I GOT SOME PUSHBACK on Wednesday’s article: “Miller, are you Christian?”
It came from the passionate gent who wrote me the initial email – a man whom, I figure, is deeply sincere about his beliefs. And eager to pass them on to others. Like me.
He started reading some of my past blog articles, and began submitting comments.
Many comments.
Here’s the way the comment boxes work. First-time commentators get cleared by me. After that, they are free to comment on anything, though I can later edit, delete, or send them to spam hell.
Some of the gentleman’s comments were fine. That doesn’t mean I agreed with them. It means I was okay letting him speak his mind.
But in other comments, he called me anything but Christian, and presumed that I needed to get saved. That’s a little too presumptuous for someone who’s not my mother.
So here’s what I had to do, in order to keep out the politely judgmental comments – he sometimes called me “friend” when he said I needed to get saved. I had to tag the gentleman as spam, which means none of his comments would appear. It’s pretty much all or nothing, given my limited understanding of the plugin that runs the comments feature.
That said, I think you might find it interesting to hear at least some of what he had to say.
Here are excerpts from two comments: one about my attempt to write in a balanced manner, and another about homosexuality.
“Miller, take a stand or sit the heck down”
CRITIC: If we don’t take a stand for Him, we have not taken a stand.
We are either for Him or against Him. We cannot “sit on the fence” or he will spit us out of His mouth!
I have read other articles you have written and still find it disturbing you will not take a stand in your writing. You said you want people to think for themselves. I agree. But what does that have to do with you saying what you believe?
This style of writing leaves an open door for a non-believer to agree with what he thought all along, instead of introducing him to Christ. It is not our job to “save” people. It is God’s. But it is our job to introduce the gospel. Kinda hard to do with the books I have read. I look at it like a nonbeliever, since that is mainly who you are writing for, and I believe I would come away as confused, or worse, believing that “scholars” agree with my incorrect thoughts, so I must be on the right track!
STEVE: Well, I say “glory.”
Regarding the notion that sitting on a fence will get us spit out, I think that’s a loosey-goosey paraphrase of Revelation 3:16, “Since you are lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I will spit you out of my mouth.”
I report both the progressive and the tradition-minded points of view on how to understand puzzling Bible passages. Doesn’t that make me hot AND cold? Heck, I’m bipartisan all by myself.
Regarding the matter of how to write for people outside the faith, I defer to an email I got yesterday, from New Zealand: “I recently received one of your books and lent it to my unsaved Dad. It was perfect for him….Your honesty and humour is so refreshing.”
It’s not Adam and Steve
CRITIC: Gay is not what God created. He made Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve! It really doesn’t matter what people think, the truth will prevail.
STEVE: I wish they’d come up with something other than Adam and “Steve.”
How about “Cleve.”
It’s more biblical: “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh” (Genesis 2:24).
Regarding the Critic knowing the truth of the matter – whatever the matter of the moment happens to be – I defer to a comment posted on my website yesterday by Erin, who quoted French writer Andre Gilde (1869-1951):
“Trust those who seek the truth, but doubt those who say they have found it.”
Certainly, Jesus is “The way and the truth and the life” ([biblegateway passage=”John 14:6)”]. But there’s a lot of stuff in the Bible that’s hard to understand. That’s why God invented Bible scholars, Bible reference books, and aspirin.
Random book winner this week
Sharon Turner-Hoeft.
I give away one free book a week to a randomly selected subscriber to my free blog and quarterly newsletter.
Sharon is random this week.
“Cleve”-Baahahaha!
I think you are a wonderful example of what Christianity is all about. Loving those who need love the most, guiding while simplifying instead of preaching, explaining the facts through scripture, never passing judgement, showing grace and selflessness when others turn their back, having faith in God when others throw their hands up in the air, knowing what you believe in100%, and through all of that, best of all…loving God in the most pure, honorable, and wonderful way.
Thanks Bec. For the record, world, Becca is my daughter. I get to travel through life with her in my herd. How lucky am I.
Believing in and following Christ in no way is fence-riding. Destiny doctrinal points are highly subjective, and I truly believe that God wants us “harmless doves” to be “wise as serpents.” So many (sheeple) accept the teachings of a leader simply because they appear to be charismatic, when we should be challenging them when something just doesn’t make sense. Where are the Bereans today?
Thanks, Steve.
By the way, the Bereans from what was the city of Berea, Greece, are in what is now the city of Veria. Population about 67K.
But I know you’re talking about the Bereans of Paul’s day: “The people of Berea were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Paul’s message. They searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth (Acts 17:11 NLT).
I have recently been delving into Christian apologetics. I’ve noticed the similarity between your books and the apologetics books I’ve been reading — you try to present ALL the information on various views and allow the reader’s logic (guided by the Holy Spirit) to discover what is correct. You mention differing views, as all Christians should be well aware of them. In God’s earthly church there are even differing views of what it takes to be a follower of Christ! Your books provide a well-rounded view of Christian topics and I couldn’t see studying the Bible without them! I’m enlightened to various Bible facts every time I open one of your books. Who could ask for more than that? For those who strictly want to know what to believe, they should consult the Bible itself!
Hey, David. Thanks so much.
I understand why some folks want to know what I believe. They want to make sure I agree with them.
If they want to know what I think about that, here’s what I think.
They should walk out of the room that’s full of talking people who agree with each other. They should step into the room full of people who don’t agree with each other. They’ll learn more that way. They’ll grow wiser. They’ll become more mature followers of Jesus.
It’s “brain in neutral” vs. “brain in 4th gear.”
Thank you Steve for this Blog, your humor, your brand of Christianty, Buddy the Dog, and Mr. Critic! I have been there and done that and yes, I’m Saved! For the first time, I am free to study the Scriptures and talk to God without feeling that I have to know all the answers.
I understand Mr. Critic more than he will ever know. My theology was sounder than the Apostle Paul when I realized that my “Salvation” was like the Demons — “You Believe in one God, you do well, even the Demons believe, but they tremble.” A Christian is one who believes and follows Christ. I love my Theology, but I love Christ more. But I understand Mr. Critic at this time also because I see the deadness and hopelessness of my Progressive Church — all peace and human rights, potlucks, good works, but no substance or anchor — no Jesus, redemption, or Salvation! We need that balance or we die spiritually which is far better than never passing from death into life!
If it wasn’t for Stephen Miller books — many of these people would never have the opportunity to learn about the Bible in a non-threatening manner. Many of the people that attend my church have been hurt, mocked, and brutalized by so-called Christians. The world is not a nice place and some of our churches are just as depraved.
Stephen Miller is a reference writer and does a pretty good job at it. From what I can see, he is a darn good Christian too — probably better than most of us because I know I couldn’t keep my mouth shut from spouting off my Theology if I wrote a book!
I thought I would add a link for Mr. Critic since he mentioned the topic of homosexuality — it’s from the Gay Christian Network.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=QImNx1JA3BI
PS Steve, if you ever come by this way….your welcome to stay here, well have some nice Earl Grey tea and I know that in three hours I’ll get an opinion out of you, but I will still love you!
Wayne, you’re hired as my Publicity Director.
And I’ll take you up on that Earl Grey tea if ever I get back to that gorgeous area of the country where you live.
As for opinions, I don’t have any trouble talking about them. I’ll even write about them in my blog articles from time to time. I just don’t want to put them in my books. People need fewer long-winded sermons and more objective reporting on matters of the Bible and Christian faith.