John, nicely stated. Thank you for clarifying that when you said his reported views are the reason that "Americans are confused about religion," you meant that Jeffress and evangelicals like him are confused—due to the fact that they are interpreting the bible in a limited way. Yes—a real sticking point, I do agree.
---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, <jr_esq@...> wrote : Emily, I think Jeffress and evangelicals like him like to interpret the Bible in a limited way. That's why they create tension and division here in this country. But the Bible or any other revered books of wisdom were not created to be dead stories. They are living documents to be interpreted by conscious human beings to determine what is right and just. given the social contexts, environment and human issues applicable for the times. As such, I believe ISIS and other forms of virulent religions have run their course and are recognized as dangerous for human societies by the destruction they have wrought and the evil they have created. In this regard, human consciousness is finding the solutions to the virulence of radical Islam or any other religions. For the time being, the bombs that rained against supporters ISIS have brought forth the downfall of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. Who's next? Kim Jong Un? ---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, <emily.mae50@...> wrote : What is one of the reasons Americans are confused about religion? Which Americans? Which religions? Jeffress and other "Christian Nationalists" have been in the news more recently because they have circled their wagons around T.Rump in an effort to get their militant agenda forwarded. Jeffress does not represent the great majority of evangelists (see article) and is not a mouthpiece for Christians of virtually any denomination. https://thinkprogress.org/trump-authority-god-470ec01aec6f/ https://thinkprogress.org/trump-authority-god-470ec01aec6f/ The word "cult" has to be specifically defined and placed into historical, political, and social context to have any meaning. I have no idea what he thinks of TM, but I'm guessing that given his "Christian" beliefs, he would consider it yet another surreptitious offspring of Satan. ---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, <jr_esq@...> wrote : An Evangelical Pastor Robert Jeffress said recently. He also thinks Mormonism is a cult. This is one of the reasons that Americans are confused about religion. Further, one wonders what he thinks about TM? http://www.newsweek.com/did-satan-create-catholicism-trump-supporting-pastor-robert-jeffress-thinks-so-690176 http://www.newsweek.com/did-satan-create-catholicism-trump-supporting-pastor-robert-jeffress-thinks-so-690176