My resolve is as follows, after having a good chat with a good friend today I realized my way of responding to things is a little out of hand. I took comments as face value and then screwed up, and for this I apologize to that person, and too others who had too endure me.
As far as my posting and purpose is concerned: I post with the purpose to create conversation, to engage and interact with people, to build a community that can talk about issues that they may not agree with, but yet discuss and share with others their own values and beliefs. This blogs purpose is too sometimes stir the pot and create a little controversy and have some fun in a way that can also be educational.
My aim for this blog is to find people that want to discuss deeper matters of questioning, or interpreting, and of analyzing, and also to talk about sports and humor and other things of that nature. My blog won't be gear towards everyone and I understand this, and I hope the people it isn't gear towards understand their place in this.
I will state this now, I will not stop posting on things I think about, things I want to discuss and things that I want to maybe rant about or get off my chest. I understand I am in a position of leadership. As a leader I need to be as real as possible with people. Moderating my posts does a disservice to myself and to others as a leader as it looks like I'm fake. For me to be a leader, is for me to be real, honest, in some cases brutal, and in all cases loving. If I cannot be real in leadership then I will have to step down from that position, and that wouldn't be a problem for me because I feel I would be doing what is right, and being honest with people is important too me.
I cannot be putting a disclaimer on my posts every time. I can't make a choose your own adventure every time either. It's of a read at your own risk. As you get to know me, if you last that long, you will realize that it isn't a risk at all, but educational and challenging experience. I fully understand that kids, teens, young and old adults may read this. I truly believe that society has stopped asking questions because they are afraid of confrontation, afraid to challenge what the think, see, and believe. I'm doing my part to bring that back, even if it is only a little. If you don't question, how do you grow and learn?
For people who do not know me, I am a Christian, even if it looks like I am not. I like to challenge myself, and further my learning in God by questioning and talking with others. I became a Christian after a lot of thought, a lot of calculating, a lot of a lot of things to get to where I am. I still enjoy questions, I believe working through things strengthens my faith, makes it fun and exciting.
I understand that I do and say some dumb things, but don't we all. I take full responsibility for my blunders, I have no problem with that. I realize that I screw up and I just have to learn and move on. Some of my comments get out of hand, and this I'm working on, my posts can get out of hand, but sometimes thats how I feel. I maybe angry or upset, it may be at someone, or God. That's life, it's normal to be that way.
So again I would like to apologize to any that I offended with my comments during this. I was wrong with the way I handled it. The posts will go on, but the way I interact with people will improve so I can accomplish what I want out of this blog.
Thank You!
15 comments:
Hi Scott,
Have read through much of what has been said in the past couple of days and am glad that the postings have been deleted.
I believe that you could have avoided much contraversy in your writings if, after digressing from your topic, you would have got back on topic by stating... 'back to the question' and not stating 'back to my point' - unless you were indeed stating your point of view, at which point my suggestion here is clearly invalid and my conserns would be magnified.
You say, "Anyway's back to my point. Christianity to me is laid out in a unconvincing way. For me to ever be "converted" with just the words of a pastor and reading my Bible would be lunacy."
Scott, at this point we are conserned that you are having issues with the fundimentals and the cornerstone of our faith... that being the inspired word of God. This would consern any Christians and most likely sparked the question, referring to your leading in your Christian organization.
People move into leadership by choice, not by force. Having said this, one needs to be in sync with the fundamentals of the organization that one is leading. Leadership = responsibility, and with that comes a basic understanding of the organization itself.
Leaders at Honda (your favorite company :-) should know and agree with the vision and mission statements of the organization and should be committed to the product while learning more about it's workings and it's benefits.
So, must a Christian leader...
Now I know that you have apologized for offending us with the way you reacted, which is a done deal...
We would be interested in hearing your re-buttle on the 'points'/statements that you made all over your blog article.
i.e. (here are just a few)
-Do you believe in conversion, thru reading the Bible and accepting it's plan of salvation?
-Is Christianity simply a therapy?
-Is reading the Bible and praying every day going to make you life better, or is it just 'weird'?
-Is loving one another as God commands, valid?
-Do you have data to back up your claim that 'in most cases people that come to Christianity aren't happy.' Is this before they become Christians, or after.
Scott, I don't expect you to answer all of these questions now, however, you can see how... if you make 'points'/statements, they should be researched.
Regardless, if they are your 'points' or your 'questions', please refer them to people that you trust can help you... don't just dump them into cyberspace. If you are asking questions that others have approached you with... then please provide answers - with Bible references (as it is a Christian's ultimate authority.)
Honda engineers won't get much technical information from us potato farmers... they will only get more opinions.
Go to the author of the 'book'! Our Father, Son and Holy Spirit can give YOU specific answers for YOU! And that will only come through reading God's WORD and prayer.
Love ya,
You have to understand this post, and i think there is a lot to question. But for me that is the point. I know the answers to this, Biblically and realistically. The point of this post is to create conversation among friends and strangers and get their thoughts about this issue.
You have to realize I'm very firmly planted in my faith, I am not questioning because im losing it, but rather questioning to understand a little more, and to converse with others so they to can comment and understand.
Going to the Author of the book has already happened, I usually research all this stuff as well. The purpose of the post was to create conversation about aspects of the bible and aspects of peoples thought process.
I appreciate your input, but do realize that i know everything you have said. I understand about who to go to and what not, but I also have a community of people on here to go to, to ask people, to interact with people, and as well as talking about this stuff in person, i pose it on here to discuss with people i don't always have time for.
As far as your questions are concerned, ill try to give you a brief answer to all of them.
-Do you believe in conversion, thru reading the Bible and accepting it's plan of salvation?
Yes of course
-Is Christianity simply a therapy?
It can be, but it can also be a lasting relationship with God that turns into more then just therapy, but a way to live.
-Is reading the Bible and praying every day going to make you life better, or is it just 'weird'?
Depends, if you don't research and dig deeper into what you read i don't see how it can make you better. If you can fully understand the context of what your reading, then you can get the most out of the Bible, and out of God. I think the question here is can it be better.
-Is loving one another as God commands, valid?
Sometimes, Its extremely hard to do this in any case. I think sometimes there are other people for those people that we don't like. We wont like everyone we meet in life, we can love them, but its hard when we don't like them right?
-Do you have data to back up your claim that 'in most cases people that come to Christianity aren't happy.' Is this before they become Christians, or after.
This is before, why would people search if everything is alright in their lives. I could do a survey if you want me too, but ill bet that this is the general consensus i gather from listening to peoples stories.
If you have more questions feel free to talk to me, I don't know who you are, but approach me at anytime. Thanks.
I don't fully understand the problems these (completely) anonymous writers have with this post. As Scott has stated, multiple times the point of his post was to get people to dig deeper and investigate their faith instead of taking it at face value.
Isn't it easier to become religiously stagnant if you do not have an interest in answering the difficult questions about your own faith? Seems to me like Scott is simply posing difficult questions to his readers in an attempt to motivate religious growth in them as well as personally gaining outside insight into the topics raised.
Jonathan
Johnathan who? There must be a million of you, on my street alone. Give us your ID pal, before ya dis good old 'anonymous.'
Simply throwing out questions doesn't help anyone. And if you don't lend any clarity to the issue with your comments, well then ya may as well join the great 'blog inquisition.' So, Johnathan who, how about taking a crack at some of his difficult questions and defending him for real?
Hey anon, glad to see you're attempting to aid in the solution. [/sarcasm off] I'm not defending Scott per say I am defending the legitimacy of his article and the queries made therein.
I will address his questions because it will further the purpose of the discussion (as it was meant to be taken)
Obviously many "christians" attempt to offer Christianity as a multi step fix all. (eg. read the bible and you will be happy, money will pour in etc. bit of a Springs mentality...)
I don't think salvation generally comes through reading the bible. Most people (that I have talked with) have become Christians because a friend or a relation lived a Christian life style and that attracted them to that person and eventually Christianity. Would you be more likely to be converted if a person took interest in you and displayed good moral values or if a person threw a Bible at you and told you to read it?
I'm pretty sure happiness can be achieved through wealth. But happiness and joy are two different things. Ultimate JOY in life cannot be achieved through material possessions, that comes from a real, living relationship with God.
I think for a lot of people a religion (not necessarily Christianity) is like a form of therapy. They become at peace with life and people around them and happiness follows.
I don't see why the people posting on this blog can't take these questions for what they are, an attempt to more fully understand Christianity.
I do find it curious that anon is questioning the identity of someone who has posted their name in every post and has a link to their blog and profile through my name. Can anyone say double standard?
Jonathan Isaac Plett
Alright, im getting sick and tired of these anonymous posts, theres a genius option in here that im going to use. The option allows me to not allow anonymous posters anymore, and i will be turning that option on for a couple of reasons.
1. I'm sick of people who sit behind the internet wall. I don't believe i do this because i freely state who i am.
2. People who cannot state their name to me are just people who want to raise hell in here, and this blog is not about that. This blog is about having quality conversations with friends and strangers. People who don't post with their names are useless to me because they can say what they want and cannot be held accountable for what they say, and this has to change.
3. My last reason is I sick of being lambasted in an apology post. Im trying to make good with the great people who read this blog and yet again someone is trying to hi jack it. I'm sick of it and it ends here. If you cannot say who you are, you have no part in my blog anymore. Thank you.
Good comments Jon.
The Joy issue is another ball of wax and can be quite heavy at times.
Happiness and joy could be defined as synonymous but it depends on how you look at it.
Thank you for understand the blogs purpose as well. To better understand Christianity is very important, we cannot take things just as face value. Face value offers nothing to the reader/listener.
Oh and I apologize to the anonymous people who post on here with names because they do not have a blog account. I'm sorry it has to come to this, but making a blog account is easy and you don't have to actually have a real blog. I encourage you to put your name down, i wouldn't want to start blocking IP addresses. I don't think it has to get that far however.
Thanks for your understanding.
Some good questions and I want to take a shot:
-Do you believe in conversion, thru reading the Bible and accepting it's plan of salvation?
Yes, but how does a non-Christian end up with a Bible in their hand, reading it of their own volition? I believe that people (Christians) are the most powerful tool in setting others down this path, through forging meaningful and lasting relationships with everyone around them.
-Is Christianity simply a therapy?
From a strictly functional point of view, it could quite easily be considered just a therapy. It's a set of beliefs that try and make sense of our world and provide hope and comfort to its followers. If Jesus turns out to be just a guy and God doesn't exist, then it is simply a therapy. If Jesus is who he says he is and God exists, then we've got Truth. And since you cannot definitively say that God exists using definitive and airtight arguments, the correct answer is still anyone's guess.
-Is reading the Bible and praying every day going to make you life better, or is it just 'weird'?
I don't believe that reading the Bible and praying every day will make your life better. I think that you have to start taking what you read and acting on it each and every day.
-Is loving one another as God commands, valid?
Yes. Love can overcome any and all obstacles. It's the one area of Christianity that I seriously question if we take seriously. It was a major commandment and yet more often than not we show hatred or disdain for someone because of their skin color or their beliefs or whatever reason we can come up with. Even the most unlikeable person can be loved with an open heart and an open mind.
-Do you have data to back up your claim that 'in most cases people that come to Christianity aren't happy.' Is this before they become Christians, or after.
I was happy when I came to Christianity. Sure, I had some struggles that were weighing down on me, but I think that for the most part I was still happy, in general.
Good point on the reading the bible point, it most definetly can change your life and bring salvation but why would a non-believer pick up a bible unless they had some sort of outside motivation? That basically ties into the "Is loving one another as God commands" section.
Jonathan
Why is it so easy to be angry at other people when they are unfair to others? Why would I ever WANT to love, I know that I HAVE to, but then I'm not doing it because I want to and I'm just going through the motions that a good Christian would do. Help.
Injustice is pretty easy to get angry at. I really find it hard to love people who deal out injustice. Are there any passages of scripture that address loving the dealers of injustice? Maybe a book, if so could someone inform me?
Jonathan
Okay. I do not know much about all of this. I have only read pieces here and there. Scott, I have looked and read at a couple of your blogs, and of course I found them interesting. You are simply stating your opinion. We are all entitled to our opinions, no? this anonymous person has probably grown up with the church or so forth. To take offence to what Scott said is a little overreacting.
He was stating his opinion. Is that a bad thing? no. Never once where I read did it say he was 'questioning' his faith in any way. I agree with him - as quite a few people I have just been talking to, he is going 'deeper' in his faith asking these questions. Is there a place where he himself questions christianity or God? no.
Anonymous, with the whole saying of what your opinions are you have all shared with us. But you know that you saying your opinion from his (which is obviously different views and takes) does not make yours right and his wrong. You get 'offended' when he simply states his opinion. You should respect it. Is asking questions about faith and christianity wrong? no! it's how many people in the end become closer to God.
Why should we be critisized for our questions? Doesn't it in the bible, have many different men questioning things? questioning why things are? faith? and don't in the end they become closer to God? God gave us minds, and he gave them for us to use. Why should we not use it for learning more about christianity in depth and becoming closer to God?
Sorry, I deleted my own post because i caught a spelling error.
Thank you Nancy, I don't know if i know you, but I'm glad you understand. Responses like this encourage me to dig deeper, to search out our roots, to find God in the nicks and crannies of life. Thanks again.
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