Question of the day: Should Christians be collecting sports memorabilia?

Question of the day?

Should Christians be collecting sports memorabilia? We are a taking a real serious look at the impact financially that Christians have on companies like Upper Deck. What do you think?

Comments

Anonymous said…
Christians should not participate in sports in any way, including collecting sports memorabilia. The Bible tells us not to worship false images. Many sports fans, including some Christians, are worshiping their favorite sports hero.

Also, many, if not most sports organizations are promoting homosexuality by letting homosexuals play and encouraging them to come to their games. Our own San Diego Padres is an example of this.
Anonymous said…
Nothing wrong with Christians participating in sports. Although there are many who worship sport heroes, it is those individuals that need to check their walk with the Lord.

There are also sport organizations that sponsor sin - and those organizations should NOT be supported such as what the Padres have done. Any wonder that they are the laughing stock of baseball right now? Wins losses does't mean that God is on that teams side, but you can't help to wonder.

Unless the activity itself is an obvious sin, then I don't see a problem with sports in general.
Anonymous said…
Breaking News:
“One dead as man opens fire in Tennessee church
Sun Jul 27, 2008 3:04pm EDT
NASHVILLE, Tennessee (Reuters) - A man opened fire with a shotgun in a church in Knoxville, Tennessee, on Sunday morning, killing one person and wounding several others, police and media reports said.”


While hundreds of Christian activists were busy promoting their redefining of society during this weekend's San Diego Comic Con events, another horrible reality was manifesting itself upon the city of San Diego. Throughout history Christianity has been one of most violent and destructive of all lifestyles , beginning with the Crusade, the Inquisition, witch trials in America, and countless religious based wars (including the current Iraq War). Today, while local Christian activists was opening a new front upon society by declaring war on sports memorabilia, the gruesome reality of the dangers of Christianity exploded into the consciousness of the American people when violence broke out at a Knoxville church.

Our founding fathers saw the danger of the church in America and in their wisdom they put a wall of separation in our constitution to separate church and state. But in recent years this evil institution has tried to breach this wall and force their will upon the American people. Due to the bravery and fighting spirit of gays in America, the Christian church has been turned back in battle after battle in this current culture war.

Realizing that they could not battle with the gay community, General Hartline opened a new front this week in the culture war as he prepared to go after the baseball trading cards and other sports memorabilia of innocent little children. This story is still unfolding. Please check back for later developments.
James Hartline said…
You conveniently left out the fact that the shooting took place in a cult denomination notorious for its promotion of homosexuality, transsexuality, lesbianism, cult practices and a love affair with same-sex marriage. The church:
the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church.
Anonymous said…
Aw man! Didn't know that!
Anonymous said…
An you james conveniently left out the fact that the person doing the shooting was an anti-liberal right wing freak like your self who probably got his ill-informed facts from religious wackos like yourself then committed an act of terrorism upon innocent people.
James Hartline said…
You have already formed prejudicial conclusions and assumptions without gathering all of your facts. No one can contend with a mind that has created a barrier based upon such prejudicial conclusions. Not only is this a faulty scientific approach on your part, but it is the faulty basis from which homosexual activists base their agenda upon. You see, you have already judged the Bible without even having spent the adequate time and effort on studying the Bible correctly to know whether it is true or relevant to our society. The fact that you state that the Bible has no significance in modern life tells me that you are ignorant of what the Bible teaches and that you have formed a faulty conclusion about its contents without even studying it. That is the kind of prehistoric thinking which fueled the likes of the man who murdered the people in the Tennessee church. It is that same kind of faulty and unscientific thinking which fuels the weak and faulty thinking of the gay agenda. The gay agenda forms conclusions that have no basis in science or in reality. For example they demand that people discount the life experiences of those who they disagree with. This demand of theirs contradicts the experiences of thousands of men and women who have left the homosexual lifestyle to follow Jesus Christ. They refuse to believe that God does change people so that they are no longer involved in the sin of homosexuality. They refuse to accept the Biblical reality that miracles happen and that Jesus Christ grants a new mind and a new life to those who choose to leave homosexuality. Their judgmental attitudes on this matter is solely based on an arrogance that they are right and everyone else is wrong on the matter of homosexuality. Additionally, they approach the Bible on a faulty scientific basis, having formed a conclusion and then they go to the Bible to back up what they have already concluded and this completely contradicts scientific theory and proper educational standards. True scholarship always requires a student to gather all of their facts first and then the student forms a conclusion based upon those facts. Because they want to engage in homosexuality and want people to buy into their faulty theory that people are born homosexual, they attack every Christian experience that does not line up with their demands. And that is the exact faulty demand that you are attempting to put on me as well. The Bible clearly says that homosexuality is a sin and will always be a sin in the eyes of God. The gay agenda advocates refuse to rethink their erroneous approach on the matter, and instead, they continue down a dark path that is pushing the participants of the gay lifestyle into further and further darkness and destruction. They refuse to open up their minds to the possibility that they have pursued a wasted path of sexual endulgence and sexual anarchy: a path that God declares will ultimately end up in vast sadness and devastating destruction. But pride will not allow the sinner to acknowledge error or the wrongness in the sin or the decisions leading up to sin. Just like you: you have already rejected the Bible and its eternal significance. In saying the Bible has no significance for today's society, you have basically called God a liar and His word foolishness. But the Bible calls you a fool for rejecting His word. The Bible says that TODAY is the day of salvation and no man or woman can come to the Father, but through Jesus Christ. By rejecting the Bible you have doomed yourself and allowed no way for yourself to be forgiven for your sins. The Bible says: What good does it do for a man or woman to gain the whole world and then to lose one's soul? What has the man or woman gained eternally by rejecting God's truth on the matter of homosexuality? They have gained a few years of lust and fulfillment of the flesh, but have doomed themselves to all eternity in complete torment, absent of God and present in the tormenting torture of satan and his demons. What a poor choice: A few years of homosexuality, but costing everything in eternity that is from God. That demonstrates the utter stupidity of those who embrace the homosexual agenda: the sacrificing of the soul for sexual sin. Jesus made a way out of this terrible predicament, but you, in rejecting the Bible have cancelled out His solution, His love, His marvelous offer of salvation from such eternal torment. You had better pray for God to awaken you from your own deception.
Anonymous said…
The church shootings in Tennessee last weekend confirms the violent nature of the heterosexual community. The high divorce rate, rampant adultery, child abuse, abortion, and other sins against God proves the sinful nature of the heterosexual lifestyle.

Hatred toward others by self proclaimed heterosexual “Christians” has become a major problem in society today. Heterosexuals are inventing sins that were not spoken of by Jesus Christ and then go out and attack others as “sinners”.
Anonymous said…
James, I love it when you start saying, “The Bible says…….”. The more you say it the more foolish you look. Most fundies that I know, including you, do not really believe that the Bible is the word of God. They pick and choose verses to support their faulty thinking and then just ignore the rest.

Here is an example:

"One of illegitimate birth shall not enter the congregation of the Lord." (Deuteronomy 23:2)

If you were born to an unwed mother, the Bible says that you shouldn't be allowed in church. Do "Bible-believing" fundamentalists follow this rule? Nope. They acknowledge that this verse was meant for a different time. James, does your pastor reject unwed mothers?

Yes, even fundamentalists acknowledge that certain scriptures were only meant to be applied to the particular time and place in which they were written.
When it comes to those scripture verses which seem to speak against homosexuality, however, they suddenly and indignantly demand that every word be followed to the letter and applied to our modern day!

The idea of refusing membership in the church to a child born to an unwed mother is seen as being unreasonable today, even though the scripture instructs it. The idea of quoting scripture to abuse people who are gay and lesbian is just as unreasonable and antiquated.
Anonymous said…
This is an interesting discussion and perhaps I should jump in with my two cents.

James said,
“They refuse to accept the Biblical reality that miracles happen and that Jesus Christ grants a new mind and a new life to those who choose to leave homosexuality.”


I am a red letter Christian which means I live by the words of Jesus. Jesus and Jesus alone is my savior; not Moses, not the Apostle Paul, not the prophet Isaiah, and certainly not the words of James Hartline. Jesus Christ never once said anything against gay people and their lifestyle. To the contrary, his words and actions give ongoing assurance to the millions of gay people in this country that their salvation is not in danger because of their lifestyle which was chosen by God.

I was born a homosexual but because of false teachers that I was exposed to in my early youth, I adopted a heterosexual lifestyle. God pointed out the error of my ways and through the power of his son Jesus Christ I have a new mind and a new life now that I have chosen to lead a gay lifestyle that God intended. I am proud to be part of a new revival in the churches in America that is recognizing that gay people are part of God’s kingdom and part of his plan for a better world.

James, it is not too late to come join this revival. First, recognize that Jesus gave us the commandment to love one another, just as we love ourselves. Repent of your sins of unloving words and actions toward your gay brothers. God is the judge; not you. Then rejoice that you are part of God’s kingdom. You can keep your Bible but remember that while it was inspired by God, it was written by men and obviously has many errors. The Holy Spirit should be your guide.
Anonymous said…
James, all churches and so-called faiths are "cult denominations." They're simply money-raising ventures --not unlike professional sports teams. Luckily for them, little old ladies will dig deep to donate to these charlatans and antiquated laws allow them tax exemption. Hopefully that will change.
Anonymous said…
To anonymous 9:00,
You cannot follow Jesus to the letter if you are engaging in homosexuality. Jesus did speak of it-read James' blog regarding Obama. (Rev 22:15) We just want to warn you that the way in which you are heading leads to destruction. And I pity the pastors who are telling you this is ok! They are going to be worse off leading many to hell with them! Please carefully consider why we even care to tell you, we get no benefit (besides being ridiculed)but to hopefully get through to someone.
With Love,
Anonymous said…
Oops, I meant anonymous 9:27am
Anonymous said…
To Anonymous 4:40:

It is the belief of most Christians that one should follow Jesus to the letter regardless of whether you are a homosexual or a heterosexual. I did read James’ blog regarding Obama several times. James consistently refuses to indicate the verses where Jesus deals specifically with homosexuality. This does not surprise me because in reality, Jesus did not speak to the issue of homosexuality.

The entire Bible has nothing to say about homosexuality as a sexual orientation. It speaks of certain sex acts but is silent on sexual orientation because the people of that era did not have the benefit of scientific discovery that we have today and had no concept of "sexual orientation". The Bible was written by men and reflects the knowledge, customs, and political realities of that day.

The Holy Spirit should be your guide. May the Spirit be with you.

George
James Hartline said…
Your idiocy is
incredible "George".
There was an enormous amount of scriptures indicating when and where in the Bible Jesus spoke on the issue of homosexuality in the article I wrote on Barak Obama. It always amazes me that the only people that cannot seem to find the sin of homsoexuality written in the Bible are those who are bound up in the deception of that sin. But you are so determined to remain blind on the issue because you have come under the influence of the god of this world, which is satan, that you refuse to accept anything other than your deceived beliefs on homosexuality. The Bible is replete with an enormous number of indications that homosexuality is an abomination in the eyes of God. And you keep sticking to your worldly terminology of "sexual orientation" which is a term created by the pro-homosexual poltical lobby to negate what the Bible actually says. If you do not repent of your promotion of the sin of homosexuality than, like so many others, you will be held accountable by God.
Anonymous said…
George,
With all sincerity, you are not treating all sin the same. We are all born sinners, and by you singling out homosexuality gives you a pass is not true. We are all born sinners in a sinful world. God gives us the opportunity of redemption- if we repent, turn away from sin. By willfully engaging in a sin that is an abomination to God, you are outside the will of God, you are rebelling. It's about self. You are putting what you want above God's will for your life. Deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Jesus.
Anonymous said…
"Society still expects gay people to behave 'normally'. Society needs to start accepting that we add value through our differentness."
James Hartline said…
Society doesn't "need" to accept anything that sin produces. The Bible says that the wages of sin is death. Thus, your claim that your sin, being "different" somehow needs to be accepted by society is ridiculous. Society is already bearing the billions and billions and billions of dollars in medical expenses by those who are practicing homosexuality and are continuing to spread AIDS. A new report today from the CDC states that homosexuality is contributing to 50% of the new HIV cases even though those practicing homosexuality only make up 2% of the population. Despite the billions of dollars that have been spent on HIV education, out of control, promiscuous sexual behavior that is promoted inside of the gay community, continues to spread a catastrophic disease throughout America. So stop the manipulative message of America needing to accept your differences. There is no value added when death is a result of the sex one practices.
bill said…
James said,
"Society is already bearing the billions and billions and billions of dollars in medical expenses by those who are practicing homosexuality and are continuing to spread AIDS."

This is a strong argument in favor of gay marriage. AIDS can not spread in a monogamous relationship.
If all homosexuals settled down and got married, as heterosexuals so, there would be no AIDS problem.
James Hartline said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
James Hartline said…
Arguing that sinful relationships being sanctioned by society in the form of same-sex marriage will stop the spread of AIDS is a theory based upon lunacy. Inside of the homosexual communities, so-called committed relationships are, in most instances, open relationships with multiple sexual partners. Because there is great discontentedness and unfulfillment in the vast majority of same-sex relationships, there is the constant drive to find sexual fulfillment outside of the so-called committed relationships. This is why pornography is rampant in the homosexual movement. The bathhouses, for example, are full of gay lovers who are experimenting with other sexual partners. AIDS is spread greatly by those engaged in homosexuality who are in long-term "committed" relationships. The Gay and Lesbian Center in San Diego actually has the audacity to offer support groups for men who are HIV positive who are in sexual relationships with men who are HIV negative. There is no concept in the homosexual movement to actually put on restraint and self-control on their sexual behaviors. Sexual promiscuity is not only honored, but promoted in the homosexual movement. The AIDS epidemic in the United States will never be fully solved until honesty becomes the number one priority in the homosexual movement. And right now, as indicated by your comment, honesty is not a priority at all.
Anonymous said…
Ecclesiastes 8:15
Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry...
Anonymous said…
Dear James-
I recently discovered your blog and enjoy it immensely.
Your frequent references to THE Bible reminds me of the time when I was having many problems in life and with the help of one of God’s angels I found the solution that turned my life around forever. I was using the wrong instruction manual.

Bibles are like instruction manuals. God created many many types of people and if you follow the wrong instruction manual you are in trouble. If you buy a Ford automobile you should not accept the instruction manual for a Volkswagen or take it to a Honda dealer for repairs. People are no different. Once I discarded the King James Bible and found my own instruction manual, God blessed me in ways you cannot image. Life is now a joy and for once I feel that God and I are partners. I now don’t worry if other people act and think differently than I do. God created a huge variety of people, animals, and plants. It would be boring if we were all the same. God never intended for people to act, think, and believe in the same way. To say that the King James version of the Holy Bible is God’s word for all mankind is blasphemy. God has an instruction manual for each of us. Seek and you shall find.
James Hartline said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
James Hartline said…
Obviously, you don't believe the Bible is the inspired word of God. So, you are going to believe whatever you want and no one is going to convince you differently. The Bible is the living word of God. The Apostle John wrote:
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
And Paul wrote:
"And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works."

You are simply creating a distraction by focusing on some ridiculous argument about the King James Bible which has nothing to do with the Bible being God's inspired method of conveying His reality and truth to mankind. If you reject the Bible that is your free will choice. Your decision also comes with consequences. Because if you reject the Bible then you are also rejecting Jesus Christ as God and as Lord and Savior. The Bible says that there is no other way unto salvation and to the Father but through Jesus Christ. And it also says that it is impossible to please God without faith. Thus, it is because of a lack of faith in His word that you have rejected the Bible. The fact that you talk about an angel leading you away from the Bible demonstrates the deception that the enemy has so effectively used on you.

The Bible also teaches us how we can distinguish between those who are caught up in false religions and those who are the true followers of Jesus Christ:
Jesus said in the Gospel of John:
"So Jesus said to them again, "Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.
"All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them.
"I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.
"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it
abundantly.
"I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.
"He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them.
"He flees because he is a hired hand and is not concerned about the sheep.
"I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me,
even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep."

So, I know, that you do not have the truth and are following a false religious experience because you have not stood the test of God and kept the path of truth and eternal life which only comes through Jesus Christ, the Messiah, the Lord, the Living God and the Savior who sits at the right of the Father in heaven making intercession on my behalf. The reason that I was able to completely overcome thirty years of living in the sin of homosexuality was because I finally aprehended the truth and that truth set me free. Those who have not received the truth, but are still caught up in a lie, cannot be set free from homosexuality or any other sin until they give their lives over completely to that same truth that God has given me in His word.
Anonymous said…
James Hartline said...
“Obviously, you don't believe the Bible is the inspired word of God.”

James, it is obvious that you also do not believe that the Bible is the inerrant word of God. Consider the following:
"If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched." (Mark 9:43)

While fundamentalists insist (due to their pre-existing bigotry) that all seemingly anti-gay scriptures be taken literally, without exception, they admit that the above verse was not meant to be taken literally even though the words above were spoken by Jesus Himself.

This proves that fundamentalists are willing to say that certain scriptures weren't meant to be believed literally, even those which contain the actual words of Jesus Christ!
When it comes to the scriptural verses which seem to be against homosexuality, fundamentalists boldly declare their belief in the "infallible, inerrant Word of God", demanding that every single word be taken literally, without exception. But when it comes to the awkward verses, such as the one listed above, they become much less sure of themselves. So much less sure, in fact, that they don't follow what their own Bible says.

James, you have consistently refused to answer questions when you know in your heart that you do not have an answer or that you have been confronted with making a false statement. I do not expect you to answer the question, Do you believe that the Bible is the inerrant word of God? If so do you recommend that people cut their hands off if their hands causes them to sin? What I am asking you to do is to reflect on what your behavior is doing. You are not being honest to yourself and you are certainly not being honest with others, and finally you are being a poor witness to the Christian faith. Christianity is about God’s love for mankind, not condemnation of mankind.
Time and time again you have refused to answer questions and then gone on to quote scripture that have nothing to do with the question. Your silence is very revealing.

Fundamentalists often SAY they believe that every word of the Bible is the word of God but in practice they pick and choose which verses they want to believe. As a liberal Christian I believe, as did Jesus, in the “spirit” of the law, not the letter of the law.

Peace be with you.
James Hartline said…
I Corinthians Chapter 2 clearly defines why you cannot accept the things in the word of God as they apply to homosexuality, nor can you appropriately divide the word of God correctly on the matter:
"The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.
"The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one.
“For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ."

It is evident that you are trying to apply, in a very incorrect fashion, the word of God without having first been filled with the Holy Spirit. For it is the Holy Spirit that guides born again Christians into understanding and correctly dividing and applying the word of God. You cannot understand the Bible without the Holy Spirit and it is evident that this is the case with you because you argue positions that are not even appropriately articulated by the teachings of the scriptures.

When you starting submitting yourself to God, and repenting of your sin, then you will have the infilling of the Holy Ghost who will teach you correctly how to interpret scripture. Your arguments make no sense because they are the arguments of an unconverted and carnal mind. We have the mind of Christ, because we have repented of our sins. You simply play word games with terms like "fundamentalists." And all this does is demonstrate that you don't know the Bible much less trying to weakly articulate a bogus understanding of the law and the issue of homosexuality. When you have the Holy Ghost in your soul and spirit than you will be convicted on the issue of homosexuality and you will stop trying weakly twist scriptures to accomodate your carnal mentality towards justifying such sins. The true, born again believer does not attempt to justify the sin of homosexuality, but rather does everything possible to rid one's life of any sin that separates oneself from Jesus Christ and His will for His church upon this earth.
Jesus Christ, Himself, spoke of the critical importance in having the Holy Spirit in one's life in order to understand God's truth in the Bible. He said in the Gospel of John:
"Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will shew you things to come."

Without the Holy Spirit, you are merely arguing a false religiosity that accomodates the desires of your flesh and of this world which is passing away. I, on the other hand, argue what I know from the Bible which has changed me into the new man in Christ with all old things passed away, all things having become new.

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