Christian writers and readers meet here!

lick me twice said:

Im not sure who said it first but it looks like everyone agrees that pushy missionarys and evanglists do more to turn people away then anything else, your life and attitude should be your testomony, you shouldn't have to beat people into submisson with pamplets and tracts ect., kay, I'll step off my soapbox now unless your up for some discussion?

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I see interesting things in the wake of the tidal wave (I'd say sunami but I can't spell it).

In Indonesia the people have basically told the missionary groups to get the hell out and stop helping.

I'm not quite sure which way this one went... the question is are they being expelled just because the people are Islamic and are afraind of any contact with christian teaching....

or is it because the missionary groups are being obnoxious with spreading the word?

The really funny thing is that BOTH religions preach helping and loving your neighbor. BOTH should embrase tolerance.

"Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than going to McDonald's makes you a hamburger."


I adore that Emerald Kitten! It's soooo true *L*


Rgraham -it sure is all about love. Definitely with you there.

Dreampilot. I imagine it was a case of 6 of one and half a dozen of the other. (and it's tsunami (ex geography student here *L*) I think that mostly the aid people just wanna get out and help folks, but a few may be evangelising too...this might not have gone down well and maybe this is a reaction to that.

But really who knows?

basically even the best intended but not God directed action can cause trouble *L*

EL - I guess there's also the burden of history working against aid workers from missionary groups. Shouldn't be but almost certainly is.

helping people in distress or need is a good way of demonstrating how love, whether God directed or not, in it's broadest sense CAN change the world.

haldir said:

EL - I guess there's also the burden of history working against aid workers from missionary groups. Shouldn't be but almost certainly is.

helping people in distress or need is a good way of demonstrating how love, whether God directed or not, in it's broadest sense CAN change the world.

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You're probably right there Haldir

yes helping people is one of the best ways of showing love and seeing what a difference it can actually make

Ok so I'm gibing us all a bump this morning.

how are we all?


How many of us who meet here go to church on a Sunday? I don't go but I can't find a good church in walking distance of where I live that caters for my daughter.

English Lady said:

Ok so I'm gibing us all a bump this morning.

how are we all?


How many of us who meet here go to church on a Sunday? I don't go but I can't find a good church in walking distance of where I live that caters for my daughter.

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I do every Sunday that I'm not working. I do confess I haven't got any gold stars for attendance at Sunday School. I'm fortunate that we settled back in my original home town and I have the opportunity to attend the church where I first came to accept Jesus. My Catholic husband on the other hand has to drive an hour to go to Mass.

No, forestalling perhaps some comments, I don't think that because I go to church I'm a "better Christian" than those who don't. Church helps me, not the other way around. Attendance or membership is not a requirement. At the same time, just like this bulletin board,
mutual support helps.

"If you ever run into a man who howls too long on Saturday Night and prays too loud on Sunday Morning, go home and lock up your smokehouse." Harry Truman.

rgraham666 said:

I'm an agnostic, myself. I don't know anything about God.

I believe that if She exists, She wants us to be good to one another. As the person who people claim to be Her Son said, "This I say to you, that you love one another as I have loved you."

All the rituals, icons, pretty pictures, and everything else loaded on to religions of all types are diversionary tactics to lead us away from this simple piece of wisdom.


As C. S. Lewis noted in The Screwtape Letters one of the parade ground drills in Hell is turning into an angel of light.

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I love C.S. Lewis and there's an awful lot of sharp reminders in "The Screwtape Letters" about allowing the rituals to take over the basic message of Christianity, which you sum up very nicely.

Both in that remarkable bit of writing and his lesser read story about a visit to the outskirts of heaven in "The Great Divorce" Lewis tells us to be careful of transforming ourselves in our own minds into that angel of light. The bishop so consumed with his own mistaken state of comprehension and perfection that he doesn't even realize that he's lost comes immediately to mind.

Patricia,yes fellowship helps and if i could find a church i'd happily attend. You do need to meet with fellow believers and share your experiences.

I think sometimes we can get a bit insular though, and forget we're supposed to be going out amongst the nations you know? I think you have strive to hit a happy balance

Good morning, and sorry to come late to services.

I'm a Roman Catholic. (That feels like the beginning of some sort of AA-style confession of one's "-"ism." "Hi, I'm Black Shanglan, and I've been a Catholic for XX years ...")

I was intrigued by this thread. I'm glad it's here. It seems a very unpopular thing to be a Christian lately, and I'm impressed with EL's courage in sticking her neck out.

I wanted to ask this question: do any of you reference God in your stories? I find that I do end up doing so. It's not a deliberate attempt to "work in" religious themes, but I generally write historical fiction and tend to imagine religious faith playing a role in the lives of my characters. Certainly it was hard to dodge with Pope, since I knew he was Catholic and that affected his life (Alexander Pope, that is, and not the pope). But it's come up in most of my other stories as well. What are your thoughts about the suitability of religious faith in erotic stories? Part of me inevitably feels a little uncomfortable, both because I'm concerned that people will think I am prosyletizing and because it feels just a bit irreverent. On the other hand, I can't really imagine the characters in question any other way. Without making it obstrusive, in some cases it's too central a part of the character to just cut it; not that it's central to the plot, but it's central to the type of person I think the character is.

How do the rest of you handle this?

Shanglan

(Edited to add another good word for Lewis. He's brilliant. What an eye for human nature. I love "By all means, encourage them to think of religion as a sort of team sport ...")

Hello Shanglan and welcome to the fold (or should that be stable?*L*)

Well I'm thinking now and I don't think I have any explicit references to God in my work. Hmmm though in the NaNo novel I wrote the characters mum was a very Christian lady.


I do write alot of poetry and most of that is inspired by God, maybe I'll find one or two of them for this thread if people would like.

Oooh and have you read this story by Dr M? It really moved me and really proves God can speak to you through many things *L*


Judith (a christmas story) by Dr M

Hi Shaglan,

Several of my characters are openly religious, usually Catholic. Probably the strangest one in that regard is my female vampire Bridget O'Brien. When I rewrote the "standard" mythos on them I threw out things like aversions to the cross and so forth and it seemed likely that an Irish girl from the 16th century would continue to practice her faith if possible.

I don't have God appear but there is a certain heavenly messenger who first appears in To Serve and Protect: Night Watch". Incidentally, in that one, when my husband and wife cops get ready to storm where the bad guys are holding an evil ritual they say a prayer together, him holding his miraculous medal and her a cross on a necklace. That same individual (patron saint of cops among other duties) appears to help Bridget both in her climactic fight and after.

hello again Patricia (just noticed your reply *L*) and your characters sound fascinating.

I think I probably steer clear of the religion and sex mix because I don't know how to portray it in words in a way the reader could associate with. maybe thats my challenge for this year!

Hmmm. Now I feel subtle to the point of obscurity. Mine's nothing so dramatic; just the odd reference to a character pondering the moral ramifications of his actions, or now and then something like a prayer.

Shanglan

Subtle can be good though Shanglan.

I don't know how your average Porn reader would handle being put face to face with God mid masturbation...

English Lady said:

Subtle can be good though Shanglan.

I don't know how your average Porn reader would handle being put face to face with God mid masturbation...

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*laugh* Exactly. I am trying to avoid that. Mine tend to be more asides on the morality of the speaker's actions. I'm hoping it's not too obstrusive, but I think in the case of powerful emotional contact, it's not completely out of character for God to surface in the character's thoughts. Something like this one, with a two characters in the midst of surmounting a powerful taboo ...

“It is not wrong to love you.”

He clung, stroking my skin, cradling my head to him. I closed my eyes in the heaven of his scent and did not dare even to breathe. At last he spoke again, and his voice was a breaking sob.

“Is it sin to want you?”

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I am hoping that in the broader context of the tale, the reference to sin and his concern for morality will help to give depth to the kindness and gentleness that are key to that character. I'm hoping that that doesn't raise any new barriers to the reader - lord knows there are enough in this story already.

Shanglan

No, I think if you're writing a character they kind of dictate to you what they're like. (my characters do anyways *L*)

But yes, if a character is really deeply feeling, if they're stressed, upset or joyful God is probablynot far form a characters thoughts. (Obviously this is a general statement) Maybe it helps to bring in little Godreference at such times to help make the character appear more human...

Good morning all

Well I watched an interesting programme last night all about football (soccer)and it being the new religion.

It was very interesting to hear the thoughts of the reverand who prayed for Beckhams foot to heal for the world cup and also kinda disturbing to see images of the church of Maradonna!


My old pastor aleays used to say that my faith was Christianity but my religion was football (Manchester United to be precise!)


Anyhow, how are we today?

Mention god in a porn story?

Damn.. I draw so much fire from the fire breathing christians who hold their own views and think they need to inflict them on me that I'm a little skeered to bring it into a story....lol

Not that I don't think it should be there.. just that I think there are those that would have the tarr all warmed up and the feathers broken from an old pillow and then come looking for me... lol

dreampilot..you're probbly right as sad as that is.

I am going to think aboutit though, I really like the challenge of working someones faith into an erotic story. I'll see what I can do. Why not eh?

just make sure you have a thick hide and lots of burn cream!!

funny how the "christians" can be so intollerant... and funnier still how come so many come to an erotic site on a mission to save our souls.... or just to insult us.

Actually I think those people actually come to be incensed. Which speaks to me that they are really repressing their humanity. I hardly think that is christian!

English Lady said:

dreampilot..you're probbly right as sad as that is.

I am going to think aboutit though, I really like the challenge of working someones faith into an erotic story. I'll see what I can do. Why not eh?

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I once read a book about a woman who married a minister and her reservations about it. But darned if I can remember the name.


BTW...morning all

cookiejar said:

BTW...morning all

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and cookie.. any morning with you in it is bound to be good...

EL... and by the way.. I missed church sunday....

Worse.. I couldn't get to the skeet range either... and I was so hoping to shoot down some attacking flying saucers...

When I miss church... I do pray that I can hit one or two.... does that count?

rhinoguy said:

God OFTEn appears in erotica.
eg.

"oh God! oh God!! OH...MY...GOD!!!!'


(with good reason...orgasms..one of God's best ideas)

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Rhino.. while I agree with you.... the comments that seem to fill my mail box... seem to think they are the work of the devil!

If so....