Need a lift?

http://bit.ly/1aFPExG

(for the Americans, lift = elevator)

"... be ready in season and out of season ..."

I bemoan the lack of thinking in many of todays churches.  That's a bit arrogant, I know, but still.  Oh, I know it's there in some places; good, solid,  rational thought ... among the proverbial 1%.  So lets take the lift challenge.  You have 60 seconds to give someone a life-defining statement.

Let's say you're attending a Christian conference held at some bland budget hotel.  As the aged and dubious lift doors grind close, a bouncy conference attendee squeezes in.  Now it's just the two of you.  You gaze hopefully heavenward to urge the mechanism on, or at least pretend pious prayer, but really you want to dissuade any conversation.  Unfortunately your companion is one of those people who are oblivious to body language, and you can see this is going to be an awkward ride.

Your companion starts; "Hey, did you hear that last talk?  What do you think when they said ....

"... how Christianity must move with the times?  Surely we're beyond all that archaic stuff.  I mean God is love, and all religions teach that.  So there's no need for all this 'us and them', don't you think?"

"... we should give more time to church.  I mean, don't they know how busy I am, and I've got a career to think about. Don't you agree?"

"... same sex marriage is ok, and is actually alright in the Bible.  I like that.  Look at Jonathan and David!  And genuine love makes it all ok.  Even Jesus said 'these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love'.  So I guess changing the marriage law is a good thing."

"... that I should give more.  Jeepers, they makes it sound like a scam.  I worked for my money, really hard too.  And I already give in the offering plate, what more do they want."

"... that the growing divide between the poor and the rich is one of the greatest failings of the church.  I think the poor just need to work harder."

"... we should see Christianity and the Internet as enemies, and all the Internet does is to give legitimacy to every person who wants to attack us.  I agree, and I'm going to stay away from it ... well, except for google, and facebook, and flickr, and tumblr, and twitter, and ..."

"... this climate change stuff is a hoax.  That sort of makes sense, I mean, an all powerful God wouldn't let us trash the planet, would he?  I think it's just a global power grab to get more taxes from me."

"... those things about that one political party -- what's it's name again, A-something or other, or D-something, or was it I-something?  But who cares, I serve God and not man, and they shouldn't be preaching on politics anyway.  I'm not going to vote."

"... there's no TV here.  I've got to watch 'SA's got talent' tonight.  Oh well, at least I can watch the twitter feed during the evening worship."

" ... that amazing stuff about the new Pope.  It almost makes me want to convert from Christianity".

"... all those arrogant rules about pre-marital sex.  It really upset my girlfriend, and I know I'm going to get an earful of complaint in bed tonight."

"... that the Holy spirit is going to do things now.  That's just hyping people up for emotional response."

Remember, 60 seconds, starting ... NOW. 

iDoubt you can do it, prove me wrong.

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