IGNORANCE IS NEXT TO GODLINESS, I guess--Part II of II

"THE TEXT! THE TEXT! I DON'T CARE ABOUT THE TEXT!"

Let's do an experiment today. I am going to give you a set of quotes. I spend time with lots of folks. I witness on the streets and to my fellow workers. I speak and write to the irreligious and the religious. So I put together a set of five quotes. I will ask you to take a guess. Were these quotes made by a.)a preacher, b.)a church officer, c.)a person who regularly goes to an Evangelical church and claims to be a Christian, d.)a person who seldom, if ever, goes to church, e.)I made it up?

Quote #1. "The text! The text! I don't CARE about the text (of Scripture)." (Yelled loudly.)

Quote #2. "I don't care about logic. I'm just mad!" (Again, yelled loudly.)

Quote #3. "I wish you'd stop throwing the Bible in my face!" (In a burst of anger, but in a hushed voice so no one else could hear.)

Quote #4. "I think you're right, but..." (Spoken over the phone to tell me that sin would continue, despite biblical evidence presented.)

Quote #5. "I prayed to accept Jesus." (In response to a question concerning where he thought he might go for eternity, referring to an event in his youth.)

THE ANSWERS:
1. The text! The text! I don't CARE about the text!

c. An Evangelical church-goer who claims to be a believer. This fellow was a recent graduate from Southern Baptist college and attends an SBC church. It was in a discussion in which I took the historical position on a particular doctrine and advanced multiple Scriptures in its defense. My friend denied this doctrine vigorously, but quoted no Scripture, though asked repeatedly.

2. I don't care about logic. I'm just mad.

c. An Evangelical church-goer who claims to be a believer. Again the same fellow in the same discussion as in quote #1.

3. I wish you'd stop throwing the Bible in my face!

a. An Evangelical pastor. His name is Paul Ostrander of Billings, MT. He is not what he says he is. One would think this came from a tense time in street evangelism, but the non-churched don't seem to hate the Scripture that much.

4. I think you're right, but...

b. A church officer. This fellow is a deacon named Jerry. The church he attends and helps run knowingly supports teachers who deny the veracity of Scripture. He admitted that isn't okay with the Bible, but was angry that I had run around the church telling folks what the leadership was up to behind closed doors. So he continues in the sin and so does his church.

5. I prayed to accept Jesus.

d. A person who never goes to church at all. He was a drunk lying next to the trash bins behind the Denny's restaurant in downtown Billings, MT. He was a Southern Baptist.

SOOOOO.....how many did you get right? 5 for 5--A+. Apply now to Mensa. 4 for5--B. You're pretty smart, but no genius. 3 for 5--C-. Not quite college material. 2 or lower. I'll bet you teach adult Sunday School!

If you didn't do so well, here's an extra-credit quote to bring your grade up:

EXTRA CREDIT QUOTE. "I love God and want to know Him, so I study the Bible constantly."

EXTRA CREDIT ANSWER. e. I made that one up.

Never heard it.

Ever.

Think about it,
Phil Perkins. PS--Really. I've NEVER heard that one. Probably never will.