Tags
I should like to thank Jessica for her invitation, which I’ll not abuse by writing too often. She’s explained the background, and I have nowt to add, save that if you live by the sword, you’d be best advised not to whine when you die by the same.
My one regret is simple enough. The one sensible atheist there had been willing to enter into a discussion about God, and why the use of derogatory terms such as ‘sky fairy’ were neither clever nor helpful. One of the regulars there, ‘Lanfranc’, had posted a linked to Father Longenecker’s site here where he has a good account of what Christians mean. Lanfranc also gave a good account which supported that one.
The response was that while this was very interesting, it was way beyond what most Christians understood by God. I’m not inclined to dissent, but am to wonder why that should be. All answers to this are complex: part of it is poor communication; another is our desire to know what God knows. It did for Adam and Eve and it’ll do for us.
God is Infinite; we aren’t. Jessica and I have had this one out in a number of emails, and we agree – we can’t know Infinity; stands to reason. But we can know what God has revealed. That is why a good knowledge of Scripture matters; in there the Living God, the Triune God, has revealed what we need to know for salvation.
When all’s said and done, no Book has been subject to more criticism and study than our Bible. For me, as for many, the New Testament stands up to critical examination. That’s not why I believe in God, but it is why it reasonable of me to do so.
I am not going to disfigure Jessica’s blog or abuse her kindness by getting into polemic about churches. When I were younger I was a red-hot anti-Catholic – that was the way I was raised; and more’s the shame of it. Well, through a long life and knowing some good Christians from everywhere, I’ve long ago given up that game. It does no good to anyone, and I’d advise anyone still playing it to chuck it.
I was born into English nonconformity and shall die in it. It’s my tradition, and at my time of life, I’m not going elsewhere. I believe in the Nicene Creed, the Apostles’ Creed and that tradition is a rich source of help when it comes to understanding God’s revelation to us. I’ve little time for Bishops and the like, met a few who seemed men of God, met more who seemed middle managers working for the Corporation, so to say. But I’ve met many priests in all churches who more than made up for them.
‘Credo’ is ‘I believe’. I believe because God has come in the flesh to redeem my flesh. He has loved me, sinner as I am; I can do no less back.
GRSS
Thank you Geoffrey for that excellent article. Incidentally I’ve also been blocked from commenting on the Telegraph Blogs.
I was born into Anglicanism Despite much that isn’t to my liking at present, I shall remain an Anglican priest. Someone has to keep the flag of faith flying in the CoE. The Lord is using me where I am.
Indeed He is. How excellent to think that we have not lost touch. I was moved by your econium on that whereof we shall not speak; the response of the mollusc was typical.
I am sorry you have also been blocked, but we’re both used to the anfractuosities of those vested with a little authority, and I can’t say I’ll miss the mollusc. I would, however, have missed you.
As I said in that place, you are an excellent example of why your church will survive.
I know I speak for Jessica in hoping that you will make this place a regular port of call – you are a most welcome face here.
Geoffrey
Thank you Geoffrey. You’ve no idea how grateful I am to be in touch with you. This morning I was able to comment, but only briefly before breakfast. It was Lanfranc who suggested that I use Jessica’s website. Its so important for those of us who are believers to keep in touch with each other and through each other to God. Koinonia is vital even in cyberspace.
Indeed malcolm. It is good to be in touch here, and I hope we can remain so.
I second that. Ive always enjoyed brother malcolms company
I had not heard of you, Mr Sales, until Jessica mentioned Damian’s blog and the comments underneath. I am most glad to read that you have found a new home here.
One thing you say: “I was born into English nonconformity and I shall die in it.” But you never know where the Holy Spirit might lead you.
That is most certainly true. Thank you for your kind comment.
Welcome, sir. I get to meet a few of the people whose comments I’ve read, although I never managed to jump into that infected pool. It’s very good to see Jess collecting the good ones.
You’ll find that my background is the old Prussian Evangelical & Reformed which for me has changed into increasingly high church Lutheran, which I suspect I will remain, and, of course, that I’m American.
I like your article greatly and think you will be a very good addition here, which of course means I second Jessica’s judgement, which will surprise no one who frequents this site, we rarely disagree.
So, again, welcome.
Thank you for your welcome, friend. It is nice of the lass to provide a platform here. I look forward to further visits with you.
It is indeed, I suspect you soon be quite tired of me, this tends to be my second home on the internet. If not, you are quite welcome at my shop as well, where the girl is my co-author.
I did see that. This is all quite new to me, but you are right, the lass is a good one. I have promised I’ll not bother her too much. I shall pop over to see you.
You shall be quite welcome, although the tone is often not as genteel.
Well, as a Yorkshireman, I’ve no problem with that, friend.
I sort of figured that, I’m more of a history/politics/capitalism kind of place, right now I’m trying to talk more about education, which is bad over here.
As a retired schoolmaster, I can say it’s no better here. But that could be me looking back to the golden age – of course.
I’ve had that impression, mostly from Jess, what coverage we get of the UK is skimpy and bad, mostly BBC World Service.
I’m especially on a tear recently on the revisionist historians but, part of that is also my age probably.
Aye, we get no more optimistic the older we get, that’s for certain. I’m not a man of violence, but I’d make an exception for ‘educationalists’ – there the late Pol Pot’s methods might be excused.
Luckily for us the term, if not the mindset, hasn’t made its way over yet. We’re working on it but they’ve been screwing it up for a hundred years, badly in the last 50, so we’ll see.
And yes, you’ve found something good to say about Pol Pot
Aye, they say there’s something good to be said of everyone – not sure it’s true, but there we go.
So they do, I’m not sure either.
Hi Geoffrey, I’ve been able to get back on to the Telegraph website. I deleted all my cookies and history pages. (firefox) and then used a former name. navigator is my new one. How long it will last I don’t know because the mollusc has recognized that its me. Ah well we can but try.
Thank you Malcolm. I suspect not long. My own skill with these things is minimal, my daughter does these things for me, and I’ve not the heart to ask her to try to get me back somewhere they don’t want me. They’ve blocked Jessica too, she tells me.
Of course its not difficult to know who the culprits are. Several other Christians have been blocked.
Actually its easy to get back on. Go into Tools and delete all cookies and history. You can then register a new Disqus account. But use a different name – Jeffrey S perhaps ?
It is probably as you say Malcolm. But I really can’t be bothered with the place. I see phil has crept back, and no doubt I could – but it’d never be ‘Glad confident morning’ again. So I’ll abide in Jessica’s house for now.
They’ve blocked Jessica too, she tells me
Unbelievable !!!
Though this does strike me as evidence that pholas has somehow helped engineer these bans against various non-puppetmasters over these past few hours.
I banned the DT first. I went very rarely, and largely to watch Mr S take the opposition apart. It is no fun, and I am not going back. C tells me phil tried to post here twice yesterday, once as himself, the other time as his annoying lady persona who Mr S says moans a lot. If he’s reading this, don’t bother phil, you are not getting in here – Mr S says to tell him’Goodbye Earl’.
Well, I blocked them first, as I had already said I was going nowhere near the place again. I don’t think it does anyone any good, and those who want to abuse others there should get help.
Details of his real identity and his IP would be helpful, at this stage Jessica.
Chalcedon, who does the moderation, deleted the idiot, but tells me the IP is the one in the Twitter feed on the DT the other day. The name is the one he’s already given. My view is he’s a sick idiot and the less attention he’s paid, the better.
Well, I see you chaps have all said hello and are getting on well. So lovely to see you here again Malcolm. They’ve banned me on the DT, which was a bit late as I’d banned them
You are very welcome here any and at all times Fr Malcolm – so nice to see you
And thank you, Mr S for your contribution.
Nay lass, the thanks are on my side. I’m just glad I did nowt to wreck the place and that you approve. I’ll not abuse your hospitality, of that you can be sure.
Thank you Mr S. Nice to have you on board
x
Good to be here. I shall be away this evening, but will pick up any new comments on the morrow.
Thank you Jessica for your kind welcome.
It is lovely to see you here again. I love the beard – very distinguished indeed.
Its fine at this time of year, but come the spring I shall have to shave it off. It itches. Its really only designer stubble, but at least I still have a good head of hair – quite grey now.
Well, call me biased, but I think you look even more distinguished than usual. I am sorry the DT has been horrid – I have washed my hands of it. If you ever want to say anything here I would be happy to let you be an author as Mr S is.
xx
How very kind of you Jessica. I may well take you up on that. Many thanks.
I would be honoured and delighted if you did. It would be good to have another Anglican voice here.
xx
Hello everyone. Rabit has not been blocked in his present incarnation (Claque_Kent) but has chosen to abstain from the DT blog now and take an early Lent again! Good to see you here, Malcolm and Geoffrey. I think the recent insults to all the regulars on the DT blog from the dishonest journalist who runs the place deserve another mass walk out.
Jessica, your blog is most interesting. I have looked at it from time to time but find that I have less and less to say about matters theological. Exhausted by the nonsense on the DT blog, I find peace and God’s presence in just sitting down in the dust with His animals, watching my donkeys eat their straw and listening to the sound of the wind in the olive trees.
God bless,
Lapin
Goodness me, how nice to see you here again, Mr R. Very wise to abstain from that place. I banned it before it banned me!
Very wise, to, to find peace where you do. There is precious little to be had, and it should be cherished when found. You are always welcome here
xx
Sister Jess, i dont believe for one minute that you got banned from damiens site. What could you have possibly said or done? You are even nicer than brother malcolm, if thats possible. Must be a sign in error.
No, I fear it is true. Quite a few folk were banned at the same time. A shame, as Mr S had beaten up the atheists. I guess someone there was a sore loser.
So lovely to have you here Bosco, and I hope all goes well with you?
Thank you dear Jess. I hope the others , from that other place, share your joy of my residency here.
I think a lot of the hostility came from the attitude Brother. Had you spoken thus then, I think there could have been a better discussion. Mr Sales is a Baptist.
Sister jess, i give everyone a clean slate. Im not a mean person. I tried to be nice to everyone. But there were lots who were mean to me. At first, i tried to be patient.But, i learned to fight fire with fire. Im interested in peoples salvation. If i see them heading for a cliff, i warn them. Some dont want to be warned.
That can be where the trouble starts though, Bosco. If others feel equally strongly they are right, and if both sides use harsh language, it generates more heat than light. If that makes sense?
We get on better if we accept we are all sincere, including where we don’t agree, and then try to see what each of us is really saying. Very easy to assume we know what they really mean and to tell ‘em.
I know you are not mean, Bosco
xx
Good to see you here Lapin. Were we disaffected we could ask Jessica to rename this ‘Cave of Adullam’.
Yes, good to see you here brother lapin. Hows the teaching business treating you?
Ancient witch goddess arrived
And very welcome you are too. I asked Mr S to say to any of you he’s in touch with that if any of you want to use this forum for good discussions, I’m more than happy to host posts. the moderation system is controlled by Chalcedon, so it will be fair
xx
brother Chalcedon is the moderator? (gulp)
He is, but he is fair – if firm
Quite splendid to see you here, dear lady.
Nice to have you here, your Highness
Do feel free, as with others, to comment whenever you like – nice to have you and the others here 
The fact that im allowed in here is a testament to the grace of God and goodwill. jadis and lapin, what brings you two in here?
To bozo
I am here among those who seek after God with a sincere heart, because that is where I belong.
Which, dear lady, makes you most welcome – and will make Bosco so too – if he will treat others as he wishes himself to be treated.
Although I am voluntarily withdrawing from Damian’s blog, in protest at his blanket ban on so many good commenters, I have not been blocked myself. How very strange! It will be very bad for my reputation. I wish Damian would ban me before I lose all credibility as a Norty Rood Rabit.
I don’t know what’s wrong with the fellow, and frankly, with those with whom I wish to communicate still available elsewhere, I don’t care. He’s welcome to the crackling of thorns.
Hmnn…a civilized site is a candle in the darkness of a naughty world. As a corollary, any site rejecting the presence of such folk must be less than civilized itself. Thus, no loss results from exclusion, but that suffered at the site performing it as a defense against its own inadequacy.
It seems to me, one cannot venture out without seeing the presence of God. That Presence though, doesn’t empower me over the life decisions of others. And while I’m grateful for the influence of churches in society, the thought of any running things terrifies. Credo in unum Deum,, sed…
That chimes with my own view, His Kingdom is not of this world – and we have enough to do if we are to repent and follow Jesus.
Well brother Geoff, i disagree. If we repent and follow the Lamb, there is nothing for us to do.
We do indeed, my friend – if we follow the Lamb we must refrain from sinning – is that not so?
Just dropped in here. Interesting thread you’ve got going. You sound like an amicable group who’ve experienced some kind of alienation from someone’s blog is what I deduce. We whom God loves and also love Him back should find solace in being of the same sheepfold, should we not?
I, too am a retired educator and administrator and have a lot to say about the way education as a whole has gone the last few decades. I think every social institution has gone away from our Godly roots and that’s why everything’s in a sad and ‘not sorry’ state.
Glad to have talked with you all. I am once a Congregationist, Pentacostalist, Baptist, Roman Catholic, now an ‘unsigned member’ of United Church of Christ Church and a missionary there, working under cover as none other as simply a ‘Follower and Disciple of Christ’. Have I said too much? Shalom!
Mr Sales is away this afternoon, but will, I am sure, respond. Good to have you with us.
We are a mixed group, and Bosco, our newest contributor is, I think, a member of Calvary Chapel.
You’ve not said too much at all. We should spend more time doing Christ’s work and less arguing.
You are right, of course, but what do you mean by “doing Christ’s work?
I mean, in part, what St James tells us, and in part following the call to repentance and to preach the Gospel
The number of comments means quite a lot of interest, Good work. I look forward to the next.