tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28204903.comments2010-07-29T14:35:34.428-05:00Richard Dennis MIllernoreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28204903.post-83154188900616949892010-07-29T14:35:34.428-05:002010-07-29T14:35:34.428-05:00TestingRnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28204903.post-1154542058858232342006-08-02T13:07:00.000-05:002006-08-02T13:07:00.000-05:00Hey... just wandered over here from Out of Ur, wanted to let you know that I appreciate your thoughts, which appear to have more substance than much of what's being said over there. God bless.Barryhttp://www.tbcsikeston.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28204903.post-1153342003414882272006-07-19T15:46:00.000-05:002006-07-19T15:46:00.000-05:00How are things?<BR/><BR/>Haven’t seen much worth commenting on at OutofUr recently; thought I’d just touch base here with your recent post.<BR/><BR/>If my viewpoints weren’t those of a liberal Christian, I’d say the current events are heralding the end of the world... Man, what a mess. And I feel as an American that we are not doing what we should be doing – I’m not sure exactly what we should be doing, but I just don’t feel we’re taking the leadership role we need to take. As my faith has changed I’ve begun to see this present life as much more important than the afterlife, and whether or not I end up in someone’s view of heaven or hell. I guess at 45 I’m starting to feel a bit responsible to my three daughters for the world as we may leave it – and not just say, “Deal with it – I’ll see you in heaven.” This life either means something – and I mean more than a final exam for where eternity is spent – or it doesn’t. Jesus healed people to ease their suffering *here*. He brought Lazarus back to *this* life from the dead. Maybe we need to pay more attention now and let the end take care of itself. To “love our neighbor” has to apply here, no?<BR/><BR/>Thanks for listening.mike ruckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09921322553025339949noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28204903.post-1152810938548041742006-07-13T12:15:00.000-05:002006-07-13T12:15:00.000-05:00Dude, thanks for the comment and I hope you come back and view mine. I get a kick out of knowing someone besides I read this blog.<BR/><BR/>You are not the first person to call me arrogant. I have to laugh because if you saw me and knew me, you would realize how little there is about which I could possibly be arrogant. <BR/><BR/>The thing is you confuse arrogance and confidence. See my post on this very subject. The issue is not one of arrogance. The question is, "In WHAT am I confident?" It is not in myself.<BR/><BR/>I will not back down from defending God and His Word. I believe your real problem is with the truth which I defend. God's word makes people uncomfortable. Hence, we would rather reason with human wisdom in conversation than preach the Word. <BR/><BR/>As for Tony Jones, I had never heard of him before I read his article but I am not into putting people on pedestals anyway.<BR/><BR/>BlessingsRichard Dennis MIllerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05694751643127190101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28204903.post-1152805976464579182006-07-13T10:52:00.000-05:002006-07-13T10:52:00.000-05:00richard dennis miller,<BR/><BR/>Your language, which you have no issue with, belies your Christian graciousness, because you most certainly come accross arrogant ("Have you witnessed to anyone lately?", hello, it's Tony Jones, read other posts from people who have been influenced by him and youth from the youth group he has taught...as for the rest of us, I can answer 'yes' and also 'yes' to being in the Emergent Conversation) and holier than thou ("I have 2 jobs..." and still can do all this, "Do I work on my blog all day?", "OK, I went back and found your post...happy?"), so unless you are really a jerk, I'd say you have a problem with language, 'cause that's my impression of you from what you've wrote.<BR/><BR/>Speaking of language and it's usage, that's the longest run-on sentence I think I've ever seen (my bad!)... You may want to consider the way you come across, i.e. your use of the written language.Dennis Woodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04860011444167686975noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28204903.post-1150421555329780402006-06-15T20:32:00.000-05:002006-06-15T20:32:00.000-05:00I am truly flattered.Richard Dennis MIllerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05694751643127190101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28204903.post-1150408728040437082006-06-15T16:58:00.000-05:002006-06-15T16:58:00.000-05:00Richard, I always enjoy your comments on Out Of Ur... or is it Into Ur?... and am especially impressed with your dialogue with Mike Rucker on his blog. You say the things I think only better.Melodyhttp://azusapacificalumni.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28204903.post-1150403199539107982006-06-15T15:26:00.000-05:002006-06-15T15:26:00.000-05:00Richard, I just read your post on Out of Ur. I haven't responded there yet for the same reasons you mentioned. Political discussions can get nasty--especially when they involve religious fervor.<BR/><BR/>In my denomination (Southern Baptist), rather than defend Bush, a lot of people just get defensive.<BR/><BR/>I get very very nervous about mixing politics and church. I worry that the church let's itself be used for someone else's political power grab--whether republican or democrat. <BR/><BR/>But I would like to hear some good, reasoned, thoughtful defenses of the president, myself. <BR/><BR/>Lately, I've only read attacks. The New York Times claimed the 2004 election was rigged. Rolling Stone ran a feature article on Why Bush is the Worst President Ever. I know these are both liberal sources. In some ways, the Rolling Stone/New York Times attacks on Bush are a kind of attack on the people that endorse him--especially evangelicals. (A few issues ago, RS actually talked about dispensationalism in two separate articles!)<BR/><BR/>I get so tired of name calling on both sides. I get so tired of "news shows" that are full of yelling pundits.<BR/><BR/>Where are the good, thoughtful moderate sources for politics? Did they ever exist? Is bias just unavoidable? Does bias always have lead to arguments?Mark Goodyearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13515891157372544251noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28204903.post-1149302853950050282006-06-02T21:47:00.000-05:002006-06-02T21:47:00.000-05:00Richard:<BR/>Thanks for the feedback, this is a spirited debate indeed. It may hearten you to know that I am a youth minister in TX and I am very much interested in an authentic relationship with Jesus. I believe biblical Christianity is the best way for us to see the kingdom of God come to our broken world, but I also recognize that many good men and women differ in their understanding of what that should look like (and how we get there).<BR/><BR/>Allow me to raise a white flag, I really didin;t mean to be hostile before & I respect your vigor in this debate. (knowing you are a busy guy) would you be interested in an occasional email chat??<BR/><BR/>I would appreciate the discourse and I think you might be surprised at how much we actually have in common...<BR/><BR/>my email:<BR/>Thomistic@gmail.com<BR/><BR/>ThomThomas Moorenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28204903.post-1149132634643286612006-05-31T22:30:00.000-05:002006-05-31T22:30:00.000-05:00OK, dude, go back and find your comment. And mineRichard Dennis MIllerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05694751643127190101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28204903.post-1149132506432494702006-05-31T22:28:00.000-05:002006-05-31T22:28:00.000-05:00OK, I went back and found your comment and posted it. Happy? What do you think, that I spend my day at the computer working on my blog? I have two jobs, two kids and a wife.<BR/><BR/>Be that as it may, We are not all bewitched by language. That is your wishful thinking because your “conversation” is really nothing but a tool for avoidance of the things in God’s Word that make you uncomfortable.<BR/><BR/>The Bible is full of totalizing normative language. God is not tolerant of those who reject him. Don’t confuse my confidence in God and His Word with a personal lack of humility. I have made it very clear that I am not worthy of God’s mercy. <BR/><BR/>My path to salvation does not come from my unique experience/interpretation. <BR/>God has made clear there is one way. You may accept it or reject it but God could not have been any clearer about it.Richard Dennis MIllerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05694751643127190101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28204903.post-1149130046907363812006-05-31T21:47:00.000-05:002006-05-31T21:47:00.000-05:00Dennis,<BR/>I'm curious why you didn't post my comment or engage me in conversation. Why do you post on other people's blogs and not allow me to post on your own??<BR/>Did you not get my comment on your "diving in" entry?<BR/>Just curious.<BR/>ThomThomas Moorenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28204903.post-1148795534669175772006-05-28T00:52:00.000-05:002006-05-28T00:52:00.000-05:00Your example of being in a lifeboat with outstretched arms reaching out to people who are languidly drowning is not apt.<BR/><BR/>Drowning people are gasping, panicked, struggling for air. Only those overcome by exhaustion or hypothermia will quietly sink below the surface.<BR/><BR/>You should reconsider your metaphor in light of scripture. The lifeboat metaphor is popular. The problem is that it is not scriptural.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28204903.post-1148781657564894602006-05-27T21:00:00.000-05:002006-05-27T21:00:00.000-05:00I really like this one, I am going to have to start using it.John R. Yarbroughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07737629335597633291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28204903.post-1148781595748449642006-05-27T20:59:00.000-05:002006-05-27T20:59:00.000-05:00i really like this oneJohn R. Yarbroughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07737629335597633291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28204903.post-1148738797888433712006-05-27T09:06:00.000-05:002006-05-27T09:06:00.000-05:00Dennis<BR/>I found your blog from Tony Jones "is the emergent conversation the new Christian left?"<BR/><BR/><BR/>observations:<BR/><BR/>The Emergent "conversation" (an endeavor you seem disinterested in) is largely a response to the rampant and pervasive arrogance in Christian "Scholarship" (conservative and liberal). <BR/><BR/>It is a way to try and wrangle with the complexities of subjects like Hemrenuetics and Epistemology and Metaphysics...<BR/>By the vitriole and sarcasm in your writing I can only guess how you feel about the broader disciplines in academia, however, it is my opinion that if there is a God is heaven worthy to be praised, that God will not only be tolerant, but encourging of our using the minds God gave us to seek ofter him.<BR/><BR/>The fact that you think that "sharing Christ" can be done through language shows a great trust in Language's ability to articulate truth. If you cannot honestly engage a debate on the tenuous truth preserving nature of language, you do not belong in the emergent conversation, you will not be satisfied, nor will you persuade anyone of your positions. Language is the thing that we are all bewitched by, we must use it, and we cannot avoid it. It is both beautiful accurate and innaccurate, and it's all that we have.<BR/><BR/><BR/>I am happy for you that you feel so strongly that you are depraved and that your path to salvation comes from your unique experience/interpretation of Christ. (Jesus is your lifeboat) <BR/><BR/>But as soom as you use totalizing normative language, judging others who have not experienced God the same way as you, you not only remove yourself form the "conversation", but you also further catalyze the genuine DESIRE to have an authentic conversation about God, which we see vis-a-vis the emergent village...<BR/><BR/>(btw- having a DESIRE to have an authentic conversation about GOD is not the same thing as having it, most emergent folks I respect recognise the contingency of our estate, and temper their language acordingly) <BR/>I would encourage you to consider the humility of your beliefs...<BR/><BR/>thomThomas Moorenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28204903.post-1148700852801146372006-05-26T22:34:00.000-05:002006-05-26T22:34:00.000-05:00great blog, bro. I wandered in here from Tony Jones' Out of Ur...<BR/><BR/>Satan *is* a democrat.tom cottarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983553142380384883noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28204903.post-1148516507569627622006-05-24T19:21:00.000-05:002006-05-24T19:21:00.000-05:00good post. <BR/><BR/>i guess i hear wallis et al crying more against the neo-con Jesus - you know the one - he's worshipped in most megachurches today: pro-tax cuts, pro-life, pro-gun, pro-Iraq war, pro-America, pro-401k, pro-Wall Street, etc. we seem to have remade the trinity as something like god-america-capitalism, when Jesus and even the law had a large component of grace (ie, no interest, erase all debts every fifty years, etc). i read something yesterday in the latest issue of christianity today about a hitchhiker who had a homeless guy offer him the lunch he'd gotten from a shelter, since he didn't think the traveller had enough to go on. the widow's mite, 2006.<BR/><BR/>i applaud you for following the "make disciples" path - i think we overlook this in our tunnel-vision view of getting people "saved". ask yourself which came first: Jesus discipling peter? or peter confessing "thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God"? kind of sheds some knew light on our approaches.<BR/><BR/>it's like in AA - recovery groups have a standard tag line that says, "we are a program of attraction rather than promotion" - ie, the people of the world are drawn to Christ through what they see his people doing more than what they hear them saying. - mike ruckermike ruckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09921322553025339949noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28204903.post-1148421664210954062006-05-23T17:01:00.000-05:002006-05-23T17:01:00.000-05:00test commentAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com