I’m glad you can clarify the term ‘liberal’ and you bring up another issue. Too many bloggers throw labels around without understanding their meaning. I put liberal in quotes precisely for that reason. We internationals have been labelled all kinds of things….without the thought and awareness you put into this comment. It’s frustrating for many of us no matter where we live.

The bottom line is not complex…those of us that don’t pledge alliance to your flag are first and foremost your brothers in Christ living under different government systems. It does not make us anti, less than, or fitting well into some of the US political labels. Nor do we get the opportunity we’d like to engage when we are dismissed by definition so easily.

Thanks. There are few pundit bloggers outside the US, and this might make a post for you since you are widely read eh? Blog on!

Other than one comment over at John Adams’ blog, I’ve stayed out of this one. The key is speaking the truth in love so that the person you’re rebuking will be more inclined to listen and change. The rhetorical bomb-throwers get more press, but wind up only preaching to their choirs.

So often, the cliche becomes “hate the sin, hold your nose and be civil the sinner.” Let’s guard against that.

“Pieter is young and maybe engaging with him will expose him to views and ideas he may not be getting in his peer group.”

I thank you for helping to doing that, and you are correct:

“there are many adults who are well past 17 who share his views. However, the fact that he is prepared to engage is a positive sign in itself.”

I’m joyful adults engaged today; mature, kind, respectful. What blogging can be.

Chris, Jordon Cooper has a post on Seattle home churches you might want to look at. Blog on!

Pieter is young and maybe engaging with him will expose him to views and ideas he may not be getting in his peer group.

I think a number of your commentors missed the point that you were making about mature adults behaving in a equally late adolescent manner in their comments. Peiter is old enough and intelligent enough to present a well reasoned argument and if he does not we should be mature enough to point that out to him with being drawn into responding in kind.

Sadly, we cannot simply write off his views as adolescent inexperience as there are many adults who are well past 17 who share his views. However, the fact that he is prepared to engage is a positive sign in itself.

To end on a lighter note, it amuses me with all this reference in to liberals in posts such as these. The current government in Australia is the “Liberal” party and they are about as far to the right as we have had.

I am going to disagree with you.

Pieter probably doesn’t like any one pointing out his age. I will agree on that.
However, at 17, major things are going on in our brains and our lives….there are developmental considerations whether a 17 year old likes it or not.

I don’t know if Pieter grasped the consequences of his blog being read around the world, I haven’t asked him.
I don’t think it is being patronizing to point out cause and effect.
You and I are used to engaging in world wide conversations Dan.
And I can hope in engaging Pieter, we are showing respect, and treating him as adult as he can handle.
It’s up to Pieter to tell us if he has been challenged and inspired, up to us to disengage if there is abuse.

Bene Diction: Thanks for your respectful treatment of me. I am at fault for my flaming, and that cannot be justified, but only, I hope, forgiven. I spoke in anger, and I should not have.

Dan: I agree. The value of what I say should be weighed, and the response should not be tempered by consideration of my youth.

May God bless us and keep us.

I don’t know how true this is. From what little I have read, it doesn’t appear that Pieter would want us to take his youth into account, and perhaps might find these comments condescending (I think I would, in Pieter’s position).

We all have the capacity to express our beliefs, and to respond and engage in discussion with those with whom we disagree. In the blogosphere and outside of it, this should always be done with respect, both for the other person and for the view that they hold.

I too have been disappointed by the level of flaming, of inflamatory language and disrespect that sometimes gets shown in the blogosphere. I have also been impressed by those that have responded thoughtfully and spoken into sometimes conflicted situations with grace, insight and with a total lack of defensiveness. We should be aiming to create an environment where we are challenging and inspiring each other. If we cannot do that without resorting to abuse, then we should take no further part in the discussion which is provoking such a reaction in us.