Author John Shore Responds!

11 CommentsFamous Lost Words

In yesterday’s column of “Famous Lost Words” I featured an author, John Shore, saying in an interview that Christians don’t need to evangelize; they just need to live their lives and God will do the rest.
null Well, imagine my surprise! The author himself responded, starting a nice heated debate.

null Mr. Shore has taken issue with a few bloggers who have not read his book, but have critiqued it negatively. He wrote:
“C’mon, now: You know better than to criticize something you haven’t read. That’s just … wrong. : – )” And: “How in the world can you expect anyone to take you seriously when you’re too lazy to even bother READING a book you dare to then criticize? It’s so deeply …. well, lame.”

Everyone has offered to read his book if he provided a “sample” copy for free. So far, Mr. Shore has not taken us up on our suggestion.

Is it indeed wrong to criticize a book without reading it when an author has already declared the irrational content in a public interview? Do I need to read every Jehovah’s Witness book to come to the conclusion that they are misguided? Wait. JW’s share their faith. Bad example.

Mr. Shore also sent me a link to his website further detailing his rather, um, strange, Emergent positions. Here are some samples: “Simply love the nonbeliever in your life. Christ will take it from there… When it comes to the relationship between you and a nonbeliever–and especially with a nonbeliever to whom you’re necessarily close–be patient. Wait. Never stop waiting. Have no agenda.”

Read the “Heresy Watchdog” website set up in his honor here.

Read his take on this passive, do-nothing approach to evangelism here.

Comments (11)

  1. Dale

    Reply

    A good friend wrote to me about John Shore’s interview with Christianbook.com

    Here’s what my friend said, and it’s very poignant.

    ****

    This is one of the saddest and at the same time most hilarious and self-contradicting things I’ve ever seen.

    First read these few excerpts below from his interview:

    “And telling someone they’re wrong for believing whatever they believe
    about something as important as the Humongous Universal Issues that any
    religion or moral system addresses is about as insulting as anything you
    can say to a person. It can’t help but make you come across as
    condescending and disrespectful–as just about anything but loving. How
    is that helping? How is that not violating the Great Commandment?”

    “Because no matter how artfully or lovingly it’s put to them, the fact
    is that no one on this planet likes being told they’re wrong about stuff
    they believe-and (and this is a thing I think it’s sometimes too easy
    for we Christians to forget) everyone has their own thoughts and
    convictions on all the Big Life Issues, such as God, death, the nature
    of the soul, morality, etc. And if you’re telling someone that what you
    believe about those things is more valid than whatever they believe
    about those things, then the bottom line is that you’re telling them
    they’re plain, flat-out wrong. And that’s sure to alienate from you
    whomever you’re talking to. And then your relationship with that person
    will terminate. And unless you’re willing to get into seriously tweaking
    of the meaning of the word “love,” that means you just broke the Great
    Commandment with that person, since no one can love anyone with whom
    they have no relationship at all.”

    “It doesn’t matter how you say or put it, if in any way you communicate
    to another person that they’ve made a mistake for not choosing
    Christianity over whatever it is they have chosen to believe in, then
    you have been disrespectful to that person. Which means that with them
    you have broken the Great Commandment.”

    Now, think about this: With the same breath that he tells us that it is
    wrong, unloving, disrespectful, and a violation of God’s Commandment to
    tell people that they are wrong, he is telling us that we are wrong for
    believing that it is not wrong to tell people that they are wrong.
    Hasn’t he therefore insulted us? been condescending, disrespectful, and
    unloving towards us? Isn’t he “artfully” and “lovingly” telling us that
    the things he believes about these things is more valid than what we
    believe about them, and that we are therefore flat-out wrong. Hasn’t he
    therefore alienated us, ended his relationship with us and therefore
    violated the Great Commandment? Now, we’ve obviously heard of all the different
    styles of evangelism that exist, therefore does he not contradict his
    own philosophy by telling us about his “friendship-evangelism” view,
    which we already know about. Shouldn’t he take his own advice: get to
    know us, be nice to us, show us love by never telling us we’re wrong,
    and saying nothing to us about his evangelism style unless we ask?

    It amazes me that he focuses on the second part of the Greatest
    Commandment: “Love your neighbor,” but he totally neglects the first
    part: “Love the Lord…” What did Jesus say: “If you love me, keep my
    commandments.” Outside of him defining this as the greatest commandment
    what was the other great commandment he gave us?: “Go into all the world
    and preach the gospel to every creature.”

    This is very sad. And I can’t believe people are buying into this
    stuff.

    But I guess if we really love them, we should never tell them that their
    thinking is wrong. :- )

  2. Steve Sanchez

    Reply

    Good stuff, Dale.

    Don’t worry about people buying into this stuff; they’ve already bought into it pre-John Shore. It’s called disobedience!

    I’ve read something somewhere about the sons of disobedience…

  3. Dale

    Reply

    Club Frustration. As Ray puts it. “I’m glad the disciples didn’t just stay in the upper room” but actually obeyed the command to “GO!”

  4. Robert

    Reply

    I was another blogger who took issue with John’s book without reading the actual book, basing my opinion on his comments, interviews, book cover, and excerpt on his website. It’s not like the point of the book was not laid out in those places, by the actual author. I didn’t go out and buy the book for the same reason that I won’t buy or rent “Fahrenheit 911”; I know what the book (or video) is about based on the promo material and don’t want to waste my money on something that is diametrically opposed to my beliefs (and in the case of Michael Moore, I don’t want to support his drivel). It’s not like the gist of “I’m OK…” is not known from all the promo stuff and the general thrust is so un-New Testament that I can’t see putting down 14 dollars for it. Not evangelizing is simply not obeying.

    I shared comments with John on my blog too and consider him a nice guy, but I can’t help but think that his book is either way misguided or very much tongue-in-cheek. (And he’s proof that authors like to google themselves often!) 😎

    John, if you’re reading, I’d like to give you this challenge: since you think that you should read things before criticizing, why not read some of Ray Comfort’s stuff (or listen to it) before criticizing evangelism. Ray will lay out for you the why and the how of evangelism (as will this blog). I would recommend “Hell’s Best Kept Secret” which you can actually listen to for FREE on http://www.wayofthemaster.com.

  5. Steve Sanchez

    Reply

    Robert and all,

    I’ve been in touch via email with Ray and John. Ray has issued a challenge for him to critique “The Way of the Master” book and vice/versa.

    I offered to send John a copy for free; I am just waiting for his mailing address.

    Stay tuned…

  7. Steve Sanchez

    Reply

    Unfortunately, John Shore requested that he doesn’t want me to email him anymore. But I will give a report of our exchanges—and my conclusions about why he bailed on Tuesday.

    A friend of mine has bought the book, is reading it with furrowed brow, and will provide me with some nuggets, that I will post.

    It is vital that we battle for the truth; we should fight and defend it.

    John MacArthur, in his commentary on Jude writes, “Although God’s people sometimes forget the importance of truth, Satan never does. Ever since the fall, the father of lies has done everything in his power to destroy, hide, and twist the truth—constantly attempting to replace it with falsehood and deception. Ironically, his deadliest attacks do not come from those who openly reject the truth, but rather from those who profess to know and believe it, but lie.”

    We need to stand for the truth and expose the lies, even if someone, a nice guy like John, say, gets offended.

    Or scared.

  8. Robert

    Reply

    I sure hope that he has not written a book about why we shouldn’t evangelize without first reading a book about why we SHOULD evangelize. That would be so… lame.

  9. Dale

    Reply

    We are reading his book as we speak, so I’m not “lame’ anymore. And btw, it solidifies my thoughts about how horrible his theology is. This book will make your eyebrows furrow so badly you’ll need to get cosmetic surgery to get them back to normal. Funniness aside, this is a very deadly opiate to the churches.

  10. Jess

    Reply

    I found this site while doing Google searches about John Shore. I have been truly upset about his posts, books and blogs. I sat in church (non denominational bible believing Christian church) today wondering about him. Has he not read or studied the word of God? Does he think that the Bible is just full of good ideas and suggestions?

    What is also disturbing is: 1) That he has free reign on christinity.com. If you have followed him at all he loves to blog about embracing homosexuality, not passing judgment on gays. How he attends gay “weddings.” He scoffs at others who have been concerned about gay agendas and indoctrinations in public schools and denies the threat and treats those with concerns as alarmist and homophobe’s. Most that fawn all over his posts are clearly not Christians. You see reference to Jesus and God in the lower case. Almost no reference to scripture, and people who claim that scripture reference no longer apply. Fringe and cult Christian pastors applaud him.
    2) Steve Arterburn co-authored a book with John Shore titled “Midlife Manual For Men” I have not read the book and will say only this. If Steve and his associates removed every heresy and false teaching, that John has become known for, from this book and it is just a wonderful handbook; it is only giving John undeserved credibility and is stripping Steve of his.

    Another blog that John Shore posted shows a picture of Muslims traveling towards a Mosque. He poses the question is it wrong for me to hang this picture in my home? His merry band of followers let him know what a silly notion that is; “sure it’s fine….” It’s a pretty painting that would look great on any mantle. Again no references to scripture.
    Here are some questions that he didn’t entertain:
    A) Is God a jealous God? Exodus 20:5 In this verse God is talking about being jealous if someone gives something that belongs to Him to another (an Islamic deity??).
    B) Could this be used as a “Graven image”? “Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.” (1 Corinthians 10:14 KJV)
    C) Does this painting glorify a religion that is anti-Christian?
    D) Asherah poles were thought to be harmless to some Jews; what were the results of this thinking?
    E) Do you really want the most prominent art piece in your home to be something that glorifies Islam?

    Rebuttals and the dissections of other peoples work are easy for some. I don’t want to be that person. Hebrews 4:12 and Psalms 6:23 talk about rebuking and reproof. 1John 1:9 talks about correcting. I would love to see John Stone guided by the Holy Spirit so he could use his skills to further the kingdom of God. But, until he gets to intimately know the Triune God and his Holy word he is just a dangerous and false teacher. His writings are heresy; it needs to be fully disclosed. Those that allow him to spread these falsehoods need to correct him and I would say no longer allow him to use their mediums as a source for his dispersing of falsehoods.

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *