Kingdom Come Exposed: Unknown Tongue of Theobabble
Author: Bobby Valentine | Filed under: Books, David Lipscomb, James A. Harding, John Waddey, Kingdom, Kingdom Come, Restoration History, Unity
Today is Halloween. And as is fitting for the spirit of the day my good friend Lee Freeman has sent me a treat (or was it a trick?). He gets a little paper in the mail called Christianity Then & Now that is published here in Arizona. I have never seen the paper before but I was able to find it online. The editor of the paper is John Waddey who I believe was at one time associated with East Tennessee School of Preaching (but I am not sure about this). At any rate the reason Lee forwarded this to me was because of the article “Speaking in the Unknown Tongue of Theobabble” which mentions John Mark Hicks and myself as authors of Kingdom Come. Let me quote from the opening paragraphs to get the flavor.“Speaking in the Unknown Tongue of Theobabble
In Corinth, misinformed and misguided brethren insisted on speaking in the assembly of the church in a tongue unknown to their hearers (I Cor 14:2,9). Paul insisted that he would rather speak five words understood by his audience than 10,000 words in an unknown tongue (I Cor. 14:19).
Among the fellowship of change agents at work among churches of Christ are highly educated theologians who prefer to speak in a strange tongue spoken and understood by only a select few who inhabit seminaries or who were educated there. It is the exotic language of theobabble [sic].
In their recent book, Kingdom Come, Dr. John Mark Hicks, Professor of Theology at David Lipscomb University, and Bobby Valentine, a Master of Divinity, illustrate the use of theobabble. Below are some classic examples of this exotic language:
“Their vision was antagonistic toward modernity in significant ways-especially the inbreaking kingdom of God” (p. 16).
“Living in the shadows of the second coming meant that God was profoundly active in this world to redeem and restore it. God takes the initiative to repair the ‘vandalism of shalom’ in creation” (p. 32) …
“There are many methods and resources for contemplative Bible reading … but one of the most classic and ancient is the Benedictine method of lectio divina (divine reading)(p. 89).” …
“Unlike many modern westerners, the Old Testament sees humanity as a psychosomatic unity” (p. 133).
” … the Jesus story begins with a ‘pentad of prayers.'”(p. 134)
There is much more of this lectio divina to be interpreted in light of the eschaton, but this illustrates my point.
The authors’ theological peers read such fluffy, opaque phrases and congratulate them on their scholarship. Their students read them, awed at the brilliance of a professor who uses such spectacular, incomprehensible terms. The man and woman in the pew who hears or reads them, scratches his/her head and wonders what in the world are the authors trying to say? They ask, ‘What language is he speaking?’ To accept the conclusions drawn from such theobabble is as dangerous as the signing of a binding legal contract without reading and comprehending the fine print thereof. JHW.” (Christianity Then & Now {October 2007}, 2)
The only parts omitted here of this “review” are a few more illustrative quotes for theobabble. I have to be honest beloved blog readers, when I read this I thought to myself that if I was one of John’s regular readers I would be insulted! Does he imagine that the people in the pew are so ignorant that they can not use vocabulary beyond elementary school?
I have no doubt that Kingdom Come is not a perfect book. But if these quotes are the weakest link in the book then I must confess that John Mark and I did a better job than I had previously imagined. Since Lee is a good sport he also sent page 3 of the October issue of Christianity Then & Now. On that page John Waddey recommends an old book by Harold Lindsell called The New Paganism. In light of his attack upon KC what he quotes from this volume is most interesting.
“[Lindsell] reminds us that ‘the public education processes at all levels, function in full accord with the pagan Weltanschauung and [sic] Zeitgeist …”
Ok, I am scratching my head on this one. Then Waddey quotes Lindsell as saying “It is at the higher collegiate and seminary levels where the major problems exist.” What a prejudicial statement.
Returning to Kingdom Come. In the previous two congregations I have served (Southside in Milwaukee and PV here in Tucson) the saints have had no problem reading and understanding the book. Wayne and Bruce, fine elders if there ever were any, I guess speak theobabble too. May be it is not because they were educated in a seminary but because they let their minds grow.
I looked up each illustrative quote cited by John and I believe the meaning of each one is clear in its setting. Shalom is a biblical word brother Waddey, not only is it biblical it is incredibly important, and everybody knows what “vandalism” is. Where a truly new term is introduced, like lectio divina, it is defined and explained. But you know what, I grew up in a congregation where neither the preacher nor anyone else had a clue what Greek was but eis, psallo and baptizo were thrown around a lot and no one ever rebuked the preacher for theobabble.
I took the time to look at a few of John’s other reviews online and have noticed a similar pattern exhibited in this one. There is zero substance in this piece. One would hope for a substantive critique but alas we got a hatchet job … I guess in that sense it is really a trick then, 🙂
I wish Brother Waddey well but I would rather see a good critical review like that of Gardner Hall’s. I have kept Gardner’s, I put John’s in the recycle bin.
Shalom … I mean peace,
Bobby Valentine
October 31st, 2007 at 6:27 pm
I worked with a church that used to receive this publication. That was the only one I ever wrote to and asked them to stop sending.
The fact that they have described themselves as “believing what the Churches of Christ believed before 1970” should tell you something. “Then” in the publication’s title refers to the 1960s, not the first century.
I hope I didn’t use any hard-to-understand words in this comment!
Grace and peace,
Tim
October 31st, 2007 at 6:40 pm
Bobby-
You are kind to dear Brother Waddey. When I get his newsletter I put it in my shredder. When I was in Louisville we received the newsletter every month and I, admittedly, took some joy in putting the thing in the shredder. Now that I am in Fort Worth I have not received a copy here.
A couple observations if I may: (1) It never ceases to amaze me how much these brethren are against higher learning. They almost take it as a point of pride that they do not have any higher eductation. How sad. It seems that it boils down to the fact that higher learning teaches people to ask questions of anything and everything and they are threatened by that.
(2) I know many many people in both churches I have ministered at who would be highly offended at the suggestion that they would not be able to understand your book. Like you I have worked with elders who do not have the degrees you and I have but who are highly educated and bright men. One elder comes to mind in particular. When I first moved to Louisville he informed me that he had just finished The New Testament and the People of God by NT Wright, which is one of the deepest books I have ever read myself. We don’t give “people in the pews” enough credit sometimes.
(3) I am sure that you have seen the latest copy of the Spiritual Sword in which much of the edition is devoted to taking down Mark Hamilton’s assertion that Deuteronomy was written in the 7th century and not by Moses. This, to me, falls under the same heading as this attack on you and John Mark. These people hate scholarship no matter how sound it is. Anything that threatens the nice, comfortable theological (only they wouldn’t use this word out of fear) world they have settled in has to be wrong. Anything that goes against the status quo has to be wrong. Anything that Hardeman and Brewer and Wallace and others didn’t think of themselves has to be wrong. You get the drift.
I am tired of reading stuff like this or hearing about it. I think I like what Mike Cope said about it. He called it Christian pornography. And it is addictive to read. But it doesn’t do us any good in the end.
Take care, brother.
Kent
ACU MDiv graduate, 2002
October 31st, 2007 at 6:57 pm
I think I understood Come, but I’m really confused about Kingdom. These words are really difficult to understand!
I think Waddey’s favorite brotherhood publication of all time was “Behold the Pattern” by Goebel Music, if that is any indication of his style of thinking. I like “believing what the Churches of Christ believed before 1970.” That really explains it well, and out of their own mouths.
Nick
October 31st, 2007 at 8:57 pm
I have a B.A. so I’m able to spot B.S. from people like Waddey… ahem…I’m wanting so much to pursue even higher education and the only thing holding me back is the whole money thing. But for now I try to soak up NT Wright, Ben Witherington, Dallas Willard and others. I’ve been blasted for it. But currently I’m a youth minister and we’re dumber than the people in the pews. Which brings me to this observation.
It seems the ones who hold such disdain for higher education want to keep the pew people dumbed down. It helps in manipulation and power control. If the pew people aren’t reading and growing they won’t have the ability to point out the holes in the preacher’s sermons and teaching. Anyway.
Bobby, I hope to get your book and learn from it. I appreciate your blog as well.
November 1st, 2007 at 1:34 am
Bobby,
I brought that article up a while back but couldn’t remember the name. Really glad you found it! I think it is laughable.
November 1st, 2007 at 2:33 am
John Waddey used to live in Knoxville. He was associated with the East Tennessee School of Preaching and the Karns Church of Christ. We got to know him when my wife had a cleaning business and his church was for a short while her customer. I will say that he had a really nice library. He left town about twenty years ago and I doubt he has many fans remaining here. I lost track of him till I came across his web site not long ago. Have thought about responding to his silly stuff but why waste precious time. He is living in a golden past that he and others desire to reclaim. But they never will be able to. That world has passed away never to return. I worry about being that way myself, not in the same way or regarding the same subject, but in other ways. The rate of change in our lives continues to accelerate and its hard to shed old prejudices and even to know we have them.
November 1st, 2007 at 1:27 pm
Let me suggest that you all do what I do when receiving such religious trash. I put “return to sender” on the magazine/newsletter or letter and stick it back in the mailbox. You can use this system on any piece of mail that you do not wish to open or read. It works wonders on stopping folks from sending you stuff you don’t want to receive. Sender has to pay for return postage.
I think DSM needs to be updated to reflect the psychological disorder that people like this have.
God’s grace and peace reigns over us all!
Peace.
November 1st, 2007 at 2:02 pm
we (unfortunately) receive that publication as well. I chuckled as I read his “review”
thanks for the book. I really enjoyed it. I already had some appreciate for lipscomb, but now appreciate both men and what they stood for more.
i was going to put some of my fav quotes on my blog but I already loaned it out.
November 1st, 2007 at 2:07 pm
It is true that “knowledge puffs up” and that an overemphasis on academic achievement and titles can sometimes work against the poverty of spirit that is the foundation of discipleship. However, I haven’t seen such pride in you, but rather a commendable humility and openness to analyze different points of view, even those from sources that others will dismiss outright.
An amazing thing about the scriptures is that those that are barely literate can understand their basic truths, and yet they provide stimulating challenges for intellectuals. There is room in the Bible for the advanced language of Paul in Romans (your reviewer might have complained about texts such as Romans 5:13,14 as “theobabble” if he had lived in the first century) and for the simplicity of the fisherman in 1st John. We shouldn’t be surprised when seeing the same kind of variety among those striving to analyze the scriptures today.
Pardon the cliché, but I’m no scholar. I don’t even have a four-year college degree. However, the overall message of “Kingdom Come” was readily apparent to me and made a powerful impression, even though I disagreed with some of the points that were made. Thanks for your nice comments about my little review.
November 1st, 2007 at 2:42 pm
You’re right, Gardner, about knowledge being able to puff up. If we rely on our knowledge and wisdom too much that is a bad thing. And I guess we should say that when we uphold the merits of higher education. I am proud of my education and am honored to have been able to receive it. I worked hard for it. But I do realize that it’s not everything.
The more I think about it the more I think that these people do not value education because they truly believe they have everything figured out, at least when it comes to church. With that mindset why would a person need an education?
One other thing, and this is not really related to what we have been talking about, but maybe it is actually, has anyone else received a copy in the mail of the new book from Apologetics Press and Sain Publishing on Richland Hills and Instrumental Music? I got my free copy the other day. It is 120 pages of “dismantling” of Rick Atchley’s classes on “The Both/And Church”. I was horrified that people have spent tens of thousands of dollars probably to publish this book and print copies and mail it out to churches everywhere. Couldn’t we be doing better thing with that money? Needless to say that book met the same fate as John Waddey’s newsletter. Of course, Phil Sanders has a glowing review of it up on his blog.
November 1st, 2007 at 3:59 pm
Kent,
I know what you mean about formal education. One extreme is being puffed up about it. The other is a kind of inferiority complex that leads to taking refuge in old traditions that aren’t always from God. Your point is well taken.
I also understand the temptation to automatically dump material from certain sources and have given into it myself on occasions. However, the desire to investigate all things should lead us to examine at least some of the better material from the other perspective. For example, I’ve read Dave Miller’s “Piloting the Strait” and though I find it sectarian and overreaching in some areas, it is helpful in others. I imagine his book on Richland Hills would be the same, a mixture of sectarian accusations and helpful thoughts. I haven’t received the book, however, because I’m probably not on the right mailing list!
November 1st, 2007 at 4:25 pm
Gardner-
I agree that we must try and examine other perspectives. I try and do that in my life and ministry. However, I found Miller’s book on Richland Hills to be just a rehash of all the old party lines about why we don’t use instrumental music. I am certainly willing to listen to other perspectives but only when the other perspective shows a willingness to consider other views. I truly don’t believe that they really listened to what Rick said in his sermons. They already had their minds made up when they heard the decision that had been reached.
Bobby, you will be happy to know that Miller does include a whole page talking about gopherwood and he even includes a helpful chart!
November 1st, 2007 at 4:32 pm
Bobby,
While I am not of the same caliber as Wayne & Bruce, I have always deeply appreciated your teaching. Personally, I find this article insulting, yet, because of what you teach on unity I find myself also wanting to pray and love this man.
I’ve never attended high school, though I have my G.E.D. As embarrassing as it is, my knowledge in religous matters has many times put me in situations where I would plead to God for a fig leaf.
I can remember when I thought the Eucharist was a card game, an epiphany was a brain fart, and exegesis had something to do with the study of outer space.
I am very indebted to patient leaders like you and other’s who did not patronzie me thinking I could not understand. Infact, being challenged has introduced me to the very beauty of learning the scriptures and the history of humanity. Especially at a time when I feared the Hebrew Bible and could never get past the fall of man.
While I still have so much more to learn, being introduced to resources and people such as, C.S.Lewis,McClaren, Stone, Campbell, Luther, Huldah, Deborah, Argula Von Grumbach, Judith,….challenged me to also research and find the truth for myself.
My library now consists of various translations of the scriptures, history books on various cultures,countries,ect.(I never knew where the Congo was, pitiful, but I am a product of the public school system)I have encyclopedias, dictionarys, soft-ware, commentarys, and my most prized possession,”How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth” by Fee & Stuart.
Me, a nobody lost in the pew, who now has the courage and is frequently invited to share with leaders from other churches.
Allowing pride or fear to stand in the way of spiritual growth is nothing more than the promotion and protection of self. To believe that the Holy Spirit can not only teach but help us to interpret is to deny Christ Himself. I have a friend who says this kind of attitude stems from love, in which those who have the answers are simply seeking to be guardians of truth. Jesus I believe stated that they are blind guides…not being able to enter the kingdom themselves, nor will they let others enter who are trying to.
O Jersualem, Jersualem, how we long to kill the prophets and stone those sent to us! Lord in you mercy, please forgive us!
Simpy Penney
November 1st, 2007 at 4:55 pm
“There in no venom worse than a snake’s venom, and no anger worse than a woman’s wrath.” Sirach 25:15
Please forgive my ranting in the above post. As a woman standing under 5 foot, who loves battle, is consistantly patronzied, and is coming to know what is possible through Christ, the attitude in this article………Well, it just corked by backwards butt!
So again forgive me,Yoda! You are one of the few men that I allow to pat me on the head and pull my pony tail!
November 1st, 2007 at 10:51 pm
I plan to read your book — it was just given to me by a dear mission minded and mission experienced couple who is headed back your way, Curtis and Norma Edwards.
November 2nd, 2007 at 12:43 am
“Return to Sender” That’s good advice. Someone signed me up to receive this woeful publication. And you are right, his reviews are worthless. They are nothing but someone trying to take cheap shot slaps because he has nothing credible with which to critisize. It is rather pathetic that this is what someone’s faith in Jesus has become.
K. Rex Butts
Ithaca Church of Christ
Ithaca, NY
http://www.kingdomseeking.wordpress.com
November 2nd, 2007 at 2:40 am
Bobby,
I got the copy of Then & Now talking about this unknown Tongue of Theobabble. I had a good laugh brother. I though to myself man, Bobby has arrived. People need to understand books today are being written by theologians in the brotherhood and not on a simple 5th grade level and that John Waddey might have to look up some big words in your books. 🙂 Ignore the critics. Your doing a great job. I can’t wait to start reading your new book. God bless the work that you and John Mark Hicks have been doing.
November 2nd, 2007 at 2:40 pm
Hey Bobby, I used some of your stuff in the blog today, hope you do not mind. Also, I picked up your new book. Looking forward to reading it. Also, I will be sending you the latest work on the thesis today. Have a great day my friend.
November 2nd, 2007 at 10:39 pm
I received my copy of the latest “Christianity Now and Then.” I wrote these words on the front “RETURN TO SENDER!” I hope this will end my unwanted subscription.
Rex
Ithaca Church of Christ
Ithaca, NY
http://www.kingdomseeking.wordpress.com
November 3rd, 2007 at 3:32 pm
Bobby: I have an old email address on you and just had an email come back to me. Send me an email so I can have your latest address. Thanks, Greg England
November 3rd, 2007 at 11:30 pm
The saddest thing that comes to mind every time this vomitous paper arrives is that this man has brought such great shame on all believers with his sin (well known – I’m not giving away secrets). I believe in forgiveness. I believe in restoring ministers to their gifts. But what I cannot believe is that one who has received so much grace from believers that he has shamed will now spend his days in such a graceless endeavor. He will face the same judgment with which he judges others. I shudder for his soul.
November 4th, 2007 at 2:21 am
Following is a list of book and publications John Waddy recommends:
* A Cappella Music in the Public Worship of the Church, Everett Ferguson
* Women in the Church, Everett Ferguson
* Change Agents and Churches of Christ, William Woodson
* Koinonia, A Contemporary Study of Church Fellowship, Jimmy Jividen
* More Than a Feeling, Worship that Pleases God, Jimmy Jividen
* Adrift, Postmodernism in the Church, Phil Sanders
* The Spirit of Liberalism, Frank Chesser
* The Church in Transition to What? James D. Bales
* Instrumental Music and New Testament Worship, J. D. Bales
* Worship: Life’s Greatest Moments, Owen Olbricht
* Directions for the Road Ahead: Stability in the Change Among Churches of Christ, Jim Sheerer and Charles Williams.
* The Cultural Church, F. LaGard Smith
* Great Bible Doctrines, Walter Swain
* Redeeming the Times, Addressing (Issues of the Church in the Present Age), R. Dyer, T. Haynes & J. Jenkins.
* Piloting the Strait, Dave Miller
* Books About the Change Movement: Reviews and Recommendations, John Waddey
* Surviving the Storms of Change, John Waddey
* Search for the Ancient Order (four Volumes) by Earl West
* Excellent tracts by James Tolle and Glenn McCoy are available on many of the items of faith that are being challenged by the promoters of change.
John Waddy preaches the old tired church of Christ, not the ancient, living, Christ of the church.
A willing change agent,
Royce Ogle
November 4th, 2007 at 11:44 am
Bobby V,
Thankfully I must admit that I’ve never received this publication. That in its self makes me happy. Because in the past I’ve received others like it that made my skin crawl.
I once wrote one that I’d been receiving and asked them to remove me from their mailing list. They wrote me back a note and said, “Done, but God may have removed you from his books as well.”
Wow.
November 5th, 2007 at 1:26 pm
Truth is a defense against libel, but not against ignorance.
Send John Waddey a dictionary.
(In Christian love, of course.)
November 5th, 2007 at 10:45 pm
For those who might be interested I recommend checking out “In Retrospect: An Apologia.” This can be found in the “Bible Study Textbook Series” Genesis by C.C.Crawford. Brother Crawfords primary thesis can be summed up in this manner; “It was, and still is, my conviction that no one need by afraid of truth.” While much of his thoughts might be considered dated the afore mentioned qoute stands firm.
We do not need to be afraid of truth, we only need to fear ignorance.
Grace and Peace
Brian Nash
November 6th, 2007 at 4:37 pm
I just got your new book of Theobabble in the mail yesterday can’t wait to start reading it today. 🙂
November 6th, 2007 at 5:08 pm
Can I get a free copy if I write a review? Ben Witherington says I can get a free copy of HIS new book if I write a review 🙂
j/k
You need to connect your PV audio page to your blog, so that I don’t have to work so hard looking for it LOL
keep up the great work, BV
in HIS love,
Nick
November 8th, 2007 at 5:05 pm
Bobby – I’m running a “tad” behind so hope you will pardon this late comment.
You may recall that I “complained” (maybe on your blog or maybe in the discussion of the book on JD’s blog) about the fact that I had to keep running to a dictionary to remind myself of what some of the “theospeak” in Kingdom Come meant.
I also suggested that it was such a good book that it would benefit from a glossary of terms that wouldmake the book more accessible to the average “non-theologically trained” reader.
However, the need for “domain specific” terminology to describe things concisely is a “necessary evil” of in depth study of any subject.
I wonder if Bro. Waddey would compain that the Dr. describing a new “miracle” cure to a “reader’s digest audience his peers used “medico-babble” just because she used the scientific technically accurate names in addition to a “layman’s” version. (maybe not the best analogy but the best I could come up with on short notice)
However, I didn’t take that as undermining the value of the book — indeed it strengthened it because you obviously knew your subject matter.
What Bro.? Waddey seems to miss is that many people unfamiliar with the “then” (or even “now” CofC)experience the same sense of “church-babble” because he uses words that are familiar to him and to which he has applied a specific meaning — but those “code-words” are menangless to those in the world (and other faith heritages) without the same level of explanation in “their language” that he seems to demand of you. This is more than ignorance– it is the ultimate in arrogance to believe that you and you alone understand what God and the writers of the Bible where trying to convey and what words should be used today to describe those things — and that any one who says it differently or understands it differently has a an agenda of changing the purity of the gospel into Satan’s lie.
Hope all is well
God Bless
Charlie
November 8th, 2007 at 11:38 pm
John Mark sent me to your website after I emailed him about the November issue, in which Waddey spends two whole pages ripping apart your book…on many of the same grounds as he did in October. It’s amazing the brethren will support a paper like his, but he claims to be sending his rag to every church of Christ in the US now.
I started writing John Waddey a year and a half ago after he accused of ‘apostasy’ those who think differently than him on some of the hot-button brotherhood issues. Every month I point out each of his (many) abuses of scripture and his (unfounded) accusations against the brotherhood. He wrote back for awhile and has threatened to write me up, a preacher for a small church of Christ in Kansas, but has yet to do so. It’s telling that when he does respond it’s not to matters of substance…instead, it’s simply to lump me in with other ‘Change Agents’, his favorite epithet. I continue to write as long he continues to put out such garbage.
These comments about ‘theobabble’ are telling about what a hypocrite he is…one of the first letters he wrote back to me he claimed to have ‘20,000’ books in his office. He’s all for scholarship…as long as it agrees with his 1950’s view point of the world. Unfortunately, he knows his target audience of disgruntled lovers of the past as much as anybody, and will sadly continue to grow in influence as a resistance leader to those who would desire the church to be more than what it once was.
We have to stand up against false teachers like him…for that is what they are! They are much closer to the profile of the false teachers described in the Pastoral epistles than anyone who has appeared on his hit list.
November 9th, 2007 at 2:45 am
This comment has been removed by the author.
November 9th, 2007 at 2:52 am
About Dave Miller’s book on Richland Hills and Instrumental music: I listened to the Both/And Church sermon with a willing and open heart. In the end, the Bible is clear that instrumental music is not authorized…regardless of what man may say. The Bible speaks for itself. For those that justify instrumental music and equate it with God’s grace…I just hope for thier sake the gamble is worth it.
Second point: The book which Mr. Miller wrote answered all questions and exposed falsehoods that Rick tried to justify. Rick may have been sincere in his attempt to reason through why he believes the Bible sanctions instrumental music…but again he was wrong. I don’t mean to be cruel in my statements, but I believe the reasoning on this blog are emotional and self-seeking. Truth will prevail.
November 17th, 2007 at 10:17 pm
Bobby you new book on theobabble “A Gathered People: Revisioned the Assembly as Transforming Encournter” is a wonderful read. It reveals the truth Andrew. It is a must read for those who think Bobby is full of “Theobabble.”
All were are saying is we love Bobby. We are encouraging our brother in Christ. We are loving him with brotherly love as it tells us in the Bible. Where is the love in “Then & Now?”
Love you Bobby.
November 21st, 2007 at 12:48 am
Finally! I’m able to post here.
I didn’t realise you were going to post that. FTR I don’t receive that publication-it was sent to our church office. Our minister, Joe, thought I’d be interested in reading the review of KC so he fished it out of the trash. I thought Bobby would get a laugh out of it, which it seems he did.
I wonder if Bro. Waddey has ever read any articles from Campbell’s “Christian Baptist” or “Millennialial Harbinger.” Why, these papers are literally RIFE with “theobabble.” How would Broo. Waddey review AC’s writing? I also wonder how the good brother would review “Memoirs of Alexander Campbell,” by R. Richardson-also rife with “theobabble.”
Pax vobiscum.
Lee.
April 14th, 2010 at 3:44 pm
I believe he “nailed” you as evidenced by your defensiveness. Knowing people like you, as I do, it wouldn’t surprise me one little bit to imagine you saying while writing this laughable book…”Hey, John Mark (said with a lisp) what word or phrase would make us sound really smart, superior and enlightened? You know what…lets go shopping.” — Ben Diles
April 16th, 2010 at 12:29 am
Ben,
Do you speak from actually having read the book?? I doubt you would have trouble reading it. And your imagined conversation, i am happy to say, never happened. Not even close.
November 4th, 2010 at 2:26 pm
I too am a disciple in the Stone Campbell movement. I live in Middle Tennessee, seemingly our cultural hearth, and would willingly read this book and others that help with matters of faith. As to the post, I’m puzzled because my name is Ben Diles and it is a fairly rare name, but I didn’t post this. In fact I was not aware of your blog until (this is a somewhat embarassing confession, but true) I googled my own name. The post stating “Let’s go shopping” came back as a result. I believe someone who knows me was falsely attributing ideas to me. So, I don’t know who posted the message, but rest assured it was not Ben Diles. You can email me:diles38401@yahoo.com