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Somehow TR's "Speak softly but carry a big stick" comes to mind. Some of the gentlest and most soft-spoken people have changed history: Telemachus, Mother Theresa, etc.

tenor != strength_of_convictions

Insulting people and making them feel small does little to influence or change minds.

Here is why, contrary to the opinion of some, Jesus' and Paul's words would be accepted on the forum: While they hold firm and unwavering convictions, they did not insult or belittle their readers. And those who would have pressed the abuse button were the Pharisees, who knew the Lord was right in His judgments.

We are not Jesus. But being "nice" (so often ridiculed in this thread), being gentle, being kind, these traits he embodied and "against such things there is no law" (Gal. 5:23). This is NOT the same as either affirming or embracing the doctrines of heretics. It is loving them and treating them with the respect worthy of one made in God's image.

Truly, I'm embarrassed that self-professed Christian people have to be asked by an earthly authority to do the very things Jesus commanded. There. I'll sit down. I've had my say.

And those who would have pressed the abuse button were the Pharisees, who knew the Lord was right in His judgments.

Somehow I can't see Nicodemus or Joseph of Arimathea doing this. We must be careful not to impune all Pharisee as early scribal NT translators did.

Here is why, contrary to the opinion of some, Jesus' and Paul's words would be accepted on the forum: While they hold firm and unwavering convictions, they did not insult or belittle their readers.

Hmmm,

Matthew 12:34 You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.

Matthew 23:13 Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! .....

Nothing but love here....

Here is why, contrary to the opinion of some, Jesus' and Paul's words would be accepted on the forum: While they hold firm and unwavering convictions, they did not insult or belittle their readers.

I think you should read what Jesus and Paul said again.

Some pretty offensive stuff, given the cultural and religious context of those times.

Tell me, what do you think Christ meant when He told us the world would hate and curse us for His name's sake? It means that if we preach His full gospel, the majority of listeners just isn't going to like it. Say it nice, say it mean, doesn't matter. Christianity, the mildest and least aggressive of spiritual teachings, will offend the world.

Look at Paul's writing and really think about it and the circumstances under which he wrote it. Can you honestly say that he reminds you of some soft-spoken offend-none kind of speaker? I don't. I can't imagine him as anything more than a firebrand in most of his writings. Peter too, for that matter.

They were not timid and didn't mince words.

tenor != strength_of_convictions

I think a lot of thin-skinned people like to hit Abuse, both here and in the main forum. I think some nominal Christians and some atheists/agnostics/X-tians would genuinely like to see any significant Christian discussion squelched altogether.

And I think they have succeeded. For the time being.

Here is why, contrary to the opinion of some, Jesus' and Paul's words would be accepted on the forum: While they hold firm and unwavering convictions, they did not insult or belittle their readers.

OH???

Matthew 23:13-33
13. "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men's faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to.
15. "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are.
16. "Woe to you, blind guides! You say, `If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.'
17. You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes the gold sacred?
18. You also say, `If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gift on it, he is bound by his oath.'
19. You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred?
20. Therefore, he who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it.
21. And he who swears by the temple swears by it and by the one who dwells in it.
22. And he who swears by heaven swears by God's throne and by the one who sits on it.
23. "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices--mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law--justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.
24. You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.
25. "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.
26. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.
27. "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean.
28. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.
29. "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous.
30. And you say, `If we had lived in the days of our forefathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.'
31. So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets.
32. Fill up, then, the measure of the sin of your forefathers!
33. "You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell?

NIV Luke 9:5
5. If people do not welcome you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave their town, as a testimony against them."

NIV Luke 10:10-11
10. But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say,
11. `Even the dust of your town that sticks to our feet we wipe off against you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God is near.'

NIV Acts 13:49-51
49. The word of the Lord spread through the whole region.
50. But the Jews incited the God-fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region.
51. So they shook the dust from their feet in protest against them and went to Iconium.

NIV Acts 23:1-5
1. Paul looked straight at the Sanhedrin and said, "My brothers, I have fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscience to this day."
2. At this the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near Paul to strike him on the mouth.
3. Then Paul said to him, "God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! You sit there to judge me according to the law, yet you yourself violate the law by commanding that I be struck!"
4. Those who were standing near Paul said, "You dare to insult God's high priest?"
5. Paul replied, "Brothers, I did not realize that he was the high priest; for it is written: `Do not speak evil about the ruler of your people.' "

Looks like SOMEONE is going to be warned, or WORSE, if they keep THIS up!!!