Why the Critical Tone?

My criticisms can be pretty harsh and at times to the point that it will turn some people off. I've had friends tell me they would forward my posts to others but it would be 'dumping too much' on them. Rather than challenge them in a helpful way, it would put them off.

I agree and I am well aware of this. For some this is just too much.

Part of me apologizes and part of me doesn't.


I do believe we are engaged in a spiritual war. The real and most dangerous enemies are not the false worldviews that compete with Christianity. The real danger is when those worldviews are brought into the Church, given plausibility by being synthesized with what the Bible teaches and are thus effectively baptized or sanctified.

As is apparent from my previous critique, I believe many of our leaders are in fact wolves in sheep's clothing. And I'm not just speaking of the obvious ones like Joel Osteen. Some are conservative and very respected people who many would look to as defenders and promoters of Biblical Christianity.

I believe the Kingdom being promoted and taught by many Christian leaders is in fact a counterfeit, a pseudo-Zion, a Tower of Babel with a cross planted on top of it.

I believe the situation is both urgent and dire.

Some of this is time-related. If I had more time I could work on a grander scale in terms of 'bringing people along'. But on the other hand some benefit from the direct challenge.

I know I've lost some people because they immediately just dismiss me as a quack or a 'liberal' or something along those lines. Occasionally I'm referred to as idiot. No big deal.

When I read something that really challenges me or criticizes something I believe in, the first thing I try and ascertain is whether or not the person is serious and sincere. Many articles are just partisan pieces. The person is defending a denomination or tradition or some teacher or school of thought. Once I detect that, then in some cases since I already know where he's going, I can stop reading.

But if the person is patently not interested in that type of approach, then I cannot help but be intrigued. He disagrees with me, is challenging me and isn't a partisan or propagandist. Even if he's ripping apart everything I hold dear, I want to read on.

So some of it is just attitude.

People who lack discernment will read my social or historical critiques and say I'm liberal. But if they get what I'm saying then they'll see that I'm hardly in line with the political left. Their problem is they think in terms of a construct that they've been provided. They're thinking in a box. If you're not Right then you're Left and that's about as far as they are able to think.

Those types of people are not easily 'brought along'. I used to be one of them. My problem was spiritual. Once my eyes were opened and I actually started really reading the Bible my world and allegiances quickly crumbled.

Though it was humbling and difficult, for me the direct challenge was often the most helpful. Some people just dismiss those that disagree with them. Others (and I'm one of them) will sit and chew on things. I meditate on these questions and I like to be challenged even if sometimes it can be painful.

Here are some links to previous articles explaining my tone and why I sometimes write the way I do. I hope readers will find them helpful.

http://proto-protestantism.blogspot.com/p/for-those-concerned-with-tone-nature-of.html