[Vision2020] RE: Looking Under Rocks

[Saundra Lund]

Joan Opyr wrote: 
"Dale Courtney's blog is crawling with rattlesnakes and vipers. . . But I've
got an idea; let's not go there."

Personally, I think that's an idea with merit.

My opinion is that while the comments posted on Courtney's blog about Tom
Hansen & his lovely wife (yes, I know them both) were truly despicable, they
really were no worse than the typical fare on that odious piece of work.
I'd provide links to clearly illustrate what I'm talking about -- including
a particular offensive comment posted about the Wil Hendricks murder
featuring the word 'sodomite' -- but Courtney has disabled comments for the
time being.  That makes all those -- and there were a *great* many -- vile
comments invisible, at least for now.

But, it's not just the anonymous -- or not -- posters who comment on
Courtney's blog that are repellant but Courtney himself.  His complete lack
of respect for ideas outside his church's own peculiar flavor of
Christianity fosters an atmosphere which encourages vitriolic comments from
those who support his views.  Courtney has set the tone.

In addition to his unceasing insults to many local, national, and
international individuals who have *earned* my respect and admiration, I was
absolutely horrified when I read over the weekend that he's seemingly
advocating for the DEATH PENALTY for children as young as 11 years old:
http://right-mind.us/archive/2005/08/13/35862.aspx
Sheesh -- what a *great* (NOT!) community we'd have if we lived in a World
According to Dale Courtney, Doug Wilson, and Christ Church's hierarchy.

Perhaps just as troublesome is the fact that while Courtney supposedly ended
his participation on V2020 because it wasn't good for his soul or some other
absolutely phony drivel is that he feels perfectly free to take what's
discussed here and drag it over to his hate-mongering blog.  Given the tone
of Courtney's blog before and since he ended his participation on V2020,
it's clear it wasn't his participation *here* that's the trouble with his
soul.

To me, this refusal to participate in back-and-forth discussions is
symptomatic of the Christ Church hierarchy mentality:  they don't really
want to *participate* in our community, they want to control it.  They
insist on having things their own way, and when then can't dominate,
intimidate, and threaten those who disagree with them into acquiescence or
silence, they withdraw from community dialogue and resort to dishonesty,
name-calling, threats of lawsuits, and a multitude of other wicked tactics.
We've seen it time . . . and time . . . and time again.

It's time to quit burying our collective heads in the sand to avoid looking
at reality.  Actions speak louder than words, although I think the body of
their words -- and not just those cute little sound bites they like to trot
out -- speak volumes as well.  Look at reality, folks, and don't be taken in
by the thin veneer they are trying to sell us.

And, if you're looking for their own words on which to form your judgment,
you need look no further than:
http://www.credenda.org/


Saundra Lund
Moscow, ID

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do
nothing.
Edmund Burke