TEs:Do other Christians make you feel unwanted?

[Willtor]

I don't really face a problem of feeling unwanted. Honestly the whole Bible Hammer approach sounds more and more like empty rhetoric every time I hear it. As a Christian however, what worries me is that this attitude prevents me from engaging constructively with other Christians in other areas of Bible interpretation.

The whole "TEs believe less of the Bible" cliche means that I am perceived as believing the documentary hypothesis, doubting the accuracy and veracity of the Gospel, etc. etc. I'm not personally offended by this (though I often get worked up because it's not true) but this hinders me when I try to make statements about what the Bible means to me. I remember a thread where I posted that I had nothing against the historicity of the Gospels and I loved to make a point of it in Bible classes, and mark responded with a classic eat-this-skeptic! quote from William Ramsay (sp?) about Luke being a first class historian.

I don't care so much about being excluded, but how do I edify someone who wants to exclude me? How do I become an instrument of God's love in the life of someone who considers me a second-rank Christian? These are some of the questions I struggle with when I see Bible Hammers.

But to be fair, I don't really see this happening in real life. Origins theology isn't my bread-and-butter except on ChristianForums but if (God willing) I become a scientist it may very well become my bread-and-butter and then I will really have to struggle.

I really identify with this. I've never seen responses (such as the one in the OP) as particularly unwelcoming. I've always seen them as invitations to debate. That I might be unwelcome never occurred to me.

I think the only time I really take it personally is when somebody challenges my integrity. It's really difficult for me to shrug that off. A person can tell me, "well, I believe the Bible," (implying that I don't) all day and it won't faze me in that way (it'll probably get me frustrated, but not much more than that). But when I leave the computer, it's gone. Contrast that with someone who says something like, "well, I don't argue just to hear myself talk," (implying that I do) it really tears me up. I don't mind my views being challenged, but it really gets me when someone challenges my intentions. It's something I've got to work on, but as to mischaracterizations of views, I've never felt unwelcome. I can always post my actual views and be vindicated. It's impossible for me to "post" my intentions.

 

[relspace]

I actually find it amusing to be treated like an atheist by YEC in one conversation only to be treated like a delusional brainwashed fanatic by the atheists in another conversation. The contrast just goes to prove how blind such extremists are. It seems to demonstrate that they are incapable of graspiing complex questions and answers, and must cling simplistic points of view.

 

[Pats]

It doesn't really bother me so much how I am treated over the net as in person.

My family and most of the Christians I know would view my even just buying secular books on evolution to learn more about it, as I have, as me going in a "bad direction."

Over the net, some people will become my friends and others will only want to debate. I wonder if we had a cool down thread here in the OT if more Creats and TEs could get to know eachother beyond the debate? If that would be of interest? Help us see eachother's other side, as CC suggested?


Some times, I can see that I don't like their attitudes in debating, but most posts I evaluate for what they say more than take personally.