CJ, once again I need to break out the appropriate quote:
Quite literally, dear lady, Keep the faith.
I’m sorry. If you acknowledge each and every post in your favor and answer each and every post in opposition, then the thread multiplies exponentially into a big, sentimental mass of everybody tipping their hats to each other. But even your defense is based on incomplete information. I cannot properly “defend” my marriage without discussing things that we have decided not to divulge on the board. Rest assured that our marriage is not based in adultery and hypocrisy, but that is all the information anybody here will get. So thank you for your support, but it isn’t necessary in this case.
I said no such thing. If you had really read my posts as closely as you seem to have done, then you would know that I’ve said repeatedly that ALL sin can be forgiven (once repented). Each of us is in a sinful state, but none of us is unredeemable, provided we turn from our sin rather than choose to willfully continue in it. And again, as I’ve also said many times, your friend won’t be standing in front of me at judgment, but God. I can’t speak for God regarding who will be condemned and who will not - all I can do is to report what the Bible says.
I’m very sorry your friend was attacked and insulted. Unfortunately, it appears to be very common for people to be viciously attacked for their beliefs, for what they are, etc. Just look at this, and many other threads in the pit.
I hadn’t responded to the story of your friend because it doesn’t really appear to be relevant to the topic at hand. I’m sorry you’re having a difficult time in your life, but that’s not what we’re talking about. I didn’t mean to offend you.
Your issue, then, seems to be with the Bible, and by extenstion, with God; not with me. All I’ve done on all of those topics is to report what it says about them. Many are called, but few will answer, as you should know, being a sunday school teacher.
You are never obligated to speak in my defense. And while I appreciate any support from almost any quarter, if you regret speaking in my defense, then by all means - don’t do it anymore.
I firmly believe that my view of God is close to correct, and I strive to refine it based on study of the Bible to ensure that it comes closer to the correct view. But as ever, I am human and can err.
Well, I’m not really clear on what you believe my view is, so I don’t know if I’m happy that it’s affecting you or not. If you really understand my beliefs, then I’m glad - because my God is loving, merciful, and just. Even though I’ve been found to be sinful and unworthy, he accepts me anyway, because he allows me to wear his Son’s righteousness rather than my own.
Maybe this is something we can clear up (preferably) via e-mail or in another thread. I prefer e-mail, so that we can avoid the background noise that comes from the people who will pounce on any thread I’m in just for the joy of attacking me and hoping to catch me in a mistake. My e-mail is in my board profile. Feel free to use it if you’re interested in my offer.
I accept your apology and thank you for it. I have more to say, but I’m not quite sure how to phrase it, so let me just say that your apology means something.
I too apologize for any offense I’ve caused you through misunderstandings and unintentionally, and moreso for the actual things that I’ve said to you in anger.
Oh, brother. This Christian lovefest is killing me.
Esprix
Good grief, you’re just never satisfied, are you?
Just fighting my own good fight.
And I’m thankful every day that Polycarp posts on this board.
Esprix
Well I’m glad you’re happy about something. I’d hate to think you were always such a miserable person. 
Ooo! Another zinger! Ha ha!
Esprix
Hey, he’s usually happy! You didn’t think “The Gay Guy” applies to his sexuality, did you? 
Yeah, his “ask the truculent drive-by guy” threads didn’t work so well. :eek:
Ooo! Another zinger! Ha ha!
Esprix
This makes me sad.
(And, please, no ‘that’s the stupidest thing I’ve read all day’. Just sharing my feelings, don’t need to be harrassed.)
OK, Joe, I’ve read your latest post over in the GD thread on this subject and I’m willing to offer an olive branch. For the sake of your privacy and Jersey Diamond’s, I’ll try to explain what little I know by private e-mail. I suspect I overreacted, and I apologized. There’s a thread over on page 2 or so of MPSIMS which will give you an idea of what’s going on in my life; right now, I’m running on faith and precious little else.
I’ll follow up by e-mail, and I realize we have equally strong reasons which will probably prevent us from ever agreeing on certain things this side of the grave. Despite the way it may seem at times, I do have moral absolutes, and I do live by them, which is why I’ve never seen an episode of The Sopranos, among other things.
CJ
No, you sum it up pretty good. This whole thread is depressing and a lot a rather mean things have been said here.
bdgr: May I point out that, unlike the extremist fundamentalists, none of us who disagree with the targeted folks in the OP have crapped on the congratulatory thread in MPSMIS. That’s quite unlike the attitude that convinced so many of those folks to picket the funeral of Matthew Shepherd (sp?).
And there’s even a civil discussion about Biblical literalism in GD. Whodathunk we could keep the appropriate discussions to the appropriate forums?
Esprix
Dont get me wrong, I agree with the OP, and I think this thread was neccessary, I was just saying that it was unpleasent, and unfortunate that it was neccessary.
Could you elaborate a bit here, with specific regards to why you are comparing yourself to “the extremist fundamentalists”? Seems like stereotyping and bigotry to me, but perhaps I’m just not understanding your real point.
You’re not, Izz. & I shan’t lower myself to respond to that comment.
Well I wouldn’t want to make you lower yourself. That would be sad. But in the absence of an elaboration from you, I shall do so myself.
Your response to bdgr seems like an attempt to justify your conduct (or that of others) in this thread by comparing it to that of “extremist fundamentalists”. But the problem is that no evidence has been presented that any of the people being attacked here are “extremist fundamentalists” of the sort you describe. So your comparison is not much more valid would be the observation that unlike Al-Qaeda terrorists, no one in this thread has flown a plane into a building. The fact that you’ve offered it up anyway is apparently the result of an attitude that fundamentalists represent one entity in which the sins of some are to be borne by all, and that any attacks on individual fundamentalists can be justified by pointing to a tiny minority of extremist fanatics.
I can’t imagine that you would appreciate this type of stereotyping if it was directed at you, by using groups that you are a member of. But this is frequently a problem of people calling for tolerance and judging individuals. They talk the good talk, but they are really adopting these ideals by expedience, thinking of the benefits to themselves. The minute the shoe is on the other foot, they’re out there stamping and shouting.
The title of this thread may belong there - it just has the wrong usernames.