Mariska from South Africa:
I came across your website yesterday and found some interesting reads. I agree with most of it but what bothered me was how you interact with people who don't agree with your view - I read the skeptic mail. You don't speak to them out of love.
Then provide your evidence. Saying the letters are "bothering you," is not evidence for your claim. Many people are bothered by the truth. If you want to make an accusation against someone, don't just throw out your personal opinion and expect it to be accepted.
Neither can they prove the things whereof they now accuse me.
-Acts 24:13I spend a lot of time to back up what I'm saying with quotations and Scripture, and if you read our materials, then you know this. I do this because I care about people like you. So perhaps, instead of being lazy, spending 30 seconds or less writing down your feelings an email (which is what you did if you'll be honest), if you truly cared about me, you should spend the time to do what's right and back up your claims with proof.
I believe that if you approached some of the emails differently, you would have maybe changed someone's mind and heart about Christianity. I feel that you rebuke people (which is right) but you do it without compassion and love.
Notice that you started your sentences with "I believe" and "I feel." I'll be frank with you as well: I don't care what "you believe" and what "you feel." I care about the truth. However, that being said, I'll tell you what: I'm willing to read the last conversation you had with a skeptic. Obviously, since you talk about love and compassion, there's no way you would ever write me an email like this when you don't actually talk with anyone, so I'm sure you have plenty of these types of conversations with people on a regular basis. Send me the email exchange you last had with a scoffer (like an atheist or someone that hates what you when you told them the truth of God's Word), and then show me a better example; I'll take a look at it.
Do not provoke people and call them names.
Now you've accused me of name-calling them, so provide your evidence. Show me specifically where I called them a "name," AND show me where the accusation of what I was saying to them was untrue. Also, it's important to note that the Lord Jesus Christ called wicked men vipers, hypocrites, and white sepulchers, so if you're going to be consistent with your accusations, you need to accuse Christ of not speaking to them out of love.
O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
-Mat 12:34
Rather deal with the questions and others' opinions with respect and answer them out of love with the hope that they will change their hearts.
Provide your evidence that I did not do that. Again, you're just giving me opinions and feelings, but not demonstrating your points. I would presume, if you actually had any love and compassion for me, in hopes that I would change my heart, that you would address this matter thoroughly, taking the time with it to provide specific quotations and Scripture, and then providing your own personal conversations with skeptics to help me understand.
However, I get letters like this all the time, without any Scripture whatsoever because the person writing me typically doesn't know the Bible very well. I'll help you out with that and give you a verse that you may have wanted to use to back up your claim:
And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;
-2Ti 2:24-25You might be thinking, "Yeah, that's a really great verse to prove my point." But you may not have any understanding of the chapter itself, and the verses that come before that:
Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting [ripping out the foundations] of the hearers. Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. And their word will eat as doth a canker [disease]: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus; Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.
-2Ti 2:16-18
But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes.
-2Ti 2:23So here's how I'll handle this: Since you didn't ask me any question, but rather, leaped into accusations based on your personal feelings without proof, then I'll wait for your response. If your response is more of the same, then I'll consider it to be vain babblings, and address it according to that. That's both fair and Biblical. Have a great day.
Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.
-Proverbs 26:4
[She never responded. I guess she isn't as loving as she claims.]
