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GeneZ
There was a period when he was reacting to critics, and reacting to what was going on in the country. It was during the time when the Vietnam Anti war movement was going on and the nation was degenerating into making drug use and sexual promiscuity into a accepted way of life.
He was both enraged and heart broken at the same time. He was seeing what was once a great nation falling apart as he knows history repeats itself. He loves America with a deep passion. He and Barry Goldwater were close friends.
I was there. Thieme's stand on other important issues of the time.
1) integration of public schools--Thieme professed segregation. The insisted that blacks were of inferior intelligence as a race, and quoted studies to back that. He wanted to keep blacks out of the white schools.
He did speak in those terms. As many others did at that time. Yet, he turned around and condemned such practices after the Lord changed him. You see? He did not stop growing. He was being a typical southern way of thinking....and lived as an example of how we repent of a lie when the truth is brought out. He later taught against such prejudice. And, you forget the black pastors who listened to his tapes and followed his minsitry? I have met one personally. He loves Thieme. And, at a conference I had some great fellowship with two black men that loved the tapes.
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2) the war in Vietnam...his solution "drop a bomb and leave a hole where Hanoi was" No concern for the innocent civilians, no compassion whatsoever.
You did not know many adults at that time? My Dad said the same words to me. Compassion? We were at war!
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3) rebellious children. According to Thieme, they should be killed like in Old Testament times. No acceptance of the fulfillment of the law that Jesus brought. No mercy, just as if Jesus had never paid for our forgiveness.
Distortion. He said that's how it was dealt with under the Law. That was God's way under the Law. He said (to the effect) that prisons would be nearly empty today, and we would have no drug problems if such laws were in effect. But, such a law is not permissible today in a culture like we now have.
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Oh, and it was rebellion against authority that was behind the war protests??? That was his opinion.
Rebellion from both sides. The government, and the people. Both sides were rebelling against true authority. The war would not have been fought the way it was if those in government had their authority system and priorities in line. And? The drugged out youth culture knew nothing but rebellion. It was promoted right in colleges by the professors. I was there. I could not believe hearing a College president asking the student body why we had no protests yet. He sounded disappointed in us.
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Just like it's the opinion of extremist conservatives today that opposition to the Iraq was is somehow wrong, or rebellious against authority. If people never rebelled against authority in this country, we'd still have only men voting and blacks riding in the back of busses. Some opposition to authority is GOOD!!!
Hysteria does not win over reason.
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It was hell growing up around those attitudes--and having parents brainwashed to adhere to such beliefs. It has taken me years to overcome this influence.
I grew up in a Jewish home. Same things happened and were said. Thieme was not influencing them. You mean? They can think that way on their own?
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If his behavior was a "reaction" to the times, that confirms that he had no business in the pulpit. A professional, a reasonable man, would be able to manage his behavior more effectively. He talked about controlling emotions, not letting emotions run the person...well, he was all about emotions in those days.
I said he reacted. We all either reacted, or conformed. If you walk into your house to find your mother beaten? You react! You treat reaction as it always must be a dirty word. After all. Your post is you reacting to what I said.
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So GeneZ and brainout, feel free to leave this forum and go follow YOUR leader. You have nothing of substance to offer here.
I have always been free to leave. But, this is a learning process for me. I will stay as long as there is something to be learned. Or, if told to leave. Which will also be a learning process.
In Christ, GeneZ