That's interesting, I haven't read Moby Dick so I wasn't aware of this. You do bring up a good point, that many people feel like they have to be worldly or "cool" to be more approachable or attractive or less "set-apart".
I have 2 comments:
1. "holy" as Miriam Webster's dictionary defines it (not the Bible), is being perfect in goodness and righteousness. In a Biblical context, hagios (Greek) and kodesh (Hebrew), mean set-apart, separate, and dedicated (to something/someone).
Personally, I have tried to be "cool" to others, by showing them I could be like them, I could do the things they were doing, that even though I was religious, I wasn't too proud or snobby or "holier than thou" and it never had a good result!. I didn't really understand that holy means set-apart from the world, separate and dedicated to God. It's very helpful for me to have that mindset now. :)
2. the other day I was wondering if the command to not bow down to or serve idols ( which is one of the 10 commandments, Exodus 20:5) was present anywhere in the New Testament, and it is: (I've been studying about the split in the Catholic church over bowing down to images/icons and how it effected what words were translated as "worship" by Bible translators who opposed it) and wondered what the New Testament said on bowing down to idols:) so I'm glad you brought this up!
Revelation 9:20-21
"But the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, so as to not bow down to demons, and idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk. And they did not repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts."
*side note: many English Bibles replace "bow down" or "serve" with "worship", in both Exodus and Revelation ( as interpretation, not direct translation into English, as there's no Greek or Hebrew word that means worship). I know that's a random side note there, but just in case someone is wondering why they don't see the word "worship" in my comments and they see it in these verses in Exodus and Revelation in their Bible.*
Overall, great thoughts! thank you for sharing!!!!
Exactly on point. The only thing I find intriguing is that people think this has only been going on the last 10-20 years. This all started with Peter Drucker's influence on Rick Warren, Bill Hybels and Robert Schuller to see out those "seekers." Rick Warren's entire premise in the "Purpose Driven Church" was to ask the world what they wanted the church to be and the church was to "go and do likewise." The doors of the church were swung open through a very heavily marketed PR campaign and pastors wanting to develop their church into the next mega church with more "nickels and noses." It became about how many rear ends sat in the chair and how much money was received each week. Didn't matter that the most Biblically illiterate generation this country has ever seen is the result. Wonder why more people worship at the altar of sports? It all goes back to the late 1980's.
Excellent. Sadly, this is a path too many are walking too often.
Indeed
Thanks Brother 🙏🤟
That's interesting, I haven't read Moby Dick so I wasn't aware of this. You do bring up a good point, that many people feel like they have to be worldly or "cool" to be more approachable or attractive or less "set-apart".
I have 2 comments:
1. "holy" as Miriam Webster's dictionary defines it (not the Bible), is being perfect in goodness and righteousness. In a Biblical context, hagios (Greek) and kodesh (Hebrew), mean set-apart, separate, and dedicated (to something/someone).
Personally, I have tried to be "cool" to others, by showing them I could be like them, I could do the things they were doing, that even though I was religious, I wasn't too proud or snobby or "holier than thou" and it never had a good result!. I didn't really understand that holy means set-apart from the world, separate and dedicated to God. It's very helpful for me to have that mindset now. :)
2. the other day I was wondering if the command to not bow down to or serve idols ( which is one of the 10 commandments, Exodus 20:5) was present anywhere in the New Testament, and it is: (I've been studying about the split in the Catholic church over bowing down to images/icons and how it effected what words were translated as "worship" by Bible translators who opposed it) and wondered what the New Testament said on bowing down to idols:) so I'm glad you brought this up!
Revelation 9:20-21
"But the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, so as to not bow down to demons, and idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk. And they did not repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts."
*side note: many English Bibles replace "bow down" or "serve" with "worship", in both Exodus and Revelation ( as interpretation, not direct translation into English, as there's no Greek or Hebrew word that means worship). I know that's a random side note there, but just in case someone is wondering why they don't see the word "worship" in my comments and they see it in these verses in Exodus and Revelation in their Bible.*
Overall, great thoughts! thank you for sharing!!!!
Exactly on point. The only thing I find intriguing is that people think this has only been going on the last 10-20 years. This all started with Peter Drucker's influence on Rick Warren, Bill Hybels and Robert Schuller to see out those "seekers." Rick Warren's entire premise in the "Purpose Driven Church" was to ask the world what they wanted the church to be and the church was to "go and do likewise." The doors of the church were swung open through a very heavily marketed PR campaign and pastors wanting to develop their church into the next mega church with more "nickels and noses." It became about how many rear ends sat in the chair and how much money was received each week. Didn't matter that the most Biblically illiterate generation this country has ever seen is the result. Wonder why more people worship at the altar of sports? It all goes back to the late 1980's.