MyPraize Breeds Weakness and Stagnation. I Chose MySpace instead. When we as Christians hide away from the culture around us, we become weak. If we never stumble we will never grow strong. I could never have learned to ride my bike well without falling off a few times along the way. I would have never learned to be careful. I would never have learned that I need to be cautious, that there are boundaries. It’s the same way about Christians in culture. If we always guard ourselves, if we always put up walls, if we never allow ourselves to stumble, or to mess up here and there, we will never be strong enough to decide not to do something when that wall or that guard is not there. If all your life you were guarded so there is no way you can stumble, no way you can get hurt, then you will eventually end up in a place where you are faced with a decision to sin or to not, and you won’t have strong convictions about it. So why do we make sites like MyPraize or things like “Christian Music” and separate ourselves from “the rest” of our Culture? I have a page on MySpace and I think it’s better that people are allowed to use curses and inappropriate pictures because I can build up my own conviction to say, “Ya know what, I’m not going to click that, I know it’s there, but I am going to stand firm in my faith and my morals and I’m going to stay away from that.” When there is sin knocking and you have the strength to stay away from it, it is so much more valuable because you are making the CHOICE not to sin, not to indulge in the temptation, instead of just hiding from the temptation. Another problem with a completely Christian environment is stagnation, complacency. I’ve attended a Christian school (no name) and I’ve seen it happen. Everyone assumes that everyone is a Christian so they don't talk about their faith, they don't try to talk about it at all because it’s assumed that everyone agrees. Evangelism is never even attempted because we all think that everyone else is a Christian and everyone else is doing well spiritually. In reality, however, there are more broken and hurting people, more lost and hurting souls, than you can imagine! So how can we be built up, or build each other up if we all assume that we are Christians and that everything is daisies and rainbows and unicorns? If we are always in a Christian bubble, we have no one to question our beliefs or to ask tough questions. When people ask about your faith or confront you about something, it builds your faith; it makes your belief stronger. We should have answers to questions like “Why are you a Christian” or “What did Jesus do for you to love him so much?” And when we answer these questions for other people, we are constantly reminding ourselves why we believe what we do, or who the person of Jesus Christ is. On a place like MyPraize, or any other Christian bubble, as I call it, there is no one who differs in beliefs with you, no one to confront you or ask questions about your faith and the love you have for God. I find it interesting that people speak of a site like MyPraize or other Christian clubs as a “community” of believers. First of all, all the people on there are probably not all believers, but that aside, it really isn’t a community at all. Community was not meant to be something we have through wires and monitors. Community, true community, is supposed to be shared through getting close to someone, getting to know someone, hugging them, praying for them in person. I don’t think Jesus would have sat online to have deep conversations and emotional help-sessions with people. He would have walked to their house, (or in our time, drive) and He would have talked to them in person. A community should be something more than a collection of people’s pictures and what bands they like. A community is a group of people that know each other, a group of people who are looking out for each other. Honestly, I don’t know ANYONE on this site, and I don't intend on meeting anyone from this (or any other) online site. This is just a way for us to feel like we are part of something; it is something artificial to make us feel like we belong, just like Facebook, MySpace, and to some extent, Xanga. These sites were made for profit, plain and simple. They were not for people to meet each other. Sure, it happens from time to time, probably, but I really feel strongly that if we are to seek out a community of tight-knit believers, we should get involved in a church, or we should seek out a ministry somewhere where we can get connected with people. Another problem with this “holy huddle” phenomenon that is the “Christian community” of Christian schools or sites like MyPraize is that we don’t focus at all on evangelizing. We just want to be in community with Christians and we try to hide from the “evil” and “sinful” people of the real world. Well, wake up, people, Christians are evil sinners too. (And that also makes us hypocrites, so maybe we are actually worse than non-Christians in a way.) But the point is, if we put ourselves in a place like a state school or on a site like MySpace, we will be like a guerilla unit for God. We will be undercover; we will be a light to the world around us, just as the Bible calls us to be. We can show in our profiles that we aren’t going to use naked pictures of ourselves, or that we aren’t going to use foul language. There are lots of ways we can show that we are different, as Christians, than the majority of the people on MySpace. What would happen if we were to put some good music on our page, a respectable, decent picture, and positive encouraging things in our profiles? People will start to wonder, people will ask questions. They will see our lives and ask why we are so hopeful, why we are so happy and fulfilled. This is, of course, the perfect opportunity to share the Gospel with them, to tell them the beautiful story of Jesus Christ, God’s son, coming to Earth in human form to live out a holy life and be killed for the sins of the rest of the world, past, present, and future, so that we don't have to die for the payment of those sins. I have a page on MySpace, and I don't see anything wrong with it. In fact, I think it has more benefits than a monitored site like MyPraize because I CHOOSE to put things on there that are good, instead of being forced to do so. This way it means more because it is done out of my free will. So if you want to talk to me or contact me, I will be on MySpace, as a testament to my convictions that I can stay on pages that are not sinful, and as a light to the rest of the world that I have a hope and a life in Jesus Christ. I am on MySpace so that Christ may show through my MySpace profile, and so that He may affect the lives around me, through me. If you want to visit me, my MySpace address is this: www.myspace.com/liquidstrobe

*doesn't read* no u

[b]LiquidStrobe wrote:[/b] [quote]MyPraize Breeds Weakness and Stagnation. I Chose MySpace instead. When we as Christians hide away from the culture around us, we become weak. If we never stumble we will never grow strong. I could never have learned to ride my bike well without falling off a few times along the way. I would have never learned to be careful. I would never have learned that I need to be cautious, that there are boundaries. It’s the same way about Christians in culture. If we always guard ourselves, if we always put up walls, if we never allow ourselves to stumble, or to mess up here and there, we will never be strong enough to decide not to do something when that wall or that guard is not there. If all your life you were guarded so there is no way you can stumble, no way you can get hurt, then you will eventually end up in a place where you are faced with a decision to sin or to not, and you won’t have strong convictions about it. So why do we make sites like MyPraize or things like “Christian Music” and separate ourselves from “the rest” of our Culture? I have a page on MySpace and I think it’s better that people are allowed to use curses and inappropriate pictures because I can build up my own conviction to say, “Ya know what, I’m not going to click that, I know it’s there, but I am going to stand firm in my faith and my morals and I’m going to stay away from that.” When there is sin knocking and you have the strength to stay away from it, it is so much more valuable because you are making the CHOICE not to sin, not to indulge in the temptation, instead of just hiding from the temptation.[/quote] Good points... but none have to do with Mypraize.... MyPraize allows Christians, non Christians and other religions to participate in debate, conversation and friend making.. This is NOT a Christian bubble and never has been from the beginning. If you think it is then perhaps you need to browse the site more [quote] Another problem with a completely Christian environment is stagnation, complacency. I’ve attended a Christian school (no name) and I’ve seen it happen. Everyone assumes that everyone is a Christian so they don't talk about their faith, they don't try to talk about it at all because it’s assumed that everyone agrees. Evangelism is never even attempted because we all think that everyone else is a Christian and everyone else is doing well spiritually. In reality, however, there are more broken and hurting people, more lost and hurting souls, than you can imagine! So how can we be built up, or build each other up if we all assume that we are Christians and that everything is daisies and rainbows and unicorns? If we are always in a Christian bubble, we have no one to question our beliefs or to ask tough questions. When people ask about your faith or confront you about something, it builds your faith; it makes your belief stronger. We should have answers to questions like “Why are you a Christian” or “What did Jesus do for you to love him so much?” And when we answer these questions for other people, we are constantly reminding ourselves why we believe what we do, or who the person of Jesus Christ is. On a place like MyPraize, or any other Christian bubble, as I call it, there is no one who differs in beliefs with you, no one to confront you or ask questions about your faith and the love you have for God. [/quote] Once again read my above comments... MyPraize is thriving with people who disagree with us, our practices, and beliefs.... Once again if you have not seen that yet then you are not looking hard enough.... [quote] I find it interesting that people speak of a site like MyPraize or other Christian clubs as a “community” of believers. First of all, all the people on there are probably not all believers, but that aside, it really isn’t a community at all. Community was not meant to be something we have through wires and monitors. Community, true community, is supposed to be shared through getting close to someone, getting to know someone, hugging them, praying for them in person. I don’t think Jesus would have sat online to have deep conversations and emotional help-sessions with people. He would have walked to their house, (or in our time, drive) and He would have talked to them in person. A community should be something more than a collection of people’s pictures and what bands they like. A community is a group of people that know each other, a group of people who are looking out for each other. Honestly, I don’t know ANYONE on this site, and I don't intend on meeting anyone from this (or any other) online site. This is just a way for us to feel like we are part of something; it is something artificial to make us feel like we belong, just like Facebook, MySpace, and to some extent, Xanga. [/quote] Dictionary for "Community": 1. a social group of any size whose members reside in a specific locality, share government, and often have a common cultural and historical heritage. 2. a locality inhabited by such a group. 3. a social, religious, occupational, or other group sharing common characteristics or interests and perceived or perceiving itself as distinct in some respect from the larger society within which it exists (usually prec. by the): the business community; the community of scholars. 4. a group of associated nations sharing common interests or a common heritage: the community of Western Europe. 5. Ecclesiastical. a group of men or women leading a common life according to a rule. 6. Ecology. an assemblage of interacting populations occupying a given area. 7. joint possession, enjoyment, liability, etc.: community of property. 8. similar character; agreement; identity: community of interests. 9. the community, the public; society: the needs of the community. I am sure that MyPraize fits perfectly well as a community.... The government seems to agree as well.. Concidering there are now patents on "Social Networks/Communities".... [quote] These sites were made for profit, plain and simple. They were not for people to meet each other. Sure, it happens from time to time, probably, but I really feel strongly that if we are to seek out a community of tight-knit believers, we should get involved in a church, or we should seek out a ministry somewhere where we can get connected with people. [/quote] This site was created by me.. and not created for profit.... Matter of fact I have put over 23K into the site of MY OWN MONEY since it's conception last fall... I barely make enough money from the site right now to pay for the hosting bills... I never created the site to be rich or make money... I created the site because I couldnt stand being on MySpace... MySpace's ads and profiles were not pure, and I prefer to not be around those atmospheres. It was a personal choice, and I don't regret it. Secondly, you need to realize that NOT everyone is liek you... not every one can be open and have fun in groups of people. Your merely acting like a pompous idiot if you expect every one to be able to just go to a chruch and get "hooked-in".... You and I both know this is NOT easy for MOST people... I personally have no trouble with it.. But I know people who are more fearful of a crowd of people then they are sky diving.. [quote] Another problem with this “holy huddle” phenomenon that is the “Christian community” of Christian schools or sites like MyPraize is that we don’t focus at all on evangelizing. We just want to be in community with Christians and we try to hide from the “evil” and “sinful” people of the real world. Well, wake up, people, Christians are evil sinners too. (And that also makes us hypocrites, so maybe we are actually worse than non-Christians in a way.) But the point is, if we put ourselves in a place like a state school or on a site like MySpace, we will be like a guerilla unit for God. We will be undercover; we will be a light to the world around us, just as the Bible calls us to be. We can show in our profiles that we aren’t going to use naked pictures of ourselves, or that we aren’t going to use foul language. There are lots of ways we can show that we are different, as Christians, than the majority of the people on MySpace. What would happen if we were to put some good music on our page, a respectable, decent picture, and positive encouraging things in our profiles? People will start to wonder, people will ask questions. They will see our lives and ask why we are so hopeful, why we are so happy and fulfilled. This is, of course, the perfect opportunity to share the Gospel with them, to tell them the beautiful story of Jesus Christ, God’s son, coming to Earth in human form to live out a holy life and be killed for the sins of the rest of the world, past, present, and future, so that we don't have to die for the payment of those sins. [/quote] Once again, this is and never has been a holy huddle, or a Christian bubble...We never intended it to be, and we hope that it will never be... The down side to ANY online community is the ability or lack there of to evangelize... For instance, it's not like we can go out into the "internet community" and have bible studies, or find some some where as a site and witness to them.... However, as a site, we offer alot of ways once they get here to find out about Christ and be ministered too... This is not a problem with Mypraize, it's just a limitation of the medium we are using.