The bad apple

edited December 1969 in Faith Issues
Hello all, sorry it's my second post in the same day.
I need to understand the BAD APPLE example given from GOD?
I’ll explain why, as my previous post indicated that I was not born a Christian, so after leaving Egypt (escaping) we came to Montreal, Canada and we started our journey, but as you could all imagine we did not understand allot, we did not have the FAITH that for some odd reason is the ANSWER to all your questions from servants or priests.
We were looked at different because we questioned allot and if the answer did not make sense to us we would ask again or ask someone else.
That gave me and my 3 brothers a very bad reputation of REBELES and BAD KIDS to the point where the priest of the biggest church we were attending came to our house and ASKED US TO CHANGE CHURCHES, OR FIND ANOTHER CHURCH TO PRAY.
This priest in particular always used the BAD APPLE example and treated all the youth the same way, if you were not the TYPICAL Sunday school kid, you were out, Montreal has lost more then half of our youth to this issue.
For someone who is coming new to the faith and sees the priest treating people like this, what would you think??????
My question is: ARE WE THE BAD APPLES THAT SHOULD BE THROWN OUT OF CHURCH SO WE WILL NOT AFFECT THE GOOD APPLES????
WHAT DID GOD MEAN BY THIS EXAMPLE? ??? ??? >:(

Comments

  • Our Lord Jesus Christ said, "I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.".  Jesus did not go into the rich people's houses but rather He went to the LEPERS, the ADULTERERS, the BLIND, the LAME, and the DEAF.  Jesus went to the outcasts of this world!!! NOT to the "typical" people.  What this church is doing is WRONG!!!  They should not be kicking out kids because they are not the "typical Sunday School students".  I'm sure a lot of the priests that serve in our churches worldwide were not the "typical" students of there time.  I'm sorry to say it but if what you say is true, than was this church is doing is absurd.
    You said:
    if you were not the TYPICAL Sunday school kid, you were out

    could you explain what happens exactly? so we can help you better

    God Bless and please pray for me and my weakness
  • Hey,
    egyboy is right.

    And the church is the house of God, not the preist's house! It is also a hospital for sinners, and those who are righteous: "for though a righteous man falls seven times" (proverbs) No one one is immune to sin except the Lord Jesus Himself.

    Nowhere in the Bible does it mention the "bad apple example", meaning God did not say that. Instead Jesus said "come to Me".
  • Wow...thats definetly not right. You should never kick anyone out of church.
    even Christ didnt kick out the adulterous women..but accepted her.
    That must be very frustrating =\
    Just pray and keep praying until you get peace from God.
    Maybe a miracle will happen and the abouna will come back to your house
    and apoligize.
    There was a quote that says:
    " one day a priest kicked out a man from church because he was
    a snner, but an Anba stood up and left and said he is a sinner too"
    something like lol
    ill see if i can find it and post it later
    god be with u =]
  • found it! lol
    "A  brother sinned and  the priest  ordered him to go  out of  the church; abba
    Bessarion got up and went out with him, saying, "I, too, am a sinner."
  • I agree with all the apove answers of Jesus coming to the sinners.

    However, I strongly agree with egyboy of explaining more in details of what exactly happened?

    The reason is that this could be serious, so the Bishop of this region needs to know about it and take actions.

    Since you new the faith, just know that God is in your heart, so if your body is the temple of God and if two or three are gathered, He is in the midest of them, than this place has becomes a Church, your house becomes a Church by filling it with God, with prayer, etc. In Acts 16:11-15 It talks about the first woman, Lydia, to be baptised in the Faith at Philippi and because her house was the gathering for all new believers, her house became a Church.

    Also St. Mark's House, where They had the Last Supper, Christ watched the feet of the disciples, and first Communion, This was the First Church in history for the Christians.

    I am Sorry but can you please explain more of the bad apples example?
  • by reputation of being rebels and "bad" kids... why were you called that... what rebellious acts and wrong did you do in the church?

    no where in the bible does it talk about good/bad apple... or rather about bad apples rotting the good apples, this is an example used by people... not by God!

    you see, I'm usually rough when it comes to priests... but out of their hands, God will ask for our blood, so if he warned you and warned others about teachings or actions that are made in the church that influence others, and you didn't adhere... he has ALL RIGHTS TO KICK YOU OUT!!! and this is supported by the teachings of the apostles in the didascalia.

    but if he didn't warn you, or guide you in the right path prior to him telling you to leave, then he is at fault! Montreal has no bishop, so you can easily get in contact with other priests in the area, and guest bishops and put the FULL story in front him, and let them judge!


    neshkor Allah, akhadna el baraka!
  • Hello guys, thank you all for your answers, some of you are intrigued by what I have done me and my brothers to deserve such a reputation?
    I'll tell you, we are not Hypocrites, whenever we talked we never LIED, we always told the truth about our sins, if servants asked do you listen to worldly music, we answer YES and WHY NOT and when they fail to make us understand why not, we continue doing it and WE DO NOT HIDE IT, it goes for everything the church is teaching the youth (btw, this reputation and issue started when were young and immature and were also rebellious like any teenager at this age) now we do not go to church anymore, or very rarely, because I find that people who are not of our faith or even CULTURE do not JUDGE you but as soon as you walk in church you FEEL the Judgment from people's eyes.

    Guys please try to understand that this post is not to get REVENGE on any priest or to have someone talk to him, what's done is done, I keep in touch with allot of the friends who also stopped coming to church and they all feel those judgment eyes, guys we are not living in Egypt where the whole society is doing what you have been brought up knowing on what's right and wrong or what's 3AEB and HARAM, we live in a society that is pushing you in every direction possible towards sin and when you are a teenager trying to find your way, it's not always easy, so instead of washing our hands from thoses kids, we need to find a way to get to them and RELATE to their world, we are losing allot of our youth because we cannot get to them, most servants and priests are OLD(not in age but mostly the way they think and the way they teach) and CANNOT RELATE to the kids, we need to find a better way to PREACH or TEACH to the kids of today, I would hate to see another youth FEELS REJECTED from his own church.
    BTW NO MATTER WHAT I DID OR ANYBOADY FROM CHURCH DOES, THEY SHOULD NEVER NEVER EVER BE KICKED OUT OF CHURCH, IT'S MY FATHER'S HOUSE EVEN IF I'M HIS DIRTIEST SON.
    Thank you for taking the time to listen
    NO ONE ANSWERED ME ABOUT THE BAD APPLE EXAMPLE, WHERE IS IT COMING FROM IF NOT FROM THE BIBLE AND WHY WOULD THE PRIEST USE IT SO MUCH IF IT WAS NOT FROM THE BILBLE.
    Again thank you for reading and answering me on this issue, may GOD bless you all.
  • hi tamoura. the bad apple is not from the Bible, as superman pointed out. but saint paul writes in 1 corinthians about people who are a bad influence affecting others like a little yeast works through a large amount of dough (the stuff that becomes bread). i suppose because most people in n america, australia and europe think that bread 'grows' in the supermarket, some preachers use the bad apple example as people are more likely to store fruit than make bread these days.

    saint paul was describing very bad people, like people who steal, cheat, take other people's wives/ husbands but still call themselves Christians. that doesn't sound like you.

    so, you have been treated badly. but ask yourself, have you treated the priest badly too? maybe you could have tried harder to understand his point of view? i'm not saying you did do anything wrong, but in my experience of disagreements among people there is always something each person needs to improve on. ideally you should seek reconcilliation with this priest, and you will probably need someone to go between you in order to achieve this. if you go to another priest, a bishop or a mature Christian and say 'i have a problem with this person, and i want to sort it out and i also realise i have something to learn from this' then you might find help. i do think that once you have got over the disappointment enough you should try some reconcilliation, as Jesus said we should prioritise reconcilliation even over public worship of God. (matthew 5)

    whether you can or can't think of reconcilliation at this stage, you need to meet with other Christians. try to go to another church, even if it is far to travel, and if you can't find another church, read the Bible with a friend and pray. ask God what is His will for you, and take every opportunity to listen to Christian music, fast, be kind to your neighbour, and God will show you a way out of this situation. keep in touch with us here on tasbeha forums and we can all learn together more about God. He does love you, He does care, and He has important things to teach you through this difficult experience.

    may He have mercy on us all.
Sign In or Register to comment.