Replies

From the announcement:

There are some things I will not do. I will not arbitrate theological disputes. I will not resolve questions of church polity. Nor will I render judgment on interpretations of Scripture. Those are all issues for legitimate debate, and I do not propose to take part as just another poster on this forum. Naturally, I have my own opinions on all these issues, but my opinions are my own and I will keep them to myself.

Nowhere does it say that you aren't allowed to contend for the faith. It does say that you are expected to do that with Christian love.

The people brave enough to contend for the faith are the ones who stand up and testify to that faith. That appears to be a sin here, whereas the brown nosing weasels, which are some of the worst offenders in abuse on these threads, hunker down in the face of reprisal and survive to offend again.

I will neither fawn over nor despise those in authority over the forum. They are men just as we, worthy of our due respect and gratitude, not more and not less.

Having said that, SB's observations are accurate, seen independently prior to the explicit enumerations of this thread, and one needn't hold a M. Div. degree to see that "the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law" (Gal. 5:19-23 KJV, emphasis mine).

Catholics, Protestants, Calvinists, and Arminians - in short, anyone who claims the Bible as an authority - has this text before them. I for one don't see how any theological system can annul its practical outworking in those who call themselves Christians.

This entire thread puts me in mind of New Year's Day.

I had finally figured out how to post an article from my lame web-tv, so I brazenly put up a story about how some survivors of 9-11 were offended by the self-serving Rose Bowl float Disney had concocted for the parade -- a 10-story, carnation-clad replica of their latest thrill ride, "Towering Something-or-Other," which had little to do with the 2004 theme of "Music, Music, Music."

I awaited applause for my earnest efforts...and waited...and waited...

Finally, someone came on and trashed the thread and me, complaining about "whiners who can't let go."

I tried to explain it wasn't so much the 9-11 angle as Disney's incredible arrogance that seemed so offensive, but freepers would have none of it.

The thread quickly spun out of control, soon becoming one enormous ravaging of those I had sought to help.

Moral of the story -- you can't control what other people think and say unless you hit them over the head with a lamp and cover the body with a rug.