I receive emails, on a regular basis, from people who have been to my website and have seen (and sometimes actually have read) various commentaries that I have written about Bible topics.  The people who have read things I’ve written usually will comment specifically on certain points with which they agree or disagree.  In those cases, accordingly, I will respond to their comments if and when I have the time.  Occasionally, I will have brief, logical, rational discussions with people like that, although I do not have the time or interest in having lengthy exchanges with anyone.

When someone does not comment specifically on things I have written, but instead requests that I read opinions and commentaries that they or others have written, sometimes I will read what that person has written (or a portion of it, if it is quite lengthy, since I do not have the time or interest to read a great deal of unsolicited material).  Then I will single out some points and indicate why I agree or disagree with them.

In many cases, when I disagree with a person’s viewpoints, that person will continue emailing me, attempting to convince me to adopt his/her viewpoints.  What such a person rarely will do is to cite specific points in my writings and comment why he/she believes that I am in error.  I have two things to say about this:

1. I have zero interest in continually commenting about someone else’s viewpoints if that person has not taken the time to make clear, understandable observations about specific positions I have taken and explained.
   
   
2. It does not bother me at all if someone disagrees with my personal viewpoints.  I typically do not care to persuade anyone, through arguments or lengthy discussions, that I am right, since I feel that people should believe whatever they wish to believe.  Therefore, I do not understand why so many people are vehement about attempting to get me to embrace their views about various topics.

In any case, I sometimes will take the time to comment on material someone has written and has asked me to read, or else has made statements in an email about which he/she has requested that I make comments.  However, if that person ignores the logic in my comments and continues to bombard me with continual reasons why I should adopt his/her views (especially when that person does not take the time to make constructive, rational comments on explicit points I have made in one of my commentaries or in an email response), I see no reason for our dialogue to continue.

As an example, I have compiled the 20 emails—and my responses to many of those emails—of someone who wrote me for about 3 months during 2006.  (At that time, I had more time for back-and-forth dialogues with people, which no longer is the case.)  He attempted to convince me that there is nothing in the Bible that speaks of a prophetic 70th Week (of 7 years) to occur in the future.  He steadfastly believed, and adamantly wanted for me to believe as well, that there are only 3½ years (not 7 years) remaining to fulfill Daniel 9:26,27.  In case you are interested in looking at an extremely lengthy example of what I have described above, click on the following link; I think you will understand why I have no interest in having fruitless, futile dialogues with people:

Since that word document is quite extensive and protracted (368 KB), it may take awhile to load if you have a slow internet connection.  I have changed the names of people mentioned within the email exchange.

Ted