Quote:
Originally Posted by Michael Phelps
Not to be rude to anyone here, and PO, please forgive me for springboarding off of your post - but, doesn't anyone find themselves upset by Oliphant's cartoon? Did Oliphant think of professionalism when he penned this garbage?
And, when a man posts a passionate letter of rebuttal against something he holds dear, we want to analyze his letter??????
Folks, I adjure you to go back to the letters in red in the back half of your Bibles and tell me how many times Jesus was "professional" when dealing with the Pharisees and critics of the truth?
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The difference is that Pharisees and Sadducees were not unbelievers. Jesus responded in anger toward hypocrisy, and that's an in-house religious affair. When dealing with those outside of the faith community the NT is clear, that we are to be kind, gentle, and meek. The red letters tell us that in the beatitudes and it was Jesus who said to turn the other cheek and forgive infinitly.
I am not all that upset about Oliphant's cartoon. I think it's offensive, yes. Blashemous, no. But it's typical and Jesus told us to expect the same sort of treatment that he got and to handle it the way he did. I doubt he would have written his kind of letter.
"passionate" is synonomous with emotion. When people publish stuff like this they are trying to elicit an emotional response from people they perceive to be their enemies. If we choose to respond in a measured, gentle, and inclusive way it ruins their game plan and removes the power of their weapon. It's the way of Christ when dealing with unbelieving enemies. Otherwise we're just solidifying their position and re-drawing the battle lines. Not a smart option, imo, as it perpetuates the whole us vs. them mentality which is anathema to evangelism.