I've inspired a new blog genre: The Grudgeblog!
Previously, I've inspired some bothered souls to devote long articles, or even whole series of articles, to trying (very, very hard) to miss the point of my postings here and at Pyro, and to deflect attention to something that they find more congenial, or otherwise raking me and my argments over the coals. Which is absolutely their right.
But recently I found a blog with only one post, ever, and that devoted to expressing disdain for yr. obdt. svt. -- me!
It's an arrival of sorts, I suppose. My Why I Am (Still) a Christian got an atheist discussion group all excited; the Gannon-Guckert post got the homosexual community all aflutter. Whenever I speak in favor of the sufficiency of God's Word (particularly over at Pyro), the leaky-canon set gets riled up. I've gotten emails from folks who say that, if I won't respond to commenters as they think I should, they won't read me anymore.
At the same time, I've gotten a lot of very gracious backstage emails, in-person encouragement, and some very kind remarks here.
So, net: I'm increasingly loved and hated.
Phil says it means I've "arrived."
Oh. Um... cool.
Now honestly, I'm like anyone else. Maybe even more so. A friend once told me that my problem was that I wanted everyone to like me. Well, yeah. Guilty as charged. But I recall a very stern warning against that very state of affairs (Luke 6:26). So, better loved and hated than ignored, or loved by the wrong sorts for the wrong reasons.
In sum: believe me, I'm not complaining. In fact, I'm regularly thanking God.
It does call to mind a story I heard told of (or by; I don't recall) the late J. Vernon McGee. A young pastor was complaining that he wasn't seeing the sort of progress in his ministry that he felt he should.
McGee asked a number of questions, and wasn't finding anything amiss. Finally, he asked, "Do you have any enemies?"
"No," the young man responded.
"Oh!" said McGee. "Well then, go out and get some!"
Advice taken.
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
11 comments:
Does this mean we can excpect a line of your very own DJP cafepress gear?
I don't know who coined the phrase, but I've often heard Greg Laurie say(dodges thrown stones to the sound of booing and hissing.)"If you throw a rock into a pack of dogs, the one who yelps loudest is the one who got hit."
;-)
Or even "expect" perhaps? doh!
I don't mind a little "love/hate" now and then, it's SILENCE that wears me out!!!
Not sure who said it, but this often comes to my mind, "Silence gives consent".
At least you know where you stand with some folks!! :-)
But recently I found a blog with only one post, ever, and that devoted to expressing disdain for yr. obdt. svt. -- me!
Dan: if you are referring to my post regarding your take on the Clinton/Carter/Baptist Convention announcement, there’s an explanation that may ease your mind. That post wasn’t supposed to be published because when I saved it, I thought it was in draft mode. Several hours later, when I discovered it had been published, I took it down. But apparently it was still out in the ether because a bunch of folks had linked to it via technorati.
So I did some minor edits, and sent it back out. You may have found it following a technorati link, in which case you got a saved copy that appeared to be the only post on the blog, but I can assure you it was not. I started the blog on 1/1/07 and have posted fairly regularly since. Just wanted you to know I didn’t start a “grudgeblog” and can’t imagine why a person of sound mind would do such a thing anyway.
I should also say that I don’t disdain/hate you. I just don’t understand how a believer can ridicule another believer--even if it’s Bill Clinton--in the absence of some evidence of apostasy. As I pointed out in my post, Christians sin and Christians repent. Clinton’s a sinner, and he’s repented. I just don’t get your certainty that he is beyond the pale and fair game for the kind of harsh words you used about him and about Carter.
While the clash of the titans over the Chan video was instructive, how we live out the gospel is another way of demonstrating to a fallen world the power of the gospel. That Christians actually forgive repentant sinners is evidence of that power. When we eat our own for no good reason, it undermines our witness. Maybe you have good reasons for your views of Clinton and Carter, in which case I’m all ears, but if you don’t want to engage in that discussion, that’s fine. Perhaps another time. In any event, that was just the point of my post.
Again, I hold no grudges against you, Dan (how could I?), and I don’t hate or disdain you. I think of you as my brother, and that’s why I spent so much time writing the post in the first place--because the way we treat each other within the body really matters. And that’s why I ended the post with the request that you take my criticism as wounds from a brother.
Blessings
SolaG
www.solagranola.com
You explain why it can't be you. That's why you're here? To explain that it can't be you? Right. It's not you. But thanks for playing.
As to the rest, as I already told you: For my part, the wreck and ruin that are Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton is a matter of such unavoidable public knowledge that ignorance can only be deliberate. And I've never yet found a way to breach such a status.
So here we are.
For my part, my only regret is having voted for Carter, once. But one tries to learn from one's mistakes.
Or some do.
Let's not do this a third time, all right?
Just like any other man only more so...
I think thats a Casablanca quote isn't it? Appropriate. Rick was being questioned by the Nazis...nah.
Anyway, now that you've arrived where are you going to go now?
Josh
"...the word of God is not bound."
--2 Timothy 2:9
Dan:
I thought it WAS me you were referring to and my post was intended to offer an explanation for the same.
Glad to know it wasn't me.
Thanks for understanding.
SolaG
Dan, I also cast one and only one vote for Carter. It was my first vote and I really blew it! :(
You inspired the grudgeblog?
Thas kind of like Gore claiming to have invented the internet.
Daniel J. Phillips
Do they hate you because you present them with the word of God in a biblical manor or because of some other reason? The way it appears to me is, it is in a bilbical manor. I think that they are mad at you because you are giving the truth and they don't want to hear it. I hope that this is an encouragement to you to keep on doing the will of God.
if I won't respond to commentors as they think I should, they won't read me anymore.
Oh gee. Well, you are definitely not the sort to be ignored now are you. The Lord has given you a voice. A gift that both blesses, edifies, encourages AND makes some people peevish, choleric, and down-right nasty. That reminds me of someone. Hmmm.
Praying for you and thanking God for the numerous times the Lord has used your words to cause me to think and grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord.
Post a Comment