Christian bronies: meet, greet, and mingle!

[Once In A Blue Moon 895]

 

 

I have no problem working with any christian of any denomination, despite any general disagreements we might have.

 

I think that's pretty much what @@Sunwalker was saying as a preface to answering the question. This matters, as whilst I would consider some of the views to be... disagreeable... it was specifically solicited and so I have no issue with him expressing them (to contrast, had he not given said preface and had it not been solicited then expressing some of those views could have been seen as provocative. The right to hold such views goes without saying, naturally.)

 

 

 

The sad part to me, is not that there are so many groups out there, but that they are so divided today, generally I believe that the Lord is now shifting things the other way more toward unity, and the devil is fighting it, which is why there have been so many church splits over ridiculous things.  

 

My understanding of the matter is that freedom of expression and ubiquity of world-wide communication allow more people to express the nuances of their views, and to find others that share them. That means that whilst in the past a particular group would have remained whole a portion of them who have significantly different views can find each other and potentially challenge the mainstream view - sometimes resulting in the group separating. I do not view this as an inherently bad thing; as one priest put it, "A good sermon should comfort the challenged and challenge the comfortable," and I think that having different Christian groups knocking around produces good theological discourse, which is for the better.

 

As to the exact delineation of 'Christianity,' that is something that (online at least) I will avoid and (usually) refuse to comment on. Especially since even theological challenges from non-Christian groups can have a positive impact, so I worry less about whether the person who challenged some part of my belief is a Christian or not than I do about the challenge in question.

[ChB 18,550]

I brohoofed all your posts because you all did a great job answering questions with clarity, honesty, and charity without crossing into debate territory. I am so thankful to have people like you all, keeping the spirit of this thread nice and calm, so that we Christian Bronies can discuss many great things about Christianity and MLP (or a combination thereof) that we all have in common, or at least can somewhat relate. I've seen more than my fair share of the ugly polemics in three other forums, and I don't want that to come here.

 

A happy Winter Wrap-Up day to you all! 

[Sunwalker 981]

"Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen!"
(Luke 24:5b-6a)

 

Happy Easter to you all! 

Today He has defeated the last enemy, death itself. On this day of life, let us remind ourselves that thanks to His sacrifice even souls dead in sin can also rise again.

[Nagisa452 182]

I'm a Baptist and definitely believe in our Lord and Father. Glad to see so many other like minded Bronies and Pegasisters out there. I seem to fall in lI've more and more with this Fandom everyday.

[Silver Lining 39]

I'm a proud Lutheran here! It warms my heart to see so many christian bronies. *shoutout to my Missouri Synoders*

If anyone wants to chat about it feel free to message me!

[Shadow Dash DJ Rod 696]

Happy Easter everypone

 

He Has Risen!

 

heres one of the best videos ive ever seen on the great sacrifice that Jesus made for us, its totaly worth the 8 min of your time (if you havent seen it allready lol)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwX_EpNR4CA

Edited March 27, 2016 by Shadow_Dash

[BlinkZ 1,151]

Ah thanks for the words of wisdom.
You know just the other day my sister and mo wher talking about schools and how they try to encourge people to 'choose there own gender' which realy freaks me out, makes me shiver and feel uncomfortable thinking about it.(Does that make me a bad person?)   My sister mostly told me(bluntly i might add) That the church simple isn't encourging christ well enough so those kind of poeple cna seek help in christ.

 

The Church(genunally any church, any regiion applies here) Can be very scolding and shun people away from faith no matter what. More so in Christinity from what I looked up. 

Also glad I can put my two thoughts here and get direct feedback.

[Sunwalker 981]

Ah thanks for the words of wisdom.

You are welcome

 

You know just the other day my sister and mo wher talking about schools and how they try to encourge people to 'choose there own gender' which realy freaks me out, makes me shiver and feel uncomfortable thinking about it.(Does that make me a bad person?)

For the sake of clarity, the definitions of "sex" and "gender":

• Sex is a biological binary trait which has a reproductive objective, it is either male (XY chromosomes) or female (XX chromosomes); there are some very rare cases in which in which the individual can have extra chromosome, like the Trisomy XYY or the XXX Syndrome, but those cases are not considered a "third sex" (XYY is also male, and XXX is also female).
• Gender is the awareness and sense of oneself as male or female, it is a psychological concept, rather than an objective biological one. Feeling like someone of the opposite sex, or like someone in between, does not qualify as a "third sex". The individual, still remains a biological man or a biological woman. Ideally, both sex and gender should match. However, when a boy thinks he is a girl, or a girl thinks she is a boy, we have what is called "gender dysphoria".

And now we get to the part in which things can get potentially controversial, I will remain as objective as possible and avoid debates, but if someone thinks different, feel free to also state your ideas.

 

Thinking that you are something that you are not is considered confused thinking, or in other words, a psychological problem. This does not mean that someone is a less worthy person, everyone to some degree or another has his or her share or psychological issues, like (for example) social anxiety or depression, and this also does not make anyone a less worthy person. The American Psychiatric Association recognises gender dysphoria as a mental disorder. This is right on their manual, the DSM-V.

 

Now about schools encouraging people to "choose their own gender". Simply put, this is encouraging a psychological issue. And I don't think you are wrong to feel the way you feel about this, and also it does not make you a bad person. Accepting an individual and promoting a certain behavior are two different things.

 

I am just going to leave this here:

http://www.acpeds.org/the-college-speaks/position-statements/gender-ideology-harms-children

 

 

My sister mostly told me(bluntly i might add) That the church simple isn't encourging christ well enough so those kind of poeple cna seek help in christ.

 

The Church(genunally any church, any regiion applies here) Can be very scolding and shun people away from faith no matter what. More so in Christinity from what I looked up. 

 

Also glad I can put my two thoughts here and get direct feedback.

Be careful to not commit generalizations here, it is not everyone in the Christian Church that is like that, as well in other churches. But here I am going to talk specifically about Christianity.

 

It is also important to make the distinction between the Church herself and her followers. The Church (a.k.a. The Body of Christ) is holy, but people (the members of the Church) are sinners. Being a Christian does not guarantee that someone is free from sinning, even Judas (who was chosen by Christ himself) has betrayed Jesus.

 

Do not confuse the sins of members of the Church for sins of the Church. The Church is holy, and have no sins in herself. Through the grace of Christ we are freed from sin, but it is a long arduous journey until there, and sometimes we may fall down until we arrive there. The theological explanation about how the Church can remain holy while still having sinful members, is that those people had not fully converted yet. In other words, the part of yourself that wants to sin still is outside the Church. Conversion is a gradual process, not an overnight thing, and it might takes a while until it completes.

 

That being said, Christians are expected to be loving and accepting of other people, however loving and accepting people does not mean an approval of their actions. Accept the individual, not necessarily what he do. Love the sinner, not the sin (and everyone in this world is a sinner in some form). Jesus was not condescending with other people. Take the example of the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4:1-42), and when the Pharisees brought to Jesus a woman caught in adultery (John 8:1-11). He did not condemn those women, he was cordial and loving, he wasn't judgemental. But he also said "leave your life of sin".

 

The reason that people should abandon sin is not fear of some punishment, but rather because this is something that can harm both themselves and others. A church group that is rude and unwelcoming to other people, is not acting like Christ himself acted. And Christians are expected to be like Christ. So, yes, it is sad that some Christian religious groups treat rottenly transgender people, but what this requires is a change of attitude and not a change of doctrine.

 

The mission of the Church is to spread God's word to all corners of the Earth, not to become popular. The Church is being successful as long it is spreading the Gospel, regardless of how many people accept it or not. It is a heresy to change God's Word to make it more "acceptable" to the world. Some people will accept the Word, others will not, but that is their choice and not yours.

 

All in all, if some group shun other people, this is terribly wrong. They need to be more welcoming, loving and understanding. But nothing of this necessarily means an approval for any of their actions, and much less a promotion of them. Love the sinner, not the sin.

[weesh 690]

Hey guys.

 

I'm a 4th grade sunday school teacher at my church, and I have a quite a bit of latitude about how I lead my class, so long as I approve any media I use with the elementary coordinator ahead of time.

 

For the month of April, the lessons are on the topic of perseverance, and this week is specifically about how the holy spirit helps us (acts 1-2).

So, the question that I can only ask here is this:
are there any MLP clips that serve as an introduction to perseverance in general, or to this story in particular?

 

I suspect that the whole month will be in acts and will delve deep into the early persecution, but i haven't seen those lessons yet.

 

Thanks!

Edited March 29, 2016 by weesh

[Once In A Blue Moon 895]

 

 

are there any MLP clips that serve as an introduction to perseverance in general, or to this story in particular?

 

 I'm not sure how many clips there are that display perseverance by themselves. Many of the characters display it throughout the series but not in a single or short series of clips.

 

I suppose the CMC's 'Hearts as Strong as Horses' is a good example of perseverance that you could show in a short amount of time. Twilight Sparkle's cutie mark would be a good example of working hard to achieve something if it didn't end up relying on an explosion in the sky (which not all of us can rely on in job interviews...) although you could use that as an analogy for the Holy Spirit, I suppose (I'm a bit wary of using analogies without a lot of forethought, but if you're just after ideas then I'll throw that out there.) 

[weesh 690]

 I'm not sure how many clips there are that display perseverance by themselves. Many of the characters display it throughout the series but not in a single or short series of clips.

 

yeah, that is the problem.  I'd want something less than 5-6 minutes long.  most of the scenes I can think of are dependent on too many other scenes.

 

I'm ok with making analogies...my goal is to get the kids to be critical thinkers on their own.  I want to give them the tools they need, but on the other hand, visual arts can be really powerful for getting key points across. 

Edited March 29, 2016 by weesh

[Nagisa452 182]

I'm curious, who has been to the Passion conference held In either Atlanta, Georgia or Houston, Texas? Does anyone plan on attending the next one?

[Reading Heart 167]

Hmm, best examples I can think of with regards to persistence:  Applejack in the Mane Attraction, Twilight in Applebuck Season, Rainbow Dash in Hurricane Fluttershy...

 

Hmm, actually, that last one, if you take the clip where she says 'One more time, I've got to know we gave it our all' you get the essence of what persistence is about, not giving up.  Which is actually Rainbow Dash in a lot of ways, though all of the Main Six have their moments.  If I was trying to show this off in Sunday School, I'd likely take several clips of Rainbow talking about not giving up.

[Sofen 75]

I plan to become Catholic because i like playing "Legend of Zelda" and the early game series had some of that mystical christian stuff. So then i'll be able to find the Master Sword and fight evil just like Link does.

 

I think the ideal of having bible in famicom version comes from a certain bible passage. (While i think it was stupid to censor it in other places. Japanese aint scared of it, which is why i kinda like that country. They dont mess around, they just do it!) I will take it is mostly inspired by "Hebrews 12:29"

My personal belief i am unsure about, can't really decide if there is a God or not. But i know marriage in Catholicism is beautiful

Edited March 30, 2016 by Sofen

[Sunwalker 981]

I plan to become Catholic because i like playing "Legend of Zelda" and the early game series had some of that mystical christian stuff. So then i'll be able to find the Master Sword and fight evil just like Link does.

 

I think the ideal of having bible in famicom version comes from a certain bible passage. (While i think it was stupid to censor it in other places. Japanese aint scared of it, which is why i kinda like that country. They dont mess around, they just do it!) I will take it is mostly inspired by "Hebrews 12:29"

I don't know much about Christian imagery in the original Legend of Zelda game, since I didn't play that game much and I also didn't get far on it. However, one thing to keep in mind is that Japan is, to some extent, unfamiliar to Christianity. It is not uncommon for Japanese works, like animes or games, to have Christian symbols just because their authors thought that they "looked cool", without knowing what those symbols mean in Christianity. Not to say that all Japanese works are like that, but it is something to keep in mind when trying to get some Christian meaning out of them, if a Christian symbol looks out of place it probably is.

 

That being considered, from what I do know about Legend of Zelda, the Christian themes I can get from it are traditional values of heroism, honor and chivalry, which originated from the Knights Templar. Chivalry involved bravery, skilled training, and dedication in service to others; and as far I can notice, Link embodies those values, like if he were a Knight Templar himself. For once I think that the Japaneses got right the Christian values here, but keep in mind that my knowledge about the game is limited, so I might be missing something.

 

To be honest, I don't really get the insistence of games in USA to avoid religious imagery, specially Christian imagery. I think it is a valid plot point as any other, I see avoiding them as an arbitrary limitation. Perhaps this attitude is the consequence of a society that is abandoning its own cultural roots. I can think of quite a few old classics that were heavy on Christian imagery, like the Chronicles of Narnia or The Lord of The Rings. And they handled the imagery in an way that can be enjoyed by Christians and non-Christians alike, it is not like it would be limiting your audience or alienating them.

 

It is not unusual for stories to be crafted in order to teach some value. Jesus himself taught in parables, the imagery of stories can help to get a real life point across.

 

 

My personal belief i am unsure about, can't really decide if there is a God or not. But i know marriage in Catholicism is beautiful

You are onto something when you talk about beauty. The beauty here is supposed to be a reminder of God himself, who is the supreme beauty and truth. If something is truly beautiful, it is because it somehow goes back to God.

 

Since you are interested on beauty, I would like to suggest you to study traditional Christian art and music. I am pretty sure you can find plenty of books on the subject in your local library

[Sunwalker 981]

Hello, how are you all doing? I came back from church not too long ago. Today's sermon was really beautiful, and pointed out an interesting detail that I had not noticed before. I would like to share it with you
 
Apostle Thomas has the stigma of being the one "who needs to see to believe", but actually he is a much more deeper person than that. He is the disciple who does not want to carry any doubts back to home, he wants to make sure that he understood everything Jesus said. When Jesus was talking about His own death and resurrection (John 14:1-7), the disciples were not understanding a thing, but Thomas was the only one to inquire Jesus about that:

 

“Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”

 

To which Jesus repled:

 

“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”

 

There are nothing wrong with seeking knowledge, and God actually wants that. God do not want mindless drones, he made us intelligent people with free will. If it weren't for the inquisitiveness of Thomas, we would not have one of the most beautiful passages of the Bible, when Jesus says "I am the way and the truth and the life"

 

I would like to take the opportunity to ask you guys one thing: what are your favorite Bible verses and why?

 

See you!

[Ted Cruz 177]

“Why should I not hate mine enemies―if I "love" them does that not place me at their mercy?” 

[ChB 18,550]

I would like to take the opportunity to ask you guys one thing: what are your favorite Bible verses and why?

Lamentations 3:22-23 (ESV):

"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;

    his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning;

    great is your faithfulness."

 

 

 

 

 

“Why should I not hate mine enemies―if I "love" them does that not place me at their mercy?” 

Satanic Bible doesn't count

Edited April 4, 2016 by ChB

[Reading Heart 167]

My favorite verses... wow, there are quite a few... ok, let's begin.

 

• Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all of your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.  Proverbs 3:5-6
• How much better to get wisdom than gold, to get insight rather than silver! Proverbs 16:16
• Therefore there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, for in Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life has set me free from the law of sin and death.  Romans 8:1
• Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  1 Corinthians 13: 4-7
• God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21
• But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honor, and some to dishonor.  If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.  2 Timothy 2:20-21
• For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Romans 8:38-39
• Have I not commanded you to be strong and courageous, do not be terrified do not be discouraged for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.  Joshua 1:9
• Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.  Philippians 4:8
• And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.  Revelation 12:11
• Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war.  His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.  Revelation 19: 11-13
• Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.  Isaiah 40:30-31
• When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.  When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you.  Isaiah 43: 2
• Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.  James 4:10
• “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.  “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.  Isaiah 55:8-9
• These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.  John 16:33
• Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.  In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.  John 14:1-3
•  He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”  John 14:21
• Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.  John 14:27
• And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose  Romans 8:28
• Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.  1st John 3:18
• Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.   1st John 4:7-8

Yes, I have a certain affection for the 14-17th chapters of John, the 13th chapter of 1st Corinthians, the 8th chapter of Romans, but really, there are so many good verses, I love all of the Word.  All of these have been important to me in life.

 

[weesh 690]

• Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.  Isaiah 40:30-31

 

That was going to come up in my 4th grade sunday school lesson this week....

But on my way to church I got a flat tire and the church had to scramble to find a sub : (

 

I love Romans 12, especially verse 2:

"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."

 

The idea of being transformed by God is very important to me...I need to remind myself of it often.  

[ChB 18,550]

And let's not forget:

Job 39:19-25:

9 “Do you give the horse his might?
    Do you clothe his neck with a mane?
20 Do you make him leap like the locust?
    His majestic snorting is terrifying.
21 He paws in the valley and exults in his strength;
    he goes out to meet the weapons.
22 He laughs at fear and is not dismayed;
    he does not turn back from the sword.
23 Upon him rattle the quiver,
    the flashing spear, and the javelin.
24 With fierceness and rage he swallows the ground;
    he cannot stand still at the sound of the trumpet.
25 When the trumpet sounds, he says ‘Aha!’
    He smells the battle from afar,
    the thunder of the captains, and the shouting.

 

 

 

[Sunwalker 981]

Hey guys.

 

I'm a 4th grade sunday school teacher at my church, and I have a quite a bit of latitude about how I lead my class, so long as I approve any media I use with the elementary coordinator ahead of time.

 

For the month of April, the lessons are on the topic of perseverance, and this week is specifically about how the holy spirit helps us (acts 1-2).

 

So, the question that I can only ask here is this:

are there any MLP clips that serve as an introduction to perseverance in general, or to this story in particular?

 

I suspect that the whole month will be in acts and will delve deep into the early persecution, but i haven't seen those lessons yet.

 

Thanks!

By the way, did you end up using some MLP clip on your Sunday school class? How did it go?

 

I remember you said here that you got a flat tire last week, so you couldn't go. But I hope everything went well this week

[weesh 690]

By the way, did you end up using some MLP clip on your Sunday school class? How did it go?

 

I remember you said here that you got a flat tire last week, so you couldn't go. But I hope everything went well this week

 

Well, the curriculum we use has some issues...I usually have to modify the activities and modules to better fit the theme of the week...

But this week the curriculum writers knocked it out of the park.  It was just too good to try and modify.  

I'll be thinking about clips for next week though, after I get the next week from the coordinatior

[Lallet 16]

My Little Pony: Jesus is Magic? Didn't know there was a religious section here. Or maybe i shouldn't have said magic OwO.

 

Probably the arguments for pro persecution in those days and happens in Africa now as we speak.

 Exodus 22:18

18 “Do not allow a sorceress to live.

 

Although most Christians will rely on the more afterlife aka new covenant interpretation of Jeremiah to Jesus from my knowledge.

 

Galatians 5:20-21

20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

 

Acts 13:6-12

6 They traveled through the whole island until they came to Paphos. There they met a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet named Bar-Jesus,7 who was an attendant of the proconsul, Sergius Paulus. The proconsul, an intelligent man, sent for Barnabas and Saul because he wanted to hear the word of God. 8 But Elymas the sorcerer (for that is what his name means) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsulfrom the faith. 9 Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked straight at Elymas and said, 10 “You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord? 11 Now the hand of the Lord is against you. You are going to be blind for a time, not even able to see the light of the sun.”

Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he groped about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand. 12 When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was amazed at the teaching about the Lord.

 

Edited April 11, 2016 by Lallet

[Steel Accord 6,660]

Hey guys, just wanted to say I had this memory of my aunt working with the Church to help make a school for children in Uganda. They sent us photos and a video of the kids at school with new clothes, running water, and all their smiling faces just waving and saying thank you. The Cardinal of the region actually came to her house and my immediate family was invited. We had a private mass and he was just a sweet and wise man.

 

Good memory and in the full goodness of God.

Hey guys, I've said something like this before, and please don't let this be a jinx God, but have you noticed that even as we climb into the hundreds worth of pages and the unfortunate presence of intense anti-theism in our otherwise wonderful community, almost none such hostile intent has been visited upon this thread?

Edited April 14, 2016 by Steel Accord