In Reply to: A Few A's posted by OT2 on January 31, 2006 at 12:42:29:
Of course I'd like to see Joel grow and prosper, but if he doesn't see himself as being in dire straits, who am I to offer a solution to a situation he doesn't acknowledge as a problem?
"I have observed that he (Joel) is in deep trouble..."
There are only two types of "deep trouble" that you or I or any U.S. citizen has the right to make an objective judgement about and then impose it on someone else: 1) Is Joel a danger to himself? No, not that I can tell. People who know him seem to think he's OK. 2) Is Joel a danger to others? No, not that I can tell. People who know him seem to think he's a harmless, sweet guy.
I realize you didn't raise the issue of danger to self and others in your original posts. I raised these issues all by myself. Strange as this may sound, you aren't the only reference point for ideas I may choose to bring up.
As far as my Christian "duty to warn" goes, ultimately Joel gets to live Joel's life as he sees fit and take responsibility for his choices. I do not believe I will answer to God because I failed to warn Joel about the pitfalls of delusional thinking. Why? Because Joel isn't interested in listening to what you or I or anyone else has to say on the subject of his "delusions". Secondly, Joel does not appear to pose a danger to himself or anyone else.
"Who are you to JUDGE what is some hokey stereotypical PC anti-Christian stereotypical attack on someone else, versus your own effort of the same nature as your accusation?"
I'm not sure I understand what you're trying to characterize as "hokey stereotypical PC anti-Christian", but the gist of it seems to be you feel critized by my questions and comments. One of the principles I live by is this: If you dish it out (as you did with Joel), you should be prepared to eat whatever it is you've cooked up.
You seem a bit thin-skinned, overly sensitive and defensive to be posting a critical analysis of someone else's behavior.
"I am free to care and discern, and communicate with those I care about."
Did I do or say anything that would limit your freedom of speech? I'm not a coordinator. I just asked some pointed questions and commented according to my light.
"Why would you assume I should not do my best to help, within what I sincerely believe?"
IMO, the time to do your best is when Joel asks for your help. In the mean time, Joel seems to have taken the position that he's not interested in receiving your godly, compassionate concern that he be delivered from his religious delusions. Maybe if you had put more focus on Joel's right to self determination and less on your own need to help him, you would have figured this out?
"Just what ARE the “principles [which] are more important than personalities” of which you speak?"
It's simple and goes like this: 'God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.'
"Are you assuming, without knowing me at all, that I have principles to which yours are necessarily superior, and, if so, why?"
You aren't nearly as important to me as you are to yourself, so whatever principles you live by never crossed my mind as a point of comparison. I just referenced the program language used by people with addiction & dependency issues because it seemed appropriate to the discussion.