My blog friend Lauren found this in her email this morning:
Lauren-
Over the past month, I have had many people email me about how your blog doesn’t fit in with one of a Christian nature and so I have removed your site from my main blog. I have continued to bookmark it for personal viewing.
The majority of the email noted that while you do post occasionally on Christian concerns, the majority of your blog is more about your own life and your past. You have such a talent that could be used to the real greater glory of God.
I also request that you remove mention of my blog on your site as well. My readers tell me that our sites are not compatible one to the other. I have been getting a lot of heat from my conservative base.
THIS ABSOLUTELY ENRAGES ME!! WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY????
I commented — sputteringly — over on her blog with this:
Lauren — I’m sick, SICK about this.
This person shows more concern about his/her “conservative base†than extending GRACE. This person (also) displays an inability to think independently, basing decisions solely on what others think. There is no mention of a personal opinion here, just “heat†from readers. I’m sorry. I call that cowardice.
Oh, wait. Let’s not forget — you’re still bookmarked for “personal viewing.†How GENEROUS. So lemme get this straight. Publicly, you’ll be denied and rejected under pressures from others, but privately — what? You’ll still be the guilty little pleasure?? Privately, you’ll still be considered a friend?? WOW. Sounds vaguely familiar.
Why bother reading her at all, friend? You won’t stick up for her publicly — (*cough* Peter *cough) — but you’ll love her privately?!
You sicken me. I sound uncharitable, I know, but I AM PISSED FOR LAUREN! And yes, I used the word “pissed.â€
Guess I’m going to hell. Or worse, I won’t be on YOUR blogroll.
BUT …. here are some portions of Lauren’s more charitable, thoughtful response (emphasis mine):
I believe that I am being used of God in this blog, to show love, grace, understanding, and non-judgmentalism. Most importantly I want the unsaved, my “non-conservative readers,†to spend time here at Created for HIS Glory and come away with the realization that God loves those He created. He does not require us to get our lives on the right track before he saves us. My past is proof that God is the One who pulls us from the muck and mire and sets us on His firm foundation where He cleanses us of our sin, removes our own self-righteousness which He calls filthy rags, and clothes us in His righteousness.
(…..)
Jesus is Lord, I am not ashamed of Him and He is not ashamed of me. In fact, if Jesus had a blogroll I’d be on it, and so would you. How appalled your conservative base would be over that fact.
If you had said that I write about blog design and do too many meme’s, I would have agreed with you and felt none the worse for your link removal request. But the words you wrote in this email actually question my Christianity and my use of my God-given gifts and abilities. I think you crossed a line you shouldn’t have.
I am making the words of the email, but not your name, public because I want to ask my readers to pray for you. You are in ministry and with an attitude like this you may be hindering the kingdom of God much more than you are building it.
GO, LAUREN!!!
Tracey, you and Lauren are classy ladies. You both have a gift and kind spirits. It’s that apparent from the stories you choose to share.
I don’t blog God, but I am in no way ashamed of my belief in him. But, I mean, I blog about Slayer and Scarlett and Keira’s Vanity Fair cover. Were someone to even attempt to bust on my site or me because of my subject matter — I would go ape crazy, methinks.
You showed more restraint than I would have.
Lauren, you especially exhibit Christian spirit.
Her response was great, I agree. Mine? Not so much!
I think it was great. And again, more restraint than I would have shown.
You know, Cullen, as I read this email, I can’t help but wonder just how many people this person actually heard from.
There’s always safety — and convenience — in that loud but elusive chorus of “others,” isn’t there?
Aw shucks, thanks. I guess it was a good idea not to go back and keeping adding to it like I wanted to throughout the day.
Tracey, you brought up a point I had thought about when you said it was because of other’s opinions. He didn’t say, “I prayed about it” or “I feel strongly.” Weird huh?
Thanks for your post, now I have to go think up something about my life or my past to write about for tomorrow. 🙂
No, Lauren, that’s just it — not a word of personal opinion. At least have the guts to say something that YOU actually think if you’re going to write something like that! To cut you off but secretly still read you strikes me as hypocrisy.
Just WHAT is his actual conviction here?? Just pandering to the “masses”? WHAT??!!
Oh.my.gosh you so totally have to check out this guy that just commented on this post. I think he started a blog just to make fun of me!
WHAT??!! Am I going to have to start killing people? Or get Cullen to do it??
Perhaps he expects you to subliminally drop in “Glory to God in the highest” hints.
“I was talking to my friend on the phone (God is great) and she told me that she had almost died in a car accident (What would Jesus do?) …”
Actually, that would be a funny post. Hmm.
Cullen — Hahahahaha!
It’s so sad that we eat our own.
Tracy, Lauren – I just now cleaned out a lot of old entries in my ‘blogs’ folder under Favorites. I’m happy to say your two sites are still in the list.
Both of you exhibit the true Christian spirit. Thanks and God bless you both.
Thanks, Capt. Chaos.
Thanks, Capt. Chaos!
Tracey,
Thanks for standing up for Lauren. I was also very upset about the e-mail she recieved. I think so many people were upset because the critisims given about her blog could easily apply to all of us who write about life. Our lives….and the thought that everyday life is unChristian just, well, it stinks.
So thanks for sharing! 😀
Tracey–
Linked to you from Lauren’s site–just wanted to say I enjoyed your blog and I’ll be back! Thanks!
Bethany – So right. We’re all broken.
Jeana — Thank you.
WHAT’S BEEN HAPPENING SINCE I’VE BEEN GONE! GRRRRR… Just wandered over and then there’s THIS. ?!?!?!
I’m so… whatever-I-am that I can’t think of a word for it. And I can’t fomulate a coherent answer except *splutter, bluster* — CS Lewis! Erasmus! Chesterton! Jesus, the One and Only Christ, of NAZARETH!
So there!