it has come to my attention that some of my "ministry" related blogs have offended. i never set out to hurt some one's feelings. for that i am sorry. it is never fun for one to hear that they have hurt someone. so i say "sorry". so please tell me.
13 comments:
Anonymous
said...
I think you've done the right thing by apologizing and by taking the post down. The problem with blogs is that sometimes our emotions don't get displayed along with our words. All will work itself out in time. God is working in you and He is healing you. In the grand scheme, this is a blip, a paper cut that will heal. And it will be okay.
i read the blog and saw the pain. i walked with you through some of this. i heard your cries and saw the way they handle the other people who are trying to follow God. i know your heart. you never meant to hurt anyone. you are passionate and honest. sometimes too honest and that scares the living hell out of christians. cause lets face it. we are not that honest. you are a strong man for speaking your thoughts and an even stronger one for wanting to look out for other's feelings... even if they are blind to the truth. amen brother..AMEN!
What? You took it off? You're letting them control you? Don't be weak. Tell it like it is, Tommy. That place you worked at was haunted, haunted by the spirit of legalism and Jonathan Edwards perhaps. Stay strong, T!!!!
Your apology offends me. I think you should put the post back up to make it better.
;-)
I found your post (which I just reviewed again because it was saved in my blog-roll) spot on! I have stories for days of "Christians" in power abusing that power, violating the very procedures, guidelines, and "rules" clearly laid out in Scripture for their own personal benefit. Being power hungry is a natural human thing - its just some people find spiritual abuse and battery the best way to go about it! Moreover, Churches and Christians tend to give their 'leaders' absolute power, rarely answerable even to the Boards of Elders or Deacons (depending on your flavor). And when "absolute power corrupts absolutely," we have an obvious problem.
What These kilroy-ian Christians tend to forget is that they're bloody human, not saints. And anyone who thinks Christan leaders aren't severly susceptible to corruption and control fetishes is just a wanker.
So write what you will, state what you think and believe. And let those already corrupted sit and spin in their offence.
i read your blog before it was deleted. i also read the comment that amanda posted. i know what you said may have seemed harsh, but i know amanda. what i don't understand is why she attacked you. you were not making fun of her father. you were pointing out the truth. it's funny that you feel guilt, but she doesn't for what she said. thank you tommy for being you. they never truly saw what the world saw. they never witnessed the way you loved and forgave. God bless you. don't worry about theirs..
i think that some people are blowing this up! i agree with what you said. you have every right to talk about what you are feeling and thinking. i also love this comment thing that is going on, but that doesn't mean i am going to post my opinion about the person who went completely postal over the blog. i would like to know who you are hurting. i know you were putting down a group of board members, but you didn't use names and you were actually standing up for your pastor and the people who were under these "godly" men. when i first heard you were leaving the mission i was so proud of you, but it seems like it's going to follow you for awhile.. if you ever need some time away... i hear the monastary has your room still open..lol.. a.
I come to your blog mostly everyday. I read your random thoughts on life and body hair. One day I noticed you had taken a more serious tone. You were speaking of a pain that was caused by Christians in, what they believed to be,power. I enjoyed that small window to your soul. There was pain and passion that poured from you. I was sad to see the comment that a woman left. Someone who was close to you. She attacked with a dagger that was meant to peirce the heart. She used terms to make you sound like a bitter soul. She was going for the kill. I was sad to see another Christian going for the attack. I saved your blog and the comment to my computer. If this woman reads this. I hope that the next time she feels the need to "correct", she will send it in the form of a private e-mail. I am attaching her comment. It will enlighted those of you who were unable to witness this attack. "If this is the way you feel, maybe you should talk to pastor Mark and not blog about it online. Do you even care that you are hurting people right now? You say the mission controls people, which crushed your spirit (maybe not in those terms). Maybe you should think about those you are crushing and hurting. Believe me, I don't agree with all that goes on in the mission and this is not words spoken because of them controling me. The is from a friend who has really cared about you and still care about you and your wife. If you want to have an effective ministry outside of the mission, get rid of your bitterness and anger. That is what is going to crush you." Keep fighting the darkness that calls it's self light.
to quote a friend of mine "poop is poop, and you my friend are neither". sure that has nothing to do with what is happening in your little blogspot, but i wanted to make you smile. i barely know you and yet i still feel like i want to protect you from the people who attack you. i have never met a person with such a love for the sinner (christian and non). i just hope you don't allow these people to stop you from sharing. like matthew said "keep telling that story of yours."
I know for a fact that you have helped lots of people through many things. You are not one who wants to hurt people you are one who wants to help people. The world needs more people like you. A lot of times people are afraid to speak out against churches or missions when everyone knows they are in the wrong. You have done nothing wrong. You took the right approach. You did it without naming names. You have a right to tell things, you were there and you lived through it. I know of lots who agree with you and are afraid to admit it. Those who attack you will know the truth as well, even if they don't want to see it. In their hearts one day God will show them the truth as well. You are doing God's work by showing the people in charge that they are humans and just because they are in a place of authority, it doesn't mean they get to play God. They need to put in their places so they can come back to doing God's work and trusting on him to guide people in their lives instead of trying to control others themselves.
13 comments:
I think you've done the right thing by apologizing and by taking the post down. The problem with blogs is that sometimes our emotions don't get displayed along with our words. All will work itself out in time. God is working in you and He is healing you. In the grand scheme, this is a blip, a paper cut that will heal. And it will be okay.
i read the blog and saw the pain. i walked with you through some of this. i heard your cries and saw the way they handle the other people who are trying to follow God.
i know your heart. you never meant to hurt anyone. you are passionate and honest. sometimes too honest and that scares the living hell out of christians. cause lets face it. we are not that honest.
you are a strong man for speaking your thoughts and an even stronger one for wanting to look out for other's feelings... even if they are blind to the truth.
amen brother..AMEN!
What? You took it off? You're letting them control you? Don't be weak. Tell it like it is, Tommy. That place you worked at was haunted, haunted by the spirit of legalism and Jonathan Edwards perhaps. Stay strong, T!!!!
DUDE, I support you in all things bro... be yourself... and keep telling that story of yours...
Matthew
Your apology offends me. I think you should put the post back up to make it better.
;-)
I found your post (which I just reviewed again because it was saved in my blog-roll) spot on! I have stories for days of "Christians" in power abusing that power, violating the very procedures, guidelines, and "rules" clearly laid out in Scripture for their own personal benefit. Being power hungry is a natural human thing - its just some people find spiritual abuse and battery the best way to go about it! Moreover, Churches and Christians tend to give their 'leaders' absolute power, rarely answerable even to the Boards of Elders or Deacons (depending on your flavor). And when "absolute power corrupts absolutely," we have an obvious problem.
What These kilroy-ian Christians tend to forget is that they're bloody human, not saints. And anyone who thinks Christan leaders aren't severly susceptible to corruption and control fetishes is just a wanker.
So write what you will, state what you think and believe. And let those already corrupted sit and spin in their offence.
/jeof
has anyone ever told you how sexy you are?
Did I blindly offend jeof oyster? Because I meant for it to sound like I'm on your side.
i read your blog before it was deleted. i also read the comment that amanda posted. i know what you said may have seemed harsh, but i know amanda. what i don't understand is why she attacked you. you were not making fun of her father. you were pointing out the truth. it's funny that you feel guilt, but she doesn't for what she said.
thank you tommy for being you. they never truly saw what the world saw. they never witnessed the way you loved and forgave. God bless you. don't worry about theirs..
i think that some people are blowing this up! i agree with what you said. you have every right to talk about what you are feeling and thinking. i also love this comment thing that is going on, but that doesn't mean i am going to post my opinion about the person who went completely postal over the blog. i would like to know who you are hurting. i know you were putting down a group of board members, but you didn't use names and you were actually standing up for your pastor and the people who were under these "godly" men.
when i first heard you were leaving the mission i was so proud of you, but it seems like it's going to follow you for awhile.. if you ever need some time away... i hear the monastary has your room still open..lol..
a.
I come to your blog mostly everyday. I read your random thoughts on life and body hair. One day I noticed you had taken a more serious tone. You were speaking of a pain that was caused by Christians in, what they believed to be,power. I enjoyed that small window to your soul. There was pain and passion that poured from you. I was sad to see the comment that a woman left. Someone who was close to you. She attacked with a dagger that was meant to peirce the heart. She used terms to make you sound like a bitter soul. She was going for the kill. I was sad to see another Christian going for the attack.
I saved your blog and the comment to my computer. If this woman reads this. I hope that the next time she feels the need to "correct", she will send it in the form of a private e-mail.
I am attaching her comment. It will enlighted those of you who were unable to witness this attack.
"If this is the way you feel, maybe you should talk to pastor Mark and not blog about it online. Do you even care that you are hurting people right now? You say the mission controls people, which crushed your spirit (maybe not in those terms). Maybe you should think about those you are crushing and hurting. Believe me, I don't agree with all that goes on in the mission and this is not words spoken because of them controling me. The is from a friend who has really cared about you and still care about you and your wife. If you want to have an effective ministry outside of the mission, get rid of your bitterness and anger. That is what is going to crush you."
Keep fighting the darkness that calls it's self light.
to quote a friend of mine "poop is poop, and you my friend are neither".
sure that has nothing to do with what is happening in your little blogspot, but i wanted to make you smile.
i barely know you and yet i still feel like i want to protect you from the people who attack you.
i have never met a person with such a love for the sinner (christian and non). i just hope you don't allow these people to stop you from sharing. like matthew said "keep telling that story of yours."
I know for a fact that you have helped lots of people through many things. You are not one who wants to hurt people you are one who wants to help people. The world needs more people like you. A lot of times people are afraid to speak out against churches or missions when everyone knows they are in the wrong. You have done nothing wrong. You took the right approach. You did it without naming names. You have a right to tell things, you were there and you lived through it. I know of lots who agree with you and are afraid to admit it. Those who attack you will know the truth as well, even if they don't want to see it. In their hearts one day God will show them the truth as well. You are doing God's work by showing the people in charge that they are humans and just because they are in a place of authority, it doesn't mean they get to play God. They need to put in their places so they can come back to doing God's work and trusting on him to guide people in their lives instead of trying to control others themselves.
well boys ol mr. hall has kicked up a real storm with this one, son. i just hope it don't affect that singing voice of his.
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