Ready, fire, aim

Michael Coughlin has written an ill-conceived hit piece on abolitionists, and one of his comments was so ludicrous that I had to comment.
I don't know whether he will publish the comment, but I figured I'd save it for posterity and publish it here just in case.

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Maybe if AHA spent as much time protesting idolatry instead of attacking the brethren

1) This is a hypocritical statement, sir. Unless you believe we are unregenerate, then you have also offered a criticism of brethren. By your own standards, you have "attacked the brethren".
If your reply appeals to the basic concept of "Wounds from a friend can be trusted", then why didn't you consider that's precisely what we are doing? How is it that criticism has suddenly been equated to "attack" in these sorts of interactions. It makes no sense.
Are you "attacking" the lost when you do street preaching? Of course not. Be consistent.

2) You did not inform yourself before writing this article, and so your criticism is actually much closer to an attack than what we do or intend to do. We don't pull the trigger until we know whereof we speak. You could learn from us in this.
I'm asking you to acknowledge that you spoke rashly without knowledge, and that you will pray for God's grace to be slower to speak and quicker to listen in the future.

3) Protesting idolatry? Just what do you think abortion is. and what is its source, if not idolatry?

4) Here, read this, please.
What you should have done is asked us about this before speaking.

5) If by "protesting idolatry" you mean speaking out against the errors of Rome, we have done that many, many times.

6) However, Romanism has not resulted in the deaths of 55 million innocent people in this country in the last 40 years. 
Historically speaking, for all of Rome's evil activities and persecutions, I doubt one could plausibly lay 55 million deaths at her doorstep since the first uppity thought occurred to a bishop of Rome. 55 million is A LOT.
And what's more, Rome has put the evangelical church to shame with her pro-life work over 40 years.
Yes, Rome is evil. Yes, Rome preaches a false Gospel. But there are worse things, such as a sin-addicted culture that rejects the Gospel outright and murders children left and right.


we’d believe AHA was really trying to be Christian

Oh, I get it. Our engaging in public criticism of a church about which you know basically nothing for reasons about which you know basically nothing is enough to cast doubt in your minds as to whether we're Christians, despite all we've said and done, all the times we've preached the Gospel and refused to secularise our message.
In that case, sir, we are not at all interested in what you think about us. You should repent, however, of this wicked way of thinking about brethren. It is entirely unbecoming.


Grace, peace, and clearer thinking to you,
Rhology