Comments on: Your Forgiven

By: faith roach

faith roach — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 19:57:00 +0000

It would seem that i’m a little late to the party. That said, I was just musing-shouldn’t it say “you’re forgiven” “thank God”? That works for me!

By: Beth

Beth — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 13:58:08 +0000

I didn’t get the impression you were mocking. It seemed to me that you were saying that it’s a shame they’ve expressed themselves in a way that might be mocked by others because of grammar, that their efforts might actually make it LESS likely someone will turn to Christianity. The existance of the sign, of any sign or billboard, as a method of conversion to Christianity seems to be the point of frustration. I worry, like you, that putting up the signs may actually make others turn away from the exploration of Christianity.

Growing up in your area I know that when I see billboards telling me to pray or know God or whatever, no matter how correct the grammar is, it makes me groan. There’s something about mass advertising a religion that always makes me scowl. Like you, I might have already been thinking about God and enjoying the beauty of His creation when that sign blocked my view. The signs were something I had to overcome to become a Christian, something that I had to be willing to overlook when I decided to let my name be associated with the same thing as those signs. But then again, I hate billboards in general. They are always blocking the view and I could have found the McDonalds without it, thank you very much.

On the other hand, when I found other Christians who also hated the signs, it helped me to see that I could be both a sign-hater and a God-lover. Animosity towards the signs actually helped me bond with Christians. I wonder how the sign placers feel about that?

Great blog, as always. I’m glad you shared your thoughts.

By: Patti J.

Patti J. — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 19:40:08 +0000

Whew…politics and religion really bring out the best and worst in people! Great job provoking thoughts!!!

By: MilliGFunk

MilliGFunk — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 16:04:04 +0000

If you’re implying that education has gotten in the way of my love for God, you’re quite wrong, because my education has made my faith stronger. I’ve had the opportunity to study and work alongside classmates and colleagues from all different religious backgrounds and of countless nationalities.

My education and the experiences my career has brought with it have afforded me the opportunity to ask questions of Buddhists, Taoists, atheists, Jews, Unitarians, Orthodox Catholics and pagans. By learning more about their faiths, I’ve come to better understand my own Christian faith.

Being educated and being Christian are far from being mutually exclusive.

By: Jim

Jim — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 15:42:51 +0000

A number of years ago we were driving through rural Louisiana at Christmastime when we saw one of those portable signs outside a service station that perfectly encapsulated small town values:

JESUS IS LORD
WE PROCESS DEER

By: Hmmm

Hmmm — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 08:46:24 +0000

Grammar keeps me in clean shirts and orange juice in places where I never have to see posters with aborted fetuses on them. So thank god for that! (Ha, ha) Maybe Small Town Girl would like to join me here, or increase her offense threshold a bit before venturing out of the house.

By: Kelly

Kelly — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 23:32:51 +0000

Too many people let their education get in the way of their love for God.
Theirs too much foolishness going on to be bothered by the lack of an ‘re.
Over correct the foolish rather than just those who make simple human errors hun

By: Mighty Oak

Mighty Oak — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 20:32:25 +0000

Hmmm you entirely miss my point also. Education is not better or worse. It is merely more or less educated. Focus on the minor (grammar) detracts from the significance of the major (forgiveness and/or God).

If you want to address their point about God and forgiveness then do so. But you simply say it doesn’t need addressed because you can mock and devalue the person. Where is the intellectual honesty in that? Has education closed your mind to what you are doing or is it your intent to demean so you don’t have to address the real point?

By: Hmmm

Hmmm — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 18:09:28 +0000

Yes, education is very dangerous. If we could all be folksy and churchy we’d be exempt from criticism.

By: Mighty Oak

Mighty Oak — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 15:24:17 +0000

Just as you did not intend mockery, neither did the people who posted the sign likely intend offense. It is all perspective. When we judge ourselves we know what we mean to say or do. We know the feelings and thoughts that went into the word or action, but when we judge others we do it based on 2 or 4 or 1000 words and know little or nothing of the intent behind it.

If your implication is correct and there are not many “educated” people who are driving down that road then how many of them were turned away from God by that sign? Were you? It doesn’t seem like it. It seems like you were just offended. I would guess not many “educated” were potentially turned from God until your post went to the world and exposed them to it. In that way it was your post, not the sign, that caused the spiritual damage to the people who read it.

If your heart is aching for the educated supposedly turned away from God, then you should reach out to them and draw them to God, not provide them an opportunity to turn away. Maybe they are your sphere of influence and not the sign makers. Do your part in your sphere and don’t expect someone who is not in that sphere to do that job. Perhaps the sign maker’s heart aches for the many, many people who are separated from God because no one had the courage to speak up.

Lastly I would suggest that the proper response when offended is not to go to the world and complain about the offense. What can the world do about it? The sign maker is the only one who can make it better.

P.S. Heart, not “heard”

And Factor has proven my point exactly.