The Pilgrim
Coram Deo
Bill
unworthy1
brother MichaelRules of Engagement
By The PilgrimRules of Engagement
The following conditions do not mean that DefCon permits only opinions that are in agreement with us. This also does not mean that we fear dissenting opinions or ideas that are contrary to the beliefs that we hold (and/or that of the revealed Scriptures of the Holy Bible). However, since some abuse the use of comments on DefCon, the following conditions are necessary:
1). This blog is operated and maintained by the DefCon Team, (i.e. this is our blog). Your readership, participation, and commenting is appreciated but not expected. If you don’t like what you read on here please be aware that you are under absolutely no obligation to remain or return to DefCon. Conversely if you become a disturbance or nuisance and overstay your welcome, we are under absolutely no obligation to allow you to camp here.
2). You are a guest on this blog. Your ability and permission to leave comments on this blog is a privilege, not a right. If all you want to do is express how much you dislike what we say here, then don’t expect us to oblige your comment by allowing it to be posted.
3). DefCon does not tolerate anyone who camps on this blog merely to “disagree” with everything that is posted on here. DefCon does not need a resident troll or hall monitor to be a “counter-balance.” If this is your intention, please take up residency elsewhere.
4). DefCon does not appreciate or condone demeaning, harsh-toned, vitriolic, abrasive, coarse, condescending, vindictive, abusive, insulting, disrespectful and/or mean-spirited comments.
5). If you leave comments under the guise of being a fellow Christian, yet you consistently espouse ideas antithetical to the foundational doctrines of the Christian faith, expect that your comments in particular to be moderated much more carefully. It usually takes just one comment from false teachers for our discernment meters to register something is wrong. We will not provide a platform for you to spread your “Hath God said” seeds of doubt and outright damnable heresies but instead, you will be stripped of the sheep’s cloak you’ve disguised yourself in and you will be driven from the flock like the wolf you are.
6). We will not tolerate your intolerance of our intolerance.
7). If you leave a comment like this: “I agree with everything you said, but I don’t like the way you said it,” then perhaps you would be better off finding a blog that you agree with and they say it the way you like. We have truly grown weary of those criticizing us for “criticizing” others.
8). If you can’t leave a comment without judging us for judging others then please find another blog to comment on that allows you to blatantly twist Scripture while you judge them.
9). DefCon is a blog for Christians by Christians. We are here to defend the Christian faith. If you leave a comment with links to heretical, apostate websites, do not be surprised if the links are changed. We reserve the right to redirect readers to the Truth, not further errors.
10). If your comment contains any of the following, (combination of the following or variation of the following) remarks:
“Judge not!”
“You’re Self-Righteous.”
“Touch not God’s anointed.”
Then there’s a good chance your comment will not see the light of day. Although we are not averse to disagreement and debate, we do not have the time to deal with such baseless, Biblically illiterate, shallow platitudes and twisting of Scripture. It’s like calling the proponent of legal immigration a “racist” without ever intellectually discussing the matter. It slyly changes the focus of the debate from the issue itself and places it onto your opponent’s character. This sinisterly clever polarization of your opponent puts him on the defense and you think you’ve won the debate. We seriously do not have the time to play these games. Your argument should be the persuasive element to the debate, not your Orwellian-style doublespeak.
DefCon will not tolerate the above listed unacceptable behavior. If it is found that someone leaving comments on DefCon cannot be trusted to to do so without violating the above conditions, do not be surprised if your entire comment is deleted without notice (we will not just edit it to remove the unacceptable content). We reserve the right to hold, moderate, and delete any comments that we deem unacceptable.
Sincerely,
- The Pilgrim
DefCon Administrator
Hello,
I was just wondering if I am suppose to join as a member at your site? I enjoyed reading a few of the articles posted and would like to return again, if thats possible. Thank you, Vairy Boutwell
Dear Vairy:
Welcome to DefCon. No membership is required. Return as often as you like.
STAY THE COURSE & NEVER COMPROMISE!
- The Pilgrim
I would like to change my gravatar to something cooler than an upside down drunken green triangle who looks as if he’s been punched in the eye, and I confess I’m too ignorant to figure out how to do it on my own. Any advice?
This avatar is self-generated by WordPress for those you leave comments that have not signed in.
To change this, just sign-up with WordPress (it only takes a moment). You do not have to create a blog. After you’ve signed up, upload the picture of your choice for your avatar.
Then log-in when you leave comments and your avatar will appear.
@Ministry Addict: If you don’t wish to sign-up to WordPress you can use Gravatar (which is owned by the guys who own WordPress). It will recognise your email address and display your picture on any site that is Gravatar enabled.
Nathan & Pilgrim:
Thanks. I think I have a gravatar, but somehow I’ve disabled them for this site. I know this is not tech support, but it’s driving me nuts. Do you have any idea how to make everyone’s gravatar reappear on my screen?
Hi, I liked the photo above…I did not see the wolf at the right until I looked closely…mmmh I understand the meaning. Tim
I’m thrilled to find your blog. We (my husband and I) have been so grieved by the ‘evangelical church’, or maybe, what is put forth as the evangelical church. It seems like truth, Biblical truth, is so seldom preached and even more rarely lived. We are striving to live fully and only for God-to truly hold all things up to the Word and see if it is truth. How encouraging to find a place with truth defended and so many resources and sermons to listen to and look up. Thanks for your work. Praying that God blesses you in it.
I to believe we as Christians have allowed a lot of fringe teaching to be taught as truth. However, we need to be sure that what we take a stand against is truly contrary to Gods word. I have been saved by Gods grace through faith for 30 years. Plus nothing, minus nothing just accepting the completed work of Christ on the cross and inviting him into my heart. Let me add that salvation is not an anytime deal, but only when the Holy Spirit is convicting unto salvation. Now to the point. I watched your piece on hirelings with Perry Noble and would challenge you to visit Newspring Church to see exactly what GOD is doing there. I am not saying I am on board with all of the things Perry says or does, but lives are being changed. The real issue I have is with is he really a pastor. Pastor or preacher, elder or bishop. We all call our preachers, pastor, is this accurate. Clearly in the book of Acts the first deacons were chosen to attend to the needs of the flock. Maybe they are the pastors. In reality pastor is only mentioned a handful of times in the New Testament. Must not be all that important to God. I know the shepard, pastor, parallels and the feed my sheep thing. However, if we are depending on someone else to feed us, we must be babes. Peter, was the first preacher in any church, and the Holy Spirit was not yet given when Jesus told him to feed my sheep. There were no sheep either save the 12 and possibly some of the other close followers. Maybe family and people who had received miracles. The Holy Spirit has always been the real teacher and the one who guides in to all truth. We need to examine words like pastor, bishop,elder,and deacon. Check them with the Greek originals. By the way, your rules of engagement are the same things you acuse Perry of. I do not attend Newspring, but I have been there. Great people! You know the more I learn and study the more I see I KNOW NOTHING. Keep contending, just be sure where God really is with issues. MacArthur is good I agree. But I still have need that no man teach me or disciple me. God in the form of the Holy Spirit is sufficient. JUST PREACH THE GOSPEL as it is the power of God unto salvation. The Holy Spirit will disciple.
I like your rules of engagement. I can share that sentiment regarding rude comments. I’ve been reading your blog for a few weeks now, and I love it. I hope you don’t mind my suggesting that in the rules of engagement, near the bottom (second to last paragraph), where you say that you are not “adverse” to disagreement and debate, that what you really meant to say was that you are not “averse” to it (no D). It’s a common mistake. Thanks for the blog.
Heya DefCon team.
Lately I’ve been in constant Defcon 1 Maximum Readiness mode. These rules of engagement are brilliant. I hope you don’t mind if I use some of your rules to assist me on my blog. Having a bit of a rough time right now, a posse of Emergent’s giving me a hard time for exposing their horrific blatant satanic teachings in South Africa
South Africa ploughs forward in writing the DIY manual on how to accept all faiths, and how to transcend to higher levels of godliness, sorry I mean godlessness
South Africans seem to have it down to a fine art when it comes to insulting and degrading Jesus Christ our Saviour, our King of Kings and have the audacity to insist they have in no way said anything demeaning about Jesus Christ.
Their ‘Christ’ is not the same as the Jesus Christ the Only Son of God that we as genuine born again Christians believe and love with all our hearts.
I feel like I am in a constant ‘stop, drop and roll’ action movie. Thank goodness I have the Word of God to hold onto for dear life.
Hi DefCon,
Can I use parts of this “comment policy” to put on my site?(Based on some recent comments designed to start debates – which I don’t want.)
I don’t want to do a copy/paste thing, but I would like to read through this and tailor it to my site, but I wanted to ask since this would be the base, and I am not about stealing people’s stuff.
Sure Adam. Have at it.
- The Pilgrim
I’ve spent several hours reading this blog, and I haven’t found anything that Jesus would take exception to. I like the quotes from Charles Haddon Spurgeon. He is my father’s “patron saint.” Mine is St Tikhon the Confessor, Patriarch of Moscow.
Yes, we are in the age of apostasy that St Paul mentioned in 2 Thess 2:3-12. Most Evangelical pastors would do well to read I Cor 3:5-17.
Roman Catholics pray to Mary but Orthodox Christians don’t. We ask her to pray for us. There’s a big difference.
DefCon folks,
Recently had a post that didn’t make it through. I’m guessing I’ve been tagged as a #3. I don’t expect this to be posted. . . . but I have hope for your mission.
Thanks for your time, learned a lot from readings on Washer and McArthur.
I have done my best to empathize or understand the basics of the draw to reformer theology, but I just can’t get my head around the accusations and your number 4. Makes no sense.
The DefCon folks I’ve encountered seem like vigorous scholars within their house. I just hope that those efforts can be redirected to the real antichrists that seek to destroy our homes and children.
I have spent the last 15 years alone in academia, at the highest debates and platforms. Alone with only Jesus, which was enough.
I come back to “the church” only to find our hands pointing at each other in a self-declared civil war. The world could care less. I wish your catagories would include Foucalt, Derrida, Chomsky, Agamben, Churchill, Kato . . etc.
But church drama sells and addressing the true antichrists is too much work. . .
for most. . .
Off to the road less travelled.
Please email me if interested in extending dialogue, really.
Grace and Peace be with you in the Name of our Blessed Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
I just wanted to commend you for taking a stand for Biblical truth. I just read the article about Rock Band P.O.D. in which you called all those who were commenting to Biblical discernment. Before God regenerated me I listened to P.O.D. I always felt that they were Christian, but when I had been given a new nature, God opened my eyes to see the twisted and deceptive message, image, and intent of this group. I am saddened at the fact that so many genuine Believers are deceived in so many ways in this hour that we now live. The only conclusion I can come to as to why anyone would listen to a group like this or any other so called “christian” band is simply because they do not study the Word of God or they are false converts. I was pleased to see that you had posted a link to Paul Washers sermon “Shocking Message.” God has been using that sermon in to change so many life’s. I praise God that he has placed men in the Church who will stand for truth no matter the cost. We need more Christians to armor up and grow a back bone! Pray for Revival, Pray for Reformation, Pray for a rediscover of the TRUE GOSPEL, Pray that the Church in America would wake up! Pray that the Church would once again understand that the LORD is Holy, Holy, Holy, and we cannot worship him in our “own way.” May our God and Savior Jesus Christ be magnified!
I hope to be in contact with you. In Christ.
Benjamin
love number 6! :) It’s my favorite!
Hi DefCon,
I love your site, it’s right up my alley. Have been enjoying nyour articles and videos and will be inhaling the rest as the days go by (like a kid in a candy store!).
I have stood by watching the enemy walk to and fro throughout the fold killing, destroying and stealing from God’s people unmolested and to try and tell people (espeically the so-called watchmen), you get laughed at, told not to be judgmental and told to grow up, “you’ll understand one day…you’re still young”. AARRGGHH! Thanks for all the work, and hope God blesses you and your ministry for your obedience to submission at all costs…one final note, go to wikipedia and look up the word Avatar and Gravatar, and you’ll make good and sure that you’ll have nothing to do with this EVER!
R&R
Hi. I enjoy your blog and have learned a lot.Recently you have posted video connections which are blank with a small icon in the upper left corner and I don’t know how to open them. Please tell me how to open them as I am encountering this on other Christian blogs as well.
Thank you in His Precious Name.
I was wondering if you would look at our Web Site, ‘ Help for Nazarenes ,’ on Yahoo.com, and let us know what you think of the site. The site deals with apostasy in the churches. Thank You. In Christ, Richard and Janice Fisher
I realize this comment won’t make it past your “rules of engagement” but can I ask how you who write this blog are currently witnessing to the world around you? You have spent a lot of time going after anyone and everyone who disagrees in any way with all the things you believe about the Bible, etc…I already know you will probably say you are protecting the church. Isn’t God big enough to protect His church…He’s done it for thousands of years?!
“They will know you are my disciples by your love for one another” and yet you say all those who aren’t as strongly opinionated on certain issues are “not your brothers in Christ”.
I’m just saddened, as someone who passionately loves Jesus and passionately loves the Lost, that you spend countless hours correcting “heretics” instead of seeking and saving the lost as Jesus did.
May God give you wisdom & discernment in how you & I spend our time.
So, according to you we should throw out most of the contents of the Epistles because they are correcting, rebuking, and not evangelizing.
Pff.
Dear Jeremy:
I am disappointed that you have unfairly judged us as being so one dimensional. And I am sorry that you consider what we do here as unimportant. However, I have two questions and a challenge for you.
Question 1: I agree God is “big enough” to “protect” his Church, but can you please tell me by what means he has used for “thousands of years” to protect the purity and the doctrinal integrity of His Church?
Question 2: You said,
Does your compassion for the lost not include those deceived by heretical teachings? Or are you suggesting that heretics are not lost?
I’m also saddened that you have chosen to judge our hearts, motives, intentions, and passions by suggesting that we are not “seeking to save the lost.”
Challenge: I would like to ask you to provide me with all the New Testament books which DO NOT deal with the negative aspect of addressing heresy and false teachers. As a bonus (and if you have time) you can even include all the Old Testament books that DO NOT deal with the negative aspect of addressing heresy and false teachers. Let me know how much you come up with.
Sincerely,
- Pilgrim
I just left a post (1) rebutting your criticism of “Chris” for allegedly misrepresenting the Mormon doctrine of salvation and (2) giving what I believe is a clear explanation of the role of faith and works in the Mormon doctrine of salvation.
I wrote in strong terms but I did my best, considering my temper, to stick to your Rules of Engagement.
Although I think it is obvious from the contents of the post that I am a Mormon, I forgot to specifically so state. Please feel free to edit the post or otherwise note that Murdock is a Mormon.
Jeff H…please read my post again. I said nothing about getting rid of books from the Bible.
Pilgrim. As someone on the blog editor list…you didn’t answer my first question about how you are witnessing to the world around you. Maybe you missed it but I put it first so you wouldn’t think I was “judging” you.
I was trying hard not to assume or judge by asking a few questions…but you took it that way anyways. You assumed I “consider what [you} do here as unimportant” and you assumed that I “unfairly judged us as being so one dimensional” when I never said anything of the sort.
Please just read my actual words that I typed without trying to read into them. I’ll be thinking about your questions and would appreciate you answering mine.
And no, I have NOT “chosen to judge our hearts, motives, intentions, and passions by suggesting that we are not ‘seeking to save the lost.’” I never said you weren’t, I just asked how you were…which you didn’t answer.
Thanks.
Jeremy,
Jeremy,
You read what I wrote again.
You said:
You rebuke us for spending our time defending sound doctrine (‘rather’ than evangelizing — as if we can’t do both)… However, defending sound doctrine is what Paul, John, Peter, and Jude do in their letters to the early Churches. You should try reading them once. They speak volumes
We are following the biblical model… Are you?
Following Christ,
- Jeff H
Jeremy,
I believe that Jeff was saying that you would have to chop out passages like the following:
Acts 20:27-31–For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God. Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears.
Romans 16:17–Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them.
2nd Corinthians 11:3-4–But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it!
Galatians 1:9–As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.
Ephesians 5:11–And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.
It’s a shame that the apostle Paul spent so much time correcting “heretics”!
Jeff,
Why do you feel you must be insulting? You have no idea how much I’ve read or haven’t read and you are questioning how much I’m following the biblical model. Speak the truth in love…that is biblical.
And I never said we shouldn’t correct teaching that is wrong…but Jesus spent most (not all) of his time with people who didn’t believe and He spent some of His time with the Pharisees.
You haven’t answered my first question…is it that hard of a question? I didn’t say you couldn’t do both…I just asked why the ratio was so high?
I’m not trying to attack…but it seems like you believe I am…is that true?
Jeremy
(Corrected per commenter request–Admin.)
How do you know? Do you have access to my planner?
Stop presuming.
I go back to your statement:
you spend countless hours correcting “heretics” instead of seeking and saving the lost as Jesus did.
HOW DO YOU KNOW THIS?
What do you do with Paul’s admonition in 2 Timothy 3:16-17?
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.”
Now, stop throwing rocks and get busy doing BOTH: sharing the true Gospel AND defending and contending for the faith… or is false doctrine ok by you?
Jeremy:
If you will permit me, I’d like to also help you understand us here. In addition to defending the Faith, as commanded by Scripture, we also spend our lives ministering to others. We minister to the poor, the homeless, the hungry, to the extent we are able with food, clothing, shelter. When possible, we provide transportation to those who have none. We minister to those in rest homes, nursing homes, and hospitals. We teach the young in Christ by patient example, and by teaching God’s word to them. At work, we attempt to show Christ to our fellow workers, employer, vendors, suppliers, and business associates. We help those broken down on the side of the road. And in any other way, when we are aware of a need, if we are able, we attempt to meet those needs with the love of Christ.
Does that help to answer your question on how we witness to the world around us?