Conversation with Knight about losing faith

[annabenedetti]

Does it bother you if even one person loses his faith because of your forum?

No.

Complete conversation contained in this post.


This attitude is astounding to me. Does it reflect your views as a Christian as well? If I could post a poll, I would. I'm interested in what other Christians have to say, and why.

It's an important topic to me, and your answers are important to me.


Also, for those who fixate on my "Other" designation: this thread isn't about what I believe, it's about what you believe.

 

[Granite]

Doesn't surprise me at all. Shouldn't really surprise anyone.

 

[ok doser]

This attitude is astounding to me.

yet knight explained it in a way that even a simpleton could understand

:think:

perhaps you should find a simpleton to explain it to you :idunno:

 

[Desert Reign]

I don't think Knight as the owner of the forum can be held responsible for everything that goes on within it. The very purpose of the forum is to give people an opportunity to speak their own minds openly and freely. It is not a church and he is not the pastor of the church.

I would only say that he and the moderators collectively are indeed responsible to ensure that content on the forum is not defamatory, abusive, racist, sexist, or inciteful of violence, etc. But beyond that each person who contributes is responsible for his own words.

I can appreciate that you are concerned when someone loses his or her faith, as I am sure most of us are, including Knight, but that can't be related specifically to the existence of the forum or his ownership of it. On the contrary, the existence of the forum is a good thing. Or at least, it has been up to now. And it has its ebbs and flows but if anyone no longer thinks it is a good thing then they are free to speak their mind. What will not work is if the purpose of the forum gets linked to pastoral care of its members. If there is to be any pastoral care, it must come from the members themselves, independent of the management.

 

[chrysostom]

knight is not responsible for anyone
it is your fault
if
you lose your faith
you can't blame anyone
knight has given us a chance to discuss our beliefs
and
for that we owe him our thanks

who will you blame
if
you lose your faith

 

[annabenedetti]

I can appreciate that you are concerned when someone loses his or her faith, as I am sure most of us are, including Knight

That's the point of this thread, Desert Reign. He clearly doesn't care.

but that can't be related specifically to the existence of the forum or his ownership of it.

I'm not relating it specifically to the existence of the forum or his ownership of it.

Leadership, yes.

Example, yes.

Christian witness on both an individual and a community level, yes.

On the contrary, the existence of the forum is a good thing. Or at least,it has been up to now. And it has its ebbs and flows but if anyone no longer thinks it is a good thing then they are free to speak their mind. What will not work is if the purpose of the forum gets linked to pastoral care of its members. If there is to be any pastoral care, it must come from the members themselves, independent of the management.

I'm asking the members.

Would it bother you if your actions or words were a factor in someone losing his faith?

If the actions or words of members of your faith community were a factor in someone losing his faith?

 

[Granite]

Anna, I see where you're coming from, but keep in mind: If someone's driven from the faith in part because of the behavior of other believers, that's often taken as a sign that the heretic was never "really" in the faith, and good riddance. A way of separating chaff from wheat, as it were. Never, ever expect hard-core believers to feel remorse or the least little bit of guilt for "outing" someone who was "faking" their faith; if anything, they take pride in it.

 

[ok doser]

... the existence of the forum is a good thing. Or at least, it has been up to now...

:noid:

Would it bother you if your actions or words were a factor in someone losing his faith?

if someone's faith is threatened by an anonymous stranger on the internet, it's not much of a faith at all, is it?


you're talking about faith in God, right?

faith in the salvation that comes from accepting Christ as your Savior?

 

[bybee]

yet knight explained it in a way that even a simpleton could understand

:think:

perhaps you should find a simpleton to explain it to you :idunno:

I'm going to stifle myself here....:shut:

 

[chrysostom]

Anna, I see where you're coming from, but keep in mind: If someone's driven from the faith in part because of the behavior of other believers, that's often taken as a sign that the heretic was never "really" in the faith, and good riddance. A way of separating chaff from wheat, as it were. Never, ever expect hard-core believers to feel remorse or the least little bit of guilt for "outing" someone who was "faking" their faith; if anything, they take pride in it.

I can also see where anna is coming from
she has already left the republican party
because
she didn't like some of the members
it was just an excuse

anna is a liberal
and
this thread proves it

 

[Totton Linnet]

That's the point of this thread, Desert Reign. He clearly doesn't care.



I'm not relating it specifically to the existence of the forum or his ownership of it.

Leadership, yes.

Example, yes.

Christian witness on both an individual and a community level, yes.



I'm asking the members.

Would it bother you if your actions or words were a factor in someone losing his faith?

*
What Knight means is that if somebody's faith is firmly in Jesus nobody can shake it...and I think if it can be shaken it needs to be shaken to encourage them onto firmer ground.

 

[annabenedetti]

Anna, I see where you're coming from, but keep in mind: If someone's driven from the faith in part because of the behavior of other believers, that's often taken as a sign that the heretic was never "really" in the faith, and good riddance. A way of separating chaff from wheat, as it were. Never, ever expect hard-core believers to feel remorse or the least little bit of guilt for "outing" someone who was "faking" their faith; if anything, they take pride in it.

Thank you, you've got most of it in a nutshell, I'm glad you can see where I'm coming from. It's discouraging.

And yes, and that's exactly what Knight said to someone else in the thread yesterday, that he believes in OSAS, so someone was either still a Christian or he never was.

 

[ok doser]

I'm going to stifle myself here....:shut:

maybe you can explain Knight's response to anna in the Ask Knight thread :idunno:

 

[patrick jane]

Anna, I see where you're coming from, but keep in mind: If someone's driven from the faith in part because of the behavior of other believers, that's often taken as a sign that the heretic was never "really" in the faith, and good riddance. A way of separating chaff from wheat, as it were. Never, ever expect hard-core believers to feel remorse or the least little bit of guilt for "outing" someone who was "faking" their faith; if anything, they take pride in it.

I wonder how somebody fakes their faith. And why would somebody do that. :think:

 

[ok doser]

Thank you, you've got most of it in a nutshell, I'm glad you can see where I'm coming from. It's discouraging.

And yes, and that's exactly what Knight said to someone else in the thread yesterday, that he believes in OSAS, so someone was either still a Christian or he never was.

anna - do you have faith that Christ will gather in all of His lost sheep, regardless of how butthurt they may have become on the internet?

 

[Granite]

Thank you, you've got most of it in a nutshell, I'm glad you can see where I'm coming from. It's discouraging.

And yes, and that's exactly what Knight said to someone else in the thread yesterday, that he believes in OSAS, so someone was either still a Christian or he never was.

It's also a convenient way of washing one's hands, not taking any responsibility for one's behavior, and essentially shrugging off the repercussions of your actions. A classic "tough, not my problem" sort of trump card. Essentially, a lot of Christians refuse to acknowledge the possibility their behavior's capable of leading anyone astray, or even damaging the faith of another. That's...potentially quite dangerous.

 

[annabenedetti]

*
What Knight means is that if somebody's faith is firmly in Jesus nobody can shake it...and I think if it can be shaken it needs to be shaken to encourage them onto firmer ground.

Knight doesn't care. Where are the Christians who care?

 

[Desert Reign]

I'm asking the members.

Would it bother you if your actions or words were a factor in someone losing his faith?

I would question if I was at fault but the mere fact of my words causing someone to lose their faith doesn't mean that I am to blame. When a person loses their faith it is usually associated with some external event, whether it is some accident or circumstance, some interaction with others or whatever. But that is just a truism - it has to be associated with something. It doesn't mean that that something is to blame.

 

[Caledvwlch]

I wonder how somebody fakes their faith. And why would somebody do that. :think:

That is an excellent question.

 

[annabenedetti]

It's also a convenient way of washing one's hands, not taking any responsibility for one's behavior, and essentially shrugging off the repercussions of your actions. A classic "tough, not my problem" sort of trump card. Essentially, a lot of Christians refuse to acknowledge the possibility their behavior's capable of leading anyone astray, or even damaging the faith of another. That's...potentially quite dangerous.

I'm seeing that play out right on this thread.