Someone left a comment on my last post that I feel should be addressed. I've removed it because I think allowing readers to post anonymously sets a bad precedent and is irresponsible. However, I also believe in the blogger interface and want readers to have the freedom to share their views. I just don't want to endorse cowardice, and when there is no accountability people can 'courageously' share anything they wish.The following comment was in reference to the last point on my "Glasgow: What's (not) to Love?," entry:
"maybe if you took some time to talk to them, you'd find out that's not the statement they're making at all. stereotyping is a great way to do ministry. nice job."
It was not my intent to stereotype the youth I mentioned in this point. And despite the immature, self-righteous and sarcastic tone of the comment left on my blog, there truly is no place for generalized assumptions in ministry. Incidentally, I have spoken with several of these kids and quite honestly, my heart breaks for them. For that reason alone, I issue this formal apology to them:
To the numerous "death-rocker, goth-kids" faithfully reading my blog that I alluded to in my previous entry,
I apologize for making such a crass generalization about the statement(s) you may be making through your attire. It was reckless of me to assume that sporting T-shirts of bands like, Cannibal Corpse, Christian Death, Obituary, Napalm Death, Suffocation, Slayer, Nuclear Death, Rigor Mortis and Massacre, could in any way be considered a preoccupation with death or evil.
Although music is one of the most prevalent methods of establishing identity among youth today, I should have been more sensitive to you as a collective.
Just because someone wears a crucifix does not necessarily mean that they are a follower of Jesus. In the same sense, perhaps your pentagrams don't indicate a fascination with Satan. Either way, it's not for me to ascertain.
Please accept my apology and know that I value you as a part of this culture and society. In this day and age of political correctness and cultural sensitivity, I will try to be more careful when addressing specific genres of people.
That is all.
:p
2 comments:
hey Chris, it wouldn't make a difference whether you know my identity or not because you don't know me and honestly, i really don't know you, only about you. so you're right, my comment was immature. but it was definitely frustration and not sarcasm. my comment was out of line and for that i am sorry. i just see a trend that worries and frustrates me among church planters. they seem to see the world as screwed up, lost, and in need of saving. and i would agree that's true. but what gets me is they do ministry in a way that excludes them from that fact. church planters are just as screwed up, lost and in need of saving as goth kids. everyone is preoccupied with death and evil to some extent. i use the word preoccupation with this definition: so lost in thought as to be unaware of one's surroundings. we in general are so preoccupied with self that we are unaware of the damage we cause to others. we spend money as though it's ours, we give of our time as though it's ours, we speak our opinion as though it's truth, we listen as though everyone else is wrong or we listen as though there is nothing to learn from a particular individual. i just felt as though you were speaking down to goth kids as though you are somehow better. as though you're not as lost as they are. as though you're in a different class than them. because as we get to know anyone, we should realize that there's no difference. no one is more in need of a savior than the other. our hearts are equally black, our thoughts are as equally twisted just in different ways, in different areas. it wasn't a matter of being politically correct or culturally sensitive. it goes much deeper than that.
Great dialogue between the two of you. Civil, honest, open to one another and others. I've learned from it as well. Mike
Post a Comment