Disqus - Latest Comments for alexgreen

Re: The deliberately misinformed, anti-theistic-evolutionist bully: A case study

alexgreen — Sat, 21 Nov 2015 17:03:32 -0000

Yeah, understood. Like I said, I didn't want it to come over as criticism. Probably having your wrestling and rationale written here is as good as anything.
God bless, keep up the good work.

Re: The deliberately misinformed, anti-theistic-evolutionist bully: A case study

alexgreen — Sat, 21 Nov 2015 06:35:07 -0000

Much as I immensely enjoyed your responses (I imagine mostly because I agree with you and secondarily because you put things across logically and without confusion or contradiction) I wonder if your early statement "I should probably just ignore that too..." might well have been the best conclusion to have stayed with.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy your blog and find it useful and stimulating.

However, I wonder if a) you did get a little too snarky and name-calling, b) this kind of protracted and extensive game of 'interpretational pong' is something that the christian community can do without. I don't think it helps the non-church people's view of the church.
Much as your subject of derision has damaging / misinformed ideas, to fan the flames is not going to improve, it will just solidify his position.

If you thought you might actually eventually change his mind by arguing with him, then go for it, but maybe keep it out of the public domain?

These kind of trolls will eventually burn themselves out or just look so completely ridiculous that they won't be taken seriously by anyone. Drawing attention to them and giving them traffic will only stoke it up.

I may be wrong, but I think that it would probably be more beneficial to all for you to concentrate on continuing to present your thoughts and ideas without the need to respond to people so entrenched in their incorrectness. Let them call you, let them say you 'cant respond', let them believe "their critiques have “completely destroyed” [your] position, hence, [your] lack of reply." What does that matter to you? They might leave you alone if you ignore them long enough.

Keep up the positive posts and bringing up the research that emerges and how it shines light on our understanding of scripture. That's what I like to read.

Thanks for your blog. Sorry, wasn't intending to criticise.

Re: Ten Things to Hate about Me

alexgreen — Fri, 01 Aug 2014 04:45:40 -0000

love your blog, keep it up :)

Re: When We Are The Enemy

alexgreen — Wed, 16 Jul 2014 07:19:31 -0000

Shaun, do you think there is a cultural difference that means the issue you just highlighted is more prevalent in the US than the UK? I haven't met many UK Christians that are in favour of any kind of violence or war on any grounds. Maybe its just the circles I mix with?

Re: Jeremy Hunt Ad in the paper today

alexgreen — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 10:03:10 -0000

Beautiful irony there :)

Re: 10 Christmas Shimmering Backgrounds

alexgreen — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 17:34:00 -0000

These are not backwards compatible with CS3!! Any chance you could re-save them for legacy versions (especially 6 and 7) Thanks

Re: Love Wins: Rob Bell and the New Calvinists

alexgreen — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 15:48:14 -0000

It was a parable - a metaphor, not a real thing that happened!

Re: A Devotion for Wall Street

alexgreen — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 11:08:51 -0000

Absolutely.
Jesus came to pronounce 'Jubilee' - Luke 4:18-19 - Quoting from Isaiah 61
"The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
   because he has anointed me
   to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
   and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor." http://tinyurl.com/6af67r8
The 'Year of the Lord's favor' is another way of saying Jubilee as described in Leviticus 25.
The world can't afford the American Dream, but we can all do with getting to grips with some redistribution.

Re: Any day now, I’ll be a dad for the first time. Then again, I’ve been one for years.

alexgreen — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 13:39:33 -0000

Scott.
Blog post Loooong overdue!
Grace & Peace, glad you're enjoying being a daddy.
Alex

Re: Jesus, Bombs, and Ice Cream

alexgreen — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 11:36:32 -0000

I love this Shane, thanks.

Reminds me of 2 Kings 6:8-23 (http://tinyurl.com/3mnkugb)

That's how God works - not fighting fire with fire, but showing Grace!

If only I lived in America so I could come!

Re: Love Comes First

alexgreen — Tue, 10 May 2011 04:03:31 -0000

@captainplanet You can still Love people, and lovingly describe your belief / position to them without ostracising or rejecting them.

It just takes a bit of practice.

It's ok to courteously disagree with someone or describe their behaviour as something you believe to be wrong or sinful, but being judgmental and unkind to them is not ok.

Look at how Jesus treats the prostitutes!

Look at how Jesus treats the prostitute that is the church - us. He takes her [us] home to be his bride and God says:

"Great, as long as she truly loves you."

If we are going to start excluding people based on their participation in inappropriate sexual activity, we need also to start excluding those people who are prideful, covetous, liars, cheats, purveyors of hatred and the divisive amongst many others.

Churches are going to get very empty.

I think, to me, it seems more loving to accept people and let the spirit of God work in them to change their hearts, then behaviour will follow, but lets face it none of us are any less 'sinners' than the other people who are participating in activities we believe to be sins.

If we are accepting God's grace for ourselves, we surely need to be cutting a bit more slack for others too.

But I might be wrong!

Re: Keeping A Good To-do List

alexgreen — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 06:23:27 -0000

I'm rubbish at this, never done it, probably why I'm so disorganised.

But this week I am taking myself in-hand, I'm getting a journal book that I can use for To-Do listing.

You never know, I might get enough done to create enough time to read that book "Getting things Done" that you sent to me!

Re: Video: Chrysler Creates a Common Enemy

alexgreen — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 06:20:55 -0000

I'm not so sure Adrian. I think that people are often unified by a generic 'they' - encouraged into a 'siege mentality' by believing that almost everyone else is a 'they'.

I don't know if it really transfers but have a look at some of the most successful moments from the history of Manchester United. Sir Alex managed to create this incredibly unified team that won things through talent but also sheer guts and determination to prove 'them' wrong and defeat the nay-sayers, off the back of a couple of refereeing decisions that went against them or some dodgy newspaper articles.

At no stage was there a named, identified 'enemy' it was just 'Us against the world'.

Maybe it works both ways? I don't know.

Re: Love Wins: My Interview with Rob Bell

alexgreen — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 12:52:05 -0000

Great interview, Rob comes through very gracious and gentle, I think I'd like to have dinner with him one day.

Re: What Does Rob Bell Really Say? (A Review of the Actual Book Itself)

alexgreen — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 14:19:44 -0000

"Nowhere is the Holy Spirit referred to as she"

I'm pretty sure that the word 'spirit' in Hebrew - ruach is feminine.
Would that do?

Re: What Would Jesus Cut? Who Would Jesus Bomb?

alexgreen — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 11:40:47 -0000

"Priority #1 introduce people to Christ.
Priority #2 help them with their felt needs"

Interestingly in our post-modern era, that won't wash witht a lot of people.

"People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care!" (I forget who)

Re: What Would Jesus Cut? Who Would Jesus Bomb?

alexgreen — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 11:37:12 -0000

"That they get saved and go to heaven" = Theological bunk, Hellenistic balderdash, just read Revelation..

Revelation 21:2
I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.

Re: What Would Jesus Cut? Who Would Jesus Bomb?

alexgreen — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 11:27:06 -0000

"I try to keep in mind what the Bible says about being unevenly yoked with nonbelievers."

Did you keep that in mind when taking your mortgage or tenancy agreement too? ;)

Re: ‘Farewell Rob Bell’ (Or, John Piper’s Inferno)

alexgreen — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 07:01:02 -0000

Yep, Grace isn't 'fair', God isn't 'fair' well... not to our measure of 'fairness'. Only to his own.

Worth remembering something J Vernon McGee Said
"This is God's universe and He does things His way. You may have a better way but you don't have a universe"

But then exactly what 'God's way' is seems to be under as much hot dispute as anything else!!

Re: ‘Farewell Rob Bell’ (Or, John Piper’s Inferno)

alexgreen — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 06:37:29 -0000

Please just outline to us how 'acting like Jesus' 'isn't the Gospel', I don't follow you.

Re: We Three Kings of Orient Are (Not in the Bible): An Epiphany Sermon

alexgreen — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 04:40:15 -0000

Funniest thing is... none of it happened in December, another conveniently ignored fact!

Re: Ford with Showcase Strategy

alexgreen — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 09:31:06 -0000

I found qype is quite a good way of doing this, it enables people to tell their stories as anonymously or publicly as they like and it makes them feel they are contributing.
I even wrapped my page in a subdomain to help people - http://review.alexgreen.co.uk/
It's basic but seemingly effective, people are already coming in having read reviews, then wanting to share their own.

Re: This Year’s Anti-X-Factor Campaign. Will It Work?

alexgreen — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 04:35:51 -0000

I totally see why this probably won't work though I sympathise with the sentiments behind it.
Last year was clear, and I believed if I bought the song (which I haven't actually listened to) it would probably make a difference.
This year as you say, there are too many different people trying to do the same thing and it's a copycat without the momentum of a lot of disgruntled people behind it.
Will I take part?
Not sure I care enough about it this year.

Re: The World Cup, BBC, and Corruption

alexgreen — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 15:37:30 -0000

Well said.
(from a bitter and twisted and reasonably disappointed Englishman)

Re: Charlie Hall The Rising: Giveaway

alexgreen — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 10:11:45 -0000

Crowder - it makes his face look about 3 feet long!!

Oops, tweeted without realising I've got it set for multiple accounts, sorry. Ignore the @mooseworks_ltd tweet.