So… back around the end of last year, I did a post and solicited opinions for hosted services and other social networking items. My original intent was to stress the capabilities of my company’s products. But then I began to consider some of the numerous deficiencies of current online sites. Anyway, things have taken a new turn.
Recently a friend of mine asked me about going down this path again. The caveat… he wanted to do a Christian version of Myspace and asked me to consider it. Over the course of several days, I considered this idea. We met for dinner to celebrate a mutual friend’s birthday and after everyone else departed, we discussed the idea further.
I informed him that I thought it was a bad idea. Professing Christians are some of the worst people on the planet. Consider this:
Mahatma Gandhi is one of the most
respected leaders of modern history. A Hindu, Ghandi nevertheless
admired Jesus and often quoted from the Sermon on the Mount. Once when
the missionary E. Stanley Jones met with Ghandi he asked him, “Mr.
Ghandi, though you quote the words of Christ often, why is that you
appear to so adamantly reject becoming his follower?”Ghandi replied, “Oh, I don’t reject your Christ. I love your Christ.
It’s just that so many of you Christians are so unlike your Christ.”
I couldn’t say it any better than that. Mr. Ghandi had hit the nail on the head. But why should this be so strange for us to comprehend? After all, who did Christ keep around himself? Sure he had his disciples. Other than that, he was routinely found in the company of the down and out, the lepers, the sick, the harlots, the demon possessed, etc. You weren’t likely to catch him in the company of the religious. Why? They actually sought him out. Christ routinely considered this crowed to be self-righteous and worthy of his contempt. They professed to know God, but refused to keep his word. Instead, they had a form of godliness, but denied the power thereof. Over the past number of days, my site has seen a considerable amount of traffic. Odd, since I haven’t really done a post for quite a while. The hits were mostly coming off a friend’s site, where I was listed as a contributor. Apparently, some folks took exception to a series of posts I did back in November titled, “Keeping It Real, A Look at Motivational Posters”. The first two were rather harmless. The third was definitely on the questionable side of things. So I took some measure to refrain from offending some. I put this disclaimer on it:
“Anyway, this is the one I said would probably be offensive. So, I’ve
made an edit and I’ll make the image small like a thumbnail. If you
aren’t overly sensitive, then by all means click to enlarge it.
Otherwise, don’t bother. Just move on. I usually don’t post offensive
materials. But these were just too funny. And I do have a sense of
humor.”
Apparently, these individuals have opted to ignore my warning, view the poster, and take offense; so much so that it has now created problems for my friend. As a result, I have been deleted from his site and he may end up deleting his site altogether. The irony of self-righteousness is that it seeks to conform others to its own notion of morality. In the end, it seeks to corrupt– not to make holy. This is why Christ had a problem with such individuals. And this is why others, like Ghandi, are so turned off. If it weren’t for the grace of God in election, no one in his right mind would turn to Christianity. But it’s not because of the doctrines. It’s because of the people. I dare say that most of today’s Baptist churches would shun Paul, Spurgeon, Gill, and even Edwards. They wouldn’t be welcome in their churches. They would despise Christ for loving his enemies rather than casting stones at them. They could have God in their daily presence, yet do as the Jews and seek out Pagan ways instead. In the end, who is this an indictment of? Of me? Of my friend? We need to carefully consider those we associate with. By that, I don’t mean that we need to only hang around folks who reflect positively on us. I’d rather be around individuals I disagree with or have significant differences with if they’re at least genuine. It is sad that my friend is going through a tough time. I’d like to apologize and show regret for bringing things down upon him. I’ve never made a post on his site to warrant such wrath. Instead, these individuals have invaded my site and are now bringing down judgment upon him and upon me. What do have to say about that? Shame on them. I can only hope that God will be more gracious with them than they are with others.
06/04/2008 at 9:11 am Permalink
I, for one, loved that post you did back then. (go figure)
I’ve only had to deal with that brand of blogging fun a couple of times; I don’t envy you.
This was a great post- I especially liked reading the Ghandi quotes; I never knew he said that.
08/04/2008 at 3:47 pm Permalink
What a great post! I ‘stumble’ by every now and then to read through Vixen’s site and I’m glad I did today. This post is definitely eye opening and brings home to each and every one of us that we should remember that ‘sweep our own doorsteps first’ before passing any judgement upon others. And, yes, Ghandi said it perfectly.
Thanks for sharing and I’m sorry you and your friend are going through a rough time with people who have nothing better to do with there time.
08/04/2008 at 9:56 pm Permalink
Stealth: Thanks for the comment. I thought those posters were questionable, but funny. In the end, I don’t see a problem with having a sense of humor.
Madame X: Thanks. I do appreciate it. I’m actually okay. I feel for him. He’s the one being targeted. Personally, I don’t care if I’ve been deleted. I’m more ticked off at these individuals attacking my friend, all in the name of Christian love. Thanks for stopping by.
09/04/2008 at 12:08 am Permalink
Ghandi said it very well. Great admiration for him and what he said.
Your friend’s site was well named. Too bad the people he was trying to reform or ‘show the light’ had their heads so far up their asses and too busy being all high and mighty to realize that…. Bc if I was going to use one word to describe ‘them’, it would be ‘mafia’.
Sad. I feel very badly for your friend to have his and his families life turned so far upside down. I think he’s better off. I hope he is able to discover happiness for him and his family in his next step of life away from such judgmental, close-minded ‘people’.
I loved your bluntness of this post.
09/04/2008 at 6:09 am Permalink
EE: Actually, the site’s name was one thing that these folks took issue with. They were not supporters of the topics discussed, from what I can understand.
The whole notion of the reformed mafia was to illuminate truth and inconsistencies, regardless of popular opinion. Unfortunately, it seems to have struck too close to home.
I agree, I think he is better off, but that’s a tough statement. I am very used to standing my ground, regardless of how uncomfortable it may get. You of all people know how that has affected my life. I wish my decisions could have been confined to just myself. But they do tend to affect an entire household.
Anyway, these people exist in all walks of life. This is not an issue of Christians or religion. Self-righteous people can be agnostics too. These are people who have a strong tendency to reform others to their own way of life and standards, because they hold themselves as the standard.
09/04/2008 at 9:07 am Permalink
I absolutely agree it’s not just a “Christian or religion” thing. Unfortunately though, that is where it comes up the most, in my eyes anyways. But you are right, anyone can be self-righteous, then they group together and take their nastiness out on others they disagree with or don’t like.
And I do very badly for your friend. To say ‘he’s better off’ is probably true, but very difficult for him to have been put in that situation.
09/04/2008 at 2:19 pm Permalink
EE: Your observation is pretty consistent with mine, which is indeed unfortunate. I wish it weren’t the case. But this is nothing new. It’s the same problem Christ dealt with in his day. It’s the same problem the various prophets dealt with in theirs.
I’m just glad you’ve been open to the idea and to comment here. I know it’s not what you typically do. So thanks!!!
12/04/2008 at 1:50 pm Permalink
Mike,
Thanks for your post. I hope the “offended” parties this too. I resigned and my blogs aren’t going anywhere now. My family will be okay. I’ll just be making a lot more bullwhips now!
Deo Vindice.
12/04/2008 at 3:45 pm Permalink
Mike, I know it doesn’t help, but you weren’t singled out. All of us at the Mafia have had our personal blogs “invaded” as you say. As you might well guess, the people in question were not big fans of my sense of humor, either.
Which blows me a away, because I’m easily the second or third most likeable guy I know. (Behind you, of course.)
19/04/2008 at 6:44 am Permalink
Rhett & Gordan: Not sure what happened, but you triggered my SPAM filter.
Rhett: I am sorry you having to go through that. But bullwhips? Serious? I have got to hear more about that.
Gordan: You’re too funny. I have certainly lived through these things before, so I am definitely not offended by their actions. I am more offended by their humanity.
21/04/2008 at 6:44 am Permalink
Yeah Mike, I make bullwhips. My website -which hasn’t had a really good update since I was an Arminian- is at http://www.cowwhips.com
My whips now look MUCH better than the ones in the pics.
No worries on the rest bro. The poster was just a petty side issue for them. The real problem was the theology. We know that for for sure now. Both the pastor and I ended up resigning.