Isn't It Bad to be Two Sided?

Anonymous posted:

Wow are you kind of one-sided politically for a preacher? You seem to degrade some actors for their beliefs. Do we not have the right to free speech no matter what we believe is right? Do you really feel this is how a preacher should act? If George Clooney attended your chuch would you treat him differently? Do you think he has less a chance to get into heaven since he doesn't believe what you believe? That post is a joke.

I responded:

[I'll post what you said so that everyone can see it. I'm cool with that.]

Thanks for commenting. YOU'RE BANNED FROM MY BLOG!!! Just kidding.

I hardly "degraded" Clooney. I (indirectly, by way of a funny cartoon) called him a moron. He's a big boy, he can take it. He's a great actor (I loved Oh Brother Where Art Thou) but he keeps displaying his ignorance when he comments on politics – to the point of hurting our troops. If you don't believe me ask them, I have. The far left is over represented in Hollywood and has been for 50 years or more. It's nothing new. But that doesn't mean we have to like it.

But what gets me is how you seem awfully intolerant of my right to express myself. Don't I have free speech too?

But that's just it, I don't think you do feel I have the right to speak on this because I'm a preacher. Preachers should be non-threatening, white-haired, permissive grandfather-types. You know , kind of like God – all love, no teeth.

That's where we really disagree. I believe that my job is to comfort the afflicted and to afflict the comfortable. If I don't get under your skin or step on your toes at least a little… I'm not doing my job.

Now go ahead, ask me why!

In other words, "anonymous" is confusing love with approval. I had an encounter this evening that illustrates that point. A man I know wanted something that I knew was not good for him. He was insisting but I stood firmly in the way. I could have let it go, but it would have certainly hurt him and others in the near term. So I earnestly disagreed with him, because I do care for him. Apathy would have led to silence. I loved him and the other people involved too much to NOT disagree.

A Basic Rule of Life: Not everyone who tolerates you loves you.

Corollary to the Rule above: Toleration is not a prerequisite for love.

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I have about ten more points I'd like to make here; this is a great line of discussion! But it's late so we'll continue later.

Feel free to comment!