Accused Atlanta Gunman’s Church Expels Him

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Miles
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Accused Atlanta Gunman’s Church Expels Him

Post #1

Post by Miles »

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"Parishioners of Crabapple First Baptist Church in Milton, Ga., voted to remove Robert Aaron Long, 21, from the church’s membership following an hour-long service dedicated to the eight people he is charged with killing at three Atlanta-area spas Tuesday night.

“Our hearts are filled with so many emotions; with grief, with anger, sadness, with emptiness, confusion,” Associate Pastor Luke Folsom said in a prayer before a crowd of more than 100 congregants.

Long, 21, was charged with eight counts of murder and one count of aggravated assault. The eight victims included a woman two days shy of her 50th birthday and a newlywed who had just given birth to her second child. Seven of the eight killed were women; six of them were of Asian descent.

“Right now there is a bitter pall hanging on the palate of our hearts. Everything is impacted and influenced by what we have experienced this week, and you wonder if it’ll ever taste sweet again,” Dockery [The evangelical church’s senior pastor] said. “God’s word says we’ve all sinned and fallen short of God’s glory.

Church members had told The Washington Post that Long and his parents regularly attended church services and activities. The church had publicly disowned Long in a Friday statement, saying that “he alone is responsible for his evil actions and desires,” which are “the result of a sinful heart and depraved mind for which Aaron is completely responsible.”

Long himself had cited a theological motivation for his alleged attacks, telling police that they were an attempt to eliminate sexual temptation. His former roommate, Tyler Bayless, said Long believed he was “falling out of the grace of God” due to his “sex addiction,” and that on at least one occasion he had contemplated suicide.

Experts this week have said the mentality Bayless described is common within evangelical “purity culture,” which teaches that sexual desire outside of marriage is sinful and those who fail to control their lust are sometimes considered “sex addicts.” The church’s bylaws assert that adultery, fornication and pornography are “sinful and offensive to God.”

“He was racked with a very specific kind of guilt — which is to say religious,” Bayless said. “He was militant about it. I mean, this was the kind of guy who would hate himself for masturbating, would consider that to be a relapse.”
source

So what's the deal here? "You can be a member of our church, a sinner just like all our members, unless, that is, you commit a sin we really don't like. We only want upstanding sinners in our church. And as for any compassion, forget it, you're simply not worth our effort. And, 'Judge not lest ye be judged' you say! Well who are you to tell us how to read the Bible. We'll cherry pick it as we darn well see fit.

Want some advice? Go join that heathen Methodist church across town. They'll take anyone.
"



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Tcg
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Re: Accused Atlanta Gunman’s Church Expels Him

Post #11

Post by Tcg »

Dimmesdale wrote: Fri Mar 26, 2021 2:58 pm
It also matters whether or not one can actually be barred from salvation by not being in communion with a Church.
Yes, that'll be Saint Pete's main concern.

Pete: So Bobby, tell me about yourself.

Bobby: Well, I paid for sex given that I couldn't find a girlfriend on my own.

Pete: That's okay. What else?

Bobby: I murdered a couple people.

Pete: Just the two?

Bobby: More like 8.

Pete: Only 8?

Bobby: Just the 8.

Pete: That's no problem. How about church?

Bobby: I got kicked out.

Pete: Sorry, no salvation for you.


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Re: Accused Atlanta Gunman’s Church Expels Him

Post #12

Post by nobspeople »

Overcomer wrote: Thu Mar 25, 2021 3:40 pm nobspeople wrote:
Christianity was violent and, many would say, still is in some aspects. So it's no surprise that a violent person should have a Christian background to me.
Could you clarify that for me, please? In what way was/is Christianity violent? How do you see a Christian background fueling violence in a person?
I find the actions of God violent at times based on the biblical stories. He killed many, helped others kill many and demands sacrifice. Some Christians of long ago killed those that didn't adhere to their ideals.
https://www.christianitytoday.com/histo ... d-now.html
Today, most Christians (at least in the USA) seemed to be more peacefully minded, though there are some that, even today, adhere to violent ideals (it should be noted not all violence is physical).
Most any religion can be twisted to fuel the needs of violent people. I've been watching an old documentary series where, so far, there have been 2 or 3 cases where believers turned violent, killing and torturing.
Let me clarify Christianity isn't the only religion with a violent past or tendencies, however.
Have a great, potentially godless, day!

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Re: Accused Atlanta Gunman’s Church Expels Him

Post #13

Post by Purple Knight »

Tcg wrote: Sun Mar 28, 2021 11:44 pmYes, that'll be Saint Pete's main concern.

Pete: So Bobby, tell me about yourself.

Bobby: Well, I paid for sex given that I couldn't find a girlfriend on my own.

Pete: That's okay. What else?

Bobby: I murdered a couple people.

Pete: Just the two?

Bobby: More like 8.

Pete: Only 8?

Bobby: Just the 8.

Pete: That's no problem. How about church?

Bobby: I got kicked out.

Pete: Sorry, no salvation for you.
As much as I liked this, I'll be charitable and give a point to the side you're making fun of here because it may be one of those things that is so precisely because people believe it. You think Pete will do this? What effect does getting kicked out have on your psyche? Your soul, for those that believe in one? Nothing good.

It may even be about simply the effect of being cut off from your spiritual community. You yourself have admitted in another post that while those who take it very seriously seem to suffer, going to Church seems to be good for people. You cut off whatever benefit that is and maybe the soul withers along with the psyche.

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Re: Accused Atlanta Gunman’s Church Expels Him

Post #14

Post by William »

It shows that Christians are just like most other groups. This Church did not want to have any more burden heaped upon them by allowing the accused to continue taking up a seat on a pew next to other Christians the accused actions brought a shadow down upon. Perhaps in doing so it prevents another serious act of violence from possibly happening.

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Re: Accused Atlanta Gunman’s Church Expels Him

Post #15

Post by Miles »

William wrote: Thu Apr 01, 2021 12:37 am It shows that Christians are just like most other groups.
Except that they've been instructed to be better.


Ephesians 4:32
“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”

Matthew 6:14

“For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.”

Colossians 3:13

“Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”

Luke 6:37

“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.”

Mark 11:25

“And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”

Matthew 6:15
“But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”

Romans 3:23
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

John 13:34
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.



Obviously instructions some feel free to ignore when convenient.


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Last edited by Miles on Thu Apr 01, 2021 2:39 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Accused Atlanta Gunman’s Church Expels Him

Post #16

Post by William »

Miles wrote: Thu Apr 01, 2021 2:33 am
William wrote: Thu Apr 01, 2021 12:37 am It shows that Christians are just like most other groups.
Except that they've been instructed to be better.


Ephesians 4:32
“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”

Matthew 6:14

“For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.”

Colossians 3:13

“Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”

Luke 6:37

“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.”

Mark 11:25

“And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”

Matthew 6:15
“But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”

Romans 3:23
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

John 13:34
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.


.
Often this appears to be the case for sure. That is what happens when one lets everyone through the doors...rock and hard place///
Christian Bigotry.

Fortunately I am not the one to be judging Christians but I certainly draw the line at being told by Christians how I should act... I will make my own way, thanks all the same...

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Re: Accused Atlanta Gunman’s Church Expels Him

Post #17

Post by Dimmesdale »

Tcg wrote: Sun Mar 28, 2021 11:44 pm
Dimmesdale wrote: Fri Mar 26, 2021 2:58 pm
It also matters whether or not one can actually be barred from salvation by not being in communion with a Church.
Yes, that'll be Saint Pete's main concern.

Pete: So Bobby, tell me about yourself.

Bobby: Well, I paid for sex given that I couldn't find a girlfriend on my own.

Pete: That's okay. What else?

Bobby: I murdered a couple people.

Pete: Just the two?

Bobby: More like 8.

Pete: Only 8?

Bobby: Just the 8.

Pete: That's no problem. How about church?

Bobby: I got kicked out.

Pete: Sorry, no salvation for you.


Tcg
Fortunately, I have a view of God's Mercy that is not curtailed the same way Christians do.

But for the sake of those who are Christians, who have no other (better) view of mercy, it does actually matter whether the churches can bring people back. For their own psyche's sake, it matters.

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Re: Accused Atlanta Gunman’s Church Expels Him

Post #18

Post by Purple Knight »

Dimmesdale wrote: Thu Apr 01, 2021 2:17 pmBut for the sake of those who are Christians, who have no other (better) view of mercy, it does actually matter whether the churches can bring people back. For their own psyche's sake, it matters.
I actually agree; that's pretty much my response to it.

And my response to that response (on which you and I agree) is then, don't murder a bunch of people if your church will kick you out for it.

Churches should be blamed then if they kick people out for nonsense. But if they kick out murderers or paedophiles? The only think I can think is, well then, don't be a murderer or a paedophile.

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