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honorman
Registered Member
Date Joined Oct 2002
Total Posts : 1137
| Posted 4/23/2003 9:47 AM (GMT -6) |   | In light of recent events, I have been pondering my responsibility as a person and as a Christian and, while I would never say God laid anything on my heart (too much of a cliche for me), I did want to express some heartfelt things.
Within this spectrum we all tend to get a little passionate and go overboard at times. It is the nature of being human to want to win, and much of the time, in my own case, I let that passion take over. As I have been thinking things over, I found that I have not liked some of my actions and many of the words I have posted in the past several months, so I wanted to post some specific regrets that I may act in a manner that is gracious and godly. I have noticed that I tend to "flame" before thinking and this is not (usually isn't) always good.
To A (I can't spell that name) the keeping of this board, thanks for patience and not deleting me. I know many times I am sure you thought "what in the h*ll was he thinking. After reading much of my stuff, I was too. Anyway, thanks for the patience. Patience is love manifested in a slightly different way.
To Doctor Boyd and Electra, who endured my rude and unloving responses during the Iraq war posts, I am truly sorry. I specifically remember calling something Electra wrote cr*p. Electra, no one deserves that, but truly not someone has articulate and caring as you are. I sincerely apologize.
To those who waded through my responses on the topic of homosexuality, past and present (esprecially Icon and, again, Doctor Boyd), I thank you for trying to see past my arrogance and try and understand something of my point of view. Again, no excuses. I am sorry.
Finally, to Bobbie, if I have hurt you or offended you, I am sorry. Regardless, about how I feel you do things or what you believe, I am called to love and I haven't been that to you. So I apologize.
I have been thinking about the fact that God calls us to love regardless of the response we get from others. Many times inspite of that response. When I have questions about my salvation, it is not because I don't know the truth, but rather because I do not act as if I have the truth.
If open theism does survive to become a viable part of the Christian faith alongside Calvinism, Orthodoxy, Catholicism and others, it will, in my mind, happen more due to how we love as Christian, rather than whether or not we win the debate. Christians throughout the centuries, whatever their denominational stripes, have been recognized for their ability to love and love well. Forgive me for falling so short of the mark.
"I don't know where the sunbeams end and the starlight begins its all a mystery..." The Flaming Lips
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Electra
Registered Member
Date Joined Feb 2002
Total Posts : 611
| Posted 4/23/2003 10:14 AM (GMT -6) | | Honorman,
I can't tell you how much your apology means to me. Thank you.
quote:
Within this spectrum we all tend to get a little passionate and go overboard at times. It is the nature of being human to want to win, and much of the time, in my own case, I let that passion take over.
I think we can all relate to what you've said here!
quote:
I have been thinking about the fact that God calls us to love regardless of the response we get from others. Many times inspite of that response.
Thanks for reminding us all of our high calling. Winning is about receiving, but loving is about giving. It is easy to get discouraged and distracted and settle for winning—but winning is impossible because the best it can do is second place: "it is better to give than to receive." Not only did you remind us of this calling—you demonstrated it.
Thanks,
Electra
Love in action is a harsh and dreadful thing. ~ Dostoevsky
Edited by - Electra on 04/23/2003 3:25:07 PM | | Back to Top | | |
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BJS
Registered Member
Date Joined Dec 2001
Total Posts : 587
| Posted 4/23/2003 10:21 AM (GMT -6) | | Now that's what I call Honor, Man.  I am completely impressed with your guts and integrity. Thanks so much for inspiring the rest of us to keep our participation here at a high level of civility and decency.
Seriously, bro, that was HUGE of you.
Brett
"Siste viator et memento mori." | | Back to Top | | |
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DLW
Registered Member
Date Joined Apr 2003
Total Posts : 2457
| Posted 4/23/2003 10:54 AM (GMT -6) | | My apologies as well for some of the ways I wrote about GB and WHC and my arrogance in other postings.
I think that if one reads Dorrien's book, it is amazing how much the witness of Christianity has been dampered by the long-standing conflicts between us based on theology or politics.
I talked with an anglican minister/economist, A. M. C. Waterman about my theology paper once and he didn't care for it. There has been so much historical division within the Anglican Church as different groups jockeyed to have their theology posted as the correct one, that they are very a-theological now, using the distinction between knowing God and knowing about God very forcefully and concluding that all there was for the Church to do was to get the liturgy right.
But this didn't stick with me well, for the simple reason that the Anglican Church has fallen in its attendance and, while reading the liturgy may be beautiful/informative and point to the importance of unity, It hasn't been successful in getting individuals to renew the importance of the teachings of Christ, as mediated through their churches, over their lives.
So, while Christian unity is important, I don't think Theology or the platform of any party will or should serve as the basis for this unity.
dlw
Prayer from Kenya
From the Cowardice that dare not face new truth,
From the Laziness that is contented with half-truth,
From the Arrogance that thinks it knows all truth,
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Mayflower
Registered Member
Date Joined Mar 2002
Total Posts : 445
| Posted 4/23/2003 1:30 PM (GMT -6) | | We love your heart & humility.
Peace & blessings, Brother...
<><
Honorman wrote:
quote:
In light of recent events, I have been pondering my responsibility as a person and as a Christian and, while I would never say God laid anything on my heart (too much of a cliche for me), I did want to express some heartfelt things.
Within this spectrum we all tend to get a little passionate and go overboard at times. It is the nature of being human to want to win, and much of the time, in my own case, I let that passion take over. As I have been thinking things over, I found that I have not liked some of my actions and many of the words I have posted in the past several months, so I wanted to post some specific regrets that I may act in a manner that is gracious and godly. I have noticed that I tend to "flame" before thinking and this is not (usually isn't) always good.
To A (I can't spell that name) the keeping of this board, thanks for patience and not deleting me. I know many times I am sure you thought "what in the h*ll was he thinking. After reading much of my stuff, I was too. Anyway, thanks for the patience. Patience is love manifested in a slightly different way.
To Doctor Boyd and Electra, who endured my rude and unloving responses during the Iraq war posts, I am truly sorry. I specifically remember calling something Electra wrote cr*p. Electra, no one deserves that, but truly not someone has articulate and caring as you are. I sincerely apologize.
To those who waded through my responses on the topic of homosexuality, past and present (esprecially Icon and, again, Doctor Boyd), I thank you for trying to see past my arrogance and try and understand something of my point of view. Again, no excuses. I am sorry.
Finally, to Bobbie, if I have hurt you or offended you, I am sorry. Regardless, about how I feel you do things or what you believe, I am called to love and I haven't been that to you. So I apologize.
I have been thinking about the fact that God calls us to love regardless of the response we get from others. Many times inspite of that response. When I have questions about my salvation, it is not because I don't know the truth, but rather because I do not act as if I have the truth.
If open theism does survive to become a viable part of the Christian faith alongside Calvinism, Orthodoxy, Catholicism and others, it will, in my mind, happen more due to how we love as Christian, rather than whether or not we win the debate. Christians throughout the centuries, whatever their denominational stripes, have been recognized for their ability to love and love well. Forgive me for falling so short of the mark.
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BBBCanada
Registered Member
Date Joined Jun 2001
Total Posts : 2763
| Posted 4/24/2003 3:22 AM (GMT -6) | | quote:
Now that's what I call Honor, Man.
Good one! That WAS huge of honorman wasn't it? Thanks for your example to me honorman. 
Brandon
"Mommy, I know now that the terms, 'I'll knock yo' teeth down yo' throat!' meant you'd love me in the special way you do everyday of my life."--Darwin Hobbs
www.darwinhobbs.com | | Back to Top | | |
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might-be-don
Registered Member
Date Joined Jun 2001
Total Posts : 830
| Posted 4/24/2003 7:20 AM (GMT -6) | | Wait... I'll get my guitar and we can sing a few rounds of KUM-BA-YA, I feel a group hug in progress.
peace and love, don
---
"No Rules, just Right" Outback Steakhouse | | Back to Top | | |
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honorman
Registered Member
Date Joined Oct 2002
Total Posts : 1137
| Posted 4/24/2003 10:26 AM (GMT -6) | | No, no, wait..."Michael, Row The Boat Ashore," I want to pick the song...
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fyodor
Registered Member
Date Joined Dec 2002
Total Posts : 179
| Posted 4/24/2003 7:36 PM (GMT -6) | | I've been off the boards for several weeks due to an increased workload, so I don't know much about what has gone on here, but it's clear that it takes courage to do something like this....
That's tearing down walls honorman. Amen. I feel like I know your heart more from this single post than from all the back and forth we've had in the last few months.
†††"To have a self, to be a self, is the greatest concession, an infinite concession, given to man, but it is also eternity's claim upon him." – S. Kierkegaard
Edited by - fyodor on 04/25/2003 12:38:35 AM | | Back to Top | | |
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GregBoyd
Registered Member
Date Joined Jul 2001
Total Posts : 1818
| Posted 5/1/2003 7:50 AM (GMT -6) | | Its important to strive for truth. But I honestly believe that God is a billion times more pleased with the lovingly humble spirit honorman exhibited in his apology than any truth -- or any volume of truth -- he or anyone else has ever uttered. For truth without love is "a clanging cymbal" (I Cor 13).
The point to be taken, I believe, is that if one can't say it in love, with the purpose of communicating love and furthering love, one simply shouldn't say it. And who among us isn't in process on this score?
Thanks for the example honorman.
Doc
"The responsibility is with the chooser -- God is blameless." Plato, Republic, 10. | | Back to Top | | |
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