Apologetics Answers
Monday, January 10, 2005
 
Is this Anton Hein's latest response?
Following a sincere (at least on my part) exchange with the venerable Anton Willem Hein of Amsterdam on the AR-Talk and AR-Forum lists, I found the following bon mot from Mr. Hein in my Gmail.com mailbox this evening:
Gmail - You have been unsubscribed from the ainewsletter mailing list

...
and that's all he wrote. No explanation. No comment. Nothing. Just "hasta la vista, Kellner." And, no, I did not ask Mr. Hein to unsubscribe me.
Mr. Hein, who previously banished me from his ApoloTalk forum, now is cutting off my receipt of his self-promoting "ministry newsletter" for the Apologetics Index Web site he operates.

Instead of engaging the facts presented, instead of even considering that he may be mistaken in such tactics as presenting John Gorenfeld's screed against long-departed Washington Times managing editor Josette Shiner as an apologetics "resource," Mr. Hein chooses to circle the wagons, raise the drawbridge and lower the gate of Castle Anton. (Did I mention, before, that Mr. Hein has set up his computer to block e-mails from me? And that he has publicly said he would consider any attempt to e-mail him as "harassment"? Surely Mr. Hein, who claims to have once been employed by computer publishing giant Ziff-Davis, and who operates multiple Web sites, knows what the "delete" button on a computer does. But I digress.)

Christians are supposed to be notable for their openness and transparency: Jesus of Nazareth never had an e-mail filter, never cut anyone off his newsletter list, and indeed told the Pharisees and Sanhedrin leaders who sought his capture that he had taught openly in public daily, obviating their need to seize him at night.

Mr. Hein, on the other hand, is now presenting a facade of openness and accessibility, while limiting access from those who dare question his positions and conclusions, particularly when his views challenge that most basic of freedoms, the freedom of religious belief and expression. What, do you suppose, would Jesus do in a similar situation?


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