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Christians from political left and right sign 'Civility Covenant'

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Christians from political left and right sign 'Civility Covenant' Empty Christians from political left and right sign 'Civility Covenant'

Post  Sweedle P. Sun Mar 28, 2010 11:35 am

This was some positive news to wake up to on CNN.com this morning! I couldn't be more pleased. I do have to say the bit about the Mormons was pretty funny (and sad), but hey, it's Glenn Beck -- hence, the reason it's funny. I hope this doesn't just fizzle out before it makes a difference, as I know a church that could learn a thing or two.

Christians from political left and right sign 'Civility Covenant'
By Dan Gilgoff, CNN
March 26, 2010 2:55 p.m. EDT

(CNN) -- A group of more than 100 prominent Christians ranging from evangelical minister Jim Wallis on the political left to Nixon White House aide Chuck Colson on the right released a document Thursday calling for an end to the fight club tone of the national political discourse.

Called the "Civility Covenant," the document says that churches have too often "reflected the political divisions of our culture rather than the unity we have in the body of Christ."

"Members of Congress have been calling me saying 'It's never been as bad as it is now, but we can't do much about it because we're not credible to a lot of Americans,'" said Wallis, who leads the progressive group Sojourners. "They said to the faith community, 'please help us.'"

Wallis said the covenant is the result of those conversations. It has 114 signatories from a broad swath of Christian traditions, including the president of the National Association of Evangelicals, the head of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference and the general superintendent of the Assemblies of God, a major Pentecostal denomination.

The list also includes plenty of strange political bedfellows, from conservative Christian leaders like Harry Jackson -- who led the unsuccessful fight against gay marriage in Washington -- to Morna Murray, president of the progressive Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good, which is close to the Obama White House.

"Anytime you have a document with Wallis and Colson signing, you're talking about a pretty unusual situation and a pretty significant marker," said John Green, an expert on religion and politics at the University of Akron in Ohio. "It shows that there are some issues that transcend politics and ideology."

Quoting the New Testament, the new covenant urges Christians to "put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice, and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you."

"We owe a certain responsibility to each other as believers," said Colson, an influential evangelical Christian voice. "This doesn't mean I haven't challenged some people's theology. But the document says we're not going to challenge each other's motives or engage in ad hominem attacks."

Wallis, who led the effort to draft the document and collect signatures for it, noted that the document comes at a time when members of Congress are complaining of physical threats against them because of their positions on the health care bill, which President Obama signed into law Tuesday.

Wallis says he'll start collecting signatures from more pastors and rank-and-file churchgoers in coming weeks.

The pastor publicly feuded with conservative television host Glenn Beck this month after Beck encouraged his fans to leave churches that preach economic and social justice. Wallis organized a boycott of Beck's show but says the timing of the covenant's release is incidental.

Colson said the document "wouldn't apply to Glenn Beck because we're talking about the conversation in the family of believers ... Glenn Beck is a Mormon."

Many Christians don't consider Mormons -- members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints -- to be Christians, though Mormons consider themselves Christian.

The covenant is the latest in a series of faith-based efforts to soften the public discourse. Prominent evangelical PR executive Mark DeMoss, a conservative, and former Bill Clinton aide Lanny Davis launched the Civility Project last year.
Original can be found at: http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/03/26/christian.civility.covenant/


Last edited by Sweedle P. on Sun Mar 28, 2010 3:31 pm; edited 1 time in total
Sweedle P.
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Christians from political left and right sign 'Civility Covenant' Empty Re: Christians from political left and right sign 'Civility Covenant'

Post  Chasmira1060 Sun Mar 28, 2010 3:30 pm

Seems like a positive step forward:

Quote:
Called the "Civility Covenant," the document says that churches have too often "reflected the political divisions of our culture rather than the unity we have in the body of Christ."

Indeed, this is similar to what we just learned in Sunday School in Romans 12:16~

"Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits."

This means that so long as you believe in Christ and have accepted Him as Savior, you are a Christian SO, do not consider yourself better than other believers just because they are part of a different denomination. As Christians, we may not all share the exact same doctrines and theologies--including controversial subjects like creationism/evolution and abortion--however, the most important thing to remember is we are all one in Christ. Joining together and being concerned with the saving of souls is most important. We all have error in our doctrine because we are imperfect humans. Only when we die and go on to live with Christ forever will we understand His Word perfectly and wholly. But the message of salvation is clear, so we should remember: we are one in Christ.

Not quite the same message as the article, but a similar and good one. Thanks for sharing. ^_^ I love you
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Christians from political left and right sign 'Civility Covenant' Empty Re: Christians from political left and right sign 'Civility Covenant'

Post  Sweedle P. Sun Mar 28, 2010 3:36 pm

Chasmira1060 wrote:This means that so long as you believe in Christ and have accepted Him as Savior, you are a Christian SO, do not consider yourself better than other believers just because they are part of a different denomination.
I have to ask, then: What do you think of Mormons? They believe in Christ. Muslims believe in Christ, for that matter, but are generally taught that if they believe he was divine (the Son of God) they will go to Hell. Do you think either religion/denomination to be saved?
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Christians from political left and right sign 'Civility Covenant' Empty Re: Christians from political left and right sign 'Civility Covenant'

Post  Chasmira1060 Sun Mar 28, 2010 4:09 pm

Sweedle P. wrote:
Chasmira1060 wrote:This means that so long as you believe in Christ and have accepted Him as Savior, you are a Christian SO, do not consider yourself better than other believers just because they are part of a different denomination.
I have to ask, then: What do you think of Mormons? They believe in Christ. Muslims believe in Christ, for that matter, but are generally taught that if they believe he was divine (the Son of God) they will go to Hell. Do you think either religion/denomination to be saved?

I don't know exactly what Mormons believe. But Muslims I would consider unsaved. You said it youself--if they consider Christ the Son of God, they go to Hell(according to them). But as a Christian, I know one must believe Christ is the Son of God and accept Him as such. So, no, if they do not profess and accept Christ as Savior, they are unsaved. What do Mormons believe exactly?
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Christians from political left and right sign 'Civility Covenant' Empty Re: Christians from political left and right sign 'Civility Covenant'

Post  Sweedle P. Sun Mar 28, 2010 4:35 pm

Here is a list of Fast Facts on Mormonism from ReligionFacts.com.
Beliefs and Practices Overview

Latter-day Saints are distinguished especially by:

  • Active proselytizing by full-time volunteer missionaries
  • Belief in modern prophets, beginning with Joseph Smith, Jr., and continuing today with Gordon B. Hinckley
  • Acceptance of the Bible, the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and The Pearl of Great Price as works of scripture
  • A dietary code called the Word of Wisdom, currently requiring abstinence from alcohol, tobacco, coffee, tea, and illegal drugs; caffeinated soft drinks are left to individual discretion.
  • Belief in God the Father, the Son (Christ), and the Holy Ghost existing as three separate individual beings or personages
  • Belief in a form of theosis called exaltation or eternal progression
  • Formerly practicing polygamy (plural marriage)
  • Wearing ceremonial temple garments under their daily clothes
  • Performing baptisms for the dead, and other ordinances by proxy, in temples and doing attendant genealogical research.

Mormons don't believe in the Trinity, but they do believe Jesus was the Son of God. "Mormons hold many beliefs about Christ in common with Catholics and Protestants, such as Christ as Son of God, Christ as Savior of humanity, Christ's existence before his birth, Christ predicted by prophets before his birth, the Virgin Birth, the reality of the Crucifixion, and the bodily Resurrection of Christ."

Of course, you have to take this along side their many other bizarre beliefs. For example, in the Mormon text "Book of Moses," Satan and Jesus contend for the privilege of taking a body of flesh in order to become the redeemer, with Jesus winning the contest. The spirit of Jesus was then given a body through the Virgin Birth to Mary in Bethlehem.

What do you think? Saved or not saved?
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Christians from political left and right sign 'Civility Covenant' Empty Re: Christians from political left and right sign 'Civility Covenant'

Post  Chasmira1060 Sun Mar 28, 2010 10:51 pm

[quote="Sweedle P."]Here is a list of Fast Facts on Mormonism from ReligionFacts.com.
Beliefs and Practices Overview

"Mormons hold many beliefs about Christ in common with Catholics and Protestants, such as Christ as Son of God, Christ as Savior of humanity, Christ's existence before his birth, Christ predicted by prophets before his birth, the Virgin Birth, the reality of the Crucifixion, and the bodily Resurrection of Christ."

Well, so long as they accept Christ as the Son of God and as their Saviors, then I guess they COULD be saved, just with some false doctrines and theology, in my opinion. Sort of how I view it as wrong and unscriptural for Catholics to pray to saints and actually think that does any good. Catholics can definitely be saved too, I just disagree with many of their doctrinal practices and teachings.
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