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Date Posted: 14:51:39 08/28/07 Tue
Author: Joan
Author Host/IP: ip68-0-253-131.ri.ri.cox.net / 68.0.253.131
Subject: Would you choose death?
In reply to:
Neysa
's message, "Me too" on 09:00:47 08/28/07 Tue
I know it's really impossible to imagine being in this position. But if someone held a gun to your head and told you to say that you are a Peanut worshipper and not a Christian, would you do it? Could you choose death?
I really don't think I would choose death. IMO, the person holding the gun to my head has no right to put me in that position. That person has no power to make God deny me. He has the power to make me say something, to make me utter his words that I don't believe in. But he doesn't have the power to make me believe those words. Since God knows our hearts, and since we believe that every life is precious, I don't see how choosing death over uttering meaningless words is the only valid choice. Choosing life is also a valid choice, imo.
If we compare it to rape, it seems clear to me. God tells us that sex outside of marriage is wrong. A man grabs a woman and tells her that if she doesn't allow him to rape her, he'll kill her. She relents and lets him rape her. Was this really consent to sex before marriage. Was this of her own will? In several societies, the rape victim is considered ruined and guilty for being raped. She becomes impure, as if she had brought this on herself. In reality, she had the choice of being raped or being killed. In our society we put the blame squarely on the rapist who had no right whatsoever to put the victim in that position. The purity of the victim isn't in question, even if she "agreed" to the raped to save her life. We believe that she is completely innocent and he is completely guilty because life is precious and because the guy has absolutely no right to make her choose between sexual continence and life.
If we do this for each other, I think God would do it for us. Anyone who tells us that we have to choose between two evils--death or denying our God--is completely guilty, and regardless of which evil the victim chooses, the victim is completely innocent.
Now, if we deny God because it's politically or socially convenient or profitable, I can see where God would have a problem with that. :-)
Being a martyr is an extraordinary choice. I think that's why Christians have admired the martyrs since the beginning. But it is extraordinary. The ordinary choice would be life. I don't think there's any sin in being ordinary.
Joan
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Peanut Worshipper...I could not choose death! -- Neysa, 17:16:08 08/28/07 Tue [1] (user-2inik12.dialup.mindspring.com/165.121.80.34)
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Re: Would you choose death? - Joan -- Catie, 09:34:40 08/29/07 Wed [1] (h69.42.91.75.ip.alltel.net/75.91.42.69)
Not wanting to sound pious, but I suppose truthfully that is one specific time I would seek God with prayer that my faith in an omnipotent,omniscient, God, would direct me in what to do. My desire is, after all, to do his will and not mine. :)
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Re: Would you choose death? - Joan -- Joan, 12:47:13 08/29/07 Wed [1] (ip68-0-253-131.ri.ri.cox.net/68.0.253.131)
I wonder if God would want us to choose death over life. What do you think?
Joan
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Re: Would you choose death? - Joan -- Catie, 14:29:14 08/29/07 Wed [1] (h69.42.91.75.ip.alltel.net/75.91.42.69)
It seems the answer would be life, since he has graciouslyy gifted us with this life. Still, the scriptues speak to us to be careful not to love this life so very much that we would trade it off for eternal life with God. (paraphrasing)- I really don't know so I can't say. Perhaps what he would have me do, would not be same he would have someone else do. ?? Who knows?? His ways are not our ways. :)
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Joan,I think God would want us to choose life...... -- Neysa, 23:22:04 08/29/07 Wed [1] (user-38lci2f.dialup.mindspring.com/209.86.72.79)
after all life is a gift from God.
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Nicely stated, Neysa! I agree. :-) -- Barb, 07:50:28 08/30/07 Thu [1] (clgrtnt4-port-212.dial.telus.net/161.184.46.212)
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Thanks Barb -- Neysa, 09:55:47 08/30/07 Thu [1] (user-2inik3e.dialup.mindspring.com/165.121.80.110)
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