Repost: Some Advise for Handling Critics

Some Advise for Handling Critics.






1. Rejoice! Mat 5: 11. "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. 13. "You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.

2. Give no answer (I am working on this one) Mark 14: 56. Many testified falsely against him, but their statements did not agree. 57. Then some stood up and gave this false testimony against him: 58. "We heard him say, `I will destroy this man-made temple and in three days will build another, not made by man.'" 59. Yet even then their testimony did not agree. 60. Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, "Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?" 61. But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer. Again the high priest asked him, "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?"

3. Let Christ’s light shine through. Acts 6:13 They produced false witnesses, who testified, "This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place and against the law. 14. For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs Moses handed down to us." 15. All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.

4. Keep Serving the Lord and let the false accusers come to their own end. For God is faithful. 2 Cor 11: 12. And I will keep on doing what I am doing in order to cut the ground from under those who want an opportunity to be considered equal with us in the things they boast about. 13. For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. 14. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. 15. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.

5. Live in the freedom of Christ and do not give in to the false accuser. Gal 2: 4. [This matter arose] because some false brothers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves. 5. We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might remain with you. 6. As for those who seemed to be important--whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not judge by external appearance--those men added nothing to my message.

6. Do not give into the meaningless chatter of your accusers. Leave them in their falsehood.1 Tim 6:20. Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge, 21.which some have professed and in so doing have wandered from the faith. Grace be with you.

7. My final advice is this Forgive and pray for your enemies… and love them. Matt 5: 43. "You have heard that it was said, `Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44. But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45. that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

This site also has some good ideas on conflict resolution.

Blessings,

iggy

A Sermon for Discernment Folks... and for the rest of us also.

Conflict Resolution from Northland Church on Vimeo.

Thanks to Brian McLaren for pointing this out on his blog.

And now a word from Tim Challies

I thought this article was excellent... and what I found actually funny is that SoL, CRN (Ken Silva) are all feather ruffled over it and Tim Challies never mentioned their names... funny they know who they are... but can't admit the harm they do. Of course Ken uses this as a chance to bash Richard Abanes, and Ingrid complains about her comment not appearing on Tim's blog... really that one makes me laugh as back in the day I was banned from comments on Slice... then they stopped allowing comments as Ingrid just could not bear all the "hate"...

Someone hacked one of Ingrid's sites....

Apparently someone has hacked Ingrid’s site. Though we may have fun and push the limits at times with that fun on the Online Discernmentalist Mafia we do not believe in hacking in other’s sites. I am asking that whoever may have done so to never do so again and to return her site to how it was, if possible.

Again, this is serious and I am truly saddened that anyone would do this let alone place my name as if I was part of it. Hacking is wrong, illegal and unethical.

We are not amused and see this a truly crossing the line.

Unfortunately, if this behavior continues, I will close the Online Discernmentalist Mafia site down.

I have already been falsely accused about hacking someone else's site so really this does more harm to me than helps.

iggy aka I. Todyaso

CRN.info is down... did Ingrid strike again? Updated

I went to CRN.info and it was down. All I could think was that for all the self righteous talk of Ingrid of Slice of Laodicea, she used her lawyers again to shut them down. I hope that is not true... but she has done it before...

It is sad that she rails against others then does the same thing herself. If it is so... need I say again the height of hypocrisy that runs rampant at Slice and those that support her and her libel lies against others?

iggy

Update: I talked to one of the writers who say it could be a bad script that is corrupting the site. Still even if Ingrid has not hit this time, I wonder when she will as she has in the past. This post may be wrong, yet it was a question as to the why not an accusation. I will keep updates coming as I get them.

Update two: Apparently it was a plugin that needed to be updated. My apologies to Ingrid. Again though this was not an accusation, but my first thought knowing the history and hysterics of the recent events. It is also what many think and see the ODM as doing... as one commentator stated, "an eye for an eye makes the whole world wide web a 404 error" (R.C.) I am very happy to be wrong, yet still see that ODM's like Slice tend greatly toward a "do as we say not as we do" policies. Again, I am glad I am wrong and apologize to Ingrid for any harm this post may have caused.

Thanks for praying the other day...

God is good. His greatness is shown by His kindness. We rob only ourselves of the riches of His kindness, tolerance and patience when we keep hold of our stubborn heart. (Romans 2:4)

I have wondered at how many show contempt for others, mocking and acting as it those they were "exposing" are supposedly less worthy of God's grace that others... In fact to do that is to show contempt for the kindness of God.

My daily prayer is for those who seem to have contempt for the kindness of God and see that Grace is not worthy of extending to others. I not only prayer for them but for my own heart which at times seems to lack the ability to give grace to those who are graceless to others.

Yet, my heart is always for reconciliation. I desire only that the hypocrisy stops. That this hate clothed with a thin veneer of love is exposed and that those who live such ways find the love of God. This love is impossible not to pass on to others as it changes us from the inside out. Once touched by this Love of God that dwells in us as we dwell in Him we cannot help but give it away.

My actions may not always seems loving to some. Yet, the pain of holding the mirror to myself to see who I really am is often painful. Sometimes God uses our friends who feel like enemies to hold that mirror up for us to see.

I remember before I was found by Grace. I heard a man who spoke of this grace. I was "saved" and did all the "right" things... yet I found I hated this man more than any other man I had known. My only desire was to prove him wrong and expose him for the fraud he was....

Yet, God had other plans for me. I listened to his show on the radio and read through Hebrews. I took extra effort and care to keep the context of each chapter as I read. If in chapter 1,2,3, it stated one was secure in their faith, then in chapter 6 and 10 I had to keep those in context of the previous chapters. When I finished, I was profoundly shaken by my discovery that my theology... ( my understanding of eternal security) was wrong. I then read this man 's book... Classic Christianity... and discovered even more of God's grace for me.

I love this man, Bob George, and consider him to be one of the greatest influences on my life and it's course. Funny thing is, Bob and I would not agree on many things, yet, Grace which is rooted in Love, covers our differences. These things are so little and meaningless in contrast to what God's grace is doing in our lives.

My prayer for those that call themselves my enemy... (They are not now and have ever been mine) is that they come to grasp how great this Grace God has for them. I pray that they are so infected by it they are changed from one who judges and condemns others in the Name of Jesus, though He Himself did not come to do that, to one who desires only to show the kindness of God.

Sometimes a friend holding a mirror up to us, will feel like our enemy... yet, in the end if we see what God is doing, that friend will be one of those who had loved us most of all.

Be blessed,

iggy

Day of Prayer for Ken Silva and Ingrid Schlueter

Today I am calling all to prayer for Ken Silva and Ingrid Schlueter. I ask for prayers of blessings upon them.

My simple prayer is the prayer that Peter writes in 2 Peter 3:18

That they "...grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen."

Please take time today to say this prayer for them.

Be blessed,

iggy

Shlueter threatens Richard Abanes: Updated

Such grace and love... and taking the teaching of Jesus to turn the other cheek in the opposite direct... yes Tom Schleuter threatens Richard Abanes... good grief! Can this get any more asinine?

It seems that if Ingrid and her husband can't stand the heat, then she need not be in the media talking trash and on her blog calling 14 year old girls "painted girls of Sodom".

To be in the media is to take the hits... if you dish it out be prepared that someone will find what you say is offensive. This seems to further the hypocrisy that is at Slice and Ingrid's radio show... she speaks grace, yet when given an opportunity to extend it... threatens legal action!

If this was not so sad it would be funny... and yet, I wonder... is this more about the "truth War" failings? Is this about people finally seeing people like Ingrid for what they really are, self righteous, judgmental, condemning of others?

I see it that people who have a radio voice really must learn to understand that people will not agree with them and will write rebuttals... this is America and we have freedom of speech. Again, since Ingrid is a public figure, and speaks out often and calls people "false teachers" or "heretics" or worse as I already pointed out, she need grow a thicker skin and get control of her anger issues.

She often writes against "clown churches"... when this has become a circus because of Ingrid's own actions... yet as I notice time and time again, these so-called discernment ministries lack the ability to take responsibilities for their own actions.

I pray for Ingrid and others... in fact in two days I will be holding the second pray for Ken Silva day... and have added Ingrid. Please join me in prayers of blessings for these two that they come to see the Grace, mercy and loving kindness of God... and that they come to reflect our Savior in a renewed way.

Blessings,

iggy

Updated: Aug 27th: Here is an interesting post by Phoenix Preacher which is not "emerging" by far and is very Calvinistic... Ingrid did some research and decided to attack them and call them an emerging blog... their thoughts on this situation are very interesting.

Ingrid of the nicer, gentler Slice"flames" me...

Ingrid of the nicer, gentler Slice flames me... Then closes comments.


Oh, this is because I stated:
Chris L.

Just to warn you Jim will go on and on until he feels he wins… so ignore him and he will go away… you know like that other feller we are told to resist and he will flee…

I am more and more convinced that these guys have no clue that they are running more people off… and I think one day they will account for those souls they abused in Jesus’ Name.
I pray that will not happen but I do not see or hear or sense any godly Love from them… only a unhealthy fixation on the wrath of God at the expense of God’s grace.

I did a series on “the Religionist” and all Jim did was assume it was all about him… a bit of Narcissism if you ask me…

So, resist the devil and he will flee… sounds like sound advice from God’s word to me.

Be Blessed,
iggy

And yes Jim I did associate you with the devil… so confess your sin of lack of love for you brothers and turn to the Lord
James 2:12-13 (now that is not oldtruth… but living truth!)


Note I "associated" Jim with the devil... I did not call him The Devil as Ingrid states it. Jesus rebuked Peter, who Jesus stated, "Get behind me Satan." yet I do not think Peter turned into "The Satan" but was being used of Satan... The verse in James 2:12-13 I used was the rebuke to not judge others as Ingrid and Jim have been doing... I am stating we need stand against those who are being used by Satan to cause division.

Here is the verse:

12Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, 13because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!


Note that I am also using a biblical principle in that James also teaches:

James 4:4- 12

You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely?But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?

Now I think many of the watchdoggie blogs have slandered and judges others by the Law and miss that we are to judge others by the Law that gives freedom.

There are some things to note as you read the comments and Ingrid's interpretation...

1. Though she quotes me she distorts what I said to mean I called Jim "The Devil" and I did not... I am stating that we are to resist those that use this worlds tools like slander and lies that cause division.

2. Ingrid gets her last word in... "Thanks, Iggy, for making our point." and then promptly closed comments... it gives me no room for restoration or reconciliation... I am judged, condemned and then tossed aside.

3. In the very comments "Faye" states: “They really are clueless about their eternal state.” in which Ingrid never rebukes her for her statement... in fact a CRN.info person calls her on that statement and she admits she went too far... but not a word from Ingrid.

4. I might also point out that I am only a commenter on that site and Ingrid has elevated me as a writer… She does call me a "commenter" yet, I wonder if her own commenter’s should also be held to the same standard as she held me. Here are a few comments just from that post.

Faye:
They really are clueless about their eternal state.
(Faye does say she went too far.)

Faye:
Haven’t they ever heard of the Holy Spirit and that He will teach us and help us to recall the Truths of scripture when it is needed?

Dave:
Right, those who say that the Bible cannot be understood almost always use that as a “get out of jail free” card. What a faithless statement.

Ingrid:
For them to suggest that they are demonstrating Christian love and tolerance is laughable, and it’s about time someone publicly exposed it.

Ingrid:
These are people who demand respect for themselves that they refuse to afford others, while at the same time wrapping themselves in a cloak of “tolerance and love.” It just ain’t so.

Dave:
If they hate you remember that they hated our Lord first. To be persecuted is not noteworthy. To be persecuted for the truth is of great worth. Well done.

Faye:
They are so self- deceived and self-righteous and are like the pharisee who prayed to himself, thanking God that he is not like others especially that tax collector, who went home righteous after his humility and brokeness and cry for God’s mercy.

Jim Bublitz:
Truth be told, you and Rick share the usual list of common foes.
(BTW most of those “foes” were his friends… like Ingrid who now berate him… funny now Rick writes for this site as he is no longer accepted by Ken and Ingrid)

Ingrid:
My advice is for these gentlemen to admit that what they are doing is pharisaical and to stop their claims of moral and spiritual superiority.

Ingrid:
Imagine that. “Iggy” always has the flamethrowers at the ready to take down those he disagrees with, even going so far as to liken them to the devil himself, in Christian love, of course.

Ingrid:
Thanks, Iggy, for making our point.

Thanks Ingrid for making mine so easily as it seems that you all me to accountability yet do not do so with you own commenters.

I think Phil at CRN.info wraps this up nicely:

"It responses like these on Ingrid’s part that make me think it all a big parody. I mean, how can she with a straight face say something like, “My advice is for these gentlemen to admit that what they are doing is pharisaical and to stop their claims of moral and spiritual superiority” and call other “flamethrowers”? I know I shouldn’t be surprised, but it really unbelievable to me.
If someone asked me for a definition of irony, I would point them to that thread on her site."


Be Blessed,
iggy