Who's Watching the Watchdog? An Atheist...

[SLyons]

Steve wanted to know who is watching the watchdog. Apparently quite a few people in the blogging world are in both Christian, secular, and atheist circles.

One that is very interesting is an atheists' view of what is transpiring at First Jax:

http://atheism.about.com/b/2009/05/12/b ... critic.htm

This blog and the maybe up to 100 other news reports and blog posts prove that the church's reaction to the blog, their actions of using government officials in their church discipline business, and the harsh punishment of the blogger has caused much more media and secular and atheist criticism on First Jax, the church in general, and Mac Brunson in particular, then the blog EVER would have by itself. Living in Jacksonville, it is AMAZING how the average citizen thinks FBC Jax and the police department have acted improperly. Maybe as some have said, there is another side to be told that will deflect some of this FBC Jax criticism, but we're all waiting for that side to be told.

The atheisit's article above includes some interesting commentary from a law enforcement person commenting on the detective's actions. I found the last paragraph very interesting:

"It's not hard to see how such a system [a Christian, authortarian system] can produce a pastor like Brunson. It's heartening, though, that there are still Christians like Rich who try to resist, refusing to completely repress their natural inclination to think or express themselves freely. "

[Steve Wilcox]

Yes, you must be quite proud to have the atheist on your side.

They consider religion to be "anti-intellectual (irrational), authoritarian, and violent, thus posing a threat to liberty and security." And when they say "religion" they are including Christianity.

Anything that can be done to undermine the churches role in the world is great for their cause, which can be summarized as "to strongly discourage religion and encourage its obsolescence."

http://www.investigatingatheism.info/ne ... goals.html

You are playing with fire on this one.

[Dave Roberts]

I keep asking, "What happened to Jesus' word about turning the other cheek?"

[SLyons]

Steve - the point of putting the atheist's views here is not to take glee in being on the same side of an atheist.

It demonstrates the depth of the shame this has brought to FBC Jax and potentially the Southern Baptist Convention. That now even atheists, along with many Christians, are examining with disgust the tactics of a very influential church in possibly misusing the police and prosecutors to aid them in their church discipline process - and they see it also as a first amendment, free speech and establishment clause case. And how sad, the atheists just love to hear influential pastors, especially ones that head up the mega churches in the evangelical protestant realm, call their parishioners "sociopaths". Its a disgrace brought on the church by the very people who railed against an anonymous blogger who was supposedly himself disgracing the church.

But if Tom Rich had ONLY gone and spoken to the pastor. Another Perhaps FBC Jax and Mac Brunson were being "squeezed" by the blogger, and what was inside is now coming out and it ain't pretty.

But as you say all the facts are not out yet. That is why this case should be heard by a judge or jury.

[Steve Wilcox]

The "disgrace" was brought by both Tom Rich and FBCJax and started WAY before the JSO got involved.

Atheist hate God, the church and anything that has to do with religion. That is why they are atheist. They could care less about church discipline.

Again you leave out the whole truth.

[SLyons]

Again, you can't just disagree, you have to claim someone is leaving out "the whole truth"; truth as determined by Mr. Steve Wilcox.

[Gary]

[Chris]

[Steve Wilcox]

[Steve Wilcox]

[JaneFordA]

[JaneFordA]