Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Wanna be starting somethin'...even Manu Dibango was misquoted.

Wow! Want people to come to your blog...write about Michael Jackson!

I normally get on average between 120 to 140 visitors a blog post. Most don't comment but some send an email with their thoughts. My last blog on the New Age garbage generated 189 visitors, several pointed comments and a dozen nasty emails. I answered each and every one with sincerity and platitude...excuse me...gratitude for the expression of odious opinions.

Then Michael Jackson. After 214 visitors, several nasty comments (I only deleted 2 for offensive language), and 17 emails of differing opinions (only 4 in support...thanks guys!), I have a new visitor record for Tony C Today. I'm beaming with pride. Nothing like controversy to stir the soul.

For the record, I never stated a desire for Michael Jackson to 'burn in hell.' It's not there. Read the post again.

I was genuine in my statement of hope that Michael Jackson was right with God when he passed. And yes, it does matter...eternally.

Calling Christians 'bigots' is growing tired and insubstantial. True followers of Christ love everyone. Because we love you doesn't mean we have to agree with you. Need a reference? Check with my teenager whom I love with all my being.

This isn't a race issue. Period. My repulsion of child molesters is very equal opportunity. Also, my mention of O.J. Simpson was based solely on the documented ineptitude of the Los Angeles Police Department that botched solid cases against both men...very publicly.

I don't normally revisit a post to address comments or emails, but some of the statements were far off base of fact. If you loved an entertainment icon to the point of unreasonableness and delusion, you won't find Tony C Today very helpful.

The title of this post refers to the mispronounced closing words in Wanna Be Starting Somethin'. It seemed to fit.

6 comments:

NCSue said...

Hi Tony -

It seems to me that some people are way too quick to take offense, and often will GIVE offense way too easily.

Lighten up, folks.

W said...

Tony-

A friend directed me to your blog and I am thankful for it, because I really enjoyed what I read.

In this post you included a statement which I especially agree with: "True followers of Christ love everyone. Because we love you doesn't mean we have to agree with you." Today too many Christians hawk views of condemnation to those who live lives with the slightest hint of disagreement with traditional Christian teachings (despite the Bible saying never to presume to know how God thinks). In engendering such views your Christian statement above is lost. We need not accept certain actions, but at the same time militant black-and-white approaches to heaven and hell do no favors to anyone. Using your example of parenting a teenager: a full and loving relationship between parent and child grows (again, it does involve discipline), where as the staunch "you will go to hell if you do bad" relationship often lacks much love and usually puts the child at a very high risk of rebelling. We needn't risk that, as Christians. We need Christianity to get back to the messages of the Gospels!

-W
http://bill84121.blogspot.com

Z said...

Great line about your kid, Tony!

I have to say a little discernment and traditional Christian teachings are what make people keep on the street and narrow.....loving, hopeful and kind, moral, etc.
Please, nobody ask me to 'define moral' because there are Christians who'd actually argue that, too. I think there are black/whites. coming from Scripture.
There's a BIG area between "you be bad, you go to hell" and "COOL! Do whatever you want...I'm a Christian and LOVE YOU!" right? I hope most of us fall in between!

eaglegirl said...

Tony, I was getting a little worried about you with the comments you were getting.
I did actually pray that you would be o.k. and God would protect you and your blog.
Guess a few people just happened upon your blog while looking around the net and you got caught in a net of nasty.
Good comeback on the misquote.
Blessings to you and yours.

katdish said...

Okay. On my blogroll...

Sorry/you're welcome.

Mesha said...

can i just say I LOVE you blog. I am SO glad I found it and you SERIOUSLY crack me up.

"My repulsion of child molesters is very equal opportunity."

OH my...I'm going to sleep good tonight after that laugh.

I agreed 100% with your last blog and I agree with this one too. I actually started writing a blog about MJ yesterday that is not a warm and fuzzy.