@piratechristian ↔ @BoPolny conversation

Chris is attacking Bo personally while simultaneously accusing Bo of judging. The hypocrisy speaks for itself. Disagreement is fine. Personal attacks, however, do not answer the biblical issue being raised. And as a pastor and minister, Chris should know these Scriptures very well.

Jesus said: “Judge not, that ye be not judged.” — Matthew 7:1

But keep reading. The passage addresses hypocritical judgment, illustrated by the beam and the mote: “First cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.” — Matthew 7:5

Jesus also said: “Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.” — John 7:24

So the biblical issue is not whether Christians may exercise judgment or discernment. Scripture plainly speaks of righteous judgment. The issue is HOW one judges—hypocritically and self-righteously, or righteously according to Scripture.

That makes the personal attack even more troubling. A pastor should understand the warning against hypocritical judgment before publicly calling another Christian “a fool” or accusing him of “playing God.”

And Chris, since you chose to make this personal, perhaps there is another question worth asking: What does that collar around your neck represent—and who is holding the leash? Is it Christ… or does Satan hold the leash?

That is a question, not an assumption. But when someone publicly presents himself with symbolism like that while attacking another Christian personally, perhaps some self-examination is appropriate—especially for a pastor who should know these Scriptures.

Before someone calls another person a fool or accuses him of “playing God,” the same biblical standard should first be applied to his own words—and perhaps to his own symbolism.