Christian bronies: meet, greet, and mingle!

[Kaneki 1,072]

Thought this was funny and decided to put it here for your entertainment:

http://www.412teens.org/reviews/2016/03/12/my-little-pony/

 

I'll read this in a bit. I'm trying to get my coding environment setup (coding in the PHP language and the MySQL database language), so like said, I'll read in a bit.

[ChB 18,532]

Thought this was funny and decided to put it here for your entertainment:

http://www.412teens.org/reviews/2016/03/12/my-little-pony/

I'm so glad she said what she said in the last three paragraphs. For some Christian bronies, there's this very real temptation to idolize the show. 

[Kaneki 1,072]

I'm so glad she said what she said in the last three paragraphs. For some Christian bronies, there's this very real temptation to idolize the show. 

 

I sure agree with that - you can like something, but there are more important things to put first, like the Lord.

[Steel Accord 6,658]

I'm so glad she said what she said in the last three paragraphs. For some Christian bronies, there's this very real temptation to idolize the show. 

 

I respectfully disagree with you and her. I mean sure anything can become an obsession which isn't good, but this show has helped me become a better friend, person, and Christian.

[RuthPainter99 473]

Hello My Peeps! I'm a MK. Who ever knows what a MK or a TCK is you win a cookie !

It's nice to know there are others out there. This probley just made my day !

[ChB 18,532]

Hello My Peeps! I'm a MK. Who ever knows what a MK or a TCK is you win a cookie !

It's nice to know there are others out there. This probley just made my day !

Welcome to the herd, Maris! I hope you enjoy your time here!

I respectfully disagree with you and her. I mean sure anything can become an obsession which isn't good, but this show has helped me become a better friend, person, and Christian.

I'm very glad it has

 

With the amount of violence, language, and suggestive content in "mainstream" TV shows nowadays, MLP is one of the better shows Christians can be a fan of

[Dreambiscuit 8,024]

With the amount of violence, language, and suggestive content in "mainstream" TV shows nowadays, MLP is one of the better shows Christians can be a fan of

So true! MLP is like a breath of fresh air. Even some cartoon shows are going too far these days. And most of the other channels and shows I watch (like History Channel) presents the 'truth' according to what's trendy at the moment. One of my favorite episodes of MLP FIM is 'Feeling Pinkie Keen' because it tells it how it is without trying to qualify it to please everyone.

[Reading Heart 167]

I respectfully disagree with you and her. I mean sure anything can become an obsession which isn't good, but this show has helped me become a better friend, person, and Christian.

 

Well, anything can become a problem if it becomes more important to you then God, but if something helps you grow in love and mercy, then your on the right track.

 

 

So true! MLP is like a breath of fresh air. Even some cartoon shows are going too far these days. And most of the other channels and shows I watch (like History Channel) presents the 'truth' according to what's trendy at the moment. One of my favorite episodes of MLP FIM is 'Feeling Pinkie Keen' because it tells it how it is without trying to qualify it to please everyone.

 

One of the things I like about the show is how it demonstrates how to be a good friend, and my favorite episode is 'crusaders of the lost mark' because of how shows one what loving one's enemies is about.  Also, that episode brought to mind the following verse which sang in my head for a week or two after that particular episode.

 

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.  Love never fails 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8

[Dreambiscuit 8,024]

Well, anything can become a problem if it becomes more important to you then God, but if something helps you grow in love and mercy, then your on the right track.

 

 

 

One of the things I like about the show is how it demonstrates how to be a good friend, and my favorite episode is 'crusaders of the lost mark' because of how shows one what loving one's enemies is about.  Also, that episode brought to mind the following verse which sang in my head for a week or two after that particular episode.

 

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.  Love never fails 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8

Thank you, Reading Heart! Crusaders of the Lost Mark is officially one my favorite episodes for these very reasons. It's great that they gave the CMC their Cutie Marks in such a classy and meaningful way.  

Great quote from Corinthians by the way. 

[Archangel Rs. the Rock Raider 2]

I am non-denominational, grew up in Christian household, and still am part of two different churches that have changed greatly over the past few years (the one I live close to had their old sanctuary redone recently).

[Dreambiscuit 8,024]

God reaches everyone in so many different ways and through many different religions and beliefs. It's great that you have a part of that in your life. Being part of two different churches is all the more exposure to God and what He has to say. It's like a buffet of truth and knowledge! 

[SummerOfGold 31]

 

 

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.  Love never fails 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8

 

I've had a hard time with this recently. I love characters like Babs, Trixie, DT, and Sunset because they're the kind of villains that are capable of seeing their wrong. There's nobody I've met who has this capacity, and it is dreadful feeling like the only person at school who believes in improvement and bettering oneself. What's worse on me is that I always judge the people around me because of their will to retain what they desire instead of the truth, and I see my hypocrisy. I don't think that I actually love anybody, and it hurts because I wonder whether the sorrow I feel is a result of thinking that I'm being hurtful to others or if it's merely a selfish feeling; like I'm worried more about my own skin than being what I should be to others. I don't want to feel judgement towards others, I hate holding onto memories of how I was wronged and I hate blowing up inwardly over everything. I don't know why it's so difficult for me. I feel so isolated at school. I abandoned a group of friends a while ago because they were all a bad influence on me, I don't hang out with my only Christian friend because he doesn't really care about his faith, I don't know what to do about my Lutheran friend because she is considering leaving the faith because she's bi and won't do anything about her other friends bullying me despite me complaining about it a couple times, and the only other friend I really have is a fellow brony who's an atheist, and I am seriously considering not hanging out with him anymore because he's been keeping this pattern of subtly insulting my faith (while outright saying it other times) and I know for a fact that if I were to confront him about it that he'd turn it into a fight. I have a Mormon teacher who's good for talking about moral things and literary understanding, but he's suggested reading the Book of Mormon so I don't feel comfortable talking with him about religious things as much. The only Christian teacher I know of on campus is one I don't have a class with. I feel like there's nobody my age to actually talk with about faith and learning on a regular basis and I feel starved for some personal Christian interaction in person. There's no support at home with my parents because they're the kind to ridicule me for not saying a long enough prayer at dinner and tell me I'm stupid and gay. I feel I should turn to God, and I always feel guilty for complaining about these things because I know He's there, but I... I just don't know. I don't know what to do. I try praying, but then I always feel that I'm putting faith in the prayer instead of God and I have a hard time focusing. I try to just talk with Him, but I get distracted and still can't focus. I hate just popping open my Bible because I feel like I'm committing bibliolatry. I just don't know what to do, and a lot of times I just feel dead. Like there's no real desire to move and no sense of empathy, like a sociopath. I could put on a great display and cry about all this, but I wonder if I actually care about the truth or if I'm just having a reaction to stress. I go to church and find it hard to sing the hymns because I'm just not "feeling it". The love just feels missing, and it pains me. So I sit down and what's the first thing that pops into my head? "I hope nobody sees me and thinks I'm being a bad Christian." It's thoughts like these that make me feel so guilty, that I would think about how others saw me in church instead of trying to connect with and worship God. Even when I find it easy to sing, I always cling to lyrics talking about what Jesus did or of forgiveness, but I get this weird feeling when I encounter lyrics about His greatness or about worshiping Him and putting aside the things of the world. I feel that I hate myself so much for this. I don't know why it's so hard for me to just have faith and let things go.

Here I am, Lord, and I'm drowning in your sea of forgetfulness

The chains of yesterday surround me

I yearn for peace and rest

I don't want to end up where You found me

And it echoes in my mind, keeps me awake tonight

I know You've cast my sin as far as the east is from the west

And I stand before You now as though I've never sinned

But today I feel like I'm just one mistake away from You leaving me this way

-- East to West - Casting Crowns

I hate going to church and bawling my eyes out, asking for forgiveness and saying "I'll do better next time." I don't want to keep going back to where I was, and I don't want to keep losing faith in Christ. But there are times I wonder if I ever trusted Him to begin with. I could endure torture for His Name, but what good does the deed do if it isn't in faith?

 

Sorry if I went on a bit of a tangent.

[Dreambiscuit 8,024]

Here's the deal. You can't go through your life obsessing over everything. Big things, small things, it doesn't matter. We're all here to learn as we go. None of us will ever be perfect but that's okay, God will make us perfect after this life is over and forgotten. Trying to attain perfection will only cause you a lot of personal torment and a nasty obsessive/compulsive streak. Trust me, you don't want to go there. 

I know this may seem hard at first, because it takes some mental readjusting that may seem contrary to your instincts, but you have to practice letting go a little. Now I'm not saying you should let go of God or religion obviously, but let go of your strict expectations of yourself and others. Life is a dirty mess. Fine. We can only do our best, but obsessing and being miserable is not what God wants for us, He loves us and wants us to be happy, first and foremost. Only by setting aside the grief can we truly expect to fulfill our potential. 

As far as other people go, everyone is at their own stage of development in life so we have to be patient. People who ridicule religion often have no idea what they're ridiculing. They follow the cues of mass media, which I'm sorry to say is grossly irresponsible. We find ourselves judging those who judge us, but that's human. We learn and try to do better the next time. The human animal is too complicated to worry about the countless impulses, good or bad, running through us at any given moment.

I've been where you are, and I had someone tell me the same things I'm telling you, let go a little, step back and see the bigger picture. It took me a little time to readjust, but whenever I started to doubt myself, I simply shut it off and said, "Enough!" In time my mind felt a little less squeezed and I found that was what God wanted; less pressure and more happiness. I felt His presence in my life more naturally. Only by opening up to Him and trusting Him can we do His will, and this does not mean obsessing over it! 

If God were to set you down and talk this over with you face-to-face, He'd probably say, "Lighten up! You're doing far better than you realize." Many people, it seems, don't try at all, and God loves them too.

Be at peace, brother. And God bless you.   

Edited May 2, 2016 by Dreambiscuit

[ChB 18,532]

I am truly sorry for what you're going through, Summer. I've been going through very similar struggles, and to a limited extent still do. I agree with most if not all of what DreamBiscuit said. It is good to have self-awareness at times, but there is also the tendency to overthink things so much that I lose sight of the big picture. The best thing to do is to trust in God; not a "think really, really hard" trust, but a simple trust that a child would grant to any adult s/he respects. We are all sinners, and we can't all be as great and holy as we may want to be, but the most important thing is that we try, or at least want to try. God understands our failures, and will do everything we can to help us.

 

Recall this verse from Phillippians 4:6-7:

"6do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

 

So do not worry. Accept His love and mercy, and keep striving for what is good. You're in good hands.

 

I'll be praying for you. Pray for me, as well. 

Edited April 30, 2016 by ChB

[SummerOfGold 31]

Thank you all for the support. It seems my main problem is grabbing onto problems and not letting go. I'll try to release my grip on things I ought to leave in the past.

 

And I'll be sure to keep you in prayer, ChB.

[Reading Heart 167]

Thank you all for the support. It seems my main problem is grabbing onto problems and not letting go. I'll try to release my grip on things I ought to leave in the past.

 

And I'll be sure to keep you in prayer, ChB.

 

This a problem that most of us have at some point or another and therefore  this something we all have to learn, it's not always easy, but its definitely worth it, I will also keep you in prayer, brother.

 

“Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead. I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:12

[SummerOfGold 31]

Should have posted this before (kinda off-topic), but May 3rd is Pinkie Pie's official birthday.

[Dreambiscuit 8,024]

Yay Pinkie! *passes cake and party hats all around* I wonder how old she is. 

[SummerOfGold 31]

I wonder how old she is.

 

She was born on Tuesday May 3rd 1994, so she's 22

Edited May 4, 2016 by SummerOfGold

[Sunwalker 981]

Hello My Peeps! I'm a MK. Who ever knows what a MK or a TCK is you win a cookie !

It's nice to know there are others out there. This probley just made my day !

No cookie for me, since I didn't know and I had to Google it up

 

Anyways, from what I can get from Wikipedia, MK means "missionaries' kid", who are the children of missionaries. They are a subset of the "Third Culture Kids" (TCK), which is a more general term for children of parents who travel around the world.

 

By the way, I am happy to see you here! Welcome

 

 

I am non-denominational, grew up in Christian household, and still am part of two different churches that have changed greatly over the past few years (the one I live close to had their old sanctuary redone recently).

Welcome to you too

 

Glad to meet you!

 

 

I've had a hard time with this recently. I love characters like Babs, Trixie, DT, and Sunset because they're the kind of villains that are capable of seeing their wrong. There's nobody I've met who has this capacity, and it is dreadful feeling like the only person at school who believes in improvement and bettering oneself. What's worse on me is that I always judge the people around me because of their will to retain what they desire instead of the truth, and I see my hypocrisy. I don't think that I actually love anybody, and it hurts because I wonder whether the sorrow I feel is a result of thinking that I'm being hurtful to others or if it's merely a selfish feeling; like I'm worried more about my own skin than being what I should be to others. I don't want to feel judgement towards others, I hate holding onto memories of how I was wronged and I hate blowing up inwardly over everything. I don't know why it's so difficult for me. I feel so isolated at school. I abandoned a group of friends a while ago because they were all a bad influence on me, I don't hang out with my only Christian friend because he doesn't really care about his faith, I don't know what to do about my Lutheran friend because she is considering leaving the faith because she's bi and won't do anything about her other friends bullying me despite me complaining about it a couple times, and the only other friend I really have is a fellow brony who's an atheist, and I am seriously considering not hanging out with him anymore because he's been keeping this pattern of subtly insulting my faith (while outright saying it other times) and I know for a fact that if I were to confront him about it that he'd turn it into a fight. I have a Mormon teacher who's good for talking about moral things and literary understanding, but he's suggested reading the Book of Mormon so I don't feel comfortable talking with him about religious things as much. The only Christian teacher I know of on campus is one I don't have a class with. I feel like there's nobody my age to actually talk with about faith and learning on a regular basis and I feel starved for some personal Christian interaction in person. There's no support at home with my parents because they're the kind to ridicule me for not saying a long enough prayer at dinner and tell me I'm stupid and gay. I feel I should turn to God, and I always feel guilty for complaining about these things because I know He's there, but I... I just don't know. I don't know what to do. I try praying, but then I always feel that I'm putting faith in the prayer instead of God and I have a hard time focusing. I try to just talk with Him, but I get distracted and still can't focus. I hate just popping open my Bible because I feel like I'm committing bibliolatry. I just don't know what to do, and a lot of times I just feel dead. Like there's no real desire to move and no sense of empathy, like a sociopath. I could put on a great display and cry about all this, but I wonder if I actually care about the truth or if I'm just having a reaction to stress. I go to church and find it hard to sing the hymns because I'm just not "feeling it". The love just feels missing, and it pains me. So I sit down and what's the first thing that pops into my head? "I hope nobody sees me and thinks I'm being a bad Christian." It's thoughts like these that make me feel so guilty, that I would think about how others saw me in church instead of trying to connect with and worship God. Even when I find it easy to sing, I always cling to lyrics talking about what Jesus did or of forgiveness, but I get this weird feeling when I encounter lyrics about His greatness or about worshiping Him and putting aside the things of the world. I feel that I hate myself so much for this. I don't know why it's so hard for me to just have faith and let things go.

Here I am, Lord, and I'm drowning in your sea of forgetfulness

The chains of yesterday surround me

I yearn for peace and rest

I don't want to end up where You found me

And it echoes in my mind, keeps me awake tonight

I know You've cast my sin as far as the east is from the west

And I stand before You now as though I've never sinned

But today I feel like I'm just one mistake away from You leaving me this way

-- East to West - Casting Crowns

I hate going to church and bawling my eyes out, asking for forgiveness and saying "I'll do better next time." I don't want to keep going back to where I was, and I don't want to keep losing faith in Christ. But there are times I wonder if I ever trusted Him to begin with. I could endure torture for His Name, but what good does the deed do if it isn't in faith?

 

Sorry if I went on a bit of a tangent.

It is useful to remember that people are not saved by their own merits. Not even the most virtuous human you can think about is good enough to deserve salvation. That is why salvation is offered gratuitously by Christ. You have not to worry to be perfect, you need to strive to keep becoming better. This is not much about where you are or what you have accomplished, but rather about the direction you are following and if your intentions are good.

 

Remember that passage in which Jesus was in the temple, then a woman came and donated a single coin? Jesus commented that her action counted more than of the teachers of the law, who had donated lots of coins, because what she did was honest and came from her heart. The teachers of the law only donated in order to look good, they were selfish, but for the woman it took some real effort and motivation. In a similar way, it doesn't really matter whether you have accomplished a lot or not, try to not worry whether you have done enough or not. God knows your heart and your limitations, God isn't unfair and he isn't expecting from you nothing that you cannot accomplish. And even when you fail, God is forgiving. So no reason for despair, just get up and try again. Those who persevere until the end will be saved.

 

About what you go in your school... People who keep hurting you while knowing that they are hurting you cannot be called your friends. About getting harassed about the faith in school or college, it didn't happen with me, but the advice I got anyways was to keep a low profile until you get your diploma/degree, and then you can be open about it since those other people there are no longer in a position where they can hinder your academic career. This isn't a hard rule, though, as there are more than a few people who successfully stood up, but I cannot recommend this right now for you since (1) it looks that you are emotionally distressed about it, and (2) I am not close to you in person in order to give the necessary advice as the situation goes. But do what your heart tells it is the best, I will be praying for you

 

On a related note, just because someone is not formally a Christian it does not necessarily means that what comes from them is bad. Sometimes those people are closer to being good Christians than those who describe themselves as one. Nobody talks in Christ's name that isn't by Him, sometimes God can also use non-Christians in order to reach you. You can safely ignore what is against your faith, while keeping what is good.

 

 

Should have posted this before (kinda off-topic), but May 3rd is Pinkie Pie's official birthday.

A belated happy Pinkie Pie day to you and the folks here

[Reading Heart 167]

 

Good morning folks, my best wishes for everyone who reads this, regardless of who you are or where your life has taken you.

[Midnight Seashell 206]

Hello I'm a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day saints and l am proud to be a Christian

Edited May 12, 2016 by Midnight Seashell

[Sunwalker 981]

Hello I'm a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day saints and l am proud to be a Christian

As they say around here, welcome to the herd

 

 

Have a good time!

[weesh 690]

hey, want to bounce an idea off you guys:

 

i teach sunday school for 4th graders, and bring candy each week.  

The kids are not terribly grateful for the candy, and always ask for more, but whatever.

 

This sunday's lesson is on contentment, and uses the exodus story of the people complaining in the desert and God sending manna.

 

I'm considering not bringing candy tomorrow as an object lesson.  

I'm finding it amusing, and perhaps illuminating to cause something to intentionally create a situation where they are likely to complain about not getting candy in a way that mirrors the story....

 

But on the other hand, it might just look like i'm being mean.

 

Thoughts?

[alpinefroggy 451]

hey, want to bounce an idea off you guys:

 

i teach sunday school for 4th graders, and bring candy each week.

The kids are not terribly grateful for the candy, and always ask for more, but whatever.

 

This sunday's lesson is on contentment, and uses the exodus story of the people complaining in the desert and God sending manna.

 

I'm considering not bringing candy tomorrow as an object lesson.

I'm finding it amusing, and perhaps illuminating to cause something to intentionally create a situation where they are likely to complain about not getting candy in a way that mirrors the story....

 

But on the other hand, it might just look like i'm being mean.

 

Thoughts?

Not a Christian but...

 

Perhaps you can hide the candy and still try to pull the same trick. Personally I think this is a very clever and hilarious way to get them to realize the lesson.