Cheryl

Donna,
You said:

“So, what I have suggested to myself and to others is to stay in your communities and discuss these things of common interest.”

I don’t think that we need to necessarily stay in our own communities. That can cause “inbreeding”. It is good to go outside ourselves and interact with those who do not believe as we do. The problem comes not with interacting with others (because we certainly can learn from others and they can learn from us) but when we interact in either an offensive way or we habitually become offended. Then it is better to stay away and sometimes we just need a break so that we can see things without all the emotions. Strong emotions can distort our perception of reality.

You asked:

“What do I look like when I come on an egalitarian group? You answer that question.”

Donna, you appear both defensive, often sarcastic and at times out-right attacking your sisters in Christ. I also think you appear very hurt by something that has caused you to be offended in the past that you haven’t gotten over. Perhaps someone offended you who did not intend to offend, but again I must mention that strong emotion can color our perception of reality. I sense that you are offended easily and offense is taken at things that shouldn’t cause an offense.

You also asked:

“What do you look like when you come on a complementarian board? You answer that question.”

I try very hard to see complementarians as my brothers and sisters in Christ first and foremost. I also try to make the women in ministry issue to stay within the “secondary issues” of the church and not make it one of the essentials so that it breaks fellowship. If you would like to see how I come across on a complementarian blog, go to http://prouty.wordpress.com/2008/02/12/whats-a-girl-to-do/ and read the interaction.

You said:

“The experiments at trying to dialogue are failures – total and utter failures.”

I don’t agree. These issues are not solved at the drop of a hat, but continued dialog with graciousness and charity go a long way to mend these areas of disagreement. This is not an issue for the faint-hearted. It takes courage, love, patience and endurance and these are characteristics of the mature.

You said:

“So, thank you Cheryl, for allowing me to say something. I think that it is a total waste of time to discuss these issues together, but it is not a waste of time to read and think.”

You are welcome. I have no problem in allowing people to “speak” when the dialog is respectful.

You said:

“She is a good role model. No, I am not, nor have I ever said I was. …and my story is still my story…”

Being a good role model is very important. However we cannot just be a role model in our own little circle. We must grow up to be a role model who transcends the churches in-grown issues. The eye cannot say to the hand “I have no need of you”.

1 Corinthians 12:21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; or again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.”

When the church with all its divisions starts working together and loving one another, we will mature and grow and get beyond the offenses. I may be an eternal optimist but I truly do believe that Jesus is coming back for a mature church who has gone through the fire and has kept the faith. That mature church will love one another as He has loved us and in that heart of love there will be no real divisions.