2 responses to “Contact the Author”

1. 

   Christopher Witmer

   Thursday, February 19, 2004

   Hello,

   Do you still consider yourself a “Christian Agrarian”? I hope you won’t be offended but at least Howard King’s presentation of Christian Agrarianism strikes me as bizarre. (I don’t know if he is the chief representative of this line of thinking or not.) In any case, I find it interesting that a Christian Agrarian would have a copyright clause on the website, as that seems to be contrary to what Howard King was saying about the illicit nature of so-called “intellectual property rights.” Another inconsistency, in my view, is that a Christian Agrarian would even be using the Internet to promote the position in the first place. Isn’t that like handing out free alcohol as part of a campaign to promote teetotaling? (Maybe not the best metaphor, but I think you get my point.) In any case, I was just curious. By the way, I have lived or spent a great deal of time in Tokyo, Seoul, Hong Kong, and Singapore, and I can’t imagine how Christian Agrarianism would apply to these societies. I don’t see how it comports with the Postmillennial vision of the New Jerusalem either, but whatever. I look forward to your reply by carrier pigeon. (That’s a joke, Ma’am.)

   God bless you.

   — Chris in Tokyo

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2. 

   Marysue

   Wednesday, March 3, 2004

   First off, let me state that your way of speaking here is very disjointed.

   In any case, yes I’m agrarian minded, Christian Agrarian, and everything is copywrited whether or not one wants it. Certain reasons for copywrite are allowable in my estimation. Howard Kings writings on the Christian Agrarian model are held in high esteem by me, though that doesn’t mean I agree with every single point.

   I use the copywrite as a way for people to feel pressured to let me know they are linking me or some such thing, instead of taking my content and displaying it elsewhere without telling me. Such methods have been employed in the past, taking my words and using them to support something that is not my agenda, without letting me know. I stumbled onto certain instances of this. I don’t OWN my words, but insist that others use them wisely … hence the use of the term “copywrite” and my use of it is not necessarily connected with the official govermental-type definition of it.

   Your next disjointed point, comparing using the internet to your alchol deal is wrong as well. What has the internet got to do with Agrarianism? Nothing? You have read Wendell Berry maybe, but even he has his writings online. He doesn’t go online, but he uses a typewriter.

   How does the internet have anything to do with Christian Agrarianism then? Technology can and should be used wisely. The internet is a vast place of all sorts of information. This is not “anti-christian-agrarian”. You may see is as such, but you are not the authority fit to pass judgement on a what a group or single person calls a plank in their position on Christian Agrarianism. Read up on it, and study it with the light of the Bible.

   Your sarcastic comments are totally uncalled for also, Chris. What person uses carrier pigeons to deliver messages in 2004? Obviously not even Wendell Berry. Joking note not heeded, as you could have left that out and appeared a bit more realistic in being questioning things. In fact you are attacking what “you think” you know about Agrarianism, and putting the onness onto me because of a few things I’ve written.

   What does the Postmillenial vision have to do with Christian Agrarianism? Obviously you can’t see it. Think non-man-centered-city and read up and pray and maybe you can see that it surely does “comport” as you now say it does not.

   You’ve got a lot to learn. So do I. But I am not off on the edge of a cliff here. You are trying to push me off one, but I’m no where near one.

   God changes societies one family at a time. That’s how anything changes for the good or the bad. How would that apply to your oriental examples? Obviously some of these cities are in countries with agrarian portions — Christian Agrarian is not “farming” per se. It’s totally a different deal and those not willing to understand the difference between The City of God and what city of man is, won’t see what Christian Agrarian truly is.

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