Comment on Your comments about Rob Bell

[flora]

Hello,

I greatly appreciate your scholarship and your, what I consider, enlightened views.  Further, I believe the people who operate and contribute to this site are genuinely spiritual people who live, breathe, and sleep spirituality.

However, may I share a brief thought about Rob Bell's book Love Wins. 

When I read his book, I was heartened that an evangelical, and formerly mainstream, minister would raise the issues he raised.  I have never met Mr. Bell; when Time Magazine featured a story about him, I read that article and then a couple of his books. 

While your ministry may have lead the way, created a path making it easier for other to follow, it seems to me that he deserves praise rather than blame.  From reading his books, I concluded that Bell concluded "hell" does not exist.  Yet, when I read about Bell on your site, it seems that the writers hold him in contempt. 

I am not, therefore, able to see what you find so objectionable about his books and his espoused beliefs.  In fact, the verbiage about him sounds a bit mean-spirited.  Why? 

When I used to work in animal welfare, I would see people who could never say a good word to anyone unless the person being assessed was as "concerned" as they were.  At the top of the hierarchy were vegans,, then lacto/ovo vegetarians, then dog and cat enthusiasts, followed by  . . . .  You get the picture, I'm sure.  So, if a person said he or she were only eating meat once a week, instead of praising that person, some vegetarians would say, "Well, that's once too many." 

Such criticism often discourages people who are TRYING to make very big changes in their lives.  Why not give them gentle support?  After a time, when one step is taken, another might follow.  But, instead, people who are criticized often feel they don't want to be like the people who chastise them.

So I would with the deepest respect question the criticism of Rob Bell.  As the poet Gibran said, "Even those who limp go not backwards. Pity that the stags cannot teach swiftness to the turtles."  He is moving in your direction.  Why not embrace him?

Thank you for allowing me to express my concern.

[Molly]

wow I wasn't aware of that.  I thought this site supported him.
They talked me into buying his book. lol

[thinktank]

same here

[jabcat]

I think some of us took an investigative eye - a "let's explore this, it could be a great thing, but let's examine what he truly believes, rather than just gobble up the 'next great thing that comes along' ".  I was one of those that wanted to know where he was really coming from, and where he intended to go.  We're told to test all things, and to not be tossed around by every wind of doctrine.  There are many in the UR "camp" that deny the scriptures, the virgin birth, that one needs to believe on Jesus, etc., etc...many things bear "checking out" and comparing to the scriptures to "see if those things be so".  Seems to me (by far) at least most  of his views align with the scriptures, isn't that the general concensus here?

I personally don't believe that's criticizing him, finding him objectionable, or being mean-spirited.  Maybe some other things were said that I might even consider to be so, but I don't remember reading any of them.   

[jabcat]

I went back and reviewed some posts.  Some things were posted that showed what the ER "camp" was saying about the book, which is often done to stimulate further discussion and examination of issues.

Also, some statements were made about hoping he was otherwise scripturally sound enough so as to not deter from his main message of questioning the mainstream belief of the afterlife and hell.  I didn't see any real criticism of him, but I didn't read everything.  Flora, you may just be seeing that there's a real "let's examine this to make sure it's at least not OBVIOUSLY anti-scriptural" here at TM.  There are many, many different variations of beliefs here, but we mostly do strive to see and understand what the scriptures say, not just accept whatever comes along.  There's way too much deceit and dishonesty floating around to not be on our spiritual toes - even among those naming the name of Christ.  Hopefully we don't do that in a judgmental, legalistic way, while still taking a stand for "let's see what Spirit-revealed scripture says".  I think the concensus was, "this looks like a good thing".