Subject:
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Why I spoke up -- little issues left alone sometimes become big issues
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.off-topic.debate
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Date:
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Sun, 13 Dec 1998 06:33:48 GMT
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Viewed:
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369 times
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Hmmm... Something told me this would get to this point. This is long gang --
sorry.
And, yes I'm aware that historical calendars put Christ's birth many months
outside of December. Some scholars have thought it was more likely in June.
I don't dispute that, but I stand by my earlier observations.
Why I spoke up about Larry's footnote:
Well, because I often see my side of the belief isle pushed aside quickly and
harshly at times in discussion groups and secular society in general(sorry
Larry, I know you believe we Christians live in our ivory towers immune from
criticism and persecution). Look at politics for your proof. Dan Quayle, a
Christian, gets ridiculed to this day for misspelling potato and attacking
Murphy Brown, yet Ted Kennedy and Bill Clinton continue to ride the waves of
popularity despite their many infidelities. I guess this wouldn't bother me
if I didn't see other beliefs go unchallenged and in some cases, reveled in.
Some of that is the fault of Christians, for cowering to the secular culture's
pressure.
There are examples of the above found in newsgroups unrelated to atheism,
Christianity or other "belief systems." Including, less we forget, during
previous RTL discussions in the past. For example, Tim Courtney was
practically run out of RTL (if that were possible on a newsgroup) due to
comments he made about not agreeing with homosexuality. Here's a younger guy
speaking out against something he knew would not be popular on RTL. Heck, I
don't even remember how the discussion got to that point, but I thought it
would have been nice for someone to say -- regardless if they believed in
Tim's stance or not -- good job for speaking up for what you believe in. I
regretted not doing this myself.
There are many other examples... There have been politically incorrect
comments made by unknowing younger folks, who had to beg and plead for
forgiveness from frequenters on RTL (and from what I remember, these people
were not offended Christians). So, I wonder how unique this Christian's
response really is?
So, my point is, it was time for me to say something. I just thought it odd
that Larry felt the need to footnote what he did in a LEGO trains newsgroup.
And, I know most of you find it just as odd and irrational that I did what I
did. But sometimes (IMO), letting the little stinks become big stinks is
better than letting those little stinks go unanswered. How's that for
philosophical?
I would feel more embarrased about speaking up if I often interjected my
personal religious beliefs into discussions about LEGO (footnotes, SIGS or
whatever). But, I don't do that. Jim Baker, I invite you to search Dejanews
for evidence. This is the first time I've done it and aside from my initial
response on lugnet.trains, I've taken the rest of my comments to this off-
topic area. And, kudos to Larry for bringing the discussion here to begin
with.
Finally, I do not dislike Larry nor do I dislike those who agreed with him and
decided to counterattack my beliefs or lecture me about the ways of the
world. I only hope the best for them and I hope they can forgive me for what
I chose to do here. I do pray that God or whatever they believe in gives them
what Christ has given to me and my family -- a direction, a sense of hope in
the face of adversity, the power to find inner courage and strength, and an
understanding of what it means to have FAITH. For those things go beyond any
philisophical discussion we might have here, or any little stinks I make into
big stinks.
This is the last I'll say on this topic. But as someone else put it, if in
the end we can better understand where each other is coming from, it was not
done in vain.
I sincerely thank you for reading, although I know most of you do not agree,
Steve Berry
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