Reply #19: Bitter and angry? Oh, my.

[Inland]

Here I am, giving you the same challenge you give everyone else, and you find it hostile. I wonder why your challenge is hostile and mine wasn't? I wonder why you can challenge someone to do something you are unwilling to do, and I can't do the same? I wonder why THEY would learn something by trying and failing why YOU would not. I wonder why I can't call on you to provide a wonderful example while I am the same old schulmp.

So why so defensive?

You are having a viceral reaction because your challenge never did make any sense. It's meant to leave people cold. It sure did me.

I think the answer is that somebody challenging somebody to goals they won't themselves even attempt are hypocrites. If you value the goal, do it. If you don't, then why challenge someone else?

That is why I said that I think the best inspiration would exactly be a person who is not a christian walking the walk. There's scriptural precedence for it, namely, the roman centurion although I am sure there are others.

IF YOU VALUE THE GOAL of inspiring christians. If you don't, why, of course you shouldn't bother.

Why should you, and why should you make yourself, officiously, a party to someone else's struggle for personal betterment if you don't think it worth your while? Do I challenge you to a marathon while sitting on the couch eating potato chips? Do I challenge you to charity while holdihng on to all my cash? Does it become any better if you said you believe in exercise or charity?