Monday, October 5, 2009

Fairness...But With Honesty, Part 2

As previously mentioned, Anonymous makes the following statement, "I have not taken offense to any one thing, only pointed out that in creating a blog, where you feel it is important to expose every letter written and meeting held between Takoma Park and the Conference to anyone who stops by to read about it, is in many ways less Christ-like than the things you are accusing the Potomac Conference, and leadership of Takoma Park Church of doing. I suggest if you were serious about your desire to approach in a Matthew 18 way, you would immediately shut down the blog, drop on your knees and ask God for a humble heart and the best, most effective way to handle what you perceive is a problem. That would be Christ's way of doing it. You may have have good intentions, but even Satan thought he was doing what was right when he deceived one third of the angels in heaven."

Well, I am certainly glad to see that you are not offended. This was, if you would be kind enough to recall, one of the several questions I put to you directly regarding your September 15, 2009 post. I am curious, though. Instead of answering the other questions I put to you regarding what you wrote, you ignored them. Very well, as a Christian I will not return like for like and answer what you asked of us. If however, I fail, you will let me know where I failed so I can correct myself, won't you?

It would be helpful if you would say exactly what problem you have with reprinting documents. In most cases, these letters and other documents were supplied by those you defend. I could see you point if we only printed what we wrote or said. Then your accusation of bias and prejudice would have greater weight and merit. Don't take my word for it. Ask any legitimate scholar, historian, or academic...or judge. If you want the facts, go to the documents. This way no one has to rely on any one's personal interpretation of what has happened. You simply need to look at the documents. They speak for themselves.

Honestly, I wish you would do me the simple courtesy of answering the questions I raise. Have there been any documents we have published that are lies? Have any of the documents that have been published been falsified, in any way? If yes, I would gladly concede that your arguments have some merit. The simply fact that you have not to date, nor cannot in any way say that we have lied speaks volumes.

This blog allows us to get a "headcount," as it were, of the numbers of people that read it. The numbers are growing. As stated in a previous post, our mission is to put the facts forward so others are not duped into the same mistake. Which takes me to your next accusation.

You assert that publishing this blog is not "Christ-like." Thankfully, I know to well my own sins, and the number of times hourly I have had to ask for forgiveness, to dare to speak for Christ. I shudder at the thought. But using you logic of shutting down this blog because it airs, "inconvenient truths," is like saying you want abolish the Bible. It would be reasonable to imagine that Jacob, or Lot, or Solomon, or Abraham, or Peter, or David, would have cringed if they had an inkling that countless generations would read of their misdeeds. I'm no theologian, and I'm certainly no SDA pastor, but I suppose THE WORD records these facts as tools from which we can learn.

Next, you bring up Matthew 18. Please tell me why exactly this Chapter is applicable to the entire situation, or any specific part? The Potomac Conference was asked, but they never explained why? Bill Miller was asked but he never explained why? The Church Manual doesn't even site Matthew 18? We, like other Adventists, in other churches in North Carolina, Virginia, Colorado, Minnesota, and other places, assert that if you want us to abandon the path set by God, and followed by the founder of our faith, than take your desires to the General Conference in Open Session, that the entire Church can be heard on he subject. You all don't want to do this. So how can truth and error be reconciled?

Seriously, both Christian honesty and and the honor of our faith demands answer here.

You ask if we have prayed. Weekly, daily, hourly since this darkness descended on our church. To prayer, we've add blood, sweat, toil, tears, and sleepless nights, begging God to uncover the eyes of the men who have shamed God's Remnant Church. I will say this to you, or anyone else, as many times as the question is asked. This is not about hatred towards any pastors or any Conference officials that are leading us down this treacherous path. I, for one do not hate these men. I pray for them, I forgive them. But in good Christian conscience I will not carry water for them, to water this evil fruit.

Given the fact that Stephen Covey is a Mormon, and given what Mormon's teach about spirits, African-Americans, life-after death, and the brotherhood of Jesus with Satan, amongst other things, please forgive me for totally ignoring anything that Stephen Covey has to say. I would rather head Edmund Burke's admonition, "All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing."

This, Anonymous, is why we have published, and will continue to publish this blog and may God guide us.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I believe that exposure of what any church is doing to wider scrutiny of people with the same beliefs will only help that church to be honest.
It is the church that does not want to be scrutinized that has something to hide. -k