[Vision2020] The end of Moscow?
DonovArn@aol.com
DonovArn@aol.com
Tue, 25 Nov 2003 21:55:18 EST
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What makes Mr. Wilson so scary and frightening to the people of Moscow is
that he is *suppose* to be a moral leader of the community. People feel as
comfortable with a leader of faith proclaiming that slavery was not a sin or someone
can be moral owning another person as they do with a Law Enforcement Officer
that doesn't see stealing as a crime. It feels creepy and makes everyone
uncomfortable.
It doesn't matter what Mr. Wilson truly believes, what matters is what people
in the community think he believes. Mr. Wilson is entitled to his own
personal thoughts on slavery, history, sexuality, and religion. However, when he
makes outrageous claims about the history, politics, and religious beliefs he
needs to be careful because he is in a position of influence. His position effects
and can harshly impact the community in terms of how they feel and react. Mr.
Wilson's words have flagged Moscow as a place of hate, regardless of his true
beliefs, and in doing so has impacted the community in many negative ways.
Mr. Wilson has burdened his community and congregation. The only one that
benefits from his book is himself. Moscow will be clumped in as another community
in Idaho that supports a wacko cult like group of people because people will
not take the time to investigate the inner workings and beliefs of Christ
Church. Instead they will only know that Mr. Wilson is a pastor of Church that
thinks that a women's place is at the service of a man and that Slave Owners are
not sinners for owning slaves.
Mr. Wilson may try to argue that it was the misinterpretation of others and
not what he said that may be at fault for the negative publicity that Moscow is
now enduring. Nonetheless, the lot of us know that Mr. Wilson is not a fool
and is well aware that what he was saying and writing goes against the core
values, ethics, and beliefs of the people of Moscow and is well aware of what
controversy, damage, and pain he would cause in proclaiming something that is
irrelevant to the here (Moscow) and now (2003).
What purpose, Mr. Wilson, does proclaiming anything in 2003 AD about the
ownership of 200 slave plantation workers by my great-great-great-grandaunt in
1849, Mary Smith Taylor, serve her or anyone?
Now if an angel appeared to you and said, "Doug Wilson, I have been commanded
by God to come down here and tell you that a man can own a slave and still be
a man of God's Cloth, and slavery really wasn't all that bad in comparison to
the way Roman and Egyptian Slaves were treated. Go forth and spread this
word", that might be another story. However, I would have asked the angel why
she/he was 150 years late in delivering the message.
The ultimate question here is what was the *motive* of Mr. Wilson to make
these two underlining proclamations, "1) That it is possible to own people and
not be a sinner, and 2) That being a slave was not all that bad."?
I see in no way how this brings people closer to God or how it makes the
community closer and more productive in doing God's work. These are two major
purposes of a Religious Leader. It was successful in bringing attention to Moscow
and Christ Church, albeit negative attention. It was also successful in
selling more copies of his book.
So how about it Mr. Wilson, what was the religious justification for your
proclamations? Or is it as I believe, that you did it for your own benefit at the
financial expense and reputation of the good people of Moscow and your sheep,
or members of your congregation?
Donovan
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<HTML><FONT FACE=3Darial,helvetica><FONT SIZE=3D2 FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" FACE=
=3D"Arial" LANG=3D"0">What makes Mr. Wilson so scary and frightening to the=20=
people of Moscow is that he is *suppose* to be a moral leader of the communi=
ty. People feel as comfortable with a leader of faith proclaiming that slave=
ry was not a sin or someone can be moral owning another person as they do wi=
th a Law Enforcement Officer that doesn't see stealing as a crime. It feels=20=
creepy and makes everyone uncomfortable. <BR>
<BR>
It doesn't matter what Mr. Wilson truly believes, what matters is what peopl=
e in the community think he believes. Mr. Wilson is entitled to his own pers=
onal thoughts on slavery, history, sexuality, and religion. However, when he=
makes outrageous claims about the history, politics, and religious beliefs=20=
he needs to be careful because he is in a position of influence. His positio=
n effects and can harshly impact the community in terms of how they feel and=
react. Mr. Wilson's words have flagged Moscow as a place of hate, regardles=
s of his true beliefs, and in doing so has impacted the community in many ne=
gative ways. <BR>
<BR>
Mr. Wilson has burdened his community and congregation. The only one that be=
nefits from his book is himself. Moscow will be clumped in as another commun=
ity in Idaho that supports a wacko cult like group of people because people=20=
will not take the time to investigate the inner workings and beliefs of Chri=
st Church. Instead they will only know that Mr. Wilson is a pastor of Church=
that thinks that a women's place is at the service of a man and that Slave=20=
Owners are not sinners for owning slaves.<BR>
<BR>
Mr. Wilson may try to argue that it was the misinterpretation of others and=20=
not what he said that may be at fault for the negative publicity that Moscow=
is now enduring. Nonetheless, the lot of us know that Mr. Wilson is not a f=
ool and is well aware that what he was saying and writing goes against the c=
ore values, ethics, and beliefs of the people of Moscow and is well aware of=
what controversy, damage, and pain he would cause in proclaiming something=20=
that is irrelevant to the here (Moscow) and now (2003). <BR>
<BR>
What purpose, Mr. Wilson, does proclaiming anything in 2003 AD about the own=
ership of 200 slave plantation workers by my great-great-great-grandaunt in=20=
1849, Mary Smith Taylor, serve her or anyone? <BR>
<BR>
Now if an angel appeared to you and said, "Doug Wilson, I have been commande=
d by God to come down here and tell you that a man can own a slave and still=
be a man of God's Cloth, and slavery really wasn't all that bad in comparis=
on to the way Roman and Egyptian Slaves were treated. Go forth and spread th=
is word", that might be another story. However, I would have asked the angel=
why she/he was 150 years late in delivering the message. <BR>
<BR>
The ultimate question here is what was the *motive* of Mr. Wilson to make th=
ese two underlining proclamations, "1) That it is possible to own people and=
not be a sinner, and 2) That being a slave was not all that bad."?<BR>
<BR>
I see in no way how this brings people closer to God or how it makes the com=
munity closer and more productive in doing God's work. These are two major p=
urposes of a Religious Leader. It was successful in bringing attention to Mo=
scow and Christ Church, albeit negative attention. It was also successful in=
selling more copies of his book. <BR>
<BR>
So how about it Mr. Wilson, what was the religious justification for your pr=
oclamations? Or is it as I believe, that you did it for your own benefit at=20=
the financial expense and reputation of the good people of Moscow and your s=
heep, or members of your congregation?<BR>
<BR>
Donovan<BR>
<BR>
</FONT></HTML>
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