This and That – 11-23-13

Drinking to the Glory of God: Challenging Fundamentalists to Read All of the Bible – Second, I do not believe that legalists are consistent in how they interpret and apply Scripture. For example, legalists will quote Proverbs 23:20′s “be not among drunkards…” and rest their case. While it seems obvious to point out that there’s a radical difference between someone enjoying a beer versus someone who is an alcoholic, what’s more questionable to me is that they don’t quote all of the verse! If you read all of Proverbs 23:20, you’ll read:  “Be not among drunkards or among gluttonous eaters of meat,” (Prov. 23:20)  Apparently gluttony is a sin too. Yet I’ve never had someone send me a Facebook message informing me that I was a disappointment or had damaged my Christian witness because I have eaten too much. In fact, it would seem that many of the people who fall into the legalist camp are often actually overweight themselves! That seems rather inconsistent and highly selective on their part. – Luke Geraty

Christcare vs. Obamacare – 3. Reality: We cannot all get access to every medical treatment. Just because a drug is available does not mean its affordable. Just because something can be done does not mean it should be done. We need to recognize that we are mortal, that we are not going to live forever, and we must also learn to live with some measure of pain and discomfort at times. Otherwise, we could easily spend every last cent on medical treatment. ChristCare would propose realistic basic levels of care for different ages and illnesses. – David Murray

The new Fundamentalists: Unlikely Separatists – Many of you are rejoicing in your new-found liberty in Christ. I rejoice with you. And I challenge you – the wisest, strongest, most compassionate of you – to walk in fellowship with those whose opinions you despise, if only that the Lord might open their eyes by his grace. Celebrate the oneness of the body of Christ, which includes even those Fundamentalists with whom you most disagree. – Aaron Carpenter