Saturday, August 3, 2013

Who is heaven for?

About a week ago, I saw an article about a former porn star who had given up her sordid life and become a born-again Christian. Here was a woman (only 26 yrs old) who had reached rock bottom: raped at 14, drugs, prostitution, stripper, porn star, several suicide attempts... and then, through the outreach of a church whose specialty is rescuing such people, found God. Very heart-warming, very positive.


Of the hundreds of comments that followed the article, the vast majority were upbeat and encouraging. But one woman's comment stood out for its horrible, graphic language. I've edited out the bad stuff, but the gist of the comment is as follows:

"You have sold your soul and your body to Devil. There is no 'going back' to innocence for the ones who have lost their souls forever. Keep [doing porn]. You are good at it. You 'accepted' God but will God accept you? HEAVEN is for DECENT GIRLS who respect themselves, not for [expletive] like you."

Believe me, the comment was way, way worse (and longer) than the sanitized version above. And it's from a woman, too.

I can't imagine why this woman thought she had to spout such hate and vitriol, but one thing I know: her definition of who is worthy of heaven surely differs from mine. Jesus willingly associated with the lowest of the low in order to change their lives. He still does, today.

But some people are blind to His works and words. I'm saddened that this idiot thought it was necessary to launch such a poison bomb at a woman who is doing her best to clean up her life. Someone needs to review the 8th chapter of John.

If heaven were only for perfect people, it would be a very, very lonely place.


Just thought I'd get this off my chest.

35 comments:

  1. I am reminded of "let he who is without sin, cast the first stone". I wonder what horrible thing has happened in the past to that woman for her to lash out with such hatred, instead of rejoicing for the lady's salvation? So sad.

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  2. If Judas had been there when Jesus was hanging on the cross, Jesus would have forgiven him. An example to us on forgiveness. I believe that the only sin that is unforgivable is to deny the
    Holy Ghost. No matter what you have done in your past, if you repent, truly repent, and never do that sin again, and have no desire to do that sin again, you can be saved, and have a place in Heaven.

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  3. If heaven were only for perfect people, it would be a very, very lonely place.

    You got that right. And any man who has done an honest examination of his conscience should be relieved and thankful that it's not.

    We have a loving God who sent his only Son to suffer and die so we might live to have ever lasting life. His grace is free for all who but ask, paid for by the blood of the Pascal Lamb.

    I offer my testimony that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is true, available to ALL, and is key for salvation.

    May God bless this "prodigal daughter" and keep her in his fold.

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  4. Only God gets to judge.

    Repentance and belief are the keys to His Kingdom.

    We love because He first loved us.

    Let's hope the vitriolic, judgmental poster someday actually hears the Gospel and gets it straight before it's too late.

    Meanwhile we rejoice that a lost lamb is returned to the fold.

    A. McSp

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  5. If anyone were perfect, they wouldn't need a savior.

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  6. The sad thing is there are lots of people like that out there. And I know several folks who have walked away from the church because of people like that.

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  7. Thank you for this post, Patrice. Jesus died to save sinners, not the (self) righteous.

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  8. To my understanding Christianity is pretty big on the whole forgiveness thing. People make mistakes and while this woman's previous lifestyle choices were certainly not optimal they were also not evil.

    If she is genuine and has made honest changes can't see why God would not accept her. Are people going to judge her, of course they will. However at the end of the day she is doing better which is a good thing.

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  9. We can only pray for the vitriolic-spouting woman, that some day she, too, will be saved.

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  10. Apparently she is entirely unfamiliar with the Old Testament, or the history of Israel and Israel's relationship with God, and especially with the book of Hosea. Also, familiarity with the sinful woman forgiven by Jesus in Luke 7:36-50, and the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4:1-26 is obviously lacking.

    All I can think is that the poster blames the porn star for her husband's porn addiction or something. I cannot imagine what else would provoke such a nasty and vituperative attack.

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    1. Yes, sometimes vitriol comes from an angered heart pierced by pain. Maybe you should give the angry, vitriolic woman as much forgiveness as you do the former porn star. Many women -wives and mothers - have been hurt by their husband's or son's addiction to porn. It is righteous rage against a subculture that has stolen our children and the morality of our culture at large. Forgive the porn star, if she has truly repented, and forgive the vitriolic woman for her outrage as well.

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  11. And the last shall be first and the first shall be last.

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  12. I see some parallels of that exchange in this verse:

    11 The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’ 13 But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be [a]merciful to me, the sinner!’ Luke 18:11

    I was never a porn star, but have done some things just as disgusting in my past life, that I won't mention. I thank the Lord Jesus Christ for His mercy and grace towards me. I'm a new creation.

    The hateful commenter needs to get her Gospel straight.

    Jane

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    1. None of us are any better in our hearts than that woman. We all are capable of everything she did, and worse.

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    2. I absolutely agree. I still need to repent every day for some of the bitter, hateful thoughts and motives I have towards others.

      The thing is, the commenter doesn't seem to realize that very same thing about herself, that she is no better than the ex-porn star, in action or thought.

      Jane

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  13. The person that left the rude comment has no understanding of grace, and doesn't realize that they are in need of it more than the 'sinner' they have so unjustly attacked. Such is the state of the CHURCH today. Sad state of affairs..

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  14. I was reminded of Paula Deen's unfortunate choice of words after being assaulted and robbed by a black criminal 30 years ago. The left believes she is forever tainted and there can be no understanding of her situation. Most of us never faced a gun in the hands of a desparate crackhead criminal so we probably can't understand the fear and raw emotion someone feels about the event. But certainly we can see the difference between an emotional exclamation and a heartfelt belief. But perhaps the same blindness that prevents those on the left from seeing why socialism doesn't work and is morally wrong prevents them from seeing this simple truth.

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  15. IF the comment wasn't from some dingle-berry trying to be a smart aleck (still prompted by the devil btw)and was from a "real woman." I submit that she may not be looking from INSIDE the church out and saying "Stay Away," but from outside the church, down inside the pit trying to drag the woman back down.

    Charles Baudelaire - "The greatest trick the devil ever played was convincing the world that he did not exist."

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  16. Due to the nature of the internet there is no way to know that the creature who left the ugly comment was a man, woman or a whatever.

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    1. True. All I know is the commenter used a woman's name.

      - Patrice

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  17. I'd say that woman glossed over the parts of the New Testament where Jesus hung out with the prostitutes and tax collectors. Every soul saved from hell is a joy to God. The closer that soul was to hell, the greater the joy in it's redemption.

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  18. The comments to this post warm my heart, as a Christian and as an American. They uplift my mind and reaffirm why this site is my homepage. It offers food for the body, mind and spirit.

    I'm always in good company here.

    Love you guys. God bless.

    A.McSp

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  19. God forgives us, all, completely. He does not forgive selectively. there are no sins that are un-forgiveable. Jesus said for all that are weary and heavy laden, to come to him.

    It is only those that cannot forgive, cannot or will not see God's complete love and forgiveness.

    It's real simple......... John 3:16.

    Bob
    III

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  20. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. Romans 13:10

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  21. you will find that many whores were raped as children, usually serially.
    they do not enter the evil willingly. they are victims.
    the hateful lady is also in need of kindness and especially prayer.
    the people we meet are tests of our Christian character.
    we often fail the test.
    my mother told me it is best to avoid the spiteful people to avoid causing our own sin, but also to pray for them.

    i still fail the test every day.
    God help us!!
    deb harvey

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  22. One of your readers suggested that I ask you about epublishing. The way I'd planned to go requires an active table of contents, which no-one around here knows how to do. Any suggestions?

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    1. You will need to set up your .html table of contents file to provide a link to the different chapters, that you have either separated into individual files; you will need to embed a unique identifier into into them so the link can be found.

      Delete
  23. Heaven is for people who have been Redeemed by Grace through Jesus Christ, that is who Heaven is for.

    On a lighter note, the negative poster is probably that kind of person who loudly proclaims her purity as a way to compensate for no man ever asking her out.

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  24. Hey, I think I know who you are talking about, XXX Church! They were at our church a few months ago, great stuff!

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  25. The "good news" isn't that there are good people in heaven, it is that there are former sinners there. Thanks Jesus!
    Greg

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  26. "If heaven were only for perfect people, it would be a very, very lonely place..." Amen sister.

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  27. Well written! If Heaven were for good people it WOULD be a lonely place. We are all sinners!

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  28. Did not our Lord & Savior say to the crowds:

    “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.” Mk 2:17

    Lord, Jesus, soften the heart of the commentator who judged one of you former lost sheep, who now been found.

    This we pray, in Jesus name.

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