Thursday, September 19, 2002
An Apology
"Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality. Bless those who persecute you, bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind toward another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation. Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written 'VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY,' says the Lord. BUT IF YOUR ENEMY IS HUNGRY, FEED HIM, AND IF HE IS THIRSTY, GIVE HIM A DRINK; FOR IN SO DOING YOU WILL HEAP BURNING COALS ON HIS HEAD.' Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." -Romans 12:9-21 (NASB)
"Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." -Ephesians 4:1-3 (NASB) (via Mark Byron)
"You have heard that it was said, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous." -Matthew 5:43-45 (NASB)
There are a lot more passages like this, but I think you get the idea. Within just a day or two of resuming blogging, I started saying some really stupid things (start at the bottom and scroll up) in response to something else stupid that I said (the part about Canada at the bottom). When my unChristian cursing was questioned, I responded by trying to deny it and by basically pointing the finger everywhere I could except at myself (though I maintain that the War of 1812 had nothing to do with my earlier post).
Now, I currently have a bit of a dislike for Canada. I do hope that they elect new officials, and that they reconsider their decision not to help us restrain Iraq (this is about restraint, not revenge or retaliation).
However, I should not, even jokingly, have wished the things upon them that I did. Whatever I do, wherever I am, I am an ambassador of sorts. I am a representative of Americans. I am a representative of Christians. I am a representative of the Commonwealth of Virginia and of Virginia Tech. I am a representative of conservatives. By showing hatred towards a group I disagree with, not only am I shamed and discredited, but so are those groups of which I am a member.
If I may, I'd like to recant those things I said that I hoped happened to Canada and to Canadians. I don't know how to edit Comments, but the offending portion of the September 8th post will be struck through, so that while the fact that it was uttered will be preserved, it will be indicated that I no longer profess that to be true.
You may now all resume telling your teen-aged daughters that "When you get older, I want you to marry someone like HokiePundit, that handsome stud."
"Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality. Bless those who persecute you, bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind toward another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation. Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written 'VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY,' says the Lord. BUT IF YOUR ENEMY IS HUNGRY, FEED HIM, AND IF HE IS THIRSTY, GIVE HIM A DRINK; FOR IN SO DOING YOU WILL HEAP BURNING COALS ON HIS HEAD.' Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." -Romans 12:9-21 (NASB)
"Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." -Ephesians 4:1-3 (NASB) (via Mark Byron)
"You have heard that it was said, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous." -Matthew 5:43-45 (NASB)
There are a lot more passages like this, but I think you get the idea. Within just a day or two of resuming blogging, I started saying some really stupid things (start at the bottom and scroll up) in response to something else stupid that I said (the part about Canada at the bottom). When my unChristian cursing was questioned, I responded by trying to deny it and by basically pointing the finger everywhere I could except at myself (though I maintain that the War of 1812 had nothing to do with my earlier post).
Now, I currently have a bit of a dislike for Canada. I do hope that they elect new officials, and that they reconsider their decision not to help us restrain Iraq (this is about restraint, not revenge or retaliation).
However, I should not, even jokingly, have wished the things upon them that I did. Whatever I do, wherever I am, I am an ambassador of sorts. I am a representative of Americans. I am a representative of Christians. I am a representative of the Commonwealth of Virginia and of Virginia Tech. I am a representative of conservatives. By showing hatred towards a group I disagree with, not only am I shamed and discredited, but so are those groups of which I am a member.
If I may, I'd like to recant those things I said that I hoped happened to Canada and to Canadians. I don't know how to edit Comments, but the offending portion of the September 8th post will be struck through, so that while the fact that it was uttered will be preserved, it will be indicated that I no longer profess that to be true.
You may now all resume telling your teen-aged daughters that "When you get older, I want you to marry someone like HokiePundit, that handsome stud."
