Monday, March 26, 2012

The wisdom of Christ bears good fruit

We read:
"Turning the other cheek is a Biblical teaching that can be difficult to live out in practice. That being said, it seems at least one group of Christians is able to embrace the tenet with grace and humility. A church in Athens, Texas, decided to help an atheist in need by raising money for his groceries and other essentials.

The individual who received the aid, Patrick Greene, had recently threatened to sue over the presence of a nativity scene on public property. He abandoned the lawsuit, the Friendly Atheist blog reports, when he found out that he was suffering from a serious eye condition that could lead to blindness.

Despite the rift between Greene and the Christians supporting the scene, Jessica Crye, an Athens woman, rallied believers to assist Greene in paying for groceries and other needs following his retirement as a result of the illness. “I knew of his lawsuit and threats and thought how sad it was for him"

Now retired, Greene replied that he needed some funds for groceries and other expenses to carry him and his wife, Karen, while they got squared away with the start-up of Social Security income and pay their taxes.

A check was sent. Greene said he and his wife debated whether the check might be for $10 or maybe $50 or even $60. To their astonishment that any Christian would ignore the fact that they are atheist and help, the check was for $400.

“Why not turn this into something else? This is a great opportunity to turn the other cheek and show God’s love,” Crye said.

Her pastor, Rev. Erick Graham of Sand Springs Church, said that giving Greene the $400 dollars was a no-brainer. “We didn’t have to think about it or pray about (it). We saw the need, he said. “We don’t discriminate on who we help, whether they are Christians or non-Christians, church members or not. We just help those with a need.”

The man and his wife were so moved by the gesture that they actually purchased an electrical star for the nativity scene and had it shipped to Henderson County.

“I saw the nativity scene on a video on YouTube. There’s no star on top of it. Shouldn’t there be one?,” Greene pondered. “I just hope that the Christians that weren‘t a part of this contribution to us don’t mind that an atheist bought them a star.”

Source

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

If the act was truly Christian it would have been anonymous, as it was it sounded a very patronizing as well as a self-promoting gesture.

Bird of Paradise said...

The bible dose had A EYE for a EYE looks like he is suffering DIVINE RETRIBUTION for his self centredness

Brian from Rochester NY said...

OK, lets not focus on the fact that a Christian group helps anyone in need despite his/her beliefs.

Lets find something else to criticize them for and expose them for the bad people we know they are.


Geez, some people aren't happy unless they are complaining.

Anonymous said...

There is nothing on earth that turns a leftist into a "normal" person faster than reality.

Turn the other cheek? I prefer the philosophy of the Knights Templar.

Anonymous said...

We read:

SANFORD, Fla. -- Members of the New Black Panther Party are offering a $10,000 reward for the "capture" of George Zimmerman, the Neighborhood Watch volunteer who shot Trayvon Martin.

New Black Panther leader Mikhail Muhammad announced the reward during a protest in Sanford Saturday. And when asked whether he was inciting violence, Muhammad replied defiantly: "An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth."

http://www.standard.net/stories/2012/03/25/black-panthers-offer-bounty-gunman-trayvon-martins-death


It seems that the Black Panthers are a Christian organization.

Anonymous said...

Anon @4:30Am - Good try! But your quote is from the Old Testament, in other words BEFORE Christ, and therefore before Christians

Anonymous said...

"But your quote is from the Old Testament, in other words BEFORE Christ, and therefore before Christians"

I guess you so-called Christians do not believe in the Old Testament. Nice try, shithead.

Anonymous said...

Stop complaining about this one. This is one of the coolest atheist/Christian stories I've seen in years! It is a great example of what mutual respect can yield.

Go Away Bird said...

A award for amemeber of the BLACK PANTHERS brought in DEAD or ALIVE make it $15:000

jonjayray said...

7.42 shows the weakness of his argument by ending with abuse

Anybody knows that Christians believe in the OT as interpreted by Christ

That is why they don't offer animal sacrifices etc

Anonymous said...

"7.42 shows the weakness of his argument by ending with abuse"

But it is OK for priests to sexually abuse altar boys, right?

Abuse is widespread. Get used to it.

Anonymous said...

Christians interpret the OT and NT and indeed everything else just to suit their personal prejudices!

Use the Name, Luke said...

"Eye for eye" and "tooth for tooth" only shows up in Israel's equivalent of our Federal Laws. It was a balancing principle of making the punishment fit the crime.

The problem was, many Jews did the exact same thing that the Black Panthers are doing, which is to try to take that legal authority upon themselves as an excuse for personal revenge.

Jesus corrected that misuse by pointing out that it was not appropriate as a response to personal insults. "You have heard it said…"

Anonymous said...

Has Kee Bird-brain actually read through any one of the books by Dawkins, or does he even have some basic knowledge of biology or science?

Kee Bird said...

Annon 2:45 You must rely beleive this Dawrinists poppycock Your totaly pathetic

Anonymous said...

Well of course Kee Bird hasn't read much on any subject as he/she is clearly dyslexic or too uneducated to spell properly in most of his/her ill-informed and pointless comments.