I don’t know if I have a masochistic streak or something, but I genuinely do try to reach out to the ‘liberal’ camp – we may fundamentally disagree on much, but I think it’s important to keep some lines of communication open. I’ve met some pretty decent people that way.
Today, I thought perhaps there may have been just a small moment where I was able to ‘connect’ with some. Just for a moment. I was wrong. We are little more than domestic abusers, apparently. Here, have the 2006 award for ridiculous hyperbole.
I would be honoured to have the laws used against me to punish me and to help those others ‘suffering’ under this ‘abuse’. The last thing I would want is for people to be ‘complicit in their own abuse’ – that would never do.
I don’t know, I really don’t understand it. Some wonder why I see a divorce inevitable?
Lord, have mercy on us, foolish sinners all.
(With all apologies for the rant – I’ll post something more substantial soon.)
UPDATE: But then it all twists around again with a great post on grace. I don’t really know what to make of it. A curates egg, perhaps….
Anyway, that got me thinking a bit more, and it seems to me that grace makes it all the more imperative that we preach Christ as the Way, the Truth and the Life. Preaching Christ as a way, amongst various valid ways is to deny the very efficacy of grace. It’s either grace through His blood, or mere wish-fulfillment on our part.
The way I understand it is that until He is in us, and we in Him, to the point that we can say ‘I am not my own, I have been bought with a price’, then justice and grace are not reconciled. But when we really are at that point then grace fulfils justice. Or to put it another way grace both fulfils and breaks the curse of karma, just as the witches deep magic was fulfilled and broken by Aslans deeper magic.
Well, anyway, that’s just my best understanding. You will probably be pleased to know that my brief foray into atonement theology will now cease. 🙂
The Age To Come 
Katie’s comment was definitely hyperbole but so are many of the articles on David Virtue’s site.
Hopefully as people with a mature faith and understanding of human nature – we can avoid labelling entire segments based on what those on the fringes say.
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Part of this is, as you suspect (or know), that there is in some circles such a fundamental difference in Christian worldviews that dialogue/discussion/ exists on the surface for a few moments, and then becomes lost.
I too pray.
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I agree Dallas_Anglican; put my post down to late night irritation if you like.
I wonder where is there any ground to share when people say they agree with that kind of ridicuous ‘analysis’? However, it was a bit encouraging to see some of Jakes regulars dissenting.
Joseph – yes I know 😦 – though there have still been some where a measure of agreement can be reached. Oh, and I see you are at UoA – welcome 🙂
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I agree with you, Peter. I didn’t know what else to say (saw the comment made about BabyBlue in that comment thread as well) so just did this instead: http://babybluecafe.blogspot.com/2006/10/oh-violins-violins.html
I do try to continue to “listen” (I do read their blogs), but I just have come to a place where it is clear that The Episcopal Church has turned into a different religion then the rest of the Anglican Communion. See Rio Grande’s Convocation address posted today. Once again, we return to Solzhenitsyn.
Hey, thanks for your post as well. God bless you.
bb
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I read your “dialogue” withj Elizabeth Kaeton who steadfastly maintains that vitriol, slander and malice are all the product of conservatives. On Mark Harri’s web site (Praeludiium) and in reply to an article by a Nigerian cleric lauding the work of Peter Akinola, she wrote: “I’m willing to bet the beloved bell tower on my church that this was written by a faithful, pious, devout evangelical Nigerian Anglican who has read way too many Victorian novels – and desperately needs the job for which a recommendation written by (and 50 quid in the palm of) +PJA will be secured.” If that is not slander to say that for 50 quid, Peter Akinola will suppy sycophants with job recommendations, I don’t know what is. I used to engage her but now try to avoid it. I recommed you follow suit– it saves indigestion and the build up of ungodly anger.
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BabyBlue – I noticed those violins and assumed they meant that..perhaps a wee bit esoteric unless you had read the violin comment though 🙂
Oh, and also with you!
DaveG – At least the merciless ‘victorian lady novilist’ jibe from Dr.Mabusu must have stuck somewhere in her conciousness……
I don’t know – I’m not quite ready to give up yet. It’s good to keep the lines of communication open, if for no other reason that to impress upon our ‘worthy opponents’ that we are not all that their caracatures make us out to be. That probably cuts both ways in some cases as well.
Anyway, I’m mellower today.
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