Conservative Christianity and Social Issues

[acamp]

Can you tell me if they seem to have any particular political leaning?  It seems interesting but I also wasn’t able to find whether they align with any particular denomination.   In the learning objectives, they list:

“Demonstrate a general knowledge of of the content and critical issues in the Old and New Testaments from a conservative perspective”

This line makes me wonder if they are actually “MAGA” which I vehemently oppose.   Or if they mean conservative in a different sense.

They likely mean a conservative Christian interpretation of the Bible, which often means that LGBTQ individuals are not tolerated, women aren't allowed to be clergy, abortion is considered murder (this is not supported by the Bible), and they believe in biblical inerrancy (the Bible is not inerrant). Most of the people at the institution are likely MAGA, but it doesn't necessarily mean that politics are in the instruction.

I would love to know how you came to those conclusions you stated regarding:
1) abortion
2) Biblical inerrancy
3) MAGA institution

[sanantone]

Can you tell me if they seem to have any particular political leaning?  It seems interesting but I also wasn’t able to find whether they align with any particular denomination.   In the learning objectives, they list:

“Demonstrate a general knowledge of of the content and critical issues in the Old and New Testaments from a conservative perspective”

This line makes me wonder if they are actually “MAGA” which I vehemently oppose.   Or if they mean conservative in a different sense.

They likely mean a conservative Christian interpretation of the Bible, which often means that LGBTQ individuals are not tolerated, women aren't allowed to be clergy, abortion is considered murder (this is not supported by the Bible), and they believe in biblical inerrancy (the Bible is not inerrant). Most of the people at the institution are likely MAGA, but it doesn't necessarily mean that politics are in the instruction.

I would love to know how you came to those conclusions you stated regarding:
1) abortion
2) Biblical inerrancy
3) MAGA institution

1) The punishment for killing a woman is harsher than the punishment for killing the fetus the woman is pregnant with because the fetus is seen as property, not a life. That's why Jews don't believe that life begins until the child takes their first breath. God also killed many children in the Old Testament, and there is evidence that the Israelites practiced child sacrifice. Then, there is Psalm 137. 

2) Biblical inerrancy shouldn't even be a debate. There are contradictions and errors. One of the biggest ones is the presence of two creation stories. Some will argue that there are three. 

3) An educated guess, but I am 99.9% sure that I am right.

Also, Carolina University's Statement of Faith says that they believe the Bible is inerrant.

---

Wow! I am amazing.

Abortion
We affirm the sanctity of human life and we assert the scriptures teach life begins at conception; and at that moment, the unborn child is established with God-given personhood and inherently receives the rights that are assigned to individual persons.  We assert that abortion is a sinful action and a violation of God’s intent and purpose for each person. We also contend that the utilization of aborted remains or stored embryos for stem cell research, or other such purposes, is unacceptable since it requires the destruction of the embryo and child.

Appropriately, for those who have experienced an abortion, we believe in the redemptive and restorative power of Christ through the grace and forgiveness revealed in the Gospel message. We encourage individuals and families to seek help through Christian-based pregnancy support centers who provide post-abortion counseling; and we affirm that the Church is to be a place of support and healing in a redemptive and restorative process (Psalm 139:13-16, Jeremiah 1:5, 1 John 1:8-9)

Sexuality
We affirm that the biblical testimony presents God’s original creation of humanity to be distinctly male or female. This distinction continues to be observed by one’s biological sex at birth. We recognize that due to the Fall, there can be a tendency to distort original distinctions between the sexes and God’s design leading some to struggle with their sexual identity or same sex attraction. However, we also believe that the grace of God in Christ has the ability to provide grace to forgive and power to transform our sinful desires. We hold that God loves each person regardless of sexual orientation; and we believe it is our responsibility to demonstrate his love to all people as we seek to conform to God’s will as revealed in Scripture, and live joyful lives to the glory of God.

We affirm that any form of sexual immorality, such as adultery, fornication, homosexuality, and bisexual conduct is sinful according to the Scriptures.

Role of Women in the Church

We affirm the Scriptures teach that the role of lead pastor in the local church is limited to men. We further affirm there to be strategic roles for women in christian ministry, parachurch organizations, educational institutions, missions, and church life. Therefore, women are welcome in all of the programs at Piedmont Divinity School to train for these ministries.



https://divinity.carolinau.edu/faculty-d...-statement

Sources for biblical inerrancy. 

https://divinity.carolinau.edu/student-d...-statement

https://carolinau.edu/about/statement-of-faith

[acamp]

1) The punishment for killing a woman is harsher than the punishment for killing the fetus the woman is pregnant with because the fetus is seen as property, not a life. That's why Jews don't believe that life begins until the child takes their first breath. God also killed many children in the Old Testament, and there is evidence that the Israelites practiced child sacrifice. Then, there is Psalm 137. 

2) Biblical inerrancy shouldn't even be a debate. There are contradictions and errors. One of the biggest ones is the presence of two creation stories. Some will argue that there are three. 

3) An educated guess, but I am 99.9% sure that I am right.

Also, Carolina University's Statement of Faith says that they believe the Bible is inerrant.

---

Wow! I am amazing.

Abortion
We affirm the sanctity of human life and we assert the scriptures teach life begins at conception; and at that moment, the unborn child is established with God-given personhood and inherently receives the rights that are assigned to individual persons.  We assert that abortion is a sinful action and a violation of God’s intent and purpose for each person. We also contend that the utilization of aborted remains or stored embryos for stem cell research, or other such purposes, is unacceptable since it requires the destruction of the embryo and child.

Appropriately, for those who have experienced an abortion, we believe in the redemptive and restorative power of Christ through the grace and forgiveness revealed in the Gospel message. We encourage individuals and families to seek help through Christian-based pregnancy support centers who provide post-abortion counseling; and we affirm that the Church is to be a place of support and healing in a redemptive and restorative process (Psalm 139:13-16, Jeremiah 1:5, 1 John 1:8-9)

Sexuality
We affirm that the biblical testimony presents God’s original creation of humanity to be distinctly male or female. This distinction continues to be observed by one’s biological sex at birth. We recognize that due to the Fall, there can be a tendency to distort original distinctions between the sexes and God’s design leading some to struggle with their sexual identity or same sex attraction. However, we also believe that the grace of God in Christ has the ability to provide grace to forgive and power to transform our sinful desires. We hold that God loves each person regardless of sexual orientation; and we believe it is our responsibility to demonstrate his love to all people as we seek to conform to God’s will as revealed in Scripture, and live joyful lives to the glory of God.

We affirm that any form of sexual immorality, such as adultery, fornication, homosexuality, and bisexual conduct is sinful according to the Scriptures.

Role of Women in the Church

We affirm the Scriptures teach that the role of lead pastor in the local church is limited to men. We further affirm there to be strategic roles for women in christian ministry, parachurch organizations, educational institutions, missions, and church life. Therefore, women are welcome in all of the programs at Piedmont Divinity School to train for these ministries.



https://divinity.carolinau.edu/faculty-d...-statement

Sources for biblical inerrancy. 

https://divinity.carolinau.edu/student-d...-statement

https://carolinau.edu/about/statement-of-faith

1) just because the Bible records the Israelites (and gentiles) doing things that are against the Bible, does NOT mean God is in favor of it.  If anything, it shows more reliability and honesty.  And if you are referencing when God commanded the Israelites to remove the Canaanites, if God truly is God and is the giver of life, it is His decision to take life as well, since He alone knows the end from the beginning.

2) do explain the 2 or 3 creation account “contradictions”?

[sanantone]

1) just because the Bible records the Israelites (and gentiles) doing things that are against the Bible, does NOT mean God is in favor of it.  If anything, it shows more reliability and honesty.  And if you are referencing when God commanded the Israelites to remove the Canaanites, if God truly is God and is the giver of life, it is His decision to take life as well, since He alone knows the end from the beginning.

2) do explain the 2 or 3 creation account “contradictions”?

1) Yahweh was violent because he was a war and storm god and took on Baal's characteristics. There's no clear rule against abortion in the Bible, but there is a punishment that puts less value on unborn babies. By God's actions and commands, it indicates that he neither valued fetuses nor born babies. By the way, the Israelites were Canaanites. The Canaanites weren't one group; they consisted of many closely-related groups.

2) Yes, they contradict, and that's only one example of a contradiction in the Bible. Many biblical scholars, who are still Christians, also do not believe in the mass exodus from Egypt because there's no evidence of it, and it contradicts known historical facts.

Just to let you know, I attended seminary, and you are not going to convert me back to Christianity. The more I learned, the more I realized that this is mythology just like every other religion. Judaism grew out of a polytheistic religion. El and Yahweh are two different gods that existed in previous Southwest Asian religions. Do not waste your time. I've spent years studying Judaism and Christianity.

[acamp]

1) Yahweh was violent because he was a war and storm god and took on Baal's characteristics. There's no clear rule against abortion in the Bible, but there is a punishment that puts less value on unborn babies. By God's actions and commands, it indicates that he neither valued fetuses nor born babies. By the way, the Israelites were Canaanites. The Canaanites weren't one group; they consisted of many closely-related groups.

2) Yes, they contradict, and that's only one example of a contradiction in the Bible. Many biblical scholars, who are still Christians, also do not believe in the mass exodus from Egypt because there's no evidence of it, and it contradicts known historical facts.

Just to let you know, I attended seminary, and you are not going to convert me back to Christianity. The more I learned, the more I realized that this is mythology just like every other religion. Judaism grew out of a polytheistic religion. El and Yahweh are two different gods that existed in previous Southwest Asian religions. Do not waste your time. I've spent years studying Judaism and Christianity.

Don’t worry - I will not waste my time trying to “convert” you. Only God’s grace and work of the Holy Spirit can do that.

Sadly, seminaries today are more like cemeteries with atheistic professors teaching the courses with their own biases and liberal theology being taught as “fact”.

[sanantone]

Don’t worry - I will not waste my time trying to “convert” you. Only God’s grace and work of the Holy Spirit can do that.

Sadly, seminaries today are more like cemeteries with atheistic professors teaching the courses with their own biases and liberal theology being taught as “fact”.

Archaeological findings are facts. You believe a book written by people and accept their writings as facts. Reality is that the vast majority of people stay within the religion they were raised in. It isn't a logical decision; it's an emotional and sociological decision. If you had been raised Muslim, you would currently be defending Islam with "facts."

[sanantone]

Can you tell me if they seem to have any particular political leaning?  It seems interesting but I also wasn’t able to find whether they align with any particular denomination.   In the learning objectives, they list:

“Demonstrate a general knowledge of of the content and critical issues in the Old and New Testaments from a conservative perspective”

This line makes me wonder if they are actually “MAGA” which I vehemently oppose.   Or if they mean conservative in a different sense.

They likely mean a conservative Christian interpretation of the Bible, which often means that LGBTQ individuals are not tolerated, women aren't allowed to be clergy, abortion is considered murder (this is not supported by the Bible), and they believe in biblical inerrancy (the Bible is not inerrant). Most of the people at the institution are likely MAGA, but it doesn't necessarily mean that politics are in the instruction.

They mean a conservative/historic interpretation of the Bible: limits on women in the clergy, belief that marriage is between a man and woman, and so on. But as I mentioned in another reply, "politics" has never once come up, either in the lectures or discussions...Though some folks may consider conservative Christianity "political" in and of itself. This program may not be for them.

That said, I am a moderate, politically speaking, and I have had no issues or ever felt uncomfortable. Discussion sessions relate strictly to the course material, not to politics or other things.

Hope that helps.

Conservative but not always historic. Some conservative Christian views did not come about until the 19th Century.

[acamp]

Archaeological findings are facts. You believe a book written by people and accept their writings as facts. Reality is that the vast majority of people stay within the religion they were raised in. It isn't a logical decision; it's an emotional and sociological decision. If you had been raised Muslim, you would currently be defending Islam with "facts."

There has not been one archeological find that has contradicted the Bible. If anything, the more digs they do, the more it validates the authenticity of the Bible.  

And you are inaccurate with your conclusion about one’s upbringing leading then to follow that particular faith. I know Christians who were actually raised Muslim and also people who were raised in a Christian home that are either now atheists or a different religion entirely.

[Charles Fout]

Wishing everyone well.

I have doubts as to whether this conversation can become constructive. Comments made  appear to be intractable.

[Sagan]

Arguing over a myth works until the myth trips over one's beliefs, which tend to be stronger than facts.