Corpfox said:
Tek7; ToJ leader & "President" for many years. Back those years, he wasn't busy and would sometimes be playing Starcraft with a couple of people. Last game I played him was a fun, Free For All (FFA) 8 player game in Starcraft. Though I think I lost from Carrier Rush/Dragoon Drop.
Oh, I was busy, even back then. Tribe of Judah wasn't nearly as large, but I was fielding most of the duties involved in ToJ's development: recruiting members, appointing staff members, developing the ToJ web site, playing games with members, and corresponding with other clans. I've delegated many responsibilities to other members, but my real life is much more full than it was then. In the last six years, I went back to college, graduated from community college, searched for a job in the IT industry, worked full-time jobs, married my wonderful wife, and attempted to develop some semblance of a writing discipline.
But this thread isn't about me.
The question Corpfox asked: Do Christians have good times/bad times?
The short answer: Yes.
The long answer: If you listen to the popular teaching of Western Christianity, you will hear teachers teach that life will go well and be happy if you choose to serve God; however, the Bible tells a different story.
Moses spent 40 years in the wilderness with millions of ungrateful, cantankerous people. Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers and later imprisoned. Elijah struggled with suicidal tendencies. Gideon struggled with fear. John the Baptist was imprisoned and later beheaded. Jesus' disciples (excluding Judas), with the exception of John, were martyred. Peter was crucified
upside down.
What do all those listed above have in common? They served the Lord. Serving the Lord does not guarantee comfort. If you dedicate your life to the Lord, you can be assured that you will suffer, that others will hate you, and that you will be misunderstood. It is not a question of "if" but "when."
I believe that people do not fear suffering itself, but rather suffering without purpose.
Christianity is not an escape from suffering, but rather gives the highest purpose possible to the suffering inherent in life. One should not "sign up" for Christianity because he or she wants the best job, the most beautiful or handsome spouse, or even inner peace. One's service for the Lord should be inspired by love. Still, the Lord does not wait to call a person until they are perfect; He instead called us while we were sinful, prideful, and seeking our own glory. He works with and through flawed people every day, but that work should not be construed as a mark of "arrival" or perfection. Paul describes the Christian life as a marathon, not a sprint. We should be striving every day to shed the sin that "so easily ensnares" and seek the Lord.
As for why Corpfox is still around, I believe there are a number of reasons. First, this community is, for the most part, friendly and welcoming. There are plenty of elitist and hostile gaming communities. Even those who do not share our faith have visited and remarked that they enjoyed the friendly and inviting atmosphere of Christian game servers.
Secondly, Corpfox, I believe you are seeking answers for the difficult questions facing all people. There have been times where you have violated the rules, but you've often posed genuine and urgent questions. I have seen enough people who are earnestly seeking revelation of the divine turned away because of Christians who say, "You must do it exactly this way or you are not a Christian." I do not believe God is nearly as impatient or narrow-minded as those Christians. Is Christ the only way to heaven? Certainly. Is Scripture true? Yes, definitely. Is Jesus Christ the Son of God? Yes. Compared to these questions, the matter of baptizing by immersion or sprinkling is of little consequence.
I will also take this opportunity to speak to the Christians reading this post: Do not be so quick to assume the state of someone's heart. Many Christians share testimonies where one patient Christian spent time with, got to know, and genuinely cared about them when they were using drugs, using sex as a drug, and refusing to attend church. Even though these people were destroying themselves, the love shown by one person resonated with something inherent in all people and opened their ears to the Gospel. Other Christians assumed that they were openly mocking God by their lifestyle, all the while they were inwardly crying out for direction and purpose.
Western Christianity has a nasty tendency toward a "us-them" mentality that creates such a chasm between Christians and non-Christians that the church sabotages its own efforts to evangelize. The church is quick to give food and supplies to the lower classes and teaching and entertainment to the middle and upper classes. The church, for the most part, is slow to lend an open ear and a loving heart to intellectuals and artists.
Offtopic: The Western church's narrow approach could not be carried over to other cultures, but certainly the Lord wishes to develop a relationship with all people; therefore, there must be multiple ways to present or "dress up" the same truth. (This may help explain Christianity has been met with such resistance in Asian countries.) The subject of contextualization was a controversial topic in Paul's time and remains a source of controversy today, but I believe we can all agree that Paul's effort to bring the Gospel to other cultures was largely successful.
Make no mistake; God loves a questioning person just as much as any other person. Many of history's most renowned writers, artists, and philosophers have placed their faith in Christ. Contrary to the popular image of Christianity as a religion of mindless sheep, it is a rich faith with a deep history and centers around a God of remarkable wisdom, beauty, patience, grace, and mercy.
I recently wrote in a recent post that I did not want to ban Corpfox. I feel that ostracizing a person who is genuinely seeking truth flies in the face of the Great Commission. While rules must be enforced, one must remember the purpose behind those rules when choosing how to enforce them. Just as the Pharisees got caught up in the letter of the law to the exclusion of the spirit of the law, there remains a danger of elevating the rules above the purpose and mission of a ministry.
I pray that I communicated my heart and my passion through this post. I pray no one misunderstands and believes that I am calling for a lax or lazy Christianity; rather, I am calling for behavior so contrary to human nature that it can only be accomplished by the grace and support of a God who loved people so much that He was willing to suffer terribly to restore His relationship with them.
). On the record, I wasn't a Christian for the last few months before I quited.
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