"And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds."
Spur? That's a rather active verb! It doesn't say to spur (to rake, poke, wound) one another to criticism, discrimination, judgment, or fighting for what you think are your rights. It means to urge (impel, goad, press forward, proceed hurriedly, accelerate, empower, encourage) one another toward LOVE and good deeds.
Have you considered that insisting on your place in the sun, that your beliefs that abortion or LGBT family rights should be legislated, your desire for Christian holiday displays, prayer in public meetings, or taking up arms in the so-called "War on Christmas" is a never-ending source of derision and scorn to unbelievers?
Even if you don't read the Washington Post article at this link, please take a few moments to read the comments there. So-called "evangelicals" have given Christianity and religion in general a reputation to be despised. https://www.facebook.com/washingtonpost/posts/10158990869257293?__tn__=-R
Where atheists once sat quietly by when certain fundamentalists like the Westboro Baptist group, a televangelist, or political candidate made claims that most Christians wouldn't accept, now they openly ridicule and speak bitterly of all Christians. This is a comment, one of many like it, I found on a major magazine site:
“I used to be a passive atheist, but no more. I finally realized that by being passive, I was complicit in allowing this nonsense to continue. These people's personal religious "freedoms" bleed over into everyone else's private lives. I'm not even talking about the the egregious and heinous crimes committed in the name of religion, but even in what should be normal, pedestrian affairs like with this dingbat in Kentucky [Kim Davis, who refused licenses to same-sex couples].
“The original bargain was, if people kept their religious views to themselves, inside their own houses, and as long as they don't violate any laws, we would leave them be. But that wasn't good enough. They simply are compelled to project their individual views unto others. That I cannot abide. It's reverse-persecution and they are the root of the problem.”
How about the creation-versus-evolution controversy, or if humans were created 6,000 years ago or one million years ago? Refusal to serve or recognize the civil rights of same-sex couples? Providing contraception or pregnancy care for single female employees? Prayer in school? Living peacefully with other members of our community who espouse different religions (like, say, Islam)? In the United States, we have the Constitutional right to believe and practice what our conscience dictates, as long as it breaks no other law. So do that. Do that with all your strength. It's not your right to impose your beliefs on any other person or the government. Even God won't do that, which is why he gives us choice.
Consider how your "witness" may affect how other Christians are treated when fed-up nonChristians retaliate for being slighted.
Blunt your claws. Do not resist the one that is evil, but turn the other cheek. (Jesus' words, not mine!)
Practice the Golden Rule.
Have the mind of Jesus, who "made himself nothing" to be one of us and save us.
Remember, God is not going to curse our country because you didn't fight for him or even because someone else sins. He is the judge, and his judgment day will come in his time.
But he has left us with one commandment: "Love one another as I have loved you."
And then he inspired someone to write in the letter to the Hebrew Christians in Rome, "Spur one another on to love and good deeds." Spur, as in urge, encourage, empower, and accelerate.
I like this blog post, "Christians Spurring Christians". I don't think I have ever known a Liberal who really wanted to deprive anyone of the right to practice their religion and I don't think that Conservatives really want to establish a State Religion (at least I hope not). So I tend to think that there is broad agreement in America on the First Amendment of the Constitution. But somehow it seems that Liberals and Conservatives have a way of striking fear into each other's hearts over this issue by their rhetoric and actions and I think a lot of that is based on misunderstandings. When Liberals complain about having the Ten Commandments displayed in a government building or a nativity scene on government land, Conservatives see that as "an assault on Christianity". When Conservatives assert that "America is a Christian nation!" this conjures up the image of a confessional state like Israel, Pakistan or Saudi Arabia and raises the concern that non-Christians might be regarded as aliens or second-class citizens. The divide between the religious and the secular on this continent goes back to the Mayflower (and probably before that) where, as I understand it, half of those aboard the ship were not religious. - Terry Collins
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