Most of you have probably heard of the tragic death of Pastor Greg Baker, pastor of Faithway Baptist College and president of Faithway Baptist College in Whitby, Ontario. Much prayer is needed for the pastor and family. It does appear that he committed suicide, which only multiplies the tragedy.
If you were to check in on some “fundamentalist” message boards, like Fighting Fundamentalist Forum, you’ll find some discussion on Bro. Baker. Most of it is Christian, but there will always be some troll who will rejoice in the fact that a pastor killed himself. There is actually such a person at the FFF. I won’t dignify this person’s “internet name” but his reasoning was that because Baker was a “KJV Onlyite” (a hateful and slanderous term) and an anti-Calvinist (nothing wrong with that), that God was “cleansing his church” through Baker’s suicide. He basically thanked God that Bro. Baker committed suicide, that somehow God was judging him because of his stand for the KJV and his stand against Calvinism.
Yes, such hellish thoughts from a professing Christian on a Christian message board.
Unfortunately, the woods are full of such people, who will dance on a dead man’s grave or rejoice when a preacher falls. And they usually take to message boards to spew their bile, never under their real name, however. Cowards always hide behind an alias and shoot from the bushes.
Internet message boards, like the FFF or Sharper Iron or Baptist Boards are really nothing more than outlets for such nonsense. They degenerate into nothing more than electronic gossip parlors, where anyone can say anything with no consequences. Much of what is said is ungodly, slanderous, hateful, if not downright unscriptural.
I used to post at Sharper Iron and the FFF and got fed-up with both boards. Sharper Iron is so heavily moderated that the atmosphere is stifling. With all the “young fundamentalists” that populate SI, with their multi-versionism, soft stand on music and separation and general lack of discernment, my brief time there was extremely frustrating and not edifying.
I tried the FFF for a while and came to the conclusion that it was little better than a secular message board. Profanity, gossip, slander, flaming, and the like are on open display. Christian attitudes are hard to find there. There are no redeeming qualities as to what goes on at the FFF and a genuine Christian spirit is hard to find.
I’ve finally had enough of the whole mess. The tragedy of Bro. Baker and the resulting attacks on him posted on these boards show that internet message boards (even Christian ones) are no place for a Christian. I’ve wasted some time over the years on a few secular ones as well and now that has to stop as well. Posting to such boards simply is not edifying nor does it help one’s spirituality or walk with God. It would be a good thing for the church if such boards shut down and Christian went “cold turkey”. To think that one would long for the “good old days” when such gossip was confined to pastor’s fellowships!
Less time on message boards, more time in prayer and study. That sounds like a better stewardship of time.
July 4, 2009 at 2:34 am
I haven’t been following the situation but it sounds very sad indeed… I think prayer and study are certainly admirable and that for all of us there are times when we need to remove ourselves from things – such as chat rooms, that would give us cause to sin. (I intentionally avoided Facebook for a time). Perhaps it is a little hasty to say that we would all be better without social engagement on the WWW though. I pray that you will receive God’s peace and healing in the days to come.