John 3:16 and Donald Duck on the Pianotech list.

[vanbrussel]

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From: "Robin Blankenship" <itune@firstsaga.com>
Reply-To: pianotech@ptg.org
Date: Thu, 14 Dec 2000 12:44:51 -0500
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Subject: Re:  John 3:16 and Donald Duck on the Pianotech list.


Dear Martin,
 
So, let me get this straight: any time that someone shares their thoughts or
feelings or beliefs, you feel "pressured" to accept them? Sad.


No, that is not the case. I am a subscriber to a pianotech list and I am/was
willing to discuss piano related objectives.
I am willing to discuss and/or accept sound advice about pianos, and that is
on a neutral and free basis. I do not need to be converted, and that is the
difference.


You do not understand the Christian's heart.

Oh but I sure do, all the relatives I have in this world are Dutch
reformed.. so I really do know about it.

You can accept or reject totally. That is all up to you. As it is the piano
tuner's desire to tune pianos, so it is the Christian's desire to share the
promise and hope of the Gospel. That's all.

No that is not all, because, as I said, on the piano tech list one would
expect to 'give' or 'accept' piano advice. If Christians feel the urge to
preach and convert, that is ok with me, but outside my private sphere and
outside the  PIANO tech list.
Do YOU actually know what I am saying?


You have free will. Accepting a free gift IS about the hardest thing there
is to do.


 It depends... If you want to give me an orange for free, why should I
reject?

God loves you. That is unchangeable.

Hey man! that is your projection! That is not a free gift, it is not nice,
but it is a blunt, selfish  and egotistical projection of YOUR mind.
I would like to decide for MYSELF whether there is a god, and whether I need
a god.

Go in peace.

You too, and I mean it, but see.... YOU are bothering with YOUR god, where
as I do not force anything upon you!

And that makes ALL the difference.

Martin van Brussel



From: vanbrussel <vanbrussel@euronet.nl>
Date: Wed, 13 Dec 2000 22:53:25 +0100
To: <DGPEAKE@aol.com>
Subject: John 3:16 on the Pianotech list.


Christopher Witmer, in a recent post, quoted John 3:16;

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that
whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For
God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that
the world through Him might be saved." -- John 3:16-17



And then (another pianotech subscriber) :

Why does this upset you so much? Are you under conviction? Read the verse
again, insert your name instead of "the world" and see how it applies to
your 
life. 





Well Sir / Madam,

I will try to explain to you why, yes.... it bothers me :

In this opening sentence actually lies the cause and the answer (of my being
bothered):

In the first place, I thought I am/was a subscriber to a so called
'pianotech list', a forum for piano technicians (and not specificly
'religious only' piano technicians).
When I subscribed, I did so, because it said nowhere that one had to be a
piano tech AND be a member of any religion or church.

By getting e-mail on that very pianotech list with religious material  like,
:

quote :

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that
whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For
God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that
the world through Him might be saved." -- John 3:16-17 "

unquote.

I am puzzled and annoyed.

Why puzzled? 
Because, as I said before, I wanted to be a subscriber to a 'pianotech
related' list without sermons or any kind of religious influence.

And why annoyed?
Because I feel pressured to accept YOUR vision, YOUR way of living, YOUR
philosophy.

You probably did not ask yourself (in this case) whether I had the WISH and
NEED to accept YOUR way, YOUR phantasies.

Furthermore:

Suppose I am a believer in 'Deity' Donald Duck...(and please, do take my
words seriously)
How would YOU personally react to my asking you to accept 'HIS' (Donald
Duck's words? How would YOU personally react to my asking you to "insert
your name instead of "the world" and see how it applies to your life" ("For
God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever
believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. ).

You would probably feel very much insulted and you would considder it
blasfemy (and on top of that....on the pianotech list!)

So, 'my point' is :

Maybe I believe in Donald Duck?
Maybe I believe in Allah?
Maybe I believe in Buddha?
Maybe I believe in the Thora?
Maybe I believe NOTHING?

I <<<<  try to have respect for others by (on a public forum like the
pianotech list) not openly push forward MY religious believe or opinion.
If I would do so anyway, it would actually show my contempt for the ideas of
other persons, my personal criticism of what another human being might feel
privately in relation to religion, philosophy, or whatever way of life.

I did never want to write this letter in the first place, it did not even
come up into my mind!
It shows, that by provoking subscribers of this list with YOUR religious
ideas, you FORCE and BOTHER other persons with something private THEY never
asked for.

And that is exactly what I have against anybody, who forces his will upon
me...and I don't care whether it is political, religious, or Donald Duck!

May 'any' force be with you anyway.........because I wish no harm upon you
and forgive you.

I just wanted to make this clear!



Martin
van
Brussel

PS.

As I am still a subscriber to the Pianotech list, and as this all came into
the world because a religious subscriber of said list wanted his personal
religious opinion in public, I feel it necessary to make a statement (I will
however not disclose your personal name, out of respect).
If other religious subscribers (on the list) then find it necessary to use
the pianotech list as a battleground for their personal pyilosophical
beliefs, I will happily unsubscribe and switch over to a more neutral
territory.

At least I know where I stand then.








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