The Scripture that came to mind to prove the consistency of Christ as the centrality of all human history was
1Co 10:1 Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;
1Co 10:2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;
1Co 10:3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat;
1Co 10:4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.
1Co 10:5 But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.

Christopher000 wrote:
The wise men brought gifts celebrating the birth of the Savior and what was to come. They only had His birth to celebrate, but we have His physical death, His triumph over death and the grave, and His resurrection to life everlasting.

@ Ladybug
Two Scriptures came to mind reading your posts for your consideration & edification:
1.Psalm 92:1,2 A Psalm or Song for the sabbath day. It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High: To shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night,

I'd made appropriate preparations for family on Saturday in hope of drawing my family together to keep the sabbath of Thanksgiving and praise commanded. The feast never made it to the table, will probably share with neighbors this week.

James Thomas wrote:
H8420 "Tav"
Only used 3 times. Ezekiel 9:4, 9:6 and Job 31:35

Gk G5432 mark
scratch or etching that is stamp(as a badge of servitude)

Rev 13:16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
Rev 13:17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

Rev 14:1 And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.

I might suggest that the original statements began with the title of the article "Should Churches Remove Crosses to Make Muslim Migrants Feel at Home?"

Reading the article, it seemed to me that Churches who were once professed Churches had so left their moorings that all that remained was a man-made symbol. The Church in the article was becoming a refugee shelter and the article made a contention about removing the last visible symbol of what had been a Church.
Then presented disagreeing parties, male, & female but seemed to miss the point altogether.

Stephen R wrote:
I don't have room to post about, but one that was troublesome was the old Jesuit idea that if it advances Islam lies are permissible.
This makes any discussion with them hard because you never know if they are being open and honest with you.
Many a wicked person as hid behind a pleasant and respectful persona only for the truth to be revealed when its too late.

I believe the two horns of the beast of the earth in Rev. 13:11 are Islam and Rome, he had two horns as as a lamb but spake as a dragon. I don't disagree with what you say but neither want to forget we wrestle not against flesh and blood...

B. McCausland wrote:
for some, the goal for swimming contrary to the current, is to 'change' the current, but in reality it should be to honour God in whatever design he has for a particular setting,..

I couldn't tell you how many mosques there are in my community, because Rome and her harlot daughters seems a greater threat from my place.

I have only twice had opportunity to meet young emigrants; one from UAE and the other from Pakistan. One was a young student with many conflicting struggles, from him I learned what not to say and do. The other was polite, curious and trying himself to understand his own (providencial) lot as concerned his family.

B. McCausland wrote:
..tend to imagine that Christian activism should without exception 'bend' the arm of God's sovereignty in a particular unjust situation.
"For the scripture said unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up that I might show my power in thee,and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth" Rm 9:17

B. McCausland wrote:
.. the real difficulty you face..

kjg wrote:
Clarification, I was referring to the German pietists of the 1930s-1940s.

I stopped reading here B.Mc C ? what
is this saying?

B. McCausland wrote:
Some information here to get started
http://www.britannica.com/topic/Pietism

Sandy Beach wrote:
emphasized personal holiness (note--not political action).

What you think following Christ *is about*, would then seem in the context of your comment, contrary to your definition of pietism. From what you did state pietism seemed to mean a lack of activism.

If one tries to stand firmly on the ground of their convictions based upon their understanding of the word of God, then in time they will be forced into what I consider activism or action under persecution. When someone comes to your door uninvited by you, for you, to consider why they were called to intervene, one must act in some manner towards them.

pennnelope wrote:
... or is that not the gospel as is pushed here on a daily basis? (Christianity = pietism, let the world run itself without Christian influence while I sit here and hummm)

I cannot know what you are referring to as this is sort of vague; however your emphasis is on works that needs to be done by the men, as you see it? I made a Google search for pietism (google's order not mine); the Catholic Encyclopedia states "Pietism is a movement within the ranks of Protestantism, originating in the reaction against the fruitless Protestant orthodoxy of the seventeenth century, and ..."

or (more likely) it would be Merriam Webster's definition of it you're referring to.
" a 17th century religious movement originating in Germany in reaction to formalism and intellectualism and stressing Bible study and personal ..."

It would seem to be from all the definitions a counter reformation movement. Care to explain what you mean here?

Count Zinzendorf was a pietist. His followers, are pushing on a daily basis Chrisitianity = pietism? I found your post confusing and inconsistent with other things I thought I've understood you to say and support?