Post by jonmoseley on Oct 17, 2006 16:16:32 GMT
This Board is at its best when it points out the serious problems in governance at Every Nation, and the need to procedurally improve, and the attitude of elitism and superiority of leaders.
It is not especially good when these issues are personalized narrowly to Every Nation as if EN is the only church that suffers from such problems. The wrong ideas need to be confronted as general themes, applicable to thousands of churches, not used as a club against only one church among many.
Some on this Board are at their worst, however, when they try to win THEOLOGICAL ARGUMENTS by attacking and trying to discredit those who hold differing theological views.
It is one thing to say that the governance of EN is bad, has been rude, inconsiderate, insensitive and even sometimes harmful to people.
It is a completely different story to say "I don't believe in the Kingdom Now theology. EN does. Therefore EN is a cult."
On FactNet (more accurately called FraudNet) a definition of cult throws a bone at the idea that it is wrong to carelessly label anyone we don't agree with as a cult.
Yet that is exactly what some (very vocally) are doing. (I say some although their voices seem to dominate.)
Paying lip service to the fact that the word "cult" should not be over-used does not excuse those who are guilty, guilty, guilty of a slimey, under-handed, deceitful, and disgusting practice of trying to win theological debates by attacking and discrediting those they disagree with.
Edward Dalcour, for example, in posts linked from FRAUDNET, tries to portray Every Nation -- ridiculously -- as culitish and wrong.
The scandal that Dalcour names? EN believes -- as do millions of other Christians -- in the "Kingdom Now" theology.
An honest person would simply open up the Bible and say "Hey, you know that thing you were saying about the Kingdom Now theology? Could we talk about that? I am not convinced that is correct. Come, let us reason together and discuss it."
A dishonest person like Dalcour TRIES TO MAKE IT A SCANDAL that someone does not agree with him (Dalcour).
HOW DARE ANYONE disagree with Dalcour?
In other words....
Is Dalcour PRACTICING THE SAME MIND CONTROL AND ELITISM THAT YOU ALL REJECT IN EVERY NATION?
Dalcour has the ego to think that anyone with a different view of the Bible from him must be a cult, and that it is a scandal that they differ from his views.
Dalcour DECEITFULLY portrays theological differences as a scandal concerning only one church.
We all know that there are hundreds if not thousands of unrelated churches, all independent of one another, who disagree with Dalcour's views.
So why does Dalcour attack Every Nation as somehow being illegitimate?
He attempts to engage in fraud in trying to BEAT people into agreeing with him.
Rather than opening up the Bible and saying "Hey, let's have a talk about that... I don't see where you are coming up with your conclusions. Would you show me? Would you mind me showing you what I see in the scriptures as well? Let us seek God together."
.... too many in this debate are trying to BULLY and INTIMIDATE those who have differing theological views.
Is this not exactly what you criticize about EN?
Might the words of Jesus Christ ring in our ears, in which Jesus said to FIRST take the plank out of our own eye before we offer to take the speck of dust out of our neighbor's eye?
Dalcour posts a list of notes from attending some events and sermons of Every Nation.
He does not identify what parts of those notes he claims are right or wrong. This is deceitful, because he portrays all of it as heresy, but EVADES responsibility for making a cogent argument and identifying specific concerns. This makes it almost impossible to either analyze or undrerstand, much less respond to, such a blanket attack.
By not identifying the errors he wants to STAND UP AND BE COUNTED ON, he lurks in the shadows, evading accountability for the stones he hurls.
HOWEVER, I SEE NOTHING IN THOSE NOTES THAT ARE WRONG.
Dalcour doesn't believe that a Christian can be demon possesed or demon oppressed.
DALCOUR IS WRONG.
But simply because he has one view, he argues that everyone who disagrees with him is a cult and a heretic.
What next, Dalcour? Shall we burn Leo Lawson at the stake?
WHO exactly is it who is engaging in mind control? Every Nation? Or those who seek to win theological debates through dishonst tactics by attacking and trying to discredit anyone holding contrary views?
Those unwilling to debate their theological views out in the open, honestly, without attacking people holding different views NEED TO REPENT and seek the forgiveness of God and their brothers and sisters in Christ.