tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3874123597623259718.post7591903198810169984..comments2024-03-17T16:21:14.907-05:00Comments on Stop Baptist Predators: We bear witnessChrista Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04560409585720043015noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3874123597623259718.post-68448736576174769782008-03-27T05:01:00.000-05:002008-03-27T05:01:00.000-05:00Thank you for your kind words, Christa, and others...Thank you for your kind words, Christa, and others.<BR/><BR/>In any war, we have to decide what the objectives are, and we also have to understand our terrain. <BR/><BR/>We want to fight on terrain that favors us. We do not want to fight on terrain that favors the other side. Sun Tzu tells us to avoid camping in the quagmire, but to do everything we can to prompt the enemy to sleep in the quagmire.<BR/><BR/>For example, in both Vietnam 30 years ago, and in Iraq today, the local fighters knew they could not meet the USA successfully in the air or at sea or even in open, conventional, Western combat. The militarily weaker side had to resort on guerrilla warfare. Their greatest strength was their detailed knowledge of the landscape. In addition, they could blend in with a population that included enemies, allies, and the indifferent. The US forces found themselves at a disadvantage when the war was fought on those terms.<BR/><BR/>When I remind Christa that Christ never sought out the High Priest, I am correct, but it is true that He responded to Pharisees like Nicodemus or those who invited Him to dine. But remember, they came to Him.<BR/><BR/>But I am speaking in terms of terrain: waging your war on ground that is hospitable to you.<BR/><BR/>With little money, little prestige, and a tiny infrastructure, Christa's best hope (and mine as well, as I tackle the same abuses in Independent Baptist churches) is to appeal to the "common decency" of mainstream people. Outing the truth, posting facts, and building a porous, large group of sympathetic readers is more effective than trying to persuade corrupt SBC leaders based on facts and reasoning alone. <BR/><BR/>I'm not saying she should never address SBC leaders with facts and good reasoning, but her/my/our war cannot be based on this and be successful. If we look at the model of Christ, we see that His method was also based on bringing comfort and truth to the people who had been harmed by the corrupt religious system of His day. In doing this, He brought the Pharisees to Him, which pulled them onto His terrain.<BR/><BR/>I am not certain that we will ever change corrupt religious leadership, as a group. But I am convinced that we can assist, comfort, and help rebuild those who have been harmed. And I do believe that God, in His time, will destroy the corrupt religious leadership, as He did in 70 AD.Jerihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14234147722462126392noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3874123597623259718.post-75024725123201804052008-03-26T22:29:00.000-05:002008-03-26T22:29:00.000-05:00In 1845 the Southern Baptist leaders thought that ...In 1845 the Southern Baptist leaders thought that they could do nothing in response to the Northern churches cry of the slave abuse in the South and thought that keeping a mission focus was more important. By not heeding to this issue and splitting off to develop a mission focus convention it did not take care of the issue and eventually the nation split as well. They need to take it seriously Crista. Keep at it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3874123597623259718.post-43993775937515952332008-03-26T21:41:00.000-05:002008-03-26T21:41:00.000-05:00The Great Rabbi did in fact try to reason to the P...The Great Rabbi did in fact try to reason to the Pharisee's and urge repentence. Nicodemus was such as one. Don't give up trying to do this. The previous blog entry is right. Their fruits will reveal themselves in time.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3874123597623259718.post-56745903826932953372008-03-26T21:34:00.000-05:002008-03-26T21:34:00.000-05:00God's true fruit will validate your position even ...God's true fruit will validate your position even others try to confuse you in using Scripture. For example, God hears need no male's prayers that dismisses the vulnerable (I Peter 3:7; James 1:27). You can be sure of this.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3874123597623259718.post-1245470684019243212008-03-26T16:44:00.000-05:002008-03-26T16:44:00.000-05:00Thanks for the refreshment Jerri!!!! One day at a ...Thanks for the refreshment Jerri!!!!<BR/> One day at a time...as we are able.<BR/> John Doe,<BR/> I hope this encourages you...if not now...when you are ready. Sometimes we all need to rest. <BR/><BR/>Christa the Relentless!! We still...never surrender!!!gmommyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11713588262748876624noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3874123597623259718.post-58819625201693421522008-03-26T15:23:00.000-05:002008-03-26T15:23:00.000-05:00Christa,Jeri is very wise. I love her words; I wo...Christa,<BR/>Jeri is very wise. I love her words; I would love to know her story -- who she is and what she has experienced. She very much speaks the truth and is firm in her belief, but I do not sense a hardened heart. I cannot believe she is Southern Baptist, but I suppose she could be. Her words are heart-warming (at times) and thought-provoking (all the time). I sense that she has an up close and personal relationship with the God of the universe -- she knows Him in a way that I would like to know Him. She also does not allow the pious, religious, self-righteous SBC Pharisees to keep her from her God.<BR/><BR/>Christa, you obviously have been touched by her words. I think she shows you, all of us, that there is hope and we can find peace -- but we first have to lay some things down. I guess those THINGS are different for each of us and we cannot lay them down until we are emotionally, spiritually, and physically ready to do that. But there is hope, and I think too often we have felt as if there was none.<BR/><BR/>Take care.<BR/>PGAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com