Tuesday, October 17, 2006

Why Does James White Debate?

Brother Bob Ross may have the answer as to why "Dr." James White debates so much.

I seem to remember reading something about those who were "teaching things they should not teach for the sake of sordid gain." Titus 1:10.

Discussing the "house take" and offering a "substantial sum" for a debate with James? Does this mean that "for pay they have rushed headlong into the error of Balaam" (Jude 11)? After all, overseerers are to be "not fond of sordid gain." (Titus 1:7).

I don't know why, but these verses came to mind when I read Bob's comment. Maybe James can do some EXE-GEETIN' on these verses and tell us what they really mean. I hope they don't apply to Brother James. I really do.

Charles
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

BUYING DEBATERS?


Bob to Charles:

One might think, Charles, that making a small "business" of debating might not be very lucrative; however, I suppose if one really works at making it something of a "cottage industry," it might at least help "make a living."

I noticed the following on James White's website, written by a gentleman who evidently is sort of an "agent" to entice selected opponents to debate James White. This was an offer said to have been made in October 2005 to Ergun Caner:

>>
If you agree to participate, you will be given 50% of the house take for the evening. As our attendance last year in Seattle was approximately 800, this should be a substantial sum. Round-trip air-fare for you and your wife, hotel and meals while at the Safety Harbor Resort will be gratis. Please let me know if you are able to participate in this event. Soli Deo Gloria, Michael O'Fallon President Sovereign Cruises LLCwww.sovereigncruises.org mike@sovereigncruises.org877-SOV-CRUISE
>>

Fifty percent of $20 or $25 a head times 800, plus all expenses and meals, is a tidy little sum for debating, don't you think, Charles? I'm surprised James does not have more "takers" for debates than he does, what with all those perks offered opponents.

I suppose James also gets a chunk of "the take," in addition to probably selling quite a lot of his merchandise (books, cassettes, videos, dvds, etc.) to those in attendance. He is quite the entrepreneur. He might eventually even rival Peter Ruckman as a notable entrepreneur of self-produced religious products.

Tuesday, October 10, 2006

Debate Soap Opera News: James White

As usual, Brother Bob Ross gets to the heart of the matter.

Charles


UPDATE (10/10/06 3:35 pm): Ergun Caner has released a statement: "So … it’s cancelled. They quit."

>>>>>>>>>>>>
DEBATE SOAP OPERA NEWS: JAMES WHITE: Yes, we quit."

Bob to Charles:

Well, the Pity Party goes on and on. James White is sending up "smoke signals" from his Arizona teepee like we have seen before. And the "Flounders" are following suit on their website, too.

The main message is --

"Yes, we quit. We quit trying to work with men who would not honor their word."

Imagine, Charles, what we would have missed if Paul had insisted on a specific format on Mars Hill (Acts 17) where he was given the opportunity to speak by the religious idolators in Athens?

Regardless of all of James' palabber about the Caners, the fact remains, JAMES QUIT. He "tossed in the towel." He held up the "White flag."

He will never "live it down" that he "backed out" of a 2-hour opportunity to present Hybrid Calvinism at Liberty University -- all because he rejected the changing of the format from 3 hours to 2 hours.

If James and Tom could not defend their Hyridism in a 2-hour format, what makes them think they could do any better in a 3-hour format?

Monday, October 09, 2006

Liberty Outfoxes James White?

Brother Bob Ross has a few words about "Dr." James White's cancelling the debate at Liberty University.

"White Whine" is again flowing freely from Phoenix. Brother James blew his chance to debate "in the big league" and now all he can do is whine about it. Of course, he may continue his pee-wee debates with the Sovereign Grace sea cruises.

Personally, I believe Brother James was more than a little worried about taking on the Caners. James has a severe case of Rossphobia and now it seems he has developed Canerphobia to go along with it. He had a chance to go toe-to-toe for two hours but now he has nothing. I assume Dr. Mohler is happy.

Poor James. At least he still has his Sunday School class, where I suppose they will get an extended update on James' latest antics.

Charles

>>>>>>>>>>>>
LIBERTY OUTFOXES WHITE?

Bob to Charles:

While James White and the "Flounderites" are whining about White's cancellation of the debate due to his refusal to accept Liberty's 2-hour format, it is obvious that Jerry Falwell and Liberty have outfoxed James White. Was it foreordained and predestinated to conclude this way?

When I first heard of this proposed debate, I thought, "Why in the world is Jerry Falwell and Liberty tinkering with a small fry like James White? Why give White a platform to promote Hybrid Calvinism before students who are most likely not theologically mature enough to discern the fallacies of this pedobaptist/Hardshell form of 'Calvinism?'"

White could have had his "15 minutes of fame" by debating at Liberty, but by the exercise of his own will ("free will"?) he has muffed his opportunity. By grinding so profusely about the specifics of the debate, he fumbled the ball and now can only have his "pity party" about the canceled debate. He canceled out his "golden opportunity" by insisting on getting what he wanted, and he is left now to only reminisce on "what might have been."

Looks like he will have to be satisfied with the "fame" he accrues from engaging offbeat cultists, Romanists, Muslims, and other assorted heretics.

In this contest of wits, the Liberty element has succeeded. And they may have spared some of the immature students from being misled by Hybrid Calvinism.