[Vision2020] Mike Hoffman

[Michael]

What the heck, I haven't posted in a long time anyway:

 

Austin,

 

Thanks for the note.  I meant to be clear that I thought it was
harassment-sorry.  

 

"Fence-sitter" can be interpreted different ways, and I think you admit my
intended meaning here by confessing the fact that you were actually willing
to listen to outside opposition or criticism. 

 

Regarding your getting upset at the harassment, I was speaking of what I
recall strong emotions you communicated to me in private. You express what I
was referring to in this note to me as well, so there is no need to dispute
the historical record on this point. 

 

I do believe that your attempt to imply here that the more extreme posts
from J Ford, or claimed actions of Jackie, represents well other community
criticism is unjust subterfuge, and I am very disappointed that you would
partake in such rhetorical deceit. I beg you to deal with the combined
evidence, arguments, and personalities involved in exposing Doug Wilson
instead of using one person as a whipping boy. 

 

You claim that there are a number of people consumed with a desire to
destroy everything related to CC.  This is false. The primary targets have
been particular ideologies and practices as well as the general personality
of Douglas Wilson, who is what has made all this Christian beauty and peace
on earth a possibility.  This was evidenced in the fact that I dwelled here
on V 2020 as a Kirk apologist for weeks, if not months, and nobody sought to
dehumanize me, nor "destroy" me.  In fact, just the opposite was the case.
This is a point of fact that kirkers and others refuse to deal with because
they simply can't.  The evidence this provides is irrefutable, and was all I
needed as motivation to poke my head out of the Kirk bubble and really look
at the evidence of what was going on here.  The problem is not that you are
holy, or that Doug Wilson is a good wise man.  The problem is petty
arrogance and views that would offend any community group in the United
States.  Those who HAVE sought to dehumanize me, however, have been certain
Kirkers, both leadership and laymen.  Reality is a bit different than you
are seeing it to be. I have been treated with far more venom, hate, and
dehumanization from within Christ Church as an "intolerista," than anything
I received from the "intoleristas" as a Christ Church apologist.  Where the
truly hurtful and destructive kind of intolerance lies has been
demonstrated, and most, if not almost all, outside the sociological ring
hovering around Doug Wilson have seen this perfectly. This is why I applaud
the courage of Gary's and Donovan's very lonely crusade. 

 

This is also why I find your latest quip to Joe about why there are not more
kirkers on V2020 remarkable.  It was the original strong presence of kirker
attitudes on V2020 years ago that helped generate the strife that you see
continuing right now; you are not getting attacked because you are holy, but
because you are aligning yourself with people who have arrogantly offended
in ways off the "Christian" charts. And what of the posts just the last few
month?  Are we to marvel of the lack of evangelistic success of Doug Farris?
Or Deacon "why are you afraid of nakedness" James?  And again, these kinds
of comments from you just show how you dishonestly refuse to acknowledge the
evidence you have been given.  I was a kirker who enjoyed myself on this
list for many weeks defending Christianity and Doug Wilson simply by being
studious, argumentative, and kind; what I got in return was much kindness
and respect. It is really all very simple Austin, and it pains me to think
that I have to instruct kirk Christians in the fact that "evangelism and
apologetics" entails respect, patience, and kindness.  And lest you be
tempted to confuse the historical record, what I am speaking about with
respect to my endeavors here at V2020 occurred before I expressed any
criticism of Christ Church; nay, this is what helped generate my criticism
of Christ Church!  Doug Jones' posting, which ceased since the day I showed
up, was rude, unhelpful, and embarrassing.  And I'm glad to no longer have
to be embarrassed by my own pastor's and church's arrogant behavior in my
community; thankfully, the edlers kicked me out against my will a while back
now.

 

Yours

Michael

 

YOUR ORIGINAL NOTE:

 

Michael,

I was not a fence-sitter, I am simply willing to hear people out. J
encouraged me to question things I heard at the kirk, and one of the things
I heard was that she was Jackie Woolf. Imagine how I would have felt about
the reliability of my kirk friends if this turned out not to be the case! I
asked her politely if she knew why so many people thought this was the case,
and she completely spazzed out. (I only say that because I'm now on her bozo
filter, so she won't read it.) She has been discredited in my mind as a
reliable source of information. 

She is the one who 'investigated' my business. It was quite clearly not an
investigation, for if she had contacted me (and I make myself very
available) I would have told her that her concerns were not valid, and that
I was following the law. Her 'investigation' was very clearly an attempt at
harassment. I waited for someone, anyone on the list to decry it as such -
you? keely? pretty much anyone would have done. But no one said anything. 

I was not bothered by J's harassment - amused and somewhat flattered is more
like, but it made it completely clear that there are a number of people on
this list who are consumed with a desire to destroy everything related to
CC, or are willing to stand by while the first group tries. 

-Austin

-- 
Austin Storm
Sky Cow Books
P.O. Box 9128 Moscow, Idaho 83843
208.596.5752 work | 678.550.5503 fax

 

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