RE:Joyce, Pring!
“Who the F is Joyce Pring and why should I give a F about what she says about who goes and doesnt go to hell?”
I don’t know who she is either but I know her Jesus, and, yes, you’re right---we shouldn’t give a “*” about what she says because it is what God says that matters.
In case, you, my friend, are not up to date with what has been raising “h*ll” in social media, Joyce Pring, a content creator, shared the gospel in an interview which did not sit well with people like the FB post-er and a writer who had this for his headline and hammer, “Joyce Pring Says All Non-Believers Are Going to Hell. What a Way to Speak for God's LoveThis is not moral integrity. This just reeks of moral ascendency.” Let me respond to some of his comments.
What I can't believe is the fact that Christians still have these outdated and misguided concepts of faith. It's disappointing, but not at all surprising, to say the least. This is the Philippines, after all. In modern Christians' crusade of righteousness, they continuously prove how out of touch they are with the diversity of perspective and the relativism that have a right to exist in the real world.
Forgiveness and repentance will never be outdated for as long as people continue to be born with a sinful nature. How can telling people that they can be free from sin be misguided?
I don’t know about Joyce but I am aware of the “diversity of perspective and the relativism” and I do not deny their “right to exist in the real world.” But man’s thoughts and opinions do not negate and invalidate the Word of God which we believe has the final say on life and the afterlife.
It is cases like this that have led some people to dislike Christians. Some even go as far as saying that the religion has descended into a cult. In many ways, we may argue, with statements like these, it already has.
We do not preach the gospel to be liked. The reactions to Joyce’s words are nothing new and are to be expected as our Lord Jesus Christ Himself foretold in John 15:18-25. So why do we still do it knowing what lies ahead? Because we believe so much in what the Word says that, like the Father, we do not want anyone to perish but to have everlasting life (John 3:16). It is out of love that we do so at the risk of alienation and ridicule.
Yes, some have made “religion” a cult. God will deal with them accordingly (Mt. 7:23)
The main talking point that Pring, and a lot of other Christians who defend her, want to say is the idea of salvation through Jesus. Those who believe in Jesus get eternal life or whatever jewels that await them in heaven. Those who don't, well, they go to the boiler room, deep down. This seems to be the primary draw of this religion. Christians will brand themselves as champions of moral integrity in a world of sin. But this is moral ascendency, really. They use the moral integrity card to exploit people's fears and insecurities.
The writer understood the gospel message correctly. Yes, salvation can only be found in Jesus. That is what the Bible says and we believe the Bible, every word of it. But we do not “champion moral integrity in a world of sin,” we champion the victory over sin when Jesus conquered death and was resurrected. Only He was raised from the dead. Only He predicted His death and resurrection. Only His tomb is empty.
We preach the gospel not out of moral ascendancy but because we realized we were sinners, reeking nothing but all that is offensive to God, bound for eternal damnation. But we have asked for forgiveness and because of this, we are more sensitive to the reality of sin. We can no longer unsee it. This is why our sensitivity to sin is even greater before we became Christians. We still commit sin and the struggle is more shameful and painful for us knowing we have let God down.
Being forgiven ourselves, we want every sinner out there to be free from “fears and insecurities” and experience the peace that can only come from God.
Much of the basis of this religion, or most other religions for that matter, is blind obedience. Hence, cases of brainwashing, it seems like. This, even if some teachings in the Bible are just plain bad. Christians tend to take the Bible as, well, gospel truth (see the word play?). But there are so many Bible verses they choose to ignore.
In 1 Timothy 2:12, for instance, its new revised standard version says: "Permit no woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she is to keep silent." Meanwhile, Exodus 21:20-21 says that having slaves are okay. "When a slaveowner strikes a male or female slave with a rod and the slave dies immediately, the owner shall be punished. But if the slave survives a day or two, there is no punishment; for the slave is the owner’s property," the new revised standard version says.
It’s only blind if we can’t see but we see God through Jesus Christ (John 6:46). We see God through the people whose lives He has changed.
Yes, there are groups out there that demand blind obedience. Instead of asking people to obey God, they want people to obey them. Together with the writer, we renounce these groups. Only God must be obeyed in full faith.
About the “plain bad” teachings, what are they exactly? It would be better if they were laid out. Perhaps I can help you with them. What makes them “plain bad?” Who decides what makes them “plain bad?” Bad for whom?
As Bible-believers, we take every jot and tittle to be gospel truth, regardless of how we feel about them. Yes, there are a lot of teachings in the Bible that I personally wish weren’t there like turning the other cheek or loving our enemies. It’s plain difficult but not impossible. It’s bad for my sinful nature to follow but follow, I must, by the grace and strength of the Holy Spirit, without whose help, I can never obey.
About 1 Timothy 2:12, our faith does not ignore this. Sadly, it’s been a source of contention for decades among ourselves because we CHOSE not to ignore it.
So slaves and women who talk over men go to hell now, too? These are just examples to illustrate why we shouldn't take everything we read in the Bible as the great truth of the universe. Because, quite frankly, the stuff there isn't. Some are hypocritical and others are just downright weird (like massacres, rapes, child sacrifices, and more).
Slaves, women who talk over men, and everyone born with a sinful nature are bound for hell (Romans 3). This is why God the Father sent His Son to die for our sins so that our original destination may be rerouted to heaven when we ask for forgiveness of our sins and accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior.
Yes, there’s a lot of weird stuff in Scriptures. The Bible does not whitewash anything. It tells it like it is. The “massacres, rapes, child sacrifices, and more” have a context, the same way all stories have. What would be hypocritical is to delete, revise, and distort them and make people from Adam to Paul perfect.
Circling back to Pring's "honest" answer, I see that a lot of people in the comments section, mostly Christians, were quick to support her on this. They say that this is the "cold truth" that most people don't want to hear. No, it's not. That's some high and mighty crap right there.
Feel free to insult us, call us names, but please, show some respect for the Holy Book. One is free not to revere it, but there is no need to show irreverence.
This school of thought reeks of 12th-century Anglo-Saxon-imperialist-colonizer vibes. Being an atheist doesn't mean one is immoral or impure. People are entitled to believe or not believe in a god. We all have varying concepts of the afterlife, as well. Each is welcome and valid. Christians need to move from a place of tolerance to acceptance. Being an atheist doesn't automatically mean that someone is bad. God, I'd like to think, would understand that.
It goes further than the 12th; it starts with Genesis 1:1. Jesus and the disciples were Middle Eastern people. Paul was never a colonizer. The King of Kings and Lord of Lords certainly wasn’t.
Yes, the writer is correct to say that being an atheist is not synonymous to being immoral. There are good people outside of our faith; there are also bad people from within, as Jesus foretold (Mt. 13:24-30).
And, yes, “people are entitled to believe or not believe in a god.” While each concept is welcome and valid, they must be weighed against something. We cannot accept everything to be true just because they’re out there. For us, when it comes to eternal matters, only the person who’s been back from the dead---three days after being buried in an airless tomb---is credible to tell us the truth as He is Truth Himself.
As for the subject of goodness, these comments are not something a good Christian would say. Goodness is supposed to be universal. We should know a good deed when we see it, no matter if it comes from a believer or non-believer. If you're the kind of person who only does good for the promise of whatever is up in the sky, you're part of the problem. We must do good because it is the social contract that binds humanity together. Good deeds are the lifeblood of collective and personal empowerment, both in intentions and in actions. We don't need a god for this. We need each other.
We are all capable of doing good works, regardless of our beliefs and non-beliefs. The outpouring of help during the pandemic showed this.
And, yes, the writer is right. We are part of the problem if we are doing good works “for the promise of whatever is up in the sky” because that is not what God says in His Word. Good works come after our accepting Jesus, out of gratitude for His love and forgiveness. God offers the free gift of salvation to us, sinners. All we have to do is repent and accept Jesus as Lord and Savior. He does not require good works as a pre-req to salvation. (Eph. 2:8-9)
True Bible-believers cannot be self-righteous because we know there is nothing righteous in us. This is why we need Jesus to become our righteousness for only He is perfect and blameless.
Salvation, as the Church's official stance, is for everybody. It does not discriminate. As long as good is done and the truth is said and evil is fought, people have a shot at it. For the record, even Pope Francis, in a letter written to the founder of La Repubblica newspaper, said that non-believers can go to heaven.
Only God has the say as to who gets to live with Him.
Salvation is offered (John 3:16) to everybody but sadly, not everyone will accept it. One FB comment-er said, “If heaven is full of people like this, I’d rather not go.” Salvation is free for everyone to accept; it is also free for anyone to reject. The offer is always available for as long as we have breath on this side of heaven. After that, no more second chances (Heb. 9:27). This is the reason why we, Bible-believers, do what we do with urgency.
There's also the case of Catholic atheism. This is a belief system that has followers who accept culture, traditions, and rituals of the faith, but choose to reject the existence of God. But that's another conversation. Although for Pring, and for her fellow Christian apologists, they're probably going to hell, too.
Not according to Pring et al, but according to Scriptures. We are all bound for eternal suffering because of our sin that is despicable in the sight of a holy God. But because of His immense love and because He is love, He wants us to be in heaven with Him forever if we will only accept His offer of salvation. We cannot reject His existence in this life and expect residency with Him in the afterlife.
All this is not to say that being a Christian is a bad thing. It can be, after all, an instrument for actualization, much like other religions and practices. We should respect that, too. But it should never be used as a tool for terror or misplaced angst. That's propaganda. It should be used as a method for understanding, caring, and exemplifying the best of what humanity can be. No person of any religion should look down on their fellow man or their beliefs system. That's just not cool.
And I agree. Anyone misusing the faith will answer to God. “It would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea,” than face his just punishment. (Mt. 18:6)
In a macro-sense, if Christianity hopes to find a way to survive in the modern world, its followers shouldn't say stuff like this. Conservatives often spew half-baked dogma and seek to divide. With a seemingly small "honest" issue such as this, Pring isn't converting anybody. This just shows why more people are turning away from Christianity and entering more spiritual realms.
History has shown how Christianity has survived the worst of times and it will continue to do so as God’s Word stands forever (Mt. 24:35).
True, Pring will not convert anybody because that is the job of the Holy Spirit (John 16:8). We are only commanded to share it so we will continue to say stuff like “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” It is our only message. Sharing it is our sole purpose in life. It is our mandate (Mt. 28:16-20).
Did she say this because she actually believes this or is it simply for the clout? Who knows. It's a disservice to Christianity to say that. Pring is not practicing radical honesty here. She's just hella wrong. Nobody gets to gatekeep heaven, not even some annoying Christians.
It’s the greatest service to speak of the Truth, the Way, and the Life. Many lives have been killed performing that service.
Yes, annoying Christians do not get to gatekeep heaven. Only Jesus, who does not only show the Way to God’s love, but He is the Way.
Here we go again. We have another Christian conservative spouting some backhanded, backwards inflammatory declarations.
That’s actually the writer’s introduction but I saved it for last, as we will be here again and again and again, as we love people in the love of the Lord who does not want anyone to perish but have everlasting life (not jewels).
I pray that the writer and anybody out there who shares his sentiments will find the peace that can only be found in Jesus who loved all of us while we were yet sinners but still died for us (Rom. 5:8).
Peace be with you.
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