Friday, January 11, 2008

My response to Ray Comfort's "Beware of Wolves"

Ray Comfort wrote:

I noticed that a dear Christian was going through a trying time, and a “kind”
atheist gave his two cents worth. All he was trying to do, in the name of hugs,
love, and concern for her well-being was to sow seeds of doubt about the
promises of God. The woman needed to hear the exact opposite. Needless to say,
his blog was stopped by the delete button. This graphic and typically wonderful
quote from Charles Spurgeon will stir a hornet’s nest, but it is applicable to
the situation: “A smooth tongue is a great evil; many have been bewitched by it.
There be many human ant-eaters that with their long tongues covered with oily
words entice and entrap the unwary and make their gain thereby. When the wolf
licks the lamb, he is preparing to wet his teeth in its blood.”

Since you did not provide the context of what the "evil atheist" was telling the poor suffering Christian, it is impossible for anyone reading your story to objectively see if your description is accurate. But suppose for a moment that the person who was being given advice was a pagan or a new-ager, and the atheist was telling her that science has completely de-bunked crystals, astrology, and other occult stuff, and that what she really needs is a good friend who can offer her a shoulder to cry on and talk about her feelings to.

I'm sure you wouldn't have a problem with such advice. After all, good advice can be of a secular nature. You don't need to turn to the Bible or to a religious ceremony for every kind of human emotional issue. All human emotional issues that you have in life -- self doubt, grief over the death of a loved one, lost jobs, failing a test, being rejected -- are all best treated by talking to a good, sympathetic friend who cares for you.

Again -- I'm speculating on what the atheist was telling the believe that was so bad it could not be repeated, but my own experience offering believers secular advice follows what I just wrote above.

I find you very passive-agressive, Ray, with your comment "When the wolf licks the lamb, he is preparing to wet his teeth in its blood.”

On the one hand, you keep talking about how you want to reach out to atheists, and develop understanding, but on the other hand, you turn around and make these comparisons that boil down to "all atheists have ulterior motives... lie to you... are plotting against you... speak with forked tongues...".

Passive-aggressive behavior refers to passive, sometimes obstructionist resistance in interpersonal or occupational situations. It can manifest itself as resentment, stubbornness, procrastination, sullenness, or repeated failure to accomplish requested tasks for which one is assumed, often explicitly, to be responsible. It is a defense mechanism and, more often than not, only partly conscious.

I believe that this behavior that you exhibit will prevent you from making progress towards your stated goals. I find it impossible to believe that you could possibly be serious stating that you want to reach out and develop understanding after seeing this consistant passive-aggressive behavior. I guarantee you, though, that if you chage, and cut the passive-aggressive stuff, that you will make progress towards the goal that you are stating.

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