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IMPORTANT MESSAGE FOR ALLReader comment on item: Interview: ‘I watch with frustration as the Israelis don't get the point' Submitted by Blazer Hartman (Saint Vincent And The Grenadines), Aug 17, 2009 at 07:12 An Important Message for ALL Sometimes people tend to allow others to influence their decisions without checking for themselves. At times, a religious group may be misunderstood and so people develop prejudice against that religious body. I am one who has not allowed anyone to influence me when it comes to religion. I have checked the facts for myself. Let us examine a few practices of religions that are really not christian. You are kindly invited to check the following Scriptures below. 1. WAR: What does the Bible teach about true Christians getting involved in wars? Well, examining the Scriptures clearly shows us that NO true christian will take part in wars today. Isaiah 2:2 - 4 points out that in the last days God's people will NOT fight wars. We now live in those "last days." Hence, any religion that allows its members to join an army today to fight wars CANNOT be true religion. That is the fact. The Scriptures tell us that the war that true Christians fight today is a SPIRITUAL war, they "do not war after the flesh"(2 Corinthians 10:3, 4). Make your own decision based on the Scriptures. Is it wise to belong to a religion that allows its members to join the army? Be honest with yourself in answering that question. Remember: God's approval is what matters, NOT the approval of relatives or friends or pastors etc. 2. USE OF BLOOD: People would accuse a particular religion for not giving or accepting blood in blood transfusion. They would refer to this religion as wicked for letting their children die due to not giving their children blood for transfusion purposes as they (the accusers) feel. (Yet, these accusers will allow their sons to join the army to fight wars that kill other soldiers and innocent civilians and yet these parents will say their sons are not wicked, they are doing a fine job for their country. What utter hypocrisy!!!) But what do the Scriptures teach about blood use? Acts 15:20, 29 indicates to us very clearly that true Christians abstain from blood. Now what does "abstain" mean? In that same Scripture, Christians are told to "abstain from meats offered to idols...and from fornication". Does it mean that Christians must get involved in idolatry and fornication? Of course not! Abstaining from idolatry and fornication means that we keep away from these things, not practice them. So to abstain from blood MUST mean that we keep away from blood. We must not eat or drink it. It is wrong to eat blood pudding, blood sausage etc. It is also wrong to give or accept blood as in blood transfusions. Of course, other treatments are available for use in operations without using blood. Over 100 hospitals around the world perform operations without blood, including serious operations. (heart transplant, brain surgery etc) It is God who shows that it is wrong to give or accept blood for transfusions. Will you obey God's command to "abstain from blood"? Only YOU can answer that. Again, DO NOT let anyone influence you in your view on blood use. Let GOD influence you, not relatives, friends, pastors etc. Is it wise to belong to a religion that disobeys God's law on blood at Acts 15:20, 29? Think about pleasing God, not about pleasing relatives or friends etc. 3. CHRISTMAS: Where in the Scriptures does it tell Christians to celebrate Christmas? Have you seen a command in the Scriptures to celebrate christmas? NOWHERE are Christians told to celebrate Christmas. Check it out for yourself. Christmas is a pagan celebration based on the worship of the Sun, Saturn and a false god named "Mithra". Luke 2:8 -11 highlights that shepherds were in the fields when Jesus was born. Therefore, Jesus was NOT born on December 25th, a cold winter month. Since shepherds were in the field at the time of Jesus' birth, it means that Christ was NOT born in December, but was born an earlier month of the year when there was no winter. So even the date of Christ's birth is in error. If Christ wanted Christians to celebrate Christmas, wouldn't he have mentioned it in the Scriptures? He commands Christians to celebrate his death(Luke 22:19, 20) but he NEVER said to celebrate his birth. Thus, any who celebrate Christmas is involving in false worship. Christmas celebrations are NOT approved by God. Satan is the master at misleading people. Is it therefore wise to belong to a religion that celebrates Christmas? Please answer to yourself honestly. Don't be influenced wrongly by others. Friends, make your own decision, find out which religion obeys God on the above matters. Be like the people who went to the Apostle Paul & others to find out about their religion. They did not allow others to make decisions for them. (Acts 28:22) Study the Bible for YOURSELF ( Acts 17:11) BE YOUR OWN MAN OR WOMAN IN CHOOSING THE RIGHT RELIGION. DO NOT JUST REMAIN WITH YOUR RELIGION, FEELING IT IS ALRIGHT. EXAMINE THE ABOVE INFORMATION AND SEE HOW YOUR RELIGION MEASURE UP TO WHAT GOD'S WORD TEACHES. PRAY TO GOD TO HELP YOU FIND THE TRUE RELIGION!! THINK ABOUT PLEASING GOD, NOT OTHER PEOPLE. Study with those who come to your door and examine their teachings to see if it is in line with the Scriptures. Make Your Own Choice. Truly Concerned, Blazer. Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments". << Previous Comment Next Comment >> Reader comments (53) on this item
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