It was meant to be a Biblical rebuke, as verses in Proverbs teach. I believe I've been preaching the Gospel longer than you've been alive (40 years this year). If you then are comfortable with the disrespect you show to me and others, I've done my duty. I won't do so again, since you reject rebuke.
I am more than willing to take the rebuke, John. In fact, I have recognized on this site publicly several times that I got a bit too heated and apologized. Feel free to do this any time.
Furthermore, I believe I have expressed very clearly to you my respect for what you do and who you are. I think you'll remember the nice things that I sincerely remarked. I have prayed for you by name.
But I think you have a slight hang up here in this debate business. The rules for this particular site note that debate gets "heated". It does. It is the very nature of debate. The only way to avoid that is to bow. Since I will not unless defeated and you just will not- well, there is going to be heat.
Here is what I think; you tell me if I am wrong. You are used to debating people who you do not consider to be your equals. Some YOU bow to because you see them as wiser than yourself. Others, you think should bow to you because you consider yourself wiser by virtue of age or title or the work you do, etc... What I do not think you are used to is people behaving as your equal and calling you on the carpet and decimating your arguments.
I do not believe I have assaulted your character AT ALL. But we are supposed to be DEBATING. Debate means you pit your ideas on a particular matter against mine and we see which one survives the applied scrutiny and which is left standing when the dust clears.
If you want to call that abrasive- then fine. Paul was abrasive. Peter was abrasive. The Lord Jesus Christ was abrasive. Moses and Elijah and Samuel, etc, etc, etc...
The definition of abrasive is:
a·bra·sive
/əˈbreɪsɪv, -zɪv/ Show Spelled[uh-brey-siv, -ziv] Show IPA
–noun
1.
any material or substance used for grinding, polishing, etc., as emery, pumice, or sandpaper.
–adjective
2.
tending to abrade; causing abrasion; abrading.
3.
tending to annoy or cause ill will; overly aggressive: an abrasive personality.
Many considered Jesus to be annoying and over aggressive. Peter spoke to him about it once if you recall when he noted how much Jesus upset the Pharisees.
But notice the primary use of that word is for grinding and polishing. This is the very essence of "iron sharpens iron" isn't it? If you would embrace it in a manly fashion with a warm heart and a smile on your face it would polish your thinking rather than be so offensive to you personally.
I have friends who I would die for who battle it out with me in a very heated manner often. But our hearts are filled with love for each other and we actually appreciate our ideas being tested by the severest of scrutiny. It is in these kinds of exchanges that much of what I know came about.
This is NOT a fellowship forum. It is a debate forum.
You and I can go and fellowship in one of those fellowship forums over a good cup of Earl Grey tea if you like. But in here, our ideas are tested. Heat is necessary to purge dross, isn't it?
If I am full of bologna on a particular argument- you feel free to say so. I may not like it but I still like you and I want my ideas tested in the fire of debate. You are doing me a favor when you undermine my argument and point out where it fails. I am doing you a favor by doing the same. Being men, especially, means we appreciate a few bruises and scrapes in a tussle. Men can rise up from fight, throw their arms around each other and go watch a football game together.
That's how I wish you would see our exchanges.