You wrote:
“Medium counts. But now I would be repeating myself. I question impersonal letter writing done through a magazine.”
Okay, question it. You have not been able to make much of a case that it matters that it is an open letter. All you’ve said so far is that you don’t like it because you feel it’s impersonal.
“So if he published his letter in, let’s say, Penthouse, that would be ok?”
No. I said medium. That means type of communication here, not type of porn.
“Medium and methodology do count. Indeed part of the message you intend to make depends in how it’s delivered not just what is stated. I question the motive and sincerity of the method you don’t.”
I don’t because both the motive and method are obvious.
“The motives are not evangelization. He is not preaching to the lost.”
Evangelization is not just preaching to the lost. It can and is preaching to those who identify themselves as Christians but who lack the fullness of the faith.
“What you mistate as evangelization is actually an intention to teach or potentially to disciple at least that’s a known secondary and maybe even primary definition.”
No, this is evangelization.
“But that is quibbling over definitions. And how can you state personal dialogue “may simply be impossible”?”
Because it may be impossible.
“Had the author attempted personal dialogue with Mr. Baldwin?”
Maybe yes, maybe no. You don’t know and neither do I.
“I guess not. So instead of honestly reaching out to communicate, a magazine is used with his famous name in the process. To do what? Gain some readership? Cynical yes. But justifiably so.”
No, it is done to evangelize - just as it is obvious.
“Or it might be the beginning of a personal offense. Did the writer attempt to contact Baldwin and advise he would be writing a letter to him and publishing it in his magazine likely aware that same could be published all over the internet?”
You don’t know. And it is not essential. Thankfully Justin Martyr did not follow your tact.
“Indeed, would it not be absurd for him to have actually spoken to Baldwin and stating to him I’m publishing an open letter to you - read it in the next edition? The absurdity is not mine.”
That would be absurd - much like your hand-wringing angst over this simple letter.
“Your understanding of St. Paul’s letter as the medium for delivery is deficient.”
No, there is nothing deficient about my understanding of St. Paul’s letter.
“It was a personal letter delivered personally by Christian brothers not published in the daily Roman press.”
1) There was no such thing as the Roman press, and if there was, Paul - with his great zeal for souls - would have used it.
2) It was not a personal letter because it was not written to one person but to “all who are beloved of God in Rome”. He wrote the letter to the whole CHURCH of Rome.
3) He wrote the letter in secret. It was not a personal letter. It was a secret letter. It was written in secret to protect the faithful. And it still wasn’t a personal letter of the sort you imagine.
“Furthermore, he had actual physical reasons why he could not be there personally - related to his mission and facility of access. I can imagine Paul taking a flight and being there if we were to translate some kind of analogy to present day. That wasn’t possible then. So what is the deficient physical ability of the writer here? Too busy evangelizing in China or India? I think not.”
How would you know? Also, there doesn’t have to be a physical reason impeding a meeting. That’s just your personal oddity on this. The open letter is about evangelization. Souls will be converted no matter what. The author probably composed the letter because bringing fallen away Catholics back to the Church has been a special concern of his: http://books.google.com/books?id=rXnd43pXAt4C&pg=PA3&lpg=PA3&dq=Victor+R.+Claveau+biography&source=web&ots=GAwxWiyunK&sig=DxBdIvyEql0lwKRjSfoHv-MWX8g&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=2&ct=result
I have and you disagree. I don't know how you convinced me otherwise because I didn't see it.
No. I said medium. That means type of communication here, not type of porn.
The medium, platform, methodology, let's not quibble over the point of the assertion. You would object to his using the platform/medium/methodolgy of communication through Penthouse. I'm assuming he could skip all the dirty articles and pictures and get right to the letter. I simply stated that medium or the how and the manner of communication does make a difference. You said it doesn't as long as the writer is sincere. I gave you the reductio ad absurdum of that argument. You missed the point or maybe you were not prepared to accept the inevitable result of that argument.
Evangelization is not just preaching to the lost. It can and is preaching to those who identify themselves as Christians but who lack the fullness of the faith.
Actually, without getting in Biblical hermeneutics, or parsing Greek, or an explicitly Protestant/Catholic source let's take the good old Wikipedia definition:
Evangelism is the Christian practice of preaching the Gospel of Jesus to non-Christians. I thought the author admits he was Christian?
Because it may be impossible.
Where. Where do you get "it may be impossible." Either it is or it is not.
Maybe yes, maybe no. You don’t know and neither do I.
And you don't care and I do
No, it is done to evangelize - just as it is obvious.
No it isn't "obvious".
You don’t know. And it is not essential. Thankfully Justin Martyr did not follow your tact.
It's not essential to you and you don't care you already stated that.
That would be absurd - much like your hand-wringing angst over this simple letter.
Not hand wringing over anything. I question the motive and you don't. If I'm hand wringing why spend this time responding? Likely because you believe you need to provide an apologetic for it.
No, there is nothing deficient about my understanding of St. Paul’s letter.
1) There was no such thing as the Roman press, and if there was, Paul - with his great zeal for souls - would have used it.
Indeed there wasn't. My comment was made to suggest that public responses akin to the internet were possible. In fact like Luther he could have had his Christian brothers nail it on a piece of wood in town (or a door to stay with the historical analogy) so that the Roman Christians could find out that he was writing to them. Instead it's hand delivered.
2) It was not a personal letter because it was not written to one person but to “all who are beloved of God in Rome”. He wrote the letter to the whole CHURCH of Rome.
It was a personal letter to the Church. What? Do you want to call it an impersonal letter to the church?
3) He wrote the letter in secret. It was not a personal letter. It was a secret letter. It was written in secret to protect the faithful. And it still wasn’t a personal letter of the sort you imagine.
Now you're contradicting yourself. Either it was ok to make it public or not. You just stated above that Paul would have used the Roman press openly if it was available.
How would you know? Also, there doesn’t have to be a physical reason impeding a meeting. That’s just your personal oddity on this. The open letter is about evangelization. Souls will be converted no matter what. The author probably composed the letter because bringing fallen away Catholics back to the Church has been a special concern of his:
So he and you are reckless as to the distribution and publishing of this letter. You could care less whether Baldwin prefers to have personal communication rather than be called out? I see. Thanks for the subtle methodology. And by the way, his use of quotation marks over born again" is rather crude and cynical shot at that phrase in the context of Baldwin. Baldwin states he is a born again Christian and the author, instead of accepting the genuiness of that phrase to Baldwin prefers to treat it in a patronizing way. Nice.
The hyperbole in this comment is astonishing. After admitting that the letter is written to a fellow Christian you suggest that the methodology is the same as Justin Martyr's. Again, the author is not preaching to a non-Christian or to a tribal cabal in the darkest jungle of South America. This has nothing to do with Justin Martyr, pagans, etc.