I don't know if there is a place on this list for a discussion of the larger societal questions, but I was asked to post this reply here:

"Michael: wonderful post! Have you posted this on Ed Yourdon's list? People need to hear this! - Anita Evangelista

Here's a response which I recently sent to a few Y2K leaders:

I appreciate Gary North's statement that he was wrong. However, he was not alone in calling attention to the problem, just out front. So now he becomes the lightening rod for all the blame. Too bad. The Body of Christ now sends another message to future would be pioneers. Think twice before you step out front.

All Christian leaders who were out front on this issue, need to stop shifting blame, arguing about to what degree they were out front, and help the people they led make since of all this. If they don't, and we can't learn from this and see God's purposes in it, then I'm afraid we're going to leave some unhealed wounds and nagging doubts about God and his people.

Please... we don't need your blameshifting or positioning....we need your compassion, we need your analysis, we need your leadership.

Michael

Reply:

Michael, I agree with you, but this isn't blame shifting. It is called taking responsiblity. Gary North's abberant Christian Reconstruction theology is the bedrock of all his false predictions from the "plague of AIDS" to predictions of a terrible economy in the 80s to false alarms about nuclear war and bio-terrorism. I think it is mighty big of him to admit his error. I never thought he'd admit he was wrong, but I guess I was wrong about that! Hopefully people will see the complete agenda of Gary North in brighter light now. Although North is on-target on the essentials in such areas as salvation, he misses the mark on eschatology in my opinion.

MY reply:

I'm not so sure it was Gary's theology that was driving him, at least not what people see as radical reconstructionist theology. Maybe he operates with a mindset that God's Kingdom will ultimately triumph, but what mature Christian does not. I think he was operating more from his historical and economic perspective and his views toward our fiat money system which also is doomed to fail. I think with so many programmers and high-end system managers giving their own highly credible alarm, he simply concluded that Y2K may be the trigger that would bring it all down. We must remember, there was a need to bring attention to this issue, and he did provide a valuable service to journalists and other gatekeeprers.

In any event, where do we go from here? Can the Christian Y2K leaders (I know we don't like that title now) come together to give analysis and promote healing so we can properly move on. Questions: What possibly was God's purposes in this? What did we learn? What was good? What was bad? What remains true? How can we use this as stepping stone to the future? Should we be on guard for subtle deception? What values should we continue to fight for?

These are the questions I have. I'm sure there are many other people with these and other questions. What will it be? Business as usual--little Christians going back to our little corners of busyness never to rock the world's boat again, or are we ready to really make the probing analysis of this decadent society and take radical stand it would require?

Probably not. Alas, we too love the side benefits of decadence.

For the sake of our children's children, where are the ones who will say with passion and conviction...May God's glory cover the earth....and may he do it through me.

Michael

-- Michael Johnson (affirm2000@aol.com), January 06, 2000

Answers

Michael,

I believe that what we just saw w/ y2k might be termed 'Grace in action'. Hey, maybe it can also be seen as a warning on a whole range of issues, from non-renewable energy sources to the importance of local communities. It is indeed evidence of God's glory that we got through this unscathed. We ignore this evidence at our peril.

-- silver ion (ag3@interlog.com), January 06, 2000.

Question: When did Gary North say he was wrong? Do you have the link? Thank you.

-- Dee (T1Colt556@aol.com), January 06, 2000.

He didn't exactly say he was wrong.

Link: http://www.remnant.org/y2k/detail_.cfm/7104

-- The GAO reports were almost as (scary@as.Gary), January 06, 2000.

Sometimes the pendulum needs to swing wide to bring people to back to center, or make any movement at all. I know most recognize Gary's contribution, but what we need is for those out front on this to come together and give extremely good analysis and leadership.

We need to see is the big picture and adjust our lives to a positive and strategic, (and yes radical) vision for the future.

Let's not miss the road that's going to be less traveled. Forgive my metaphors, but you can't blaze a good trail by continually swiping at the branches.

As far as being "out of the woods," I'm not sure that we'll ever be out of the woods in our society, if we can't see the forest for the trees.

Michael

-- Michael Johnson (affirm2000@aol.com), January 06, 2000.