May

Reflections

Posted by: Sonny in Belief, Blogging, Dialogue

It simply amazes me that when someone asks questions that do not align with the majority, that majority turns and instead of engaging oftentimes abandons the discussion. I have watched a few come to this blog and enter the conversations and quietly go their own way. Maybe they are engaging in the more profitable and important area of Facebook farming or maybe they just want to be around those that believe exactly like they do. I still love you.

Some have entered the conversation only long enough to let me know I am either not saved or that I am purposefully causing division. Hit and run commenter’s that I have begged to come back. I think they probably do this every where they go. And then there are those that have come occasionally, left some good comments but have now decided the conversation is getting too rough, too offensive or whatever else they may think. I still love you also.

I hate this. I want to have some conversations that lead to a better understanding of who God is so that we can abandon the rather unfruitful way we have been reaching out to those outside the Kingdom and become more effective. I know that some think that these conversations are more divisive than helpful and I expect no less. Some will never question what they have been told to believe and some will only come around very, very slowly.

But if we are not growing, we are dying. And we are supposed to be living, and engaging the enemy everywhere he is and chasing him back behind those gates which we let him escape from to begin with. This is what I and this blog are about. I hate to lose readers and even more, commenter’s. But I will not abandon what I feel led to do here.

Confrontation is not always fun but when error is so easily tossed around in the Kingdom of God then it must be confronted. Who am I to do this? I am just a man; fallible, imperfect, very much capable of making mistakes, but still willing to posit my understanding of Kingdom and God issues and allow the discussions, the ridicule, the harassment, and the offensive words to come as they will. You can’t hurt me with words or by holding your words back. God is with me in this even though some do not see it and think this has nothing to do with God.

If no one ever stood up to wrong theology, wrong doctrine, wrong attitudes, just where would we be today. I am not saying everything is wrong that you or anyone else believes, but at least have the courage to hear another side sometimes. Everyone is a heretic in someone’s eyes. I am chief among them.

But I am only concerned with what God thinks. As long as I am trying my very best to know Him more and advance the Kingdom, I believe I am okay. That is all any of us have to remember. We all have a part to play, a battle to engage, a mission to fulfill; and they are not all alike. For any willing to keep on furthering the discussions here, I am deeply grateful. For all who have left or are leaving, thanks and God bless you.

I still and will keep on loving you all

Tags: blog, Conversation, Discussion, God, Kingdom, Thanks, Theology

This entry was posted on Monday, May 25th, 2009 at 11:09 am and is filed under Belief, Blogging, Dialogue. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

12 comments so far

Justin A

Sonny,

Here are some comments on some of the things you just said.

You said:

“It simply amazes me that when someone asks questions that do not align with the majority, that majority turns and instead of engaging oftentimes abandons the discussion.”

You accuse others of doing what you did. I asked a question and you said you would not answer it.

You said:
“Some have [said] I am purposefully causing division.”

I hope you didn’t take my comment about being divisive as if I were chastising you. I thought I made it clear that I was referring to Heath’s ridiculous comments.

You said:
“I want to have some conversations that lead to a better understanding of who God is so that we can abandon the rather unfruitful way we have been reaching out to those outside the Kingdom and become more effective.”

You say God can’t know the future and it still be possible for men to have free will. I disagree. I tried to get your take on the episode with Peter and you refused to answer a simple question in a simple conversation.

You said:

“Some will never question what they have been told to believe and some will only come around very, very slowly.”

As far as I can tell you are the only one who said they would not change their mind when you said, “…you will not change my mind … so the subject of Peter is done.”

May 25th, 2009 at 1:38 pm

Heath

Sonny,

Do you ever get the feeling that certain individuals are actually toxic to the conversations on your blog? (Some might say that I am one of them…)

Recently I have come to the realization that the discussions on your blog have been hijacked by a fundamentalist element that would rather fill space with repetitious irrelevancies than actully consider the issues and discuss them like adults. I am doing my best to ignore them and engage the topics, but it becomes very difficult when every discussion turns into blathering. I think you might know what I am refering to…

Have you considered moderating comments for a period of time just to discourage the behavior? I know this is a less than desireable step, but it might help extend some discipline to the conversation and restore a bit of civility. After all, people with a one-track mind are most likely not going to derail or change tactics anytime soon…

Just a thought…

May 25th, 2009 at 5:55 pm

Sonny

I have thought about it especially when the comments are so very evident as off topic but am hesitant at this time. I do want the free exchange of ideas and opinions but am getting a little tired of being bombarded with certain questions which I thought I had answered.

Tomorrow will be another Tuesday question, not even sure what yet, then I have one written for Wednesday that is scheduled. It will be my final say on certain topic and will allow it to be discussed as much as anyone wants. I am just not so sure how much I am going to engage on it after it is posted.

Love you all

May 25th, 2009 at 8:07 pm

Chris

Keep going. I am learning and loving this.

I also make many mistakes. For example I try to stay consistent, but I also write from what is hitting me at the time. So there is a possibility that I have said one thing and then said something that doesn’t agree with the first statement. I am human after all.

I only admit this because I know others do the same. I hope I have been a benefit in my comments for this blog and not a deterrent for others.

I love what you are doing here, and hope the discussions can get even more varied. There are many great topics and questions I still have (or have opinions on) that have not been addressed.

Keep up the fight, and people will come around.

Love ya,

Chris

May 25th, 2009 at 10:08 pm

Sonny

Thanks Chris

Stayed tuned for more.

Love you

May 25th, 2009 at 10:24 pm

Justin A

Sonny, you said:

“the comments are so very evident as off topic ”

I was under the impression that you were trying to make the point that God does not know the future. If I misunderstood please enlighten me.

You said:
“I do want the free exchange of ideas and opinions but am getting a little tired of being bombarded with certain questions which I thought I had answered.”

I assume you are talking about my question concerning Peter. If you really answered it as you say, then I missed it. I don’t mean to dispute what you are saying but I was trying really hard to hear the answer and it is hard for me to believe I could have missed it. Since you already answered it, surely it won’t hurt anything to answer it again. Please humor me and answer it just this once more for my benefit. Did Peter deny Jesus of his own free will? I answered Chris with a yes or no. Will you give me that honor?

May 25th, 2009 at 10:34 pm

Sonny

Justin A id Peter deny Jesus of his own free will?

Wait till Wednesdays post. It will be up a couple of minutes after midnight Wednesday morning.

Love you all

May 25th, 2009 at 10:42 pm

Anthony

Sonny,

I love your sites. With discussion brings knowledge of things that most people would fail to discuss in other areas because of fear. There are some topics that some people aren’t going to respond to because they don’t understand, but they do read these and get some understanding without responding.

One thing all of us need to learn is that regardless of what we think, someone else has a different opinion. With that being said, there are many possibilities for things that we have no proof of. We need to get to the point where we realize there are other possibilities from what we think. Not on all things, but it seems the ones that gain so many rabbit trails have multiple possibilities. I’m not saying limit the discussions by no means, I very much so enjoy these. I just hope all of us can grow enough to realize that there is a high possibility of us being wrong on some aspects. No offense Heath, but I can go to three different philosophy classes, and there will be teachings on three different ideologies on some topics. I don’t have a problem with that. I understand the reason behind it. Not offense Justin, but not all things are black and white when it comes to biblical interpretation. And Sonny, keep asking the questions no one else is going to. You have birthed something that will do far more than just fellowship. This is a ministry used to help enlighten people across the world.

May 26th, 2009 at 2:14 pm

Heath

Sonny,

I say you shouldn’t answer it until someone else answers the equally simple question regarding their age…

(I’m just being a stinker…)

May 26th, 2009 at 6:14 pm

john

I am one of your followers that does not often post. i do read your blog each day, and it always makes me think about stuff i wouldnt have on my own. it is intimidating to think of responding when you , justin, and heath have one of your big debates going. my one little paragraph answer seems pretty lame up next to the multi paragraph responces that they send. thats not a complaint, i always enjoy reading what you and justin have to say. I am also someone who enjoys facebook. facebook can and does give opportunity to discuss God. he’s not only in blogs. facebook is what you make of it and who you invite into your friend group. as to farmtown i also enjoy that but cant explain why. its addictive. i love you too.

John, I edited one sentence because I know that is not who you are or want the world to think you are. Thanks for the comment. I love you too. Sonny

May 26th, 2009 at 7:39 pm

Sonny

Justin,

You have avoided that one question more than I avoided yours, although I don’t think i did avoid yours. How about it.

How old are you?

Love you all

May 26th, 2009 at 9:18 pm

Sonny

I was not knocking Facebook exactly either. I just had a couple of people pretty regularly commenting on here and now I have heard about this Facebook farming phenomenom that they are involved in so I thought I would use it.

There is no end to the social networking and relationship opportunities on the internet and if they are used for building relationships then they are all okay. Can’t help it if I miss some of you though.

Love you all

May 26th, 2009 at 9:30 pm