Was His Original Last Name Clay?
Darryl Hart, who sometimes has the audacity to criticize me, is one of my favorite thinkers. His The Lost Soul of American Protestantism is on my list of the Top Ten Books I have read. His books on Machen and Nevin are among my favorites.
Even when criticizing me (see above) he has done me the favor of promoting my blogs, this one and The Christian Curmudgeon. Today I am grateful for his passing mention of my blog about Last Chance U in his August 22 Mitt '16. (I was especially pleased with the "trigger alert" for bad language given in connection with the referenced Blog.)
The reason for my gratitude for Darryl's mention is that he provoked a commenter named "Ali" who does not approve of me or what I write - not that he is by any means unique in his disapproval.
The reason for my gratitude for Darryl's mention is that he provoked a commenter named "Ali" who does not approve of me or what I write - not that he is by any means unique in his disapproval.
I like Ali for his spiritual discernment based on Darryl's one word reference to me as "Curmudgeon":
didn’t read the article, though can a person boasting being ‘curmudgeonly’ be a very reliable champion of the fruit of the Spirit?What makes this insight so impressive is that Ali makes his judgment quicker and with less information than Peter's insight concerning Simon (Acts 8:23) and Paul's concerning Elymas (Acts 13:10). If this sort of stuff amuses you, you can find more funny stuff by Ali and by those who support me in the comments section that follows Darryl's Mitt '16.
But I have my own discerning question. In this day of Islamic terrorism how much confidence should we have in the comments of one named Ali?
JAC says :But I have my own discerning question. In this day of Islamic terrorism how much confidence should we have in the comments of one named Ali?
ReplyDeleteAs you can note Mr. JAC. I was just wondering, no conclusion (yet) for sure, and I definitely didn’t say that I didn’t like you (yet)
Perhaps why you and DG are comrades is that he apparently thinks his ‘vinegary’ disposition is fruit of the Spirit as you apparently do your curmudgeonly way.
As for your own discerning question, it makes me wonder even more, because though we were both wondering based on names
1) mine was assigned by my parents, but yours was self-assigned, and as we know from the bible, names changes usually established a new identity and perhaps a new life mission/destiny
2) I did not have to drop ‘Christian’ from my name in order to reconcile cognitive dissonance
3) my given name probably has a meaning (which I don’t know) but yours we know : cur·mudg·eon [kərˈməjən]NOUN a bad-tempered or surly person. synonyms: grumbler · complainer · moaner · curmudgeon · grump · sourpuss
4) your wondering is a ethnically- biased-spirit-of-partiality-based one and we know from the bible there is no partiality with God
Also, though you hate blasphemy, I will reiterate that your catchy title “I’m with the Atheists And Against the Lord’s Prayer” could be in that category.
So, in conclusion, I am just wondering even more still; though I am impressed with your scripture citations, so I might read you some (maybe); though knowing I must be careful, because bad company corrupts good morals and you are boastingly Mr. JA cur·mudg·eon [kərˈməjən]NOUN a bad-tempered or surly person. synonyms: grumbler · complainer · moaner · curmudgeon · grump · sourpuss
Ali
Dear Anonymous Ali,
DeleteI actually briefly considered the relation of curmurgeonliness and the fruit of the Spirit at my old Blog, the Christian Curmudgeon:
"A Fruit of the Spirit? The other day in response to a humorous remark I made on facebook about my being irenic, someone asked, also in a humorous vein, if curmudgeonliness is a fruit of the Spirit. I have thought about it and concluded that it is not. It belongs I think to the realm of common grace. It is a fruit of rationality. How could anyone who is rational consider the state of the world and the church and not be a curmudgeon? How long can it be till people heed Howard Beale’s call, stick their heads out of their windows, and yell, 'I’m mad as hell, and I’m not going to take it anymore!'? I don’t recommend you stick your head in the church window and yell that at the praise team, but perhaps, something along the lines of, 'How did it ever come to this?!'"
A few questions for you:
1. Are you aware that there are literary devices such as irony, satire, and sarcasm? Can you recognize these things when you read them? Are these literary devices allowed to be used by Christians?
2. Could you tell me what is blasphemous about the title "I'm with the Atheists and Against the Lord's Prayer"? You have asserted more than once that it may be blasphemous but you have yet to identify the blasphemy.
3. What pray tell does this mean? "So, in conclusion, I am just wondering even more still; though I am impressed with your scripture citations, so I might read you some (maybe); though knowing I must be careful, because bad company corrupts good morals..."? I am sure you had something in mind when you wrote that, but whatever it is you had in mind is not communicated by what you wrote.
4. While we are at it, what does this mean? " your wondering is a ethnically- biased-spirit-of-partiality-based one and we know from the bible there is no partiality with God "? Or this? " I did not have to drop ‘Christian’ from my name in order to reconcile cognitive dissonance ." Again, no doubt you have thoughts that you wish to convey, but the words you choose are impossible to exegete by the use of vocabulary, grammar, and common sense.
6. The things you say about Darryl and me - given your view of the fruit of the Spirit - are these things an expression of the fruit? If I might further inquire, which of the fruit?
7. I ask what I think DGH asked. Given your view of Christian piety and your disapproval of what he and I write (remember "bad company corrupts good morals") why are you hanging out at his Blog and mine? Are you not in danger of having your good morals corrupted?
Ali the Anonymous:
DeleteIf you are interested here is the explanation I offered when I began the Blog, "The Christian Curmudgeon":
http://thechristiancurmudgeonmo.blogspot.com/2011/06/christian-curmudgeon.html
Here is the explanation of the change of name to "Just a Curmudgeon":
https://justacurmudgeon.blogspot.com/2015/10/the-curmudgeon-reinvents-himself.html
But, I don't think you are into consideration of the points I make in both.
read both the links you provided Mr. JAC.
ReplyDelete1) in the 2015 link one you say ”I like the double entendre of: a secular hart.” You do? But what about Jesus’s opinion of double minded/hearted men. and
2) the 2011 link you say “a standard definition of a curmudgeon is “an ill-tempered person full of stubborn ideas and opinions.” I plead guilty to the whole definition.” But now, since you dropped ‘Christian’ and are only curmudgeonly while ‘secular’, you no longer need to plead guilty, nor repent but can fully embrace it in that world, right?
Good gig, your ‘2k’.
Ali