Where is this promised presence of his? . . . All things are continu... on the Peoria.com Forums - Page 2

Seal writes

They lead you into fear and further mind control tactics, aka brainwashing. Fear gives them power over you.

Hmm, interesting because I've never been so fearless in all my life. I know what comes next after this life and I know my family will be okay if I'm taken tomorrow. They will be at peace. Being a follower of Christ has given me that peace...the exact opposite of what you're predicting. In fact, I bet if you talk to other true followers of Christ they will tell you the same thing.

I recently read the book "Columbine." It was eye opening and very sad but the part that stuck with me the most was when the author (who witnessed all the after events as a reporter) wrote about the families of the kids waiting for their children to be bussed to them from the school after this thing went down. One by one families were reunited until only the last 13 were left. That's when they knew their kids had been the victims. Then the reporter described how each family reacted. They were all devastated, of course, except that the Christian families were more at peace than the others. In the long run, the Christian families had an easier time dealing with this devastation than the other families. Why? Because of God's strength and love and the promise of life ever after.

Tell me, how is that brainwashing and fear? It's not. You just have no other words in your vocabulary to describe the awesome power of God so you choose those words.

froggy writes:

Seal writes

They lead you into fear and further mind control tactics, aka brainwashing. Fear gives them power over you.

Hmm, interesting because I've never been so fearless in all my life. I know what comes next after this life and I know my family will be okay if I'm taken tomorrow. They will be at peace. Being a follower of Christ has given me that peace...the exact opposite of what you're predicting. In fact, I bet if you talk to other true followers of Christ they will tell you the same thing.

I recently read the book "Columbine." It was eye opening and very sad but the part that stuck with me the most was when the author (who witnessed all the after events as a reporter) wrote about the families of the kids waiting for their children to be bussed to them from the school after this thing went down. One by one families were reunited until only the last 13 were left. That's when they knew their kids had been the victims. Then the reporter described how each family reacted. They were all devastated, of course, except that the Christian families were more at peace than the others. In the long run, the Christian families had an easier time dealing with this devastation than the other families. Why? Because of God's strength and love and the promise of life ever after.

Tell me, how is that brainwashing and fear? It's not. You just have no other words in your vocabulary to describe the awesome power of God so you choose those words.

If you don't "fear" God then you aren't following what the Bible tells you to do.

Exodus 14:31 And when the Israelites saw the great power the Lord displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant.

Exodus 20:18 When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance and said to Moses, "Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die." (This is one of my favorites when somebody claims God is speaking to them)

Leviticus 19:14 Do not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block in front of the blind, but fear your God. I am the Lord.

Leviticus 25:17 25:17 Do not take advantage of each other, but fear your God. I am the Lord your God.

Want more examples?

I spent about 15 years of my life studying the Bible, went to church every Sunday and Wednesday. Does that count?