TO: SoSick
I honestly don't have any idea what I've done that has brought on this type of reaction from you. I am still shocked at your behavior.
I will also say that you have crossed the line on slander because you are making vague accusations in public apparently about messages I sent you in private even after having it brought to your attention.
Also, I never reposted a single picture of yours.
If you want your pictures removed, you can follow the rules and give me the post numbers and identify the specific pictures that are yours.
DO NOT give me a link to a thread because I will not parse through hundreds of posts attempting to guess which pictures are yours.
When a lot of the things you say are not true Russ, yes I have a problem with it. By your own admission you do not attend church or fellowship with Christians anywhere, yet you make blanket stements that condemn the churches, as an outsider looking in. You do not know these people, yet you judge them. You belittle them for having faith while you spend your time running in circles fear mongering.
First, if you have a problem with me, you should have told me in private.
Second, I don't condemn Churches. I am sad and disappointed at their lack of adherence to scripture. Read Revelation. I'm not an outsider. I know people who currently attend Church and I speak to them regularly.
Third, I DO know these people, and the scripture says that a spiritual man judges all things. The people who repeat the "don't judge" mantra don't understand scripture on this subject. There is a difference between "judge" (discern) and "judge" (condemn). Use your Greek dictionary.
"But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man."(1 Corinthians 2:15)
Fourth, I do not belittle anyone for having faith. I'm clueless as to where you got that from.
Fifth, I do not involve myself in fear mongering. I'm not sure why you are saying this. Is it because I'm a conspiratorialist? If so, you need to know that the Church is a watchman on the wall (part of the job of the Church, by the way) and I have a responsibility to notify people when trouble is coming. Well, it's coming, and there is a huge difference between what I am doing and fear mongering.
Finally:
I asked that if you had a specific accusation against me, that you bring it on and be specific about it. Instead you continue with vague, public accusations.
No, I don't currently attend church, partly because of my work schedule and partly because most modern Christian churches have gone so far astray from the Bible that it's not possible for me to participate in them. I also told you that I would like to find a good one (there are still some) and I have been looking.
I fellowship with Christians by phone and online, but I don't consider that "Church".
Basically, I'm really shocked that you are having such a horrible reaction to my honest and open disappointment of the modern Church. It seems Christ did also. Read Revelation about the apostate "churches".
Seems to me you draw the line on people slandering you, or your pecerption that someone is slandering you, but you don't give a hoot when others are slandered.
If others are offended, it's their responsibility to privately notify me, and indeed, someone did. That responsibility to notify me includes you. I'm not a mind reader, so it's up to people to notify me if they are offended. Read the Terms of Use for instructions pertaining to this.
In other words Russ,. when people curse at me or accuse me of whatever, it's always my fault.
No SoSick. Actually, I've been really lenient on you, as others have pointed out. The bottom line here is that it's YOUR responsibility to notify me *privately* if you've been offended. Simple.
I'm the moderator of this forum, not a babysitter for every boo-boo that grown adults may encounter. Besides, no one dishes it out like you do. If you're going to dish it out, you need to learn to take it.
Irregardless of the fact that all I have ever usually done is mention the name of Jesus or proclaim my faith, or presented facts that others couldn't argue with and this they have resorted to slander instead.
Not true, or, if it was true, and if you were offended, why didn't you notify me? The way you dish it out it's hard to understand why you get so easily offended. Really.
Actually, you've been rude on many occasions (as I'm sure many here will attest to) and I have cringed at that fact that you conduct yourself this way and then call yourself a Christian, nevertheless, I allowed it to continue in my policy and belief of basic freedom.
As a Christian, it's your duty to be mature, kind yet honest, and not to be easily offended. Also, if you have problems with my disappointment with the condition of the modern Church, then you should have told me privately. This is a violation of the same scriptures you claim to uphold.
I have no idea what your motives are. But they defintely exist.
You're absolutely right, I do have motives, and they are to treat people with a reasonable amount of dignity, even if I disagree with them. Aside from that, I'm not sure what ideas you have built up in your mind, but as you said yourself, I can't read minds.
Russ, at the point you require me to apologoze to others without ever requiring anyone to apologize to me, I'd say that there is a perception problem.
Are you reading my posts/messages? I'm asking you to do the right thing. If you didn't want to apologize, then why didn't you just continue our private dialog and tell me why. In fact, you did, and I said I would look further into it. Ironically, AFTER I said I'd look into it, then you began this tirade. This makes no sense.
Then, suddenly, you go off on me in public. This is just plain wrong. I know you have personal life issues you're dealing with, but I still expect you to treat people properly, and in my view, you're not.
I never said I wanted you to boldy stand up and point out people's faults.
Yes you did.
You said that's what Christians are supposed to do and you know that I am a Christian.
Concerning your views of the church, they are rather full of worldly anti-church propoganda... and contain many non-truths.
No they are not.
Actually you should read what Christ said about the modern Church in Revelation. The modern Church *has* become worldly in many ways and this upsets and disappoints me.
Standing on the outside looking in is not a place from which to form an opinion Russ.
I spent years in the Church, was friends with the Preacher, did Bible studies with him, and even taught Sunday school and was invited to give a sermon once (which I did). I'm not sure how this qualifies as being on the outside looking in.
I do hope the items I pointed out to you in regard to problems within the church, from an insider, are helpful to you.
I don't recall you doing any such thing except that you told me that you liked Joel Osteen and that you didn't think there was anything wrong with people being lifted up by a sermon. You also said that there are people in the Church that know about conspiracies.
What would have been helpful is that you would follow basic Christian protocol and, if you have a problem with me, come to me privately. What you have done here is wrong and very poorly handled, to say the least.
I do know how you feel. What I said is that when you ask me to apologize to someone for presenting facts about certain things , which facts might well offend them when made public and are often repulsive to many as well,
You're not listening at all.
I didn't suggest an apology because of facts. Never! I suggested an apology because of conduct.
Conduct!
you are in essence telling me, and others, to shut up.
No. Again, it's about conduct, not facts.
Excuse me Russ, but that scripture is applied within the church (eg; mediator/congregation), which you, by your own admission, are not a member of.
First, it would be beneficial for you to understand what the Church really is. I said that I'm not a member of a Church, meaning a congregation. In scripture there is the Church, and then there is the Bride. It would be good to know the difference. Unfortunately, many modern Christians confuse the two. Bullinger has the best commentary I've seen on the subject.
Second, it would be beneficial for you to know the scripture before you hurl it at me...
"If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector."(Matthew 18:15-17)
Um...This scripture is talking about a "brother".
Apparently, by your judgement, I am not a brother because I don't to to church, and therefore, I don't deserve the simple benefits of this scripture verse. This is the best assessment I can make based on your statements.
and that is a perfect example of the various misuses of scripture that you attempt that are, in actually, rather offensive. You yourself are neither the mediator, nor the congregation, Russ. And this webboard is not the church.
I have already shown (and quote scripture) about the procedure of approaching a fellow Christian who has offended you.
YOU have not followed the procedure and then YOU accuse me of not understanding scripture.
Again, I can only assume (based on your remarks) that you don't believe that this scripture applies to me because I'm not currently attending a Church.
Are you judging? ...Condemning? What exactly are you doing?
In short, I expect that people do not slander others on this system. If they do, the victim must notify me, as is clearly stated in the Terms of Use.
You are also making vague and inaccurate public statements about me. I warned you about this in my previous response, but it continues.
I'm giving you a cooling-off period. If you want to rejoin, (although I doubt that you will have the desire), you are welcome to contact me privately in a week.
If you want to have your pictures removed, you need to follow the rules and identify the pictures by their containing post number. You can contact me via the administrator email box displayed at the bottom of this page.
