Dear Mr. Smith,
>
> I stumbled across your website from a GoogleAdsense ad. I was reading
> through some of your responses and takes and it is good to find a
> kindred spirit of sorts. I have been leading a battle in getting
> Christians to focus on what is said in scripture and not on what is not
> ever since my conversion in 1974. I like much of what you say and can
> recount many times having said the same. I am on the verge of reiniating
> an evangelistic ministry in which I was involved before getting married.
> God is now redirecting me to get on with it.
>
> Why I am writing you is to ask a request of you. Last year my local
> religious group (church for lack of a better term) did a mission stint
> in Mississippi. The pastor of the that group was a "good-ole boy" who
> couldn't conceed to the possibility of his being in err with respect to
> the idea of divo rc ed men being either pastors or deacons. We had a
> rather heated discussion in SS class about what the Bible said, that was
> probably the most discussion that ever occurred in that class for years,
> well commercial over. What transpired was a very strong impression I
> felt of God to write on topics of problems within Christianity, the book
> title I am in the throws of writing is "The Problems With Christianity."
> One chapter concerns "Tithing." I read your treatise on the topic and
> was very please to see someone actually viewing the facts of tithing,
> although you seem to come accross as being rather angry in your response
> (actually somewhat similar to be take as well), I found your treatise
> quite refreshing and saying much the same thing that I have been trying
> to communicate as well. So rather re-inventing the wheel so to speak I
> am seeking your permission to using your treatise as the substantive
> outline for the chapter rather than re-satting what you have already
> stated and researched.
>
> I will give you full credit for the work you have done. I will probably
> add commentary before, during and after as well. I will send to you the
> completed chapter before I submit the book for publication. A yes would
> save me a considerable amount of time.
> Sincerely,
> Mark
Dear Mark:
I have not problem with people quoting from my papers, but I do not approve
of using entire articles that I have written for publication in other people's books.
When I approve an entire article (or a good portion of) one of my articles, it is
tantamount to putting my personal approval on your entire work or volume, and
this I cannot do. First, because I probably would not approve of your entire work.
A little advice: I do not believe that anyone would be interested in reading a book
with the title: "Problems with Christianity." It sounds as boring as any title could be.
It's like a book entitled: "Everything Wrong with America." People don't want to
read books like that. Maybe if you titled it: "The Solution to the Major Problems
of Christianity." But even that sounds boring. No one would buy it. Which brings
up another major point, and that is we do not SELL the Gospel of Jesus Christ or
any of our material. I have had dozens of such offers in the past and have turned
them all down. Hope you understand.
God be with you,
Ray
