It appears challenge blasphemy found my blog! So of course I got a PM quoting my post about ‘how Christians annoy me’ with this added

Christians are supposed to love one another and stand up together in defense of the gospel. You are critisizing me on the World WIde Web for standing up for what I believe.

How does that look to unbelievers?

A few interesting points I think, I have to admit having been very caught up in writing a sermon a very blunt ‘Looks like the shoe is on the other foot’ kinda response was sent.

But it does lead me onto thinking that there is a very fine line for Christians at being critical and being loving. It seems to me some Christians take loving to new levels almost watering the gospel down to ‘Love God but don’t criticise anyone, you can’t tell anyone they’re wrong’ and of course you get the other end of the extreme where anything slightly different in style to the worship has the finger pointed at them, whether they’re Christian or not.

I think it’s difficult for Christians to find a happy medium (perhaps cos we can’t take part in witchcraft! (sorry bad joke)) but on a serious note it is difficult to find a good in between. Jesus said the two most important commandments were to ‘Love God and love your neighbour as yourself’ and I think there’s a fine line between being critical in love and being overly critical,and if you’re reading this blog expecting a solution you won’t get one because I don’t have one.

I think as Christians it’s good to look out for each other, I think Martha and Mary both spent time together regually and were almost accountable to eachother, I base this on Luke 1 where Mary share’s her news with Elizabeth, and I’d guess that they look out for each other. Jesus used to tell the disciples when they got it a bit wrong (ye of little faith etc), and the bible talks about if we have a problem go to the person about it, then take elders etc (I think that’s in acts). It also tells us to not fit into the world (Romans 12:2 - Mark paraphrase). So I guess it’s tricky finding a middle ground between being overly critical and being overly loving (by which I mean just accepting everything people do and not pointing out that they need to change something)

Important: Incidentally I have been discussing the alpha thing with the mod and we’ve agreed that we’ve both had very different experiences of alpha, her experiences are ones which I’d probably cringe at however my experiences have been very biblical and good!