Average Joey
Puritan Board Junior
Anybody want to share some favorites?
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Why is that?
I am just kind of surprised to get a negative response.Especially,considering nothing offensive was posted.Unless Air Supply offends
Okay in all serious I am sorry and if the mods want they can delete this thread.
The new man, however, is fighting a ferocious dying lion (for lack of a better analogy). It wants to bite, and it can hurt, but ultimately it will die. Killing it, though, is where I come in.
In some ways like a church, we have both a teaching goal and a fellowship goal. And it is just on the points of doctrine that we cannot afford to have the broadest latitude. Sometimes there is a fine line between asking questions on a certain topic, and actually advocating something that is alien to our ethos. There have been several persons who clearly did not want to absorb reformed doctrine on, say, baptism or papal authority but wanted a forum to air their opposite views and gain their own disciples. The internet's a big place. I'm sure they will find other spots to pontificate.
But where the Bible, and the various confessions maintain a silence, so too we allow a wide variety of opinion. We cannot, no one may bind the conscience of another man--whether on the subject of alcohol, tobacco, rock music, or driving convertibles. Only the Bible may do that. And we make our "house rules" confessional, which is to "say together" something. To have a standard (the Bible) and house-rules is to automatically admit up front that such declarations are going to leave some people outside, for now or for good. That is too bad, but it is the reality of a world of sin and of differences not necessarily of sin.
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I suppose we are viewed quite a bit, unbenownst to us. That is the nature of a public forum. And our conduct is constantly being judged. Just like it happens each and every day we wander about in our communities. And people make hasty judgments. They judge on the basis of past experience. They may be right, or way off base. Scripture tells us to "live at peace with all men" as far as lies within us. Beyond that, we cannot help if someone judges us.
If someone reads the many posts of administrators like webmaster, or Fred Greco, or posts of DTK, VH, or pastorway, and comes away thinking ill of them or this board that they run or are extremely active on, I say "shame on them" for a rush to judgment, or simply poor judgment. This board will always challenge people who come across it. For many it will be a place they cannot be at home in, for any one of a host of reasons. We will never be a mega-board, a grandma's lap where there's never anything hard or unpleasant. It will always be real here.
Honestly this thread kind of blows my mind. You don't just express concern or anything, you offer indicative statements about a person's spiritual life that you've never met. "You ARE dreaming if you think you are a Christian". Or when you reference his "wicked lifestyle." Or when you say the people you disagree with are dogs returned to their vomit.
And due to the way this thread has evolved, and how that relates to the general milieu and tenor of this board, this thread has now been semi-cast in the following way: Disagree with Jeremy, and you are supporting Eyes Wide Shut and various and sundry other Bacchanalian perversions, OR support the Puritans, and godliness, and sanctification.
That's purposefully hyperbolic, but I think its semi-accurate. Webmaster's approval of the thread probably helped in that regard (not evaluating that one way or the other, but that's how a higher up's approval usually functions). And I think its evident in the fact that anyone who replies to you now has to mention and make clear that they don't support Eyes Wide Shut.
But I still think you are operating out of a Frank Peretti view of Satanic influence. When you finally busted out your treasure trove of insight and hit us up with some knowledge as to "metal", you pretty much said that people who listen to metal are weird goombas who walk around in black shirts.
And as I've said before, I worry far more about "Satanic" influence in Jessica Simpson and other seemingly "vanilla" musicians than I do in metal. Even many cultural, unregenerate, American "Christians" aren't really going to be tempted to reject God and tattoo a pentagram on their forehead. Self-righteousness, materialism, and nicely packaged sensuality are much more dangerous and Trojan-horse like to most people.
But would you have similar rage against CMT, Honky Tonk, "let's get drunk and make out" songs?
I don't know your motives. I can guess. Unlike you, I don't offer indicative, ex cathedra statements as to people's spiritual state without having met them. Come to think, I don't do that even when I have met them.
But it seems as if you're just picking an easy target and making a name for yourself. I wonder if you would have the same reaction if you had found McMahon's or Bushey's movie selections unpalatable.
And I'm not impugning the moderators here (since I'd wager they are reading)... just making a point. We all know who the big wigs are, the professors and ministers. And they have that position on the board for a reason. I mean, I lend more credence to what they say as well. Then you have the via media, the people who are still highly credible, but not "their word is oak" level... and lastly, the minions, the hobbits, and simple folk.
I seriously doubt you would have levied such an accusation against the Elronds of the board.
But here's a hypothetical... I remember a year ago, Matt & Scott said they went to see the movie Constantine w/Keanu Reeves. Now, when I read that, I was like, "Ehhhh..."
Certainly no reaction that you are having. Its just something I wouldn't personally see. Weird Romish demon-killing and what not. I personally don't like movies that use demons as entertainment. However, I realize that some movies I like are just as tempting in other ways, and viral, and realized they might have different preferences, and chalked it up to "none of my business."
Now... would you have started a post like this against them? All of your John Knox-ness aside, I daresay not. And now that I've expressed that to you, are you now going to go on a crusade against them?
Andrew (V.H.) likes some Beatles and Pink Floyd songs. And we all know that Aleister Crowley was on the cover of Sgt. Peppers. And, of course, every teenage shroom-head has the obligatory Dark Side of the Moon poster on his wall.
I GUARANTEE you that if I had started a thread and said that Andrew was a dog who had returned to his vomit, and was dreaming if he was a Christian, and that the Beatles were influenced by Aleister Crowley, psychedelics, and Indian mysticism, and then capped it off with some prima donna "Choose ye this day whom ye will serve", I would have been roundly pimp-smacked by everyone on the board.
But since its someone who is not as well known, with an "easier" (Frank Peretti) target, then its "no biggie", and we need more threads like it, yadda yadda.
And just f.y.i., Andrew, I've never interacted with you, but I have an immense amount of respect for you. Just like my examples with the webmaster, I'm just making a point. Your reputation precedes you, and honestly, you were one of the small points of sanity for me when I first came to this board... as in, you reassured me someone could be Sabbatarian, E.P., and still have like... ya' know, a sense of humor.
The beat of metal is Satanic? I dunno. I get the same prideful, macho feelings from Ride of the Valkyries. And you do realize that there is oodles of metal that isn't "Satanic", at least in your Star Wars since, right? And *my* conscience isn't pricked, because I don't even like metal that much ! Go through my ipod and you'll find more Waylon Jennings and folk Irish music... but its the principle that irks me.
But anyway. I agree with Peter, that most movies are brain poison. I think Hollywood has done *inestimable* damage to society. I think explicitly blasphemous music of any kind should be avoided. But for the life of me I see your attitude as more of a danger than Chris's music.
I mean maybe I'm the only one. I know its not "cool" to say, since I'm obviously a libertine by disagreeing with you. But seriously. Some people on this board are certainly acting like Balaam's transportation.
What is there on YouTube that any of you have found that is truly edifying and in keeping with Phil. 4:8?