism can contribute significantly to the practical atheism, and even nihilism at times while still identifying culturally with Christianity... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morali...rapeutic_deism

__________________
"I like to come here (Saratoga) every year to visit my money." ---Joe E. Lewis

[classhandicapper]

Originally Posted by dnlgfnk

Ryan Burge does a lot of heavy lifting for these types of questions...

https://twitter.com/ryanburge/status...08210590380034

I think the white, non-degreed Trump voter nos. would surprise you. And assimilation into a technologically successful and relative affluent culture, combined with yes, sexual libertinism can contribute significantly to the practical atheism, and even nihilism at times while still identifying culturally with Christianity... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morali...rapeutic_deism

One thing I find a bit strange is that I'm capable of understanding that some of my sexual behavior is a sin according to my religion and not necessarily in the best interests of society (I live with my girlfriend for example), understand why my religion says that's a sin, understand the data on promiscuous sex and disease, abortion, poverty, crime etc... but don't find any of it offensive to me because of the way I choose to live my life. Yet some people need some kind of stamp of approval and hate the church because it says "NO!".

[boxcar]

Originally Posted by dnlgfnk

By virtue of his divine nature, Jesus' human nature had immediate knowledge of the Father in his glory- the "Beatific Vision" if I may. He did not need faith or hope, or his natural state joined to supernatural "participation in divine nature" (2 Pt 1:4) thru grace, like those hearers past, present or future on the journey.

I would submit that our union with God proceeds from knowledge of God
(and to your point, sharing that knowledge) to infused contemplation of God (Lk 5:16) with varying degrees between.

Absolutely! In fact, real true knowledge of God, albeit as imperfect as it is in this life, is the very warp 'n' woof of Eternal Life (Jn 17:3). This [spiritual] resurrection from the dead is precisely what intimately connects God's saints to him through Christ by the Holy Spirit, since God is not the God of the dead but only of the living (Mk 12:27). Therefore, since all saints have been made partakers of the divine nature, as you cited above, and Paul taught, as well, that he could do all things through Christ who strengthens him (Php 4:13; 2Cor 12:9-10; Eph 6:10; Col 1:11, etc. ), then these truths seem to fly in the face of your earlier premise. Christ is infinitely stronger than any dark or dire circumstances that come our way to impede us from the spreading the Gospel of the Kingdom.