From: billc@housing.msstate.edu (Bill Chapman)
Subject: Re: Now ... Just what ARE Polemics?
Organization: Housing Department, Mississippi State University
Date: Thu, 19 Nov 1992 17:44:50 GMT

In article <CHRISTIA%92111907324462@ASUACAD.BITNET> Jesse Carnes <NOTJIC@LSUVM.BITNET> writes:
>Date:         Thu, 19 Nov 1992 08:18:36 CST
>From:         Jesse Carnes <NOTJIC@LSUVM.BITNET>
>Subject:      Re: Now ... Just what ARE Polemics?
>Dear Bill Chapman et al. ;
>
>A question for you :  "Do you consider "polemics" as uncharitable because they
>are inherently so, OR because mayby you equate your bad EXPERIENCE with Greg
>as the quintessence of polemics?"
>
>Could Greg have been uncharitable HIMSELF, without necessarily proving that
>polemics themselves are unfit for Christians?

I tried to include comments that described Greg's good heartedness, and how 
much he evoked love and admiration from many of his students, and to tell 
you how much I love and respect him.  I am sorry that did not come out as 
clearly as I intended.

When I first got to the seminary, I went to him and several other 
professors, to ask some questions about moving to Jackson and buying a
home.  He was so gentle, showing me passages from the scriptures that 
related to my questions, and so pastoral, praying with and for me that
I would make decisions that would please the Lord, more uplifting, as
a matter of fact, than the majority of pastor/teachers I have ever known.
Please let the record show that Greg was one of the godliest teachers I 
have known.

The problem appeared to have begun early in his life when his keen intellect 
was his only defense mechanism against the peer pressure and other pressures 
that come in life.  His tools were finely honed by his joining the debate 
team and being one of the best debaters in high school and college.

The problem was that debate is best performed in the debate arena, when 
everyone knows the rules, when the debater can just as easily defend the
pro position as the con, and the focus is on the polemic, itself.  The 
problem is that less than 1 % of people in general are ever exposed to 
this arena, and never learn to appreciate the fine points of debate.  The
problem is that those 1 % also are not self-conciously aware of the 
ignorance that the other 99 % have of the usefulness of their tools.

The problem is that what is good in and of itself, in the proper context,
is bad in some other context.  For example, sex is called good in marriage,
but is called sin in any other context.

>Bill, let me give you another example of the usefulness of 
the polemical>approach to writing and speaking :
>
>One of the best books written on the saving work of Christ is by Gary Long.
>It is entitled, "Definite Atonement."  It is very polemical and does the
>best job of refuting common error concerning Jesus' death that I have ever
>seen in less than 100 pages.  Very compact, fast and logical is this volume
>by Long.
>
>I might point out that a CLEAR definition might be added to your story about
>Bahnsen.  There needs to be a clear idea as to whether Greg is pugnacious,
>or aggresive by nature and difficult to reprove to his face, but still a good
>polemicist, or is it that "Polemics" themselves are Unchristian by nature.
>
>The other alternative would be that Polemics TEND to lead Christians down a
>path toward "Communicational destruction", as it were.  Can this be proven?
>
>Again, let's get a clear definition on this matter.

You could not have demonstrated my arguments more perfectly, if you had
intended to.  What I hoped to read was:

"Bill, and others who sent me definitions, and love me and are trying to 
help me, Thank you.  I will try to understand what you are saying about
Greg and how it applies to me, and see if there is not some better way
to present myself on Christia."

What I got was:

A defense of Jesse and his methods, an argument to support his position, 
a request for definitions that had already been defined, etc.

Here is a lesson I learned the hard way.  When I got married, I was 
confident that "What you say is more important than how you say it."
I know better, now, but at the expense of another person's mental health,
and a marriage.  Maybe you can learn it from me before it is too late
for you.

--
Bill Chapman, Box 1262, Mississippi State, MS  39762
<BillC@Housing.MSState.edu>           (601) 325-2042
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