appropriate for a priest to preach about stem cell research & abortion on Easter???

[The Wanderer]

because that's what I heard today in church, about how "evil" these things are; I don't know, is pushing your agenda appropriate on Easter Sunday?

 

[foray]

I don't know. But why not? Preaching it this week or the next, no difference to me. I'm not sure whether it's better than the sermon I received last Easter: the pastor (if he was one) told a story about an Easter bunny who gave eggs to two children but shared the gospel of Christ with them. Easter Bunny co-existing with Jesus the Christ... that was a little loopy for me...

foray

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so bounce, basketball, bounce

 

[brettig]

Most churches ive been to will be aggressive in pushing agendas or making persuasive noises at Easter and Christmas because of the high number of folks who will only go to church for these 'special occasions'. Pastors see this as their opportunity to attract new members with forceful, election type rhetoric...

I guess its a bit cynical but thats my take.

[This message has been edited by brettig (edited 03-31-2002).]

 

[The Wanderer]

I agree with you there brettig, I guess I was just hoping for a little more reverence and a lot less fire and brimstone

 

[brettig]

I agree there is too much fire n brimstone- what people want from the Church and what the Church thinks people want are usually poles apart...and of course both are prolly miles from what God wants!

wanna chat?

 

[Spiral_Staircase]

At my church, there really was no "sermon" on Easter sunday. The pastor talked for about 10 minutes on the fact that we live in a hopeless world, but that we can have hope because of God. Then 3 people (cancer survivor, alcoholic, and couple who had 2 children die) shared about how God had given them hope during hard times in their lives. It wasn't the typical easter service I'm used to, but I thought it was very appropriate, and very meaningful. No agendas or election-type rhetoric, just hope. It was cool.

[This message has been edited by Spiral_Staircase (edited 04-01-2002).]

 

[80sU2isBest]

Originally posted by The Wanderer:
because that's what I heard today in church, about how "evil" these things are; I don't know, is pushing your agenda appropriate on Easter Sunday?

I may be a bit traditional in this, but I have to agree with you. I always want to hear an Easter themed message on Easter. easter Sunday is teh Sunday in which there are more visitors sitting in the pews than on any other Sunday, and many are not Christians. They should hear the Easter message. It's the most important message in the Bible.

 

[zonelistener]

Originally posted by Spiral_Staircase:
At my church, there really was no "sermon" on Easter sunday. The pastor talked for about 10 minutes on the fact that we live in a hopeless world, but that we can have hope because of God. Then 3 people (cancer survivor, alcoholic, and couple who had 2 children die) shared about how God had given them hope during hard times in their lives. It wasn't the typical easter service I'm used to, but I thought it was very appropriate, and very meaningful. No agendas or election-type rhetoric, just hope. It was cool.

[This message has been edited by Spiral_Staircase (edited 04-01-2002).]

Although - this seems like a poy of a bit too. Is this something that is done often - or was this truly a special case?

Brettig nailed this one.

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

i agree with brettig too. it really sucks that pastors, ministers, and what have you pick these two days to preach whatever they feel is appropriate.

if they are indeed trying to get more visitors, then in my opinion they're doing it all wrong. if i walked into some church for the first time or whatever, i wouldn't want to hear that kind of message. preaching about that would certainly not make me want to attend that church.

luckily for me my pastor preached about easter. i've been going since easter 97 and this past sunday was our first service in our new building.

 

[Spiral_Staircase]

Originally posted by zonelistener:
Although - this seems like a poy of a bit too. Is this something that is done often - or was this truly a special case?

Brettig nailed this one.

Not sure I'm following you.
The point of the service was that Christ's death and resurrection gives us hope both for eternity as well as for day-to-day living. Are you saying this was a ploy to get people to come to the church? Just looking for clarification...

 

[Lilly]

Two years ago there was a really great Easter sermon that had a prayer for anybody less fortunate than you and all sorts of great things. It was the best sermon I've ever heard actually, extremely eye opening. But the pushing of Church ideas is the primary reason I don't regularly attend.

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"Just tell 'em what they wanna hear & nobody will complain."

 

[pax]

Oh, my goodness.

Call the presses.

80sU2isBest and I actually agree on something!

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If you cannot live together in here, you cannot live together out there, let me tell ya. --Bono

You've got to cry without weeping, talk without speaking, scream without raising your voice... --Bono

 

[speedracer]

Well, pastors (hopefully) won't preach about a politically divisive or controversial position unless they think they can find some basis for it in their religion, right?

That being said, I believe the only proper thing to preach on Good Friday or Easter is the death and resurrection of Christ. There are thousands of issues on which the Church disagrees with itself, but the death and resurrection of Christ is *THE* essential message of Christianity.

 

[Angela Harlem]

Originally posted by paxetaurora:
Oh, my goodness.

Call the presses.

80sU2isBest and I actually agree on something!

Whoah...same with brettig and I. But I didn't say that....