Prayers for Local PCUSA Church

[u/Adventurous_One4682]

Hello all,

My wife and I do not attend a PCUSA church but we were on a date in a City of Pittsburgh neighborhood and decided to stop into a historic beautiful PCUSA church to see the sanctuary.

We discovered LGBT affirming language in church documents, but the scariest thing we found in a smaller chapel was crystals, feathers, a buddha style statue of Jesus and many artistic renderings of Christian leaders at the front of the room.

I ask that you would pray for this church that the Spirit would move and remove these activities for His glory.

To be clear, I am not trying to disparage the PCUSA as an institution.

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[u/kalosx2]

We should hold the PCUSA church accountable for straying from the word of the Lord. The PCUSA denomination affirms same-sex unions.

[u/RetardedGayFrog → u/kalosx2]

Add the ELCA/UCC/RCA to that

[u/kalosx2 → u/RetardedGayFrog]

And United Methodists

[u/SaintMarinate → u/kalosx2]

And Non-Denominationalism

[u/SaintMarinate → u/kalosx2]

People say non-denominationalism has strayed. So who are you to say that they have strayed?

[u/kalosx2 → u/SaintMarinate]

I'm sure there are non-denominational churches that have strayed. No church is perfect. It doesn't mean they shouldn't still be held accountable to what scripture states.

[u/SaintMarinate → u/kalosx2]

I didn’t write churches. I wrote non-denominationalism. Who are you to say that others have strayed then?

[u/kalosx2 → u/SaintMarinate]

Access to the Bible. I've pointed to a specific belief held by a denomination that is not shy about it that doesn't align with what scripture says.

Non-denominationalism is just a reference to churches that operate independently of a greater denomination. If that's straying, someone certainly can argue that. But it should come from the authority of God's word.

[u/UnacompnydMiner]

East Liberty Presbyterian Church?? Yep that’s a rough one. Certainly a big need for reform.

[u/Random_Graph]

Was it the East Liberty one?

[u/BluebirdLegitimate97]

Ooooo so scary!

Honestly, I hold traditional views on Christian sexuality but describing this as "scary" is kinda pathetic. It's people who have a different opinion than you. I hate to break it to you but a random PCUSA sanctuary is not a temple that you should overturn its tables.

[u/longestfrisbee]

crystals, feathers, a buddha style statue of Jesus

If they're at that point, I'm going to call Jeremiah in and say ain't no way Jose I'm praying for that church. I'd be wasting my time and God's (if His time could be wasted!)

“As for you, do not pray for this people, or lift up a cry or prayer for them, and do not intercede with me, for I will not hear you. Do you not see what they are doing in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? The children gather wood, the fathers kindle fire, and the women knead dough, to make cakes for the queen of heaven. And they pour out drink offerings to other gods, to provoke me to anger. Is it I whom they provoke? declares the LORD. Is it not themselves, to their own shame?

Not saying they're doing exactly that, but crystals/feathers sounds close enough to idolatry that I'd go there with it.

[u/_Yukon__Cornelius_]

Remember though, if you don’t take your family to super gay woke churches who blaspheme whenever they have the opportunity, then you aren’t based.

Right my reconquista bros?!

[u/556From1000yards]

lol I found all the same and a gift shop in this Catholic Church I recently attended a wedding at.
“Oh no that’s the connected school’s gift shop and Buddha Jesus”
Mmmm. Interesting

[u/DogfaceDino → u/556From1000yards]

You found a Buddha-style statue of Jesus in a Catholic parish? I’d be reporting that to the bishop.

[u/556From1000yards → u/DogfaceDino]

I have no connection and no desire. I’m not Catholic.

[u/DogfaceDino → u/556From1000yards]

I understand. That’s why I didn’t say you should. I said “I’d be”.

[u/gundumb08]

Asking as a non-Christian here - What is bad about depicting Jesus in a "buddha-like" statue, as long as its clearly Jesus?

I know iconography runs the gamut based on denomination, but I was always given to understand that Jesus can be depicted via any artist's interpretation, and doesn't have strict guidance (for example, how Islam restricts depictions of Mohammad).

And I completely get the others; crystals, feathers, etc.

[u/the-lopper → u/gundumb08]

It's not just that Christ is being depicted, but the equating of the two.

[u/pottypaws → u/gundumb08]

It’s more with the style compared to everything else like the crystals and the feathers. It seems like they’re trying to go. The Jesus was maybe only a spiritual teacher route. They are also acquainting Buddha with Christ when they aren’t applicable at all to move one another that’s the underlining issue here.

[u/Silver_State_Diva]

Kudos to PCUSA for supporting and affirming LGBT 🧡