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I think God is awesome. He calls red white and white red ... and He is reasonable all at the same time. He has a very incredible sense of color. This is important to artsy people like me.

Come now, and let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
(Isaiah 1:18)

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Rose~ NW Ohio, USA
I am 43 and I have 4 kids and a husband. I am trying to live life wisely and learn more about the ways of God. I am too intolerant for the doctrine dissers and too lovey-dovey for the ultra-separatist pugnacious types.
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Q: Why do I call them 'posts of note'? A: Because they are about things that I think about ... or have thought about ... a lot.

These are people that are so very reasonable.

Although I don't necessarily agree with everything all these people say, I do think we have something essential in common - proclaiming that the Word of God is the absolute truth.

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Saturday, September 15, 2007

Are You Headed Toward Atheism?

From the Head of the Moor: Quotation Friday: Lawson on Calvinism

I have to comment on this. Jonathan (God love him) has posted a ground-breaking quote. Steve Lawson basically says that if the church is not Calvinist ... (drumroll please) it will eventually become a nest of atheists!

Sometimes posts from Calvinists get me irritated and annoyed, but I have to say, this one was very entertaining to read!

posted by Rose~ at 8:31 AM

18 Comments:

  • Hi Sis,

    I am persuaded the scripture teaches that we, the Church, are made secure by the power of God in Christ our Savior and not by our own understanding. I know there are many who believe that our only hope is in our ability to discern the truth rather than in God’s providence. I can’t help but suspect that this way of thinking could provoke others to believe that the knowledge of the truth springs from within our selves through our own understanding and not from God through Christ.

    By Blogger Kc, at 9/15/2007 11:31 AM  

  • Hey Rose- how's it going?

    Steve Lawson basically says that if the church is not Calvinist ... (drumroll please) it will eventually become a nest of atheists!

    lol. I wonder if there's an Arminian article that says the same thing about Arminianism?

    I think that these types of statements are silly.

    Sometimes posts from Calvinists get me irritated and annoyed, but I have to say, this one was very entertaining to read!

    Entertaining indeed. Thanks for the link...I needed a good chuckle today. :-)

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 9/15/2007 1:10 PM  

  • Hi Rose,

    If you look at the former strongholds of Calvinism: Geneva, Switzerland, New England, Yale, Harvard -- one would be tempted to say that Calvinism leads to atheism.

    It is true, many of us Calvinists need to learn humility and understand we are not God's oracles. I'm one that needs to learn that lesson too.

    Now straighten up your blog you soon to be atheist! :o)

    ...err, ah, you see, I need to clean up my act too. Unfortunately while I joke about it, at times I catch myself in those attitudes.

    By Blogger Earl Flask, at 9/15/2007 1:25 PM  

  • If it was true, you might have thought the Roman Catholics would be atheists by now. They have had longer at it than any of us Protestants.

    Have a good evening, Rose.

    By Blogger Matthew Celestine, at 9/15/2007 5:47 PM  

  • Good one Rose, and Earl makes an excellent point, so does Matthew.

    This quote of Lawson is just plain irresponsible, and I'm glad this does not represent the attitude of most Calvinists through the centuries.

    I'm still working on my attitude ;-).

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 9/15/2007 8:00 PM  

  • Hi KC,
    It is good to see you back.Yes, man's understanding is lacking at best.

    Monk,
    I agree. I almost thought it was tingue in cheek when I read it. I had to re-read it and looka t the comments to see that this was seriuos.

    Earl,
    My reasonable frined,
    Good points you bring up. I appreciate your humilty that you generally show. You are great! Thank you so much for the entry.

    Matthew,
    Well, you decided to comment here after all? Thank you for the visit. In my case, Catholicism did lead to agnoticism, but then I was born again, so it was all reversed. :~)

    Good point, though. ;~)

    Bobby,
    I was clowning around with this, but I see that you made a serious response. I appreciate that!

    By Blogger Rose~, at 9/15/2007 8:07 PM  

  • I am still working on my attitude also. :~)

    By Blogger Rose~, at 9/15/2007 8:07 PM  

  • The statement might be true if salvation was about thinking ... thankfully it is about the heart.

    By Blogger kc bob, at 9/17/2007 9:27 AM  

  • KB, I would be careful about saying that salvation is not about thinking-

    "Come let us reason together..."

    We tend to use the heart to mean the emotions, but the Biblical writers use the words 'heart' and 'mind' interchangeably.

    God Bless

    Matthew

    By Blogger Matthew Celestine, at 9/17/2007 2:04 PM  

  • Are you having a thoughtful day, Rose?

    By Blogger Matthew Celestine, at 9/17/2007 2:05 PM  

  • Hi, Rose.

    This absolutely one of the the most extreme and preposterous statements I have ever heard in a theological context. I laughed out loud when I read it.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 9/17/2007 6:12 PM  

  • I am glad you saw the humor in it, Gordon. :~)
    Good to see you again.

    By Blogger Rose~, at 9/17/2007 9:22 PM  

  • Kansas Bob,
    There is no way that statement is true. :~)
    Thanks for your visit!

    DF,
    Yes I was having a thoughtful day - full of work!

    By Blogger Rose~, at 9/17/2007 9:23 PM  

  • Rose:

    This is from the same people who believe that salvation is by faith and not works but who then define faith as works! That should tell you something.

    Be blessed!

    Tom <><

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 9/17/2007 9:50 PM  

  • Sometimes posts from Calvinists get me irritated and annoyed…

    Hi Rose! Enjoying your posts, as ever. Forgive me for waxing a little lyrical this morning:

    There once was a blogger called Rose,
    The Calvinists, she kept on their toes,
    Although she once stated,
    She gets oft irritated,
    Her annoyance does not come to blows

    ("Teehee")

    By Blogger Colin Maxwell, at 9/18/2007 1:53 AM  

  • Hey Rose--

    I would have to say that it is logic like the quoted writer, not the rejection of Calvinism, which holds the most danger of leading towards atheism.

    The more lofty and absolutist claims that are made, the more tightly one's beliefs become tethered to the abilities [and, subsequently, limitations] of human reason. When a stronger hermeneutic comes along, the tethers which one believed were surely unbreakable will suddenly snap, and one will be left with nothing.

    This is why, precisely, Roman Catholicism and Orthodoxy have not descended into atheism while many segments of Protestantism, which have classically fallen into the errors outlined above, have succumbed in a relatively short period of time. When the validity of one's beliefs is centered exclusively in one's ability to interpret Scripture (e.g., the "infallibility of Scripture"), the destructive end is already in sight.

    By Blogger Exist-Dissolve, at 9/18/2007 10:24 AM  

  • Tom,
    Thanks for the visit. I have high hopes for your blog. God bless.

    Goodnight!
    That really made me chuckle! Thank you so much. I love it!

    Exist,
    Hmmmm. I don't know what to say about your comment.
    Thanks for visiting, though.

    By Blogger Rose~, at 9/18/2007 11:16 AM  

  • Exit says "When the validity of one's beliefs is centered exclusively in one's ability to interpret Scripture (e.g., the "infallibility of Scripture"), the destructive end is already in sight"

    I am not sure what to think of this statement. Are you trying to say that it is better to put your faith and focus in a mans interpretation of God's word then in God's word?

    I do agree that if you do not believe in the infallibility of scripture, you have some serious difficulties

    By Blogger Trent, at 10/04/2007 3:57 PM  

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