Can one admire a man who is wrong?

RandyWayne · #1 07-05-2008, 02:50 AM

This thread comes from a quick question I thought of. In response to the magic hair threads and LS, is it possible to honor and truly admire a man that teaches things you would consider dangerous?
(Forget that some may consider magic hair wrong, but not truly dangerous, to which I completely disagree, but to continue....)
I was thinking, "no, how can one admire someone who teaches something so way off base?", but then the thought flashed through my head of all the men I hold in high regard. Men (and women) that I disagree greatly on one or more (sometimes many) things.
Men such as James Randi, atheist in the extreme but most importantly a "debunker" of the supernatural (although he calls himself "agnostic"), or Carl Sagan (also an atheist). Both of these men have accomplished much in teaching about science, the scientific method, and lessons in not getting suckered by others.
Is it any different for someone to say that greatly admire and respect LS despite him teaching something that borders on the occult?
Am I becoming fixated on the sliver in my brothers eye and ignoring the log in my own?

James Griffin · #2 07-05-2008, 03:09 AM

Worship is of course saved for Christ alone, but there are many men who have traits I admire, and wish to emulate. But to date outside the Son of Man I have yet to find one perfect in every way.

And since I have never met a man who was never wrong about something, then I would have you say the answer to your question is yes.

Cindy · #3 07-05-2008, 05:30 AM

I agree with JG.

TRFrance · #4 07-05-2008, 07:26 AM

I admire Winston Churchill as being one of the greatest leaders ever, even though it seems unlilkely that he was saved.

Cindy · #5 07-05-2008, 08:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RandyWayne

This thread comes from a quick question I thought of. In response to the magic hair threads and LS, is it possible to honor and truly admire a man that teaches things you would consider dangerous?
(Forget that some may consider magic hair wrong, but not truly dangerous, to which I completely disagree, but to continue....)
I was thinking, "no, how can one admire someone who teaches something so way off base?", but then the thought flashed through my head of all the men I hold in high regard. Men (and women) that I disagree greatly on one or more (sometimes many) things.
Men such as James Randi, atheist in the extreme but most importantly a "debunker" of the supernatural (although he calls himself "agnostic"), or Carl Sagan (also an atheist). Both of these men have accomplished much in teaching about science, the scientific method, and lessons in not getting suckered by others.
Is it any different for someone to say that greatly admire and respect LS despite him teaching something that borders on the occult?
Am I becoming fixated on the sliver in my brothers eye and ignoring the log in my own?

Well, sometimes I admire you RW, and sometimes you are wrong.

ManOfWord · #6 07-05-2008, 09:31 AM

I admire many men and women for their qualities and accomplishments and the way they conduct themselves. However, when a great leader who is admired for his great leadership changes the way he leads and cause harm to people, he or she loses admiration. I can follow a great leader who gets speeding tickets or other such issues, but when their faults are have to do with what they primarily do, then there is a real problem and they need to be held accountable for the damage they are causing. I have not respect for someone who willfully does that or who may not do it willfully but does it without regard for the consequences. This is a serious character flaw, IMO and on which cannot be glazed over. If it were found out that Carl Sagan's methodology were faulty, he would lose admiration. The same goes with others. Some things as leaders, we can get by with and other are just unacceptable.

RandyWayne · #7 07-05-2008, 09:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cneasttx

Well, sometimes I admire you RW, and sometimes you are wrong.

Perish the thought!

RandyWayne · #8 07-05-2008, 09:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ManOfWord

I admire many men and women for their qualities and accomplishments and the way they conduct themselves. However, when a great leader who is admired for his great leadership changes the way he leads and cause harm to people, he or she loses admiration. I can follow a great leader who gets speeding tickets or other such issues, but when their faults are have to do with what they primarily do, then there is a real problem and they need to be held accountable for the damage they are causing. I have not respect for someone who willfully does that or who may not do it willfully but does it without regard for the consequences. This is a serious character flaw, IMO and on which cannot be glazed over. If it were found out that Carl Sagan's methodology were faulty, he would lose admiration. The same goes with others. Some things as leaders, we can get by with and other are just unacceptable.

Part of the issue is "earned respect". To put it bluntly I have much more respect for a few non-Christians (Carl Sagan as an example) than I do some preachers. Simply because some of the former are more intellectually honest and just plain old nice then some of the latter who seek power for their own vain reasons always telling themselves that the ends justify the means (aka, magic hair).

Michael Phelps · #9 07-05-2008, 09:49 AM

Here's a question for you -

Does a preacher who preaches false doctrine still deserve respect?

People on this forum will tear a preacher apart who preaches the trinity, but this magic hair doctrine is just as false as the trinity! And, yet, it is expected of us to be kind, and kind of tip toe around the issue, and avoid the elephant in the room.

SOrry, folks, right is right, and wrong is wrong - no matter who's preaching it.

Hoovie · #10 07-05-2008, 09:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michael Phelps

Here's a question for you -

Does a preacher who preaches false doctrine still deserve respect?

People on this forum will tear a preacher apart who preaches the trinity, but this magic hair doctrine is just as false as the trinity! And, yet, it is expected of us to be kind, and kind of tip toe around the issue, and avoid the elephant in the room.

SOrry, folks, right is right, and wrong is wrong - no matter who's preaching it.

From their perspective it (the Trinity) is not reconcilable with true salvation, so yes it would be different.

IF I thought believing in the Trinity meant believing in three Gods (as some here do) then the magic hair stuff would definitely fall into a secondary issue category, while the number of Gods one has is a BIG deal.