tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7934722593145519386.post2426940262933877243..comments2023-05-03T01:40:40.011-06:00Comments on City Grace: Deadly Viper ControversyJoel Hamernickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01400640434055859385noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7934722593145519386.post-74323230542902687482010-01-04T15:49:55.399-06:002010-01-04T15:49:55.399-06:00Your blog keeps getting better and better! Your ol...Your blog keeps getting better and better! Your older articles are not as good as newer ones you have a lot more creativity and originality now keep it up!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7934722593145519386.post-78179120522775983152009-11-24T14:51:38.698-06:002009-11-24T14:51:38.698-06:00@Ken. thanks. . . it's voices like yours that...@Ken. thanks. . . it's voices like yours that keep me in the learning loop. . . processing this and other related events led me to a conversation with a brother who described the calling of reconciliation to include a calling to be misunderstood. That's never a comfortable place to be, and always involves hurt, but is on the whole a healing place in the power of the cross. thanks for meeting me there. <br /><br />Joel.Joel Hamernickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01400640434055859385noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7934722593145519386.post-36040847083076375452009-11-23T00:18:37.088-06:002009-11-23T00:18:37.088-06:00@hammerdad--
As a Christian Asian Am male who was ...@hammerdad--<br />As a Christian Asian Am male who was also part of the small cadre of AA christian leaders who were among the first to join my friend Dr. Rah's efforts to cry 'foul' to the authors and publisher, I am quite heartened by your thoughtful and deeply Christ-like response to Anon2's comments. There will always be those in the current power seats that dismiss the concerns of those with less power--and that still grieves my spirit. But I am greatly encouraged when others acknowledge their power and privilege but divest themselves long enough to connect to the pain and frustration of the less powerful. Hearing from even just one of you more than outweighs the near-sighted musings of those who would dismiss these outcries. So thank you.Ken Fonghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11940765521100481446noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7934722593145519386.post-1790344903262671492009-11-20T11:22:32.579-06:002009-11-20T11:22:32.579-06:00Anon2-
I appreciate your honest chiming in. . . a...Anon2-<br /><br />I appreciate your honest chiming in. . . and wonder if it required being anonymous to speak honestly?<br /><br />I process these things as a Christian (I don't know if you share that assumption, but it is my bias) and as such I'd have to say that first, I agree that it isn't the job of a publishing house to be sure they don't offend anyone. no one can do that. <br /><br />Still, simply relegating the hurt of other people to "they choose to be offended" strikes me as both against the principles of love as taught in the scripture, and in the case o situations like this whole DV thing, it also a recklessness that has consequences - it causes injury, marginalization, destruction of relationships, and more. <br /><br />If listening to the voices of all our Asian brothers and sisters (in the comments sections of SCR's blog, especially on the Nov 3 entry) reflecting on the way they are culturally stereotyped and the way this is a problem is unconvincing to you, then I likely can't share anything persuasive or meaningful to you. . . but maybe consider this from scripture:<br /><br />In 1 Cor 8 Paul says he would "never again eat meat" if that would cause a brother, for whom Christ died, to stumble. I think his humility is telling for us here. If we suggest that it is within our Christian freedom to be culturally reckless, knowing that this will cause harm/hurt to our brothers, then in Paul's example we have no room to say: "oh those weak folks just choose to be offended and its not my problem."<br /><br />In the framework of weakness on the part of a brother (something you have inferred) our response cannot be: "tough luck weaklings!". If for no other reason than the love of Christ and for our brother and the desire for him not to stumble in view of our freedom, we should be concerned. <br /><br />But I'll go one step further and say, that you are off base in suggesting it is weakness here. Reading those posts (and especially Helen Lee's article) I cannot see how you can suggest the offense is simply weakness on the part of those who have been offended. . . <br /><br />If you are Asian and have suffered this series of offenses you have a platform (after loosing your anonymity) to say to your brothers, I hear what you are saying but you need to forgive and not be offended. But if you are not Asian you have no such ability or place. you are not a kinsman in the biblical sense of being qualified to stand in the place of someone. <br /><br />The way Asian culture is co-opted in DV does exactly what you have done in your comment. . . you have suggested that it's concerns are marginal at best and should be treated that way. . . push them to the side, regard them as no concern. . . give them no thought. <br /><br />We don't have the right to do that, even if we have the power to do so.Joel Hamernickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01400640434055859385noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7934722593145519386.post-38543393686451640562009-11-20T09:32:25.919-06:002009-11-20T09:32:25.919-06:00This is a hard issue, right? What is our responsib...This is a hard issue, right? What is our responsibility to minister across cultures? Does every "Christian" publication have to be acceptable to all cultures? I mean, how can we even figure out what "acceptable to all cultures" even means? People get offended, which really means people CHOOSE to be upset; there's no way to make everyone happy. Now, it does seem to me that DV hasn't been sensitive to Asian culture- but is that really their responsibility? They're not necessarily trying to reach an Asian audience or authentically represent any part of Asian culture - I mean, just like they say in the book, the authors are two white guys who love "kung-fo movies." I haven't been convinced by either Dr. Rah's letter or your post that there is a Christian responsibility in publishing to make sure that no one gets offended. And as you and Dr. Rah admit- the CONTENT IS GOOD. That's what this book is about. Not the packaging.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7934722593145519386.post-66065960580508320222009-11-20T02:25:29.721-06:002009-11-20T02:25:29.721-06:00It was very interesting for me to read the post. T...It was very interesting for me to read the post. Thanx for it. I like such themes and everything that is connected to this matter. I would like to read a bit more on that blog soon.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7934722593145519386.post-266543298201949412009-11-18T12:19:31.758-06:002009-11-18T12:19:31.758-06:00I loved your letter.
While we as humans want quic...I loved your letter.<br /><br />While we as humans want quick results from our efforts, I think your ministry may be making the ground fertile for growth to happen in the future. There may not be change for awhile, but efforts like these are still important. It won't allow things to remain the same.JudyBrighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04319484965281283580noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7934722593145519386.post-72682390639044346342009-11-13T14:32:37.696-06:002009-11-13T14:32:37.696-06:00I have often questioned whether it is worth is for...I have often questioned whether it is worth is for people in our context to keep waging this war with big Evangelical institutions. For us, it is primarily the Southern Baptist Convention. <br /><br />I have come to the conclusion that it is – at least at some level – but it certainly is frustrating. But it also forces me to evaluate my own blind spots. We all have them, you know. All of us.<br /><br />Maybe enough of this kind of confrontation and we can all eliminate some…<br /><br />Keep up the good fight!Stevehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15872089652770490896noreply@blogger.com