Focus Verse: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD.” Isaiah 55:8
- Definition of Divergent:
- 1. tending to be different or develop in different directions.
The Road Not Taken
BY ROBERT FROST
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
- Divergent Thinkers
- Today’s Divergent Thoughts
- Thoughts on “DIVERGENT” the film
- Wes Jones.
- Divergent Quotes
- We train soldiers not rebels
- Fear doesn’t shut you down it wakes you up
- There is a certain beauty to your resistance.
- Join the conversation:
What is your divergent thought? Or even who inspires you to be divergent?
Responses and reactions on Noah, World Vision, anything else you want to weigh in on.
Tweet #DivergentAndProud or leave a voice message to be part of the next podcast.
Further Discussions and Thoughts:
- Perfectly Timed article: “Why the Church Needs More Troublemakers?” by Relevant Magazine.
- For more biblical thoughts from the film Divergent, check out this podcast.
Thanks so much for linking to my Divergent episode on AreYouJustWatching.com. Since you wanted to start a conversation, I thought I’d quickly weigh in on a couple of your other comments in this episode since I have official positions on them.
First off, regarding the movie Noah, I did not go see it because I refuse to give money to a movie that blatantly portrays God falsely. The gnostic foundation to this film basically makes it anti-biblical rather than just inaccurate. I won’t support that, even though I did have a couple listeners request my review on it. I have talked with several Christians who did see the movie for review purposes and am fairly confident that it is not worth spending money on. Not only was it anti-biblical, but it was an attempt by secular atheists to get Christians to celebrate and promote something anti-biblical, and (from what I hear) it was a badly done movie on top of that. I won’t tell anyone whether they should go see it or not; however, the idea that it starts a conversation bothers me a bit because the movie actually confirms what those who already reject God think of Him. It’s not a conversation, but rather a validation in movie form of what atheists think of our God. Why support that?
Secondly, regarding whether World Vision should allow employees to be in gay marriages, I have a definite position as well. Christian organizations should have a higher moral standard and expect their employees to align with that moral standard. I work for a Christian organization, and I have to sign a statement of faith on an annual basis to indicate that I support the position of my employer on crucial biblical issues. Regardless of our position on how our secular realm treats the gay marriage issue, the only position that we can biblically take within the church and in Christian organizations is that marriage is between a man and a woman as ordained by God. Whether you support “legislating morality” or not, Christian organizations should be allowed to police this for themselves, and the fact that World Vision temporarily took such a radical and unbiblical position on the issue within their own organization rightfully left them open to censure from the Christian community, which they appear to have taken seriously and repented.
What concerns me about the growing acceptance of gay marriage in our society is that Christians are losing the religious right to abstain from supporting/celebrating unions that they believe are morally wrong. This abstaining from supporting/celebrating gay marriages is not hate, by the way. Do you hate an alcoholic when you disapprove of them drinking alcohol or lovingly intervene to keep them away from it? Refusing to participate in or celebrate something you view as sin is not the same thing as hating or discriminating against a non-believing sinner. The vocal LGBT minority in our country have forced us to take a stand that they like to call hate (and/or fear) but really isn’t. Bringing this back to your topic, being not of the world as Christians means to me that we will sometimes be divergent from society’s views of what is moral or immoral. We cannot compromise within the body of believers (I think that is obvious from Scripture), and when dealing with the unbelieving world we have to tread the line carefully between maintaining our personal witness and Spirit-inspired righteousness before God and the world while still loving those who need the Lord without in any way giving them the false idea that we accept their sin. Why should they seek the Lord and repent if we say that it’s okay for them to continue to blatantly sin? But this does mean we as Christians need to be consistent in our application of Scriptural standards. For example, I have the same view on divorce and premarital sex as I have on gay marriage–none of these are biblical and should be lovingly frowned on and portrayed as behavior requiring repentance. Repentance means turning away from the behavior, not continuing in it.
Thanks for the opportunity to chime in on your discussion. God bless your podcast.
Thanks for joining the conversation! I appreciate your remarks and know that I don’t fully disagree with them. I admittedly sit in the middle of a tension for me. Desiring to be righteous, loving, godly, and a man of integrity is something that is sometimes difficult to walk out in my daily life.
Treading that line, as you mentioned, is something that I need constant prayer and the power of the Holy Spirit to accomplish, and not always with success. I don’t have any definitive response to your statement, but I will be checking out Noah this weekend and give my thoughts on it in my next episode. I totally understand your point of not wanting to be a part of something you see as against God. I don’t want to condone sin either. I do want to be able to have informed conversation with non believers. For me that comes from being aware of what they think, what they are influenced by, etc. for instance I have read parts of satanic literature, studied Muslim faith, etc with a heart to know more about non Christian thought in order to speak into their world as one informed on their world.
Talk about some serious fine line. I know as I write this, there are people who would vilify and demonize my efforts. I am not assuming that you would, but I have a undying heart for the lost and want to, God-willing, be used to bring more to Him. I find myself more like Paul in Corinthians 9, doing anything short of sin to win others to Christ.
And yet… I would still echo the truth of it being a fine line.
As far as World vision I completely agree that they have that right to do as they please as a private organization. I just thought that it was interesting that they tried to embrace some other Christian denominations with same sex marriage acceptance, which I don’t agree with, and then were met with some not so nice remarks (hateful) remarks toward not the gay community but toward world vision. People called them wolves in sheep’s clothing and the like. I didn’t mean to sound as though I was saying people opposed to gay marriage were all being hateful. I disagree with gay marriage but wouldn’t consider myself hateful. Forgive me for not being clear. I might even be misremembering what I’ve said at this point. But I definitely don’t think that is true generally speaking, but as loud as the LGBT few are, so can be the bigoted Christian few. I should have more pointedly directed my statements to them.
I am not going to tell World Vision what to do with their organization, but I have no problem feeding children around the world with non-believers hand in hand.
On another note, I really enjoy your podcast. It is a great concept and I look forward to hearing some of your future reviews of films.
Thanks again!