Only a foolish non-thinking person can be dumbed down by the media, their schooling, or the traditions of their churches.
Those who think with their brains and the mind of Christ are not controlled by those who use manipulative tactics to cause people to follow whatever they say.
This is frightening because it shows that most people are easily manipulated by what they hear the most. Even in the conservative movement, it is not just the liberals who can be fooled. Continually I notice conservatives blaming the media and other things for the way a person thinks.
No one can influence a person unless that person wants to be influenced. Have you ever tried to explain truth to a stubborn person, they cannot be convinced no matter how much good evidence from God's word you give them? People believe what they wish to believe.
We see this in churches all the time. People sit in the pews listening to bad doctrine and mindlessly bobble their heads in approval without contemplating whether or not it is true. They do not do their own research about the things they wish to believe. When you challenge them to pray about and research their false beliefs they balk and kick against it.
The false holidays have all been accepted by most Christians. The ones who try to explain they are not Biblical are the ones who are mocked and ignored. Its everywhere all the time, these non-thinking followers of whatever is the traditions of men.
Mark 7:13 "13Thus you nullify the word of God by the tradition you have handed down. And you do so in many such matters.”"
Matthew 15:3 " 3 Jesus replied, “And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition? "
Mark 7:6-8,13
"He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me…"
Many Christians think their practices, holidays, and bad doctrine are alright as long as they add Christ's name to it. In other words, they validate their own ideas by lying that Christ endorsed them. Then they mock and demean anyone who attempts to get them to think or study.
They twist the scriptures to validate their own doctrines of men as though as long as they "say" or "believe" something comes from God it must be so. They do not ask God for His truth, their opinion and traditions are all that matter to them.
I am not telling anyone to just believe me, I am asking that every one who names the name of Christ ask Him to show them the truth even if it means they will have to let go of their life long traditions. Or even harder they will endure the rejection of family and friends for their quest for God's truth.
When I did this, I asked God to show me the truth, many things I used to believe fell off. I did not have to give them up, they were just not pleasing to me anymore. The Lord removed from my heart those things that I was taught that were not in line with His Word. I completely understood why they were not in line and where they came from. I did not give in to anyone else's explanations, I asked God alone and He alone showed me. Then I went to the Bible and researched origins to find out why these things were not pleasing to God.
Christ in me warned me first, then He led me to the truth, the origins of traditions and practices that displeased Him. It all made perfect sense. Holidays went bad into total paganism because that was their origin, they merely returned to their roots! Unfortunately, the Christians became so indoctrinated that they were of God that they would not let go, even after being warned about them.
Have you ever wondered why the world loves the same traditions of the Christians? Its because they never were from God in the first place. For years the Catholic church incorporated pagan ideas into the church to entice pagans to become Catholic. They added Christ's name to many ungodly practices to make them acceptable to Christians.
Sadly the Protestants came against the Catholics over some doctrine but retained many of their ungodly practices. They didn't make a clean and complete break with the Catholic church.
When a culture spends more time discussing their own ideas than they do the Word of God, or when they interpret the word of God according to their own culture, they will come up short, very short of the truth.
2 Timothy 4:3 "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but having itching ears, they shall heap to themselves teachers in accordance with their own lusts.
When the Christian culture does not repent from their past sins of the traditions of men it will continue to heap more and more ungodly and even wicked doctrines in their belief system. It makes perfect sense that once people are bent on making up their own rules and doctrines apart from God and according to their culture, they will end up doing it in all areas.
If you are willing to take everything you believe to God asking to be shown the truth, you will find out that most of what you have been taught in your culture was not based on the Word of God.
John 8:32
"And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
John 14:6
"Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
Matthew 7:7
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you."
James 1:4-6 "…4 Allow perseverance to finish its work, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6 But he must ask in faith, without doubting, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.…"
Once we find the truth we see how freeing it is from human traditions. While many people are racing around frantically attempting to be acceptable to their culture by giving in to traditions, the man or woman of God is free from all those traditions and the burdens they bring. And yes, they are a burden, even if you think you enjoy them, try giving them up without the conviction of God and you will see the emotional turmoil you experience for it.
The expectations of others are all over these traditions. If you don't believe me just give them up and when the relatives ask you why you don't do it, watch their dismay and even rejection of you for not doing anymore what they do. A narcissistic culture feels threatened by those that live differently from them, even if you never talk about it, they will wrongly judge you for your commitment to God.
When God works in our heart removing the desire for human traditions we see the immense burden that is lifted. God's burden is light because we are not required to do what the culture mandates, we are joyful and free to obey Christ alone.
Matthew 11:29-30 "…29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”"
When we are sold out to Christ we no longer have a burning need to fit into a culture, be accepted by others, or pressed to do anything that is not led by the Holy Spirit. If God didn't tell me to do something I can ignore it without guilt or shame.
When Christ comes first in everything the persecution feels like joy.
James 1:2-18
"2 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,
3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.
4 And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."
When we are born again and walking in the truth we are free to let go of those who mock and demean us. And, we are free to embrace those who want what we want, that is the truth in all things.
Hallelujah!!!!
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