Internet accountability.

[charityagape]

Yeah! First thread. Anyway in another thread I was confused (even though I was accused of not being confused) about something brought up..........that TB (this is not about TB any well know preacher will do) should be held accountable by other Christians through the internet.........that's why all the bashing....or warning.....or whatever you choose to call it for yourself.

So do you think Christians are responsible for holding people they cannot contact or have a relationship with accountable by talking about them on the internet?

(note: quite frankly you have the right to express your opinion about anyone in anyway you wish on the internet.......I'm speaking expressly about claiming that that expression of your opinion is holding another Christian (or person if you believe they only claim to be a Christian) accountable.)

[rmw8855]

If you have no contact or relationship with a person then you have no way to hold them accountable. Accountable means that they are liable or can be obliged to accept responsibility. The most you are doing is either venting your frustration or warning other people away from them.

[ImmersionX]

The internet is a world-wide computer network....so there ya go...a fact. My/our U.S. gov't are desperately trying to control the internet. Not gonna happen. I was a researcher on the "internet" when it was called ArpaNet, and the whole "wwwDOTcom" concept was not even a thought in people's heads. The only reason I had access to the so-called "internet" was due to my college being a research hub of academia back then. Now, not to get on a tangent of how the internet is, well....nvm.

Anywho....what am I saying....oh yes accountibility....on the internet....hmm...very debateable...but in the direct answer to the OP which is:

So do you think Christians are responsible for holding people they cannot contact or have a relationship with accountable by talking about them on the internet?

The internet has so evolved as to be uncontrollable by any one gov't, entity or person. If it were, it would've happened by now.

Now in accordance to answer the OP specifically the subject of [instert name here]....:

It's not the internet, nor thru or by the means of the internet, but the people of Christianity...live, noticeable and in person....real life here, not "second life", itself that must HOLD whomever ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE HERESY AND LIES HE/SHE IS SPREADING in regards to the HOLINESS, and the UNREFUTABLE WORD and GOSPEL of our Lord Jesus Christ and everything regarding Him in TRUTH. Be it a local pastor, evangelist, prophet(false or not), sunday school teacher, etc.....all must be held accountable, no matter their means of spreading falsehood, in living color real life in their face(with love) interaction.

So....yes, but not on the internet....accountability in real life would be nice to see...protests at "revivals", or demonstrations counter to the Word of God that we all know and cherish but sometimes get mislead about...but always seem to "come around" as to the Truth and what's NOT the Truth.
Amen!

Now...that's all I gotta say 'bout that one. =)

[charityagape]

It's not the internet, nor thru or by the means of the internet,

So....yes, but not on the internet....

:D That's a lot of rambling.

[Elijah2]

Accountability is being responsible for a person, an act or a deed, and can be explained.

The internet is not controllable, so therefore, cannot be held accountable.

There isn't much you can do about it, after we are all unknown.

You have either accept it or don't accept it.

I am accountable for my own actions, and what I say, the same as for you and anyone else.

Be blessed, in Jesus' Name.

[ImmersionX]

:D That's a lot of rambling.

I was gonna throw in a few 'thee's and 'thou's but decided against it! ;)

[JAS4Yeshua]

Can there be accountability on the Internet? Yes, it is possible. But usually that is only possible if the person wants that accountability in the first place. Same thing goes in real life. If someone isn't looking for accountability, they aren't going to accept it.

The problem as I see it is that too many people are trying to be the Holy Spirit for others, whether they ask for it or not. That is never a good idea, as it almost always breeds hostility, resentment, and kicks up pride (which we all have, no matter how "Christian" we are). In the Internet environment, that becomes even worse, as you can't see body language or hear the subtle variations of tone and mannerisms that will often soften the message being delivered.

[habeas]

We can hold what a person teaches up to the light of the word of God and see if it holds up. You don't need the poster's resume to do that.

On this reasoning, we should shut down the political forum, because we can't hold politicians "accountable on the internet." Heck, shut down all the political blogs and online newspapers because they're on the internet. After all, some people aren't using their real names, or aren't using names at all!

Because of political persecution, pamphleteers during the founding of our country had to remain anonymous - often they used obvious pseudonyms and the First Amendment protects that right. Thomas Paine wrote Common Sense, anonymously.

[charityagape]

I was gonna throw in a few 'thee's and 'thou's but decided against it! ;)

:DActually that would have been hilarious.

[charityagape]

Can there be accountability on the Internet? Yes, it is possible. But usually that is only possible if the person wants that accountability in the first place. Same thing goes in real life. If someone isn't looking for accountability, they aren't going to accept it.

The problem as I see it is that too many people are trying to be the Holy Spirit for others, whether they ask for it or not. That is never a good idea, as it almost always breeds hostility, resentment, and kicks up pride (which we all have, no matter how "Christian" we are). In the Internet environment, that becomes even worse, as you can't see body language or hear the subtle variations of tone and mannerisms that will often soften the message being delivered.

AMEN!

[charityagape]

We can hold what a person teaches up to the light of the word of God and see if it holds up. You don't need the poster's resume to do that.

On this reasoning, we should shut down the political forum, because we can't hold politicians "accountable on the internet." Heck, shut down all the political blogs and online newspapers because they're on the internet. After all, some people aren't using their real names, or aren't using names at all!

Because of political persecution, pamphleteers during the founding of our country had to remain anonymous - often they used obvious pseudonyms and the First Amendment protects that right. Thomas Paine wrote Common Sense, anonymously.

I'm not really talking about discussing people; preachers, politicians, etc. I'm specifically talking about this issue of Christian accountability. In other words stating your opinion about someone but insisting you're holding that person accountable in the biblical sense.

[BenAdam]

I have a counting ability

1,2,3,4,5

see?

[charityagape]

Your count ability doesn't go higher than five? HAHAHAHA

[BenAdam]

Your count ability doesn't go higher than five? HAHAHAHA

... I would have to switch hands to go higher and that just confuses me....

[charityagape]

... I would have to switch hands to go higher and that just confuses me....


:D

[habeas]

I'm not really talking about discussing people; preachers, politicians, etc. I'm specifically talking about this issue of Christian accountability. In other words stating your opinion about someone but insisting you're holding that person accountable in the biblical sense.


I don't understand. So you are talking about someone who comes out and literally says word for word, "I am holding this person accountable in the biblical sense?"

In which biblical sense? The OP seemed to be a broad brush, but because of your response to my post I assume you are not talking about comparing what a person teaches (or what some poster posts) to scripture? What do you mean by accountability in the biblical sense then? :confused:

[Moriah_Conquering_Wind]

The problem as I see it is that too many people are trying to be the Holy Spirit for others, whether they ask for it or not. That is never a good idea, as it almost always breeds hostility, resentment, and kicks up pride (which we all have, no matter how "Christian" we are). In the Internet environment, that becomes even worse, as you can't see body language or hear the subtle variations of tone and mannerisms that will often soften the message being delivered.

AMEN. That totally sums it UP. About EVERYTHING not just the OP stuff.

[Moriah_Conquering_Wind]

I'm not really talking about discussing people; preachers, politicians, etc. I'm specifically talking about this issue of Christian accountability. In other words stating your opinion about someone but insisting you're holding that person accountable in the biblical sense.
And so does THAT... (sum it all up, it means)...

[seekthetruth909]

Yeah! First thread. Anyway in another thread I was confused (even though I was accused of not being confused) about something brought up..........that TB (this is not about TB any well know preacher will do) should be held accountable by other Christians through the internet.........that's why all the bashing....or warning.....or whatever you choose to call it for yourself.

So do you think Christians are responsible for holding people they cannot contact or have a relationship with accountable by talking about them on the internet?

(note: quite frankly you have the right to express your opinion about anyone in anyway you wish on the internet.......I'm speaking expressly about claiming that that expression of your opinion is holding another Christian (or person if you believe they only claim to be a Christian) accountable.)

Ask yourself this question: Do you have a right to hold the pastor of your local church accountable or question his teaching?
For example, my former pastor would occasionally say controversial statements in his sermons.
Once he preached that CNN news service was of the devil. Later that week we discussed this is in our bible study group with people disagreeing with his statements. On another occasion he preached that we should not give money to panhandlers. We also discussed this in our bible study group and most of us believed that the bible instructed us to give to the poor rather than judge them. Were we wrong on these two occasions to disagree with our pastor? If you believe we did have a right in our fellowship to question our pastors teaching, then people here also have a right to question TB or any other media preacher's teachings.

If a preacher decides to use the internet,TV, or radio to preach, the believers who listen to him become his congregation.I know some Christians who now only attend weekly internet church services because of health or other reasons.I know Christians who consider preachers like Kenneth Copeland their pastor although they do not attend his services in person.Media preachers have chosen to preach to Christians all over the world, and Christians who have been exposed to their teachings have a right to analyze, agree, or disagree with their teachings.

This forum is a fellowship of Christians. It is the same as a small local bible study group analyzing their local preachers teaching.This internet P/C fellowship forum should have the same rights as any other fellowship, which includes the right to question teachings that come into this fellowship.

In this forum we can hold a persons teaching accountable, but to hold the person directly accountable we would have to contact them by email and in a loving, kind, gentle, manner show them their errors.

But we must remember to judge the validity of the teaching rather than judge the person.Only God knows the heart of a person.
Seek

[Mark2010]

The internet is just one big gossip mill.

Heck, I've had people say stuff about ME that isn't true and hurtful. But that's just like real life. Gotta have a tough skin if you are going to survive.

As someone who believes in free speech, I respect the right of anyone to say pretty much anything, anytime, anywhere.People who are inthe public eye know this (or learn it pretty quickly). So let 'em post whatever and I'll take it all with a grain of salt.

[charityagape]

The internet is just one big gossip mill.


EXACTLY! No use someone pretending they're performing a religious service to the body of Christ when they're (and we all) just exercising freedom of speech to say whatever they want to say.

[Elijah2]

Lighten up CA your getting serious!

Be blessed in Jesus' Name.

[charityagape]

Well I wouldn't want to get too serious, I might become vitriolic.

[Mark2010]

Being vitriolic is dangerous to your health!

[Amaryllismayfly]

There is little to no fruit from these types of on-line spiritual authority warnings. People speak as a spiritual authroity, yet we don't know them, we don't know their sins or struggles, their growth or maturity. We can't weigh their fruit, or love for the Lord. In fact the fruit from these warnings is dissension in the body of Christ and division. It's all bad fruit, except for possibley a selfish fruit that makes both sides more convinced that they are right.

I feel bad, because I also believe there is little fruit from on-line debates as well. I know it's satisfying to debate, but the only fruit that comes from it is a personal, selfish one. Probably the best fruit for me that has come out of debates is helping me realize what I truly believe.

[JimfromOhio]

Accountability involves "one anothers" that every members are encouraged to be actively respect one another. In 1 Corinthians 13:5 says "Love does not act unbecomingly"; which means a Christian should demonstrate godly love and have real Christian credibility.

[WarEagle]

Yeah! First thread. Anyway in another thread I was confused (even though I was accused of not being confused) about something brought up..........that TB (this is not about TB any well know preacher will do) should be held accountable by other Christians through the internet.........that's why all the bashing....or warning.....or whatever you choose to call it for yourself.

So do you think Christians are responsible for holding people they cannot contact or have a relationship with accountable by talking about them on the internet?

Forgive me if I'm wrong, but wasn't it Todd Bentley who chose to make his false preaching/teaching/alleged "healing"/karate chops/etc public and put them on the internet and places like GodTV.com?

I don't think you can say that he shouldn't be judged publically for something he chose to make public with any credibility.