response
| Posted On: 02/07/08 02:02:51 PM |
Age 40, CA |
Thank you. I'v noticed I am guilty of using a strong tone, however, I've never directed it toward the authors. I'm guilty of responding to the strong-toned comments in the same manner. This doesn't justify my actions and will be more careful to make my point without harshness. I can't forget to "correct with gentleness."
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responding like a Christian
| Posted On: 02/07/08 10:06:30 AM |
Age 62, CT |
I have read many of your articles, and did not agree with all of them, but I would never respond like some writers. When I read some of them, I have no idea what they are talking about...and I am not sure they do either. Some of the responces are so ugly and not Christ like at all. Some should be ashamed of them selves. Most of the responders should go back and re-read the article so they know what they are responding to!!! I find that alot of these people are not of like mind as Christians at all...what they are I have no idea...they sure don't think like Christians and this is exactly why the world is in such a mess now. You cannot have the mind of Christ and the world at the same time.
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Brotherly love?
| Posted On: 02/07/08 09:51:46 AM |
Age 48, CA |
Accusing me of collecting a big fat pension is brotherly love? "Stow the negative criticism!"? Put on the blinders and only talk about how great we are? Isn't this what the false prophets always shouted to the real Prophets? Remember the Dot Com Boom? There were many who warned that this "New economy" where lazy people would trade commodities while third world slaves did all of the real work wouldn't work. "Stow the negative criticism!" Was the response they recieved. Likewise, the current real estate bust, at the hieght of this boom, anybody with basic math skilss should have known that this was a bubble about to burst and yet anyone who tried to warn against it was told to "Stow the negative crtiticism!" We can go back to the roaring 20's where once again anybody who was not wearing the blinders of the times would have known that people were living hight todays at tomorrows expense. Once again, those who tried to shout a warning were told to "Stow the negative criticism!"
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Guarding the tongue--and the pen.
| Posted On: 02/07/08 06:39:35 AM |
Age 74, MN |
One of my biggest struggles in my life has been to control what comes out of my mouth, and now out of my writing. I have to ask--what impact does some of the really sarcastic and ugly comments that are written--sometimes by the authors, sometimes by the people who give the feedback, have on relatively new Christians. Many years ago I left my rural home and moved to Chicago to go to Bible School. I united with a church where I received good Bible teaching. However, there was a faction in the church that did not want to hear the truth of the Word and factions and divisions arose. The church eventually split and threw the pastor out. As a relatively young Christian I had never seen anything like this before. Hearing the hurtful things that were said was extremely distressing. I dropped out of church for a while, because I felt I had had all the gentle Christian fellowship I could stand. I would say this--before you write it or say it, pray over it and determine if you are merely being clever, or if it is something that really needs to be said.
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Reply to don't read this long response
| Posted On: 02/07/08 06:13:33 AM |
Age 57, AR |
I didn't
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The tongue is also a fire
| Posted On: 02/07/08 05:37:47 AM |
Age 41, VA |
James 3
6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.
Proverbs 25
11 Like apples of gold in settings of silver
Is a word spoken in right circumstances.
23 A man has joy in an apt answer,
And how delightful is a timely word!
Isaiah 50
4 The Lord GOD has given Me the tongue of disciples,
That I may know how to sustain the weary one with a word
He awakens Me morning by morning,
He awakens My ear to listen as a disciple.
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As far as....
| Posted On: 02/06/08 06:40:04 PM |
Age 48, CA |
Daughter being raped: I have used the threat of deadly force to protect my family and have had CHurch members command me to repent of it and appologise to the rapist (I didn't) But if you think I'm going to take off with my guns blazing in response to the likes of you pointing to a rape happening 8,000 miles away while there are plenty of such things happening within our own city limits, you are wrong. Darfur? When did you go over there and do anyhting about it? Easy to send others to get shot at and talk tough. Once again, where in The Bible are we commanded to build a large military and "Fix the world"? Quite to the contrary, I challenge you to find anywhere in the Bible where ther is any "Gods Superpower" You will always find that the superpower in any Bible story is an arrogant evil nation which God allows to do his work and then takes down with a lesser nation. There is no such thing as "Gods Goliath".
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Really?
| Posted On: 02/06/08 06:33:22 PM |
Age 48, CA |
You have yet to prove that w3e are in danger of men dressed like Lawrence of Arabia kicking in our doors and forcing us all to convert. So, they are not over there protecting our freedom but simply justifyingthe existence of the self serving military machine. As far as enjoying a fat retirement, not true. At least not yet. You don't get to collect a reserve pension until you turn 60 and I have already been threatened with having it revoked after refusing to demonstrate a willingness to be recalled. If that happens, so be it. As a veteran, I cannot send kids over there to get killed for our corrupt cause and have contempt for those who talk tough while refusiong to present their own bodies to fight. There is no gospel of bombs & bullets. We are not commanded to build wonder weapons with mopney we don't really have and "Liberate the world" Into our opostate ways which only lead to sexual imoralty, abortion, gangs, and drug use.
What we have here are neocon christians trying to pass of a right wing political agenda as part of the Gospel.
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???
| Posted On: 02/06/08 12:43:37 PM |
Age 52, CA |
You missed the "spirit" in which this article was written. Too bad; I hope you had something fruitful to impart. You lost be after sentence three.
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One step further 45 Ga
| Posted On: 02/06/08 12:39:49 PM |
Age 53, NC |
I am in whole hearted agreement with what you say , as a matter of fact, I was thinking this exact thing as I was reading some articles about Rick Warren yesterday. Do not get me wrong, I am not a Rick Warren fan but I do believe that some of the articles in this news letter have been vicious in their attack. I very much appreciate your warning about those you feel are false teachers but as this article points out the way we do that says a great deal about where we are in our own walk with the Lord.
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Agreement...
| Posted On: 02/06/08 10:36:42 AM |
Age 40, PA |
Jim, an excellent article and you are one to be able to write such an article without being a hypocrite. There are many writers on this site who should heed your advice also. As discussed with friends before, this site seldom is found to be positive in focus although sometimes this is the case. When one makes nasty, demeaning and certainly un-Christlike attacks on others (whether they are brothers and sisters in Christ or not), one should not expect to please the Master or to make a positive impact for the Kingdom. Of course, this doesn't mean that all articles will be positive or that we should not bring the bad news to folks but to dwell on the negative and attack others is a pretty good sign that one should check if they know Jesus at all.
Grace and Peace,
Jim
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We're all guilty
| Posted On: 02/06/08 10:25:11 AM |
Age 47, MO |
Agreed, we are all human and err constantly. There continue to be many errors posted by the authors and the respondants that need to be addressed in a brotherly manner. As I read this article by Jim, I didn't sense an admission of error or an appologetic tone, rather I heard that we, the responders, need to tone down OUR retoric; which I agree. However, to be truthful, lets admit that we all have wielded the sword against others POV. Personally, there were many times I had wished I had omitted a word or two in my writings, not that my POV was not stated clearly, but that the emotion or the sword was more prevelant than the truth. Until Christ returns, the truth is not meant to attack but to save. John
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Don't read this long response
| Posted On: 02/06/08 10:19:59 AM |
Age 45, MN |
QUOTE from Post Feedback field on this site: "We encourage healthy debating but will not accept feedback with personal attacks. Commenting on a person's public statements, actions and writings is NOT considered a personal attack."
QUOTE from Post Feedback field: "Please limit your feedback to less than 750 words." And, "All feedback will be reviewed before it is posted."
DISCLAIMER (on this site): Worldview Weekend, Christian Worldview Network and its columnists do not necessarily endorse or agree with every opinion expressed in every article posted on this site. We do however, encourage a healthy and friendly debate on the issues of our day. Whether you agree or disagree, we encourage you to post your feedback by using the feedback button.
QUOTE from author: "It is certainly not polite to be long and tedious with your follow-up to the articles. Some quote volumes of Scripture one after another to make their points. Their rejoinders are often longer than the original piece under consideration. They think they will overcome us with their many words. When I see a long argument, I usually skip over it. I'm sure most others do not as well. Such lengthy pontifications are rarely read, in fact."
I AGREE, one should respond with civility and humility. We can disagree with one another and still be friendly. Debate helps us to sharpen our apologetic and exegetical skills (Proverbs 27:17). This issue should not be about censuring those that we find disagreeable, but returning them to the Word of God for reproof.
HONESTLY, if the author is concerned with lengthy responses, use of Scripture, and disagreeable postings, then the site administrators should change the criteria (as illustrated above) for posting and/or monitor the postings more closely.
WHAT is more interesting is how we have succumbed to sound-bites where it is now not polite to correct our brothers and sisters with Scripture. By the way, how does one define "volumes of Scripture?" Was it not God who provided us with these volumes for our loving benefit? I would have to say that correction is an illustration of loving our brothers and sisters (loving our neighbors as ourselves), and loving God by bringing people back to His Word (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Taking the time and effort for the benefit of others is a virtue that has been lost in our MTV culture. If even only one person takes the time to read a lengthy post that is of benefit to them, it is worth the time for me to write it. Is not God's Word the foundational document that Jesus and His apostles used to correct their detractors, as well as their friends?
WHAT did Jesus say? Since Jesus is the Christ, He should be our example, correct? Jesus called his detractors (those that He loved, BTW) a brood of vipers, snakes, hypocrites, blind guides, and even a gentile woman a dog. Jesus even told the woman at the well that she worshiped what she did not know, John 4:22 -"You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews."
I AM not suggesting that we use these terms for one another, but the one we are instructed to imitate used His tongue as a sword, always returning those He debated back to His Father's Word.
JESUS also said,
"Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for their fathers used to treat the false prophets in the same way."
(583 words :)
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Keep it biblical and to the point.
| Posted On: 02/06/08 10:18:24 AM |
Age 45, CANADA |
Thanks for the article. As Christians, and humans, we should respond as we expect others to respond to us, to paraphrase our guidebook given to us by our Lord. Stick to the facts, with your proof spoken well. After all, when name calling (good or bad), innuendos, and silly unwarranted items are removed from many conversations, we are left with little in the way of discourse. But this is probably all that matters anyway. And that is the POINT!! God Bless
Gerald in Canada
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Responding like a Christian
| Posted On: 02/06/08 08:52:40 AM |
Age 48, SC |
If I am feeling particularly passionate (or angry) about a subject, I often write out a response, then leave it alone for a while, and read it again when I am calmer. Before sending it out, I have to ask myself if I am communicating my point with clarity and reason and LOVE.
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A Reader?
| Posted On: 02/05/08 11:39:15 PM |
Age 52, CA |
I applaud your comment, 55MN! I used to comment more frequently, but after having to continually answer attacks to my comments with a terse, "You really should learn how to read", I pretty much smile at the shenanigans displayed in this arena and move on to more important things. I've been guilty of going for the jugular myself and I have the ability to be quite nasty wielding a pen, but what does it accomplish? Nothing. Praise God for His continual work of sanctification in my life. It's the key to the petty bickering displayed amongst the brethren here. Blessings to all, Herb
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Since you bring it up....
| Posted On: 02/05/08 05:50:48 PM |
Age 52, GA |
First of all, there's no such thing as a perfect ministry, except for our Lord, and He was crucified. Secondly, there's nothing wrong with admiring those willing to lay their lives on the line in the military, as many have. You obviously made it through without paying the ultimate sacrifice, good for you, enjoy your retirement. However, I don't find anything about enjoying a fat retirement in my copy of the book, not in this life anyway. Lastly, how do you justify these two statements - "Only false teachers take sides in human conflicts. God's view is never in line with any one human institution." Where's your scriptural reference for those? Let's suppose your daughter was being raped, are you a false teacher for taking sides in that conflict? What about the genocide in Darfur? There is no doubt according to my copy of the book that God has taken sides whether it be a human institution or conflict. If the Lord has no interest in human affairs, then what's the point? So stow the negative criticism sailor, and try to do it in the spirit of brotherly love, which is the point of the article.
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Great Article
| Posted On: 02/05/08 04:53:09 PM |
Age 50, TX |
Thank you for writing a great article - very timely indeed! I would hope that all our communications on this site would be done in a charitiable manner. If not our witness will suffer horribly.
I would like to bring a point to your attention though. Short responses to every issue are, in my opinion, not what's best. In order not to be misunderstood or misquoted, at times a refutation to someone's comment must be laid out thoroughly. I think of Paul taking 3 Chapters in 1Cor just to confront the Corinthians with their wrong notion of liberty and the weaker brother...Johathan Edwards in his writings on freedom of the will...even Charles Spurgeon. Its definitely better to be succinct where possible, but thorough when necessary. On the other hand, although the temptation today can be to live life in 30 second soundbites, if we really want the truth sometimes its necessary to settle down and read what someone else says. Anyway, my 2 cents. God Bless.
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I agree, and . . .
| Posted On: 02/05/08 04:09:52 PM |
Age 45, GA |
This is a very good reminder, Jim, but I certainly hope that authors of the articles heed it too. I have often found some of the writers to be very caustic and condescending, sometimes getting downright personal and insulting in the way they object to the beliefs of another brother or sister in Christ. I wholeheartedly support your comments--not only for us responders, but also for the authors to whom we respond.
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agreement
| Posted On: 02/05/08 03:51:12 PM |
Age 68, GA |
I have never attempted to respond to an article because of the vitrole of other readers -- I want no part of that! True, I am not a natural confrontationist but I would like the freedom to express a view point now and then. The lack of curtesy today in every area, not just on the internet, is disheartening. People seem to use their mouth instead of their mind and too often it looks as though there is no connection between the two! Another thing I note is a lot of criticism does not seem valid but more of a piling on 'cause we don't approve of so and so.
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