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CHRISTIAN conference - version 8
The previous introduction was carried over from the previous version of
the CHRISTIAN conference - version 7. Versions 1-6 are available from
ATLANA::CHRISTIAN_Vn, and span discussions on Christian - and other -
topics, since 14th November, 1984 - over 12 years ago. If you have time,
go in and see the discussions, and meet old friends again - or for the
first time! Better still, drop in here and share with us what the LORD
has done for you, what He means to you, and the light He sheds from His
Word, the Bible. Share in upholding each other in the prayer topics (6
and 7), meet us in chit-chat - and don't forget to tell us about yourself
in the introductions note (4)!
Inevitably, Digital is a different place from the Digital of 12 years
ago, and the moderators of today have to squeeze their moderation tasks
into ever tighter corners, as various demands and commitments have to be
accomodated. However, we would like to reaffirm our desire to serve the
LORD as He enables, in tending this place of sharing which our employer
permits.
We are grateful for this opportunity, and greatly value the fellowship it
affords, as we read of the LORD's goodness to people whose faces we may
never see, but whom we learn to love; as we read the wisdom He gives one
and another, and as we look forward to that glorious meeting in His
presence, where there is no parting! It is also our desire that this
should be a place where people who do not know the LORD may see what it
means to be a Christian, and may taste, and see that the LORD is good, as
evidenced in His children. Here, we are privileged on very public view.
Let's make it a practice to pray before entering any reply - especially
where (as inevitably happens) feelings begin to run hot where we hold
different positions on the things most precious to us.
Remember, Jesus is LORD, and before Him, every knee will bow (Philippians
2:10)! One day, we will stand before Him, and how, then, will the
things we have done here appear? Considering that in ones own life can
make things take very different priorities.
Finally, we would echo the greetings with which Paul is inspired to start
the first epistle to the Corinthians:
To the church of God, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, and called
to be holy, grace and peace to you, from God our Father, and the
LORD Jesus Christ.
The Moderators.
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| Several weeks ago, in response to some interactions in this file, we as the
moderators contacted the Human Resources department of the company to discuss
the appropriateness of the guidelines of this file in a forum for open
discussion. We asked them specifically:
o If it was valid under corporate HR policies that we have a conference based
on the standard of God's Word.
o If it was valid for us to preclude the discussion of homosexuality, given
the corporate endorsement of that group as a protected minority and given
the fact that the subject may be discussed in other conferences.
o If it was valid for us to proclaim the biblical truths that Jesus is the
only way of Salvation, and that people in other religions are lost.
In doing so, we realized (and reflected to HR) that the guidelines specified in
note 2 don't quite accurately reflect the de facto way that discussions are
moderated here. The guidelines state that any entry deemed to be in conflict
with Biblical belief will be deleted, but in fact that's not what happens.
Almost any belief is allowed to be (initially) stated here, but it is then
immediately held up against the standard under which we gather - God's Word.
In the subsequent discussion, any entries which disparage God's Word or
question whether it should be the standard of this conference may be deleted,
but the original question - and subsequent discussion (within certain bounds) -
are not.
The result was that HR validated the existence of this conference as it stands,
but asked that we update the policy notes to more accurately reflect the actual
stance taken toward unbiblical opinions. Specifically, they said:
o Yes, it is OK to have a conference with this charter.
o Yes, it is OK to preclude the subject of homosexuality.
They did not make any stipulation about any Biblically-based truth that may not
be proclaimed, including the truths that Jesus is the only way to salvation and
that those not following Him therefore do not have salvation.
We have been working on a revised version of the conference guidelines, but it
has taken us a while (we've all got real jobs to do). We should be posting the
new guidelines in a day or so. While doing so, we noted that the replies in
note 2 have some redundancies and scattered organization, so a reorganization
of the notes has been done.
The only other point of note is that we have modified the 'Statement of Faith'
slightly. The statement now includes only the essence of a saving faith. Not
that other subjects aren't important - they are - but that we believed the
'Statement of Faith' should represent the kernel of what saves us and marks us
as Christians.
The Moderators
Andrew Yuille
Jim Glenn
Jim Henderson
Nancy Morales
Paul Weiss
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| Well, Kym, myself, and another noter had a wonderful evening of fellowship on
Saturday night. We missed the rest of you, but the Lord was present, so it
was OK! :-)
My kids were looking forward all day to meeting 'the person from Australia,'
and he more than lived up to their expectations. He got right down on the
floor with them and they loved it. They were asking him all sorts of
questions, questions which showed they might have thought he was from mars.
"Do you have cars in Australia?" :-)
A glorious evening of fellowship it was.
Kym's going to be pretty busy this week, but next week should be much calmer
for him. *IF* I were to have another get-together on Monday or Tuesday the
28th or 29th, would anybody come?
What days that week would anyone be able to come to lunch?
Paul
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