Story_Guardian

What should be the limits on violence in Christian books?

I think this one should be approached prayerfully and with thoughtful consideration of your target audience.  Some stories organically call for a certain degree of violence, however, there is a point at which the portrayal of violence can do more harm than good.  There is a term often u…[Read more]

@crazywriter

Thank you! Who is this David Clotfelters? Sounds like a good book!

@allertingthbs

Exactly. No Order 66s. 😂.

@emily-Waldorf

Wonderfully put! I agree. I would highly recommend David Clotfelters Sinners In the Hands of a Good God. Excellent book. I know I already mentioned it, but again, it’s just that good. If you can, read it.

@allertingthbs

I’d love to!

I believe that while man is free to choose good or evil, we will, in our fallen state, invariably choose evil. Since the Fall it is against our nature to choose good, and therefore against our nature and inclinations to choose God. We are free to do so, but we will not–in both senses of the word. It is an act of…[Read more]

@crazywriter Yep if you’re trying to say something about God, make Him like Christians see him. Pretty straightforward, and like you said, can’t go wrong.

I’m always open to talk about my faith, whether with a Christian or someone unsaved. Here it just happens to be a pretty specific and deep theological point that isn’t always the easiest to…[Read more]

@allertingthbs

I honestly don’t know. Haven’t thought about it honestly. I think the main point, which I think we both agree on, is that if you’re trying to write something allegorical or purposefully to portray something theological, make God the hero. Make him the savior. You can’t go wrong there.

Also, same. I need to sleep on these things…[Read more]

@crazywriter Thanks for writing out your views here, I think I’ll need to sleep on it and think about it a little before getting back into the heavy parts of this discussion. It’s awesome to hear what you have to say and think.

Just a thought, what do you think of having predestination in your literature work? Do you think that it’s only for a…[Read more]

@allertingthbs

I would say, no. Our salvation does not depend totally on our acceptance of his sacrifice. It depends on whether God enables us to be able to accept it. Psalm 53 is clear that no one seeks God. Romans 3:23 echoes this. How can we presume that we can choose God when we can’t even seek him?

I agree that we must accept God but we c…[Read more]

As for the church hopping question.

The evangelical church was one of the first I can remember, and at the time it seemed just like how church was. Sunday school tended to have candy rewards for sword drills at least (:

The baptist church I attended for many years until I was about nineteen. I enjoyed it for most of it, the head pastor was very…[Read more]

@crazywriter Thanks for clarifying, certainly didn’t want to misunderstand. I agree that salvation is fully based on God’s grace and His Will. It says in Romans 10,

– If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are…[Read more]

@allertingthbs

That’s interesting! What did you think of the denominations that you moved around to and from?

@alertingthbs

No sorry, what I meant is that if God is not sovereign in salvation, salvation doesn’t happen. My belief is that God must change our desires. He chooses us according to his great purpose(Ephesians 1)

No I am firmly a Calvinist, and I believe those that attribute salvation  to humans choosing God are making salvation dependent on th…[Read more]

@emily-waldorf

I come from an evangelical, then baptist, then non-denomination background (very weird progression but we tried a few different churches growing up and then I moved for work). I personally believe that salvation is granted by God to those who choose to accept Christ as their savior. It’s a bit tough for me to figure how…[Read more]

@crazywriter

I agree! One of my favorite pithy sayings is “My will is free. God’s will is free. God’s will is freer than my will.”

The only reason I say that they are not exclusive is b/c I have a slightly different view of free will than I think others might. You see, we will freely choose God, but not until he has regenerated our will. Every…[Read more]

@emily-Waldorf

While there is a definite truth in what you say, Calvinism and Arminianism are irreconcilable in their truest sense. Predestination and free will aren’t as much, but there is still a wide chasm. While there is a definite sense that God will not drag someone kicking and screaming into the kingdom against ‘their will’ our will is ho…[Read more]

@denali-christianson you figure skate?! I’ve never had a friend who does that and that is so cool!

also, hello to all on this lovely, lively thread!

Yes to both! They’re not mutually exclusive. 🙂

Man, sometimes I wish my family would film stuff with me. XD

@denali-Christianson

Me and my siblings have made a plethora of home movies, that are basically us doing one of the Narnia movies or LOTR, or something. But your kind of filmmaking sounds much more professional

Ooh, filmmaking?