Observations From Hadleyville: SISSY CHRISTIANS IN AN AGE OF TURMOIL

Sunday, October 12, 2008

SISSY CHRISTIANS IN AN AGE OF TURMOIL

Author Doug Giles takes Christian Media to task for publishing spiritual candy instead of speaking to the issues of our times. In an article titled, Lame Christian Media is Culpable for our Cultural Corruption, Giles holds nothing back. Speaking like a latter-day Ezekiel, Giles excoriates Christian publishers and pastors--especially mega-church pastors--for timidity. Check out the article. It made me squirm.

1 comment:

Eric said...: I don't know, Don.

One the one hand a lot of Christian media is lame and so are many mega-pastors. They're an easy target.

On the other hand, I'm not sure what Giles has in mind. I've spent too many years around churches who had "The Bulldog Attitude" (Giles' book). They always told us and everyone else what was wrong with them. We were always guilty and so was everyone else. It brought people in, but I don't think it was biblical nor really effective in producing true followers of God.

I personally am glad you don't jump on us every Sunday. As you said, it produces fear not true conversion. Love produces conversion, even it it seems wimpy.; October 13, 2008 at 9:10 AM

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WORDS OF WISDOM FOR WRITERS

The secret of becoming a writer is that you have to write. You have to write a lot. You also have to finish what you write, even though no one wants it yet. If you don't learn to finish your work, no one will ever want to see it. The biggest mistake new writers make is carrying around copies of unfinished work to inflict on their friends.

I am sure it has been done with less, but you should be prepared to write and throw away a million words of finished material. By finished, I mean completed, done, ready to submit, and written as well as you know how at the time you wrote it.
-Jerry Pournelle

WHAT'S THIS HADLEYVILLE THING?

Those of you familiar with Mark Twain’s works might recognize my blog title. As Samuel Clemons grew older, he became increasingly disillusioned with humanity. Towards the end he began referring to the Damned Human Race; employing the secular and religious epithet at one stroke.

I find I’ve not reached that level of despair myself. I still believe in redemption and I still see signs of nobility even among we fallen, damned creatures. So, I could not bring myself to call this blog “On the Damned Human Race.” I do however, resonate with another of Clemmons stories; “The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg.” And viola, there you have it. “Observations From Hadleyville.”