<HTML> <HEAD> <TITLE> John 3:16 and Donald Duck on the Pianotech list.</TITLE> </HEAD> <BODY> <BLOCKQUOTE> From: vanbrussel <vanbrussel@euronet.nl> Date: Wed, 13 Dec 2000 22:53:25 +0100 To: <DGPEAKE@aol.com> Subject: John 3:16 on the Pianotech list. </BLOCKQUOTE> <BLOCKQUOTE>Christopher Witmer, in a recent post, quoted Joh= n 3:16; "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begot= ten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For<BR= > God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved." -- John 3:16-17 <BLOCKQUOTE> And then (another pianotech subscriber) : Why does this upset you so much? Are you under conviction? R= ead the verse again, insert your name instead of "the world" and see how it app= lies to your life. </BLOCKQUOTE> Well Sir / Madam, I will try to explain to you why, yes.... it bothers me : In this opening sentence actually lies the cause and the answer (of my bein= g bothered): In the first place, I thought I am/was a subscriber to a so called 'pianote= ch list', a forum for piano technicians (and not specificly 'religious only'= piano technicians). When I subscribed, I did so, because it said nowhere that one had to be a p= iano tech AND be a member of any religion or church. By getting e-mail on that very pianotech list with religious material &nbsp= ;like, : quote : "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begot= ten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For <B= R> God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved." -- John 3:16-17 " unquote. I am puzzled and annoyed. Why puzzled? Because, as I said before, I wanted to be a subscriber to a 'pianotech rela= ted' list without sermons or any kind of religious influence. And why annoyed? Because I feel pressured to accept YOUR vision, YOUR way of living, YOUR ph= ilosophy. You probably did not ask yourself (in this case) whether I had the WISH and= NEED to accept YOUR way, YOUR phantasies. Furthermore: Suppose I am a believer in 'Deity' Donald Duck...(and please, do take my wo= rds seriously) How would YOU personally react to my asking you to accept 'HIS' (Donald Duc= k's words? How would YOU personally react to my asking you to "insert y= our name instead of "the world" and see how it applies to your lif= e" ("For God so loved the world that He gave His on= ly begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eve= rlasting life. ).   You would probably feel very much insulted and you would considder it blasf= emy (and on top of that....on the pianotech list!) So, 'my point' is : Maybe I believe in Donald Duck? Maybe I believe in Allah? Maybe I believe in Buddha? Maybe I believe in the Thora? Maybe I believe NOTHING? I <<<<  try to have respect for others by (on a public for= um like the pianotech list) not openly push forward MY religious believe or = opinion. If I would do so anyway, it would actually show my contempt for the ideas o= f other persons, my personal criticism of what another human being might fee= l privately in relation to religion, philosophy, or whatever way of life.<BR= > I did never want to write this letter in the first place, it did not even c= ome up into my mind! It shows, that by provoking subscribers of this list with YOUR religious id= eas, you FORCE and BOTHER other persons with something private THEY never as= ked for. And that is exactly what I have against anybody, who forces his will upon m= e...and I don't care whether it is political, religious, or Donald Duck! May 'any' force be with you anyway.........because I wish no harm upon you = and forgive you. I just wanted to make this clear! Martin van Brussel PS. As I am still a subscriber to the Pianotech list, and as this all came into= the world because a religious subscriber of said list wanted his personal r= eligious opinion in public, I feel it necessary to make a statement (I will = however not disclose your personal name, out of respect). If other religious subscribers (on the list) then find it necessary to use = the pianotech list as a battleground for their personal pyilosophical beliefs, I will happily unsubscribe and switch over to a more neutral terri= tory. At least I know where I stand then. </BLOCKQUOTE> </BODY> </HTML>