Why not Google?

I agree with what Kidan posted with one slight discrepancy: I have never paid Google for any of its services. They have been provided to me free of charge. =)
 
Kidan said:
Let's make this clear: It's not OUR place to condemn or ostracize those in the world for their sin. ...

Those in the World are of sin, just like those of us in the grace of Christ are of Christ.

So, yes, while the Bible doesn't say that we cannot judge, we must also remember, that anyone who is lost, is just that, lost. We cannot hold them accountable for their actions, because they are not our brothers and sisters in Christ. Rather our sole purpose should be to show those who are lost the love of Christ...
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Something needs to be clarified. Why are we in the world? To only revolve around our own Christian doors? Our very purpose as Christians today are to tell people that they are in danger of being held accountable! Not by us, because our judgment is meaningless, but by HIM!

"Ye have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet ye say Wherein have we wearied him? When ye say, Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delighteth in them; or, Where is the God of judgment?"
-Malachi 2:17

That is a VERY important verse for today. All this talk about "The God of love..." So many people forget that He is also "The God of Judgment," needed to be feared.

Their current standing can be summed up by Jonathan Edwards very nicely, in a very famous sermon.

"So that, thus it is that natural men are held in the hand of God, over the pit of hell; they have deserved the fiery pit, and are already sentenced to it; and God is dreadfully provoked, his anger is as great towards them as to those that are actually suffering the executions of the fierceness of his wrath in hell, and they have done nothing in the least to appease or abate that anger, neither is God in the least bound by any promise to hold them up one moment; the devil is waiting for them, hell is gaping for them, the flames gather and flash about them, and would fain lay hold on them, and swallow them up; the fire pent up in their own hearts is struggling to break out: and they have no interest in any Mediator, there are no means within reach that can be any security to them. In short, they have no refuge, nothing to take hold of; all that preserves them every moment is the mere arbitrary will, and uncovenanted, unobliged forbearance of an incensed God.... Your guilt and hardness of heart is extremely great. Do you not see how generality persons of your years are passed over and left, in the present remarkable and wonderful dispensation of God's mercy? You had need to consider yourselves, and awake thoroughly out of sleep. You cannot bear the fierceness and wrath of the infinite God. -- And you, young men, and young women, will you neglect this precious season which you now enjoy, when so many others of your age are renouncing all youthful vanities, and flocking to Christ? You especially have now an extraordinary opportunity; but if you neglect it, it will soon be with you as with those persons who spent all the precious days of youth in sin, and are now come to such a dreadful pass in blindness and hardness."
-Jonathan Edwards: Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God
http://www.ccel.org/ccel/edwards/sermons.sinners.html

We know this. We are sinners, who have found out the true meaning behind the works of Christ Jesus. We are washed in this precious, precious blood. There is nothing else that stands apart from us to them, but Him. It is then our responsibility, no, our earnest desire, to be another "voice crying in the wilderness." Our duty is to stand at our watch, and warn those that cannot see over the wall of sin of what is coming. Jesus the conquering King.

"Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice in trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him."
-Psalm 2: 11-12

"I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved."
-Habakkuk 2:1

We need to do the same, otherwise, how else do they know what is good, and what is evil? Do we leave them swilling in their own evil desires? God forbid.

"Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear."
1 Tim 5:20

Is that to rebuke only Christians?

"But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses. I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession; That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ:"
-1 Tim 6: 11-14

Now, what does this have to do with Google?
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What doesn't it have to do with Google?

My interaction with Google can be defined as thus: Google provides software and services which I find useful, and as such, I provide money to continue to utilize those software and services.

That said, I don't use those services to perform actions which I find morally out of place with Biblical precepts of living.
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"For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."
-Mat 6:21

Whatever we support, whether it be with time or money, we become a part of. This is a verse that I often find reminding myself of, being a complete computer geek and video game junky. It's easy to go spend hundreds of dollars on this stuff, and not blink.

But that's not where I want my heart. I have had to, and continue to, struggle with my old man, that keeps telling me to spend my money on junk. I rebelliously grew up in church since I was 12, but only recently came before my Lord, sin having become exceedingly sinful. It's hard to turn "head knowledge" into "heart knowledge," when you've been spitting on it most of your life. Old habits die hard. In fact, you have to take the time to crucify them every day.

Consider it thus: Age of Conan has highly questionable content, therefore I did not purchase it. But just because AoC has questionable content, doesn't mean I'm not going to play my old copy of Final Fantasy VII just because they were both produced by Square/Eidos.
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It's up to you where you take your stand, and where you draw your line. I've also played a game called Dragon Age: Origins. I should have looked up reviews about it, rather than just buying it off the shelf. Rampant homosexuality in the game, to the point that NPCs hit on you. Did you know you can sacrifice your baby in that game? As much as I can ignore my character getting hit on by a gay man, offering to sacrifice my baby in my place is beyond reprehensible. But then... they're both evil, it's just that today's society has done a good job normalizing one over the other. Where do we draw the line? They're already pushing for commonplace abortions. Do you think they'll never get there? Why not? Because we stand up and cry out against it? What then about homosexuality?

Whatever the case that other people decide about where they put their dollars, Bioware is permanently banned from my house.

Whenever I can go around Google, I go around Google.

I don't shop at Home Depot, because they financially support, and advertise at, gay pride parades. They set up children's workshops in little tents at these hoop-lahs.

I quit from, and now boycott, Best Buy, after finding out just how deeply involved they are with the homosexual agenda. This post could get VERY long at this point, but I digress...

Do I say all this to pat myself on the back? Am I proud of this?

No.

Saying all this makes me throw my hands up in frustration! Look at this world we live in! Look at what we ourselves are!

Dude... I'm just ready to go home. He's just got a job for me yet, so He hasn't called me there. But I definitely look forward to it, because I'm sick of this nasty, dirty world, and I'm sick of my nasty, dirty self. I'm sick of letting Him down. I understand that I'm only dust, and only saved through faith, but does that make it any easier to crucify the old man?

If I'm this weary already, fear and trembling are a requirement for the many years ahead.

Thank the good Lord that He's holding me up, using some wonderful saints. I've met people here on CGA, in church, and other places, that lift my spirit, and restore my strength.

"I may be tired in the work, but never of the work."
-C.I. Scofield

God bless.
 
Why single out the sin of homosexuality? Perhaps because it is a good or easy target? If you take every sin that each corporation has done (Christian organizations as well) then you might as well pack up and start your own farm so you don't have to buy anything. . .

I see very little point in attempting to hold individuals or corporations to Christian standards when they are not Christian. I'll still call evil and sin as I see it, but I don't expect higher standards from those trapped in bondage. They could not provide the standards I would be demanding (hence the term bondage).

We are called to peach the "good" news that Christ died for us, not condemn the world for their sin (they already stand condemned). The world is in bondage to sin and can do nothing else until Christ frees them.

Rather than condemning businesses, have you tried praying for them?
 
Strife412 said:
It's up to you where you take your stand, and where you draw your line. I've also played a game called Dragon Age: Origins. I should have looked up reviews about it, rather than just buying it off the shelf. Rampant homosexuality in the game, to the point that NPCs hit on you. Did you know you can sacrifice your baby in that game? As much as I can ignore my character getting hit on by a gay man, offering to sacrifice my baby in my place is beyond reprehensible.
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Or you could have looked at the ESRB Rating on the back of the game, that's usually a great place to get the idea of what to expect...

Did you also know that you can play through the game without doing anything morally reprehensible? It is perfectly possible to play through as a righteous and just character who just may make the ultimate sacrifice at the end. This is what makes Bioware games far more potent than the average game out there -the concept of choice and consequence, what do you do in a morally gray area? I think this kind of game is a perfect lead into a discussion about God, the concept of good and evil, and humanity's place. After all, why doesn't God just make it physically impossible for humanity to rebel against him? Why does Bioware allow evil actions (even for a non-Christian they're considered evil) in the game? Hint: it isn't because they are an evil company.

Because it's all about choice. Our choice. We can choose to follow God, we can make the right moral choices despite the temptations toward evil. We can choose not to kill the baby (and if I recall properly, not to ever get to that point in the first place, it's been a while.) In terms of our relationship with God, having the choice and choosing to follow Him means a far more enriching relationship with Him. In the game, choosing to take the moral high ground is far more enriching in terms of roleplaying when we actually have the choice to go the other way. It was created as a RPG, and because of its choices allowed, it becomes one of the more powerful stories out there despite the current mass of fantasy tales available.

I could go on about how Christian Developers will fail if they try to create an RPG on the same scale as a Bioware epic, but that's a different discussion. (though this is probably off topic as well... :rolleyes:)
 
I think the thing that drives me crazy the most about this whole thing is I feel single people are the ones who are discriminated against. A single person who lives on their own can't get discounts on health insurance. On top of that, they don't have the option of a spouse/"partner" working and sharing the cost of bills (such as rent/mortgage, electricity, internet, cable, etc.). So I'm wondering when Google will show similar concern for their single employees.
 
DanR12 said:
I think the thing that drives me crazy the most about this whole thing is I feel single people are the ones who are discriminated against. A single person who lives on their own can't get discounts on health insurance. On top of that, they don't have the option of a spouse/"partner" working and sharing the cost of bills (such as rent/mortgage, electricity, internet, cable, etc.). So I'm wondering when Google will show similar concern for their single employees.
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Or any company for that matter. I'd like some concern from an employer. ;) :D
 
DanR12 said:
I think the thing that drives me crazy the most about this whole thing is I feel single people are the ones who are discriminated against. A single person who lives on their own can't get discounts on health insurance. On top of that, they don't have the option of a spouse/"partner" working and sharing the cost of bills (such as rent/mortgage, electricity, internet, cable, etc.). So I'm wondering when Google will show similar concern for their single employees.
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Single health insurance from my company is only about $50-$70 every 2 weeks...for a couple or family it is $200+...this is why I cannot afford health insurance for my self, wife, and kids... :(
 
XionTawa said:
Single health insurance from my company is only about $50-$70 every 2 weeks...for a couple or family it is $200+...this is why I cannot afford health insurance for my self, wife, and kids... :(
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Try being self-employed. I pay almost $900 per month for just my wife and kids. I can't afford insurance on myself although I do get some care from the VA.

As far as the rest of this thread, what Google does is their business. I don't agree with their policies but I will continue to use them. If it was a Christian ministry or church, or even a "Christian" business, implementing a similar policy, I would have serious concerns.
 
DanR12 said:
I think the thing that drives me crazy the most about this whole thing is I feel single people are the ones who are discriminated against. A single person who lives on their own can't get discounts on health insurance. On top of that, they don't have the option of a spouse/"partner" working and sharing the cost of bills (such as rent/mortgage, electricity, internet, cable, etc.). So I'm wondering when Google will show similar concern for their single employees.
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Assuming your spouse works. . .

Mine takes care of my child and home and we live off of my income - which means I pay more than being single but make the same amount. But that is a decision we made together after weighing the pros and cons.

There is no way to make everything fair. There are choices we make in life and those have advantages and consequences. The more responsibility we take for our own decisions and less complaining we do the better off we will all be.
 
Strife412 said:
Something needs to be clarified. Why are we in the world? To only revolve around our own Christian doors? Our very purpose as Christians today are to tell people that they are in danger of being held accountable! Not by us, because our judgment is meaningless, but by HIM!
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...

So our very purpose as Christians is to spread the word: "REPENT OR BURN IN HELL! BECAUSE GOD LOVES YOU."

...

What...
I don't...

How do people get so screwed up about the Bible - I just don't...

I don't get it.

:|

All I'm going to say at this point is that God is the one who changes people's hearts, not Christians. :|
I can see why you'd be sick of the world and want to leave it, because you've set yourself an impossible goal(you have, not God), and you're constantly frustrated that you can't meet it. Give it up. You can't save the world, you can't save anyone, you can warn every single person about hell and damnation and they won't blink an eye because that's not how salvation works.

Oh, and you boycott Home Depot, Best Buy, Google for supporting homosexual agendas? You need to reevaluate this. Every single company, store, or facility that you purchase anything from has sinful people owning and working there who support sinful agendas. You can't boycott all of them, and trying to do so is the very definition of judgemental. Who do you think you are, God Himself?

My gosh... how do people get so messed up... it's like I'm playing America's Army and there's a guy who keeps dropping live grenades right at his own feet and blowing up himself and everyone around him.
 
Moderator's note: Thread locked and moved to What Does God Say About... Forum.

Thread will be eligible for re-opening when a community member in good standing volunteers for and is appointed to the position of What Does God Say About... Forum Moderator.
 
Moderator's Note: I guess I am the, "community member in good standing," Tek was referring to - so we are going to reopen this thread - at least for a while.

I don't always agree with everything posted in these threads - but, I don't have to. The purpose of the forum is to have a place to address difficult issues where good Christians have differing views.

My job as moderator is not to correct anyones views to my view - but to let people share their views and discuss why they see it that way WITHOUT berating others or being berated.

I think there is value in discussing boycotts - should you? - for what? - how effective are they? And value in discussing what we are called to share with the world. I hated to see this thread closed. It wasn't closed because of the topic but because of the heat and name calling that was encroaching.

Just one example:

Every single company, store, or facility that you purchase anything from has sinful people owning and working there who support sinful agendas. You can't boycott all of them, and trying to do so is the very definition of judgemental. Who do you think you are, God Himself?
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I am in agreement with Lazarus' first sentence. Partial agreement with the second. To try to boycott them all is pretty futile - but I don't know that I'd call it the very definition of judgmental. The last sentence is unnecessary - and even demeaning - and actually the most judgmental statement I've seen looking back through the threads.

Let's discuss and debate - not accuse and judge.

The thread is reopened - if anyone wants to continue the discussion.
 
To me, this all boils down to meat sacrificed to false idols. It doesn't matter what others used it for, as long as you're using it rightly, then it's ok. Google may make their own worldly decisions, but that no affect on me, I can still use their products for good purposes.
 
Google is running a business for it's customers (advertisers). It does its job well because it is able to send the right ads to the right people. You search for toasters you will likely get ads for toasters, etc.

Some people struggle with this but as Tek said, "You don't have to let Google use analytics". Advertising agencies have been doing this forever, but the internet makes it easier. They try and figure out the demographic of people who watch a certain show or read a magazine so they can target their advertising appropriately. Personally I don't have a problem with it because I don't want to see advertising that doesn't pertain to me.

So when it boils down to it are we really talking about Google or are we talking about the "good/evil" of advertising. That's an interesting topic on it's own. :)
 
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