a few heartbreaking thoughts

Church plans Quran-burning event

It makes my heart hurt to see places called churches be so hurtful. It's so hard for me to balance understanding to what extent we need to accept "liberal" churches, and to what extent we need to condemn them. I don't know if these people are right are wrong.. In fact, if you ask me, Islam is of the devil, like they say. (I mean, what else do I believe? Everything that doesn't mesh with Christ must be of the devil). But they're not really expressing their message in a loving way. Go back five years, I would've probably celebrated the day, but now I read this article and shake my head.

I know it's important for people to know that they're sinners. Because that's part of the truth, whether we like it or not. I like to avoid that part of the message, because I like it when people like me. These people seem to be going over the top and forget what it means to be a witness:

"Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings."
- 1 Corinthians 9:19-23

On that note, reading Paul's letters always confuses the heck out of me, because I feel like half the time he talks about not judging, and the other half of the time he talks about living a holy life and judging and fleeing evil. I don't know what that means in a practical sense. And it just makes me question if all these letters are really part of God's Word, because I just can't reconcile it with some of my other thoughts.

I did hear, though, that reading the Word and praying go hand in hand... because the words in the Bible aren't magical and somehow going to pierce my heart in themselves - that's the Spirit's work. I don't pray all too much, so that probably explains a lot of my confusion. If only I could get into it like I got into working out.

"For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief."
- Ecclesiastes 1:18

At least I'm not alone?