(Note: This is not an indictment of the commenter that I reference here. Several folks here and on similar and dissimilar blogs — myself included — have been guilty of the same thing. This is an “if the shoe fits” observation.)
Earlier today, Jerry put up the first part of a multi-part post reviewing Rob Bell’s latest book, Jesus Wants to Save Christians. Being the lightning rod that Bell is ’round these here parts, I fully expected the comment thread to degenerate quickly, and I wasn’t let down.
The third comment expressed disappointment that supposedly (according to the commenter) “those who have not read the book do not qualify for this thread”. Jerry wrote over 1400 words, none of which (apparently) provided any ammunition for Bell to be crapped on.
So according to this commenter, Jerry just wasted his breath, because no ammo means no point in having a discussion.
God help us.
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48 Comments(+Add)
I try to save the dramatic “God Help Us” finale for things like:
1. Ships that have hit an iceberg and are sinking.
2. Zombie attacks, particularly when the outlook is bad and the camera is fading to black.
3. Thinks in life that actually matter in which we need God’s help.
I try not to waste the dramatic punch offered up by “God Help Us” on things like book reviews.
Just a little personal FYI.
Nearly 200 comments and none really dealt with the the original post nor the book in question.
We allowed a commenter to distract us on a meaningless rabbit trail – accusations we have proved false in the past.
I was a contributor to this since I engaged the commenter.
My apologies Jerry.
Julie,
I think the “God help us” was appropriate in the sense that Jerry offered up a critique on the words and thoughts of a brother in Christ… as we started to argue an irrelevant tangent – again.
So maybe it was dramatic, but not wasted.
In great irony, I didn’t read the post in question.
WHERE DOES THAT LEAVE ME?!?!?!?!
It’s actually a pretty good post.
Nice to see you’re still addicted Julie. Wish you’d comment more.
Neil
For the record, I’ll never read the Rob Bell book being discussed.
My motives are probably the purest here: I have problems with the cover.
Ugly.
Unfortunately, authors usually have nothing to do with the cover… I’m not sure what the meaning is suppose to represent.
Gee, you’d think Julie was an artist or something.
Yeah, Julie, it may be dramatic, but if this is what passes for Christian dialogue these days, I think we need some divine intervention.
Julie…
Buy a pretty book cover or get a paper bag or some other paper and design a cover to your satisfaction…
I guess I will go out and get the dang book…
I do have a gift card… but Bible book stores sort of creep me out…
iggy
Neil (#2) – I believe my first comment actually did deal with the subject of the post. I stand without sin.
I do believe Bell has a penchant for provocative titles. As far as the “God help us” request, I firmly believe God’s involvement on Christian blogs is severely limited by His own will. Most times He doen’t even lurk anymore, much less participate. If God would give us direction in response to the “God help us” we might be very surprised to hear something like this:
“Please, really believe in Me and act like it. The world is still waiting to see that”.
Why can’t everyone just write godly comments like me?
Neil,
I am also guilty of your poignant observation in #2.
Jerry, I’m sorry.
I’m reading the book now and am loving it. I’ve been very distracted lately and my reading has suffered.
But Rob has struck a chord yet again with this stumbling Jesus-follower.
Shalom
Phil…
I do… all the time… but no one reads them. And when they do they do not listen or they twist my words to mean whatever they want them to mean… In fact that makes me just like God huh?
iggy
I was told once I have a “god complex” … I responded, “Oh, I am not that complex.”
Where’s the fun in that?
Ain’t that the truth!
I like the book cover. Reminds me of Tetris.
I’ll try to avoid the cliche “Don’t judge a book by it’s cover.” Dang, stepped in it.
Yes, thank God for Amazon.com!
The inventory of most Christian bookstores could go up in flames and almost nothing of value would be lost.
Seeing as how I am sitting in one at this very moment I beg to differ
This coffee is fabulous.
I wish ours served coffee… I might hang there a bit more…
Well, you must have found the one decent one in the US…
Seriously, it seems like finding something I’m interested in at a good price at one of those stores is, to borrow a phrase from Rick, like finding a nickel in a spittoon…
I’m much more likely to find something at the heathen Barnes & Nobles.
#22
This is because you, like many other commenters here, like books that are not the Bible, and like books that would not be sold in Christian book stores.
Unfortunately, I do not go into Christian Book Stores for the opposite reason; I made a promise if a bookstore sold the Shack or any Nooma videos, or books by TD Jakes, Joel Osteen they were not a ‘Christian’ bookstore, they were just a moral Barnes and Noble.
But thats okay. I like a great bookstore when I can get to one. We do not have one here. I bring my ESV to the coffee shop, and I have all I need.
As to this post, My comment on the last post was to disqualify myself for not having read the book. I think it is important to examine the point of view an author comes from before we blindly read a book.
I have promised Jerry I would read it, so I will.
Fortunately for the Athenians St. Paul was not so simple minded.
Holy intellectual idolatry Batman!
I read more books that are not the Bible than you do- so I am smarter, wiser, and can communicate in a contemporary manner!
LOL, it’s true. You caught me…
Actually, most of the “Christian” books I’m interested in aren’t in stock at most Christian bookstores. I could probably have them special ordered, but with Amazon Prime I can get them for 40-50% less, and have them in two days (sometimes one since there’s a large distribution facility less than two hours away from me).
Wait a second…this is a post about me…I am commenter # 3!
Oh, I feel so honored.
Right about now, The dead catcher and Joe should be putting together some zingers, and Tim Reed ought to come out of retirement to get their shots in.
So Paul was an intellectual idolator? You get sillier and become a bigger waste of time in every passing moment.
The shame of it is, you probably believe this about us… just like you believe (and tell others) that we are out to destroy the Bible.
But seriously, it’s now wrong to like books that are not the Bible? YIKES, I have 14 Bibles on my shelf in various versions and languages… and probably 20 times that number of books that are not the Bible. Who knew it was wrong to like books that were not the Bible?
Who said it was wrong?
What is wrong is taking pride in being more intellectual than me or anyone else because you read all these different books.
I am just a dumb yokel who loves His Bible.
I take no pride in it. But it equally wrong to pride yourself in your ignorance of what others actually write.
Now, if you want to remain ignorant of original sources, that’s fine, no one can read everything – but then you should also remain silent on them.
The problem comes about when you pontificate on things you have not properly and thoroughly researched.
Please…
I don’t think anyone has exhibited any type of snobbery. There’s nothing wrong with availing yourself to knowledge that’s readily available. There are plenty resources available to all of us, and we should all use them.
You wouldn’t go to a doctor who hasn’t learned anything new since he graduated from med school, so why should a pastor stop learning new things when takes a pastorate position?
I only go to B & N to peruse books by obscure Duke Religion Profs…err…wait that’s not me. My bad.
God is the same today, yesterday, and forever.
Come on Phil didn’t you look at your “ready response” ADM pocket card.
It is not pride, but hope that you will be challenged to better youself…
iggy
All those books are beneath me. Am I wrong for expressing that?
LOL Rick.
But lets get back to the original purpose of this OP:
To criticize commenter # 3 on Jerry’s OP (Thats me) without criticizing Him for taking us on rabbit trails…
What is wrong with you people.
Christian Book Distributors:
http://www.christianbook.com
is the only way to go.
“What is wrong with you people.”
Quite a menu, can you limit it to a category??
What is a dead catcher?
Pastorboy is convinced I am THE Bo Diaz.
Still confused…I’m not very bright.
Ah…I just got it…the catcher as in the baseball position.
I kept reading it as one who chased and caught the dead.
Now I’m okay.
The world is right again.
Do you know I spend more time with you guys discussing theology than with my friends at church?
Group hug!
Or, I need to get out more is probably more like it.
You mean you are not THE Bo Diaz?!?!!?! I was gonna ask you to autograph one of my bubblegum cards.
Snap!
PB #23: I think it is important to examine the point of view an author comes from before we blindly read a book.
And is it equally important to examine the point of view an author comes from before we discuss anything with someone who is simply writing about the book?
That’s my point. Not looking for blind praise for Bell from you (or anyone). But considering the length of Jerry’s post, there had to be something to engage him about.
PB #27 Wait a second…this is a post about me…I am commenter # 3!
VERY FIRST LINE of original post: Note: This is not an indictment of the commenter that I reference here.
I thought seeker-sensitive types were the only ones who thought everything was about them.