Enough is enough

[Spheniscine† 0]

I have noticed a tendency among some here, from time to time, to question our purpose in the fandom, believing that we are leading people to sin and that we should close our doors.

 

These legalistic doubts have got to stop.

 

The fact is and always will remain that we cannot be responsible for everyone.

 

If I wrote a webcomic, furry or otherwise, am I responsible for those who would make porn of it?

 

If I sold knives, am I responsible for someone who uses one as a murder weapon?

 

If I sold books, am I responsible for someone who uses that as a murder weapon?

 

On this path lies madness. Is there any worthy endeavor on this earth that cannot be corrupted by fallen man?

[Guest Wolfin]

This isn't a product people are corrupting; this is being who are leading others in the wrong directions and not enough folks standing in the gap and saying "hey, there is a lot of freedom in Christ; but, there are clear limits...and this goes over those clear limits."

 

Having standards is not being snobbish; nor is sticking up for what is right and Godly legalistic.

 

Robin

[Spheniscine† 0]

But that's what the staff and board are for. Also, we are to encourage and build each other up in Christ. A few may not listen to counsel; that is simply the nature of fallen man. However, if because of the few, our doors are closed and we are scattered; where will we turn to? How will we remain effective in supporting one another?

[Wolvy† 0]

Let's take the advice of Paul, who wrote to the Corinthians in 1st Corinthians, a new church established in a cosmopolitan city which was known for it's culture, commerce, paganism, immorality and great wealth.

 

We can use Corinth as a paradigm for this gathering here; for we gather in the middle of a virtual community comprised of Christians and non-Christians, of people who are upright in the eyes of the Lord, and people who live very pagan and/or immoral lives.

 

The church of Corinth had been established probably only ten or twenty years before this letter was written, and in that time, corruption had crept into their church. Paul did not recommend that they shut their doors and scatter. Instead he warned them to be vigilant against corruption and immorality. In fact, he instructed them not to separate themselves from the non-Christians of Corinth, and to NOT to judge those outside of their church(which he says is GOD's job), but instead to focus their judgements on those within the church: To not tolerate sexual impurity within the church, and to isolate those Christians who would not repent of such deeds, lest they be lost forever. Read Chapter five of First Corinthians. Focus on versus 9 through 13.

 

Do not get caught up by the term "legalistic" - For we see that even in the early church, there are definite standards by which Christians should live their lives. Chapter six details some of these standards.

 

What we should do is bond together and encourage one another to live a higher standard - It is a hard world with many traps that we live in. From what I've seen, (and I've only been looking for a few weeks) Furry fandom has many problems, pitfalls and traps. Much like the city of Corinth in A.D. 55 did, I would imagine. The church of Corinth was considered a worthy enough endeavor that Paul visited it, and even wrote multiple letters to encourage and counsel them. Perhaps this online community serves as a similar refuge?