You gotta’ love a dedicated, albeit uninspired, troll. Take Jim Bob. He stopped by last night, hot on the heels of the iMonk, puffed up with self-righteous indignation over my Open Letter to Mardel. Jim Bob the Troll provided a fictitious email address, so I declined approval of his comments. Stuck in moderation purgatory, Jim Bob the Troll then created an email address just for commenting at Everyday Mommy: notthemommy@____.com. Mocking me Jim Bob? Of course, we can’t know for sure because, well, we can’t know Jim Bob the Troll’s “heart”.
So, in the spirit of transparency I thought I’d share Jim Bob the Troll’s thoughts with all of you. That, and it’s Wednesday.
For your convenience I’ve underlined the “I’m a creepy internet troll” parts. Jim Bob’s communications appear in red.
Jim Bob the Troll: Your comments about Mardel seem to be one sided. A quick search of their site for ‘Calvin’ found 80 hits. Grudem–10 hits. John Piper–92 hits. Reformed Theology–30 hits. Institutes of Christian religion–11 hits. Have you contacted their corporate offices to express your concern? They seem to have quite a selection of all doctrines. Ironically (prophetically?) the verse listed on their site today is Matt 5:44…
Signed, Friend of Mardel a/k/a Jim Bob the Troll
Everyday Mommy: Phony email addresses are a no-no.
Jim Bob the Troll: But are my comments any less valid? If you have posted an open letter to Mardel, have you attempted to contact their corporate office?
Signed, Friend of Mardel a/k/a Jim Bob the Troll
Everyday Mommy: Phony email addresses are a no-no.
Jim Bob the Troll: And this is against your rules? BTW, I do not know who imonk is, and I am not a troll, per your tweet…I had a legitimate concern.
I seem to remember Ingrid having issues with them, and ‘slicing’ into them on her blog and radio program…without the courtesy of finding out their heart.
Have you contacted the corporate office of Mardel to express your concern?
Signed, JimBob a/k/a Jim Bob the Troll
Everyday Mommy: Phony email addresses are a no-no.
Jim Bob the Troll: Have you contacted their corporate offices?
Signed, Friend of JimBob a/k/a Jim Bob the Troll
Everyday Mommy: Three strikes and you’re out.
Jim Bob the Troll:: Interesting. (Note: I loathe turgid comments that begin with one word sentences like “Interesting.”) You post a slanted view of a top Christian Retail Chain, post an ‘open letter’ but have not contacted their corporate offices. When asked a legitimate question, you block the sender instead of responding.
If it is ‘guilt by association’ in judging their theology and motives, are you living in a glass house? Hallmark has produced some pretty bad cards, you know. Old Navy, well, all kinds of concerns there. But those brands are OK to support, promote or work for? I just think you should study your subject better before you blog negatively about them. Maybe get to know the folks at the store? I bet you would find a new appreciation for their theology, their convictions, and their heart.
Matt 5:44
Signed, JimBob Roberts @ notthemommy@_____.com a/k/a Jim Bob the Troll
Everyday Mommy: And, apparently it’s alright to lie and practice deception when commenting on someone’s blog or emailing them. God hates a lying tongue. Proverbs 6:19 And, for the record, I never said that I didn’t contact their corporate offices. You did.
Jim Bob the Troll: What are the lies?
Your posted blog rules were not violated–nowhere do you have it posted that a valid email address is required. Deception? What is deceptive? Your own website is handled by a proxy service, is that deceptive?
I did not violate your comment criteria, but yet I am a liar for asking a simple question, and noting that you can find Calvin at mardel.com
There are those that would say that partial truth is a whole lie. Your comments about Mardel imply that their beliefs are defined by three books you disagree with, and nowhere do you state ‘To be fair, I checked and they also carry a vast selection of Calvinistic, Reformed Theology and other ‘solid’ teachings’ or anything to that effect.
So you are confirming that you have contacted their corporate office? Just trying to clarify–because if you have, then that was the answer to my question in the first place.
Proverbs 12:17
Signed JimBob Roberts @ notthemommy@_____.com a/k/a Jim Bob the Troll
Your thoughts everyday readers?
{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
wow. Someone must work for Mardel?
I’m thinkin’ Vanessa is on to something.
Maybe it’s Mardel the Troll? I love mysteries.
Um, is it just me, or is Jim Bob comparing apples to oranges anyway? I mean, EM’s point was about Mardel’s STOREFRONT store, not their website store. Anybody can carry almost everything on a website, but priorities must be made when dealing with an infinite amount of square footage. And that priority displays the heart of the powers-that-be.
Within that square footage, it’s always telling to note what’s prominently displayed and what’s on the dusty shelves at the back. For example, when I go into my local Christian bookseller, I’ve noticed, typically, books like “The Shack” and “Your Best Life Now” and “The Feminists Study Bible” (ok, I made that one up) are prominently (and beautifully) displayed at the front, whereas the single copy of Grudem’s “Systematic Theology” is located on the dusty shelf at the back. “Just making it easy for the most customers to fine what they want!” you say. I say that if the lovely up front displays consisted of the latest Piper, Moehler, MacArthur, Sproul, Grudem, etc. books, people might develop a taste for meat!
Hmm, while I do tend to think Jim Bob does make some valid points (can I say that? ducking? running?), I think the original point still stands.
If a bookstore DOES believe in what we consider to be true biblical theology, does it matter that they make those books available if they also make what we consider to be books that are actually harmful to gospel living available?
At some point a line is crossed and either the bookstore sees itself as trying to provide good resources to help true Christian growth, or the bookstore is simply trying to make money.
My guess it’s the latter of the two in this case.
The same thing is happening with publishers – clear, biblical writers are turned away in lieu of the sensational stories that are guaranteed to make a buck.
And, sadly, because that’s what people are reading these days.
I think your amazing gifts and talents are being diverted when you get caught up in this kind of squabble, Jules.
Too bad the crockpot folks aren’t trolling…that would be way more fun!
ditto to Grace’s comment.
Trolls feed on attention. Feed them and they get bigger; starve them and they go away.
My thoughts:
Regarding Old Navy and Hallmark . . . To the best of my knowledge neither Old Navy and Hallmark’s core product or service offerings revolve around the eternal destiny of mens and womens souls or how they are to sanctify their lives. If the pious gasbag JimBob Roberts a/k/a Jim Bob the Troll is going to bring that up, perhaps he should pull the beam out of his own undiscerning eye for (depending on the statistics you read) at any given time 60% of Internet Surfers (and Trolls) are viewing pornography. Should anyone therefore be on the Internet? It is sad that quote/unquote Christian bookstores have become the outlets for doctrines of men, heresy . . . damning theology.
It seems that dear old JimBob likes the play on words “notthemommy” which he so cleverly borrowed(?) from the 1980’s Sid and Marty Krofft “Dinosaurs”, program which had more than a few questionable skits, coarse language, and ungodly use of double entendre. Comparing JimBob’s “notthemommy” with Baby Dinosaur’s “notthedaddy” how adorable!
You be the judge – JimBob, the architect of clever words, for the sake of honesty, transparency, and relativity, may have been better suited to use “herecomedajudge” for his fictitious email account. I am looking at the asterisks aside the “Name” and “Email” text fields on your Internet form that when “mouse-overed” spell out the word “required.” He is right though Jules. There is nothing that pops out and tells you that either must be honest when providing either. That is only implied. This, after all, is a Christian woman’s blog that strives to Glorify God, magnify righteousness, and expose sin. How could dear old JimBob have known that his own deceitful use of his personal identity might be called into question, (especially when he has come here to judge about not judging others)? Who is the accuser of the brethren? Contextually, what are we told about judging? I remember discernment and discretion and judgment being explain in 1 Corinthians 2:15 “But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. “ That word judgeth being synonymous with “appraises.” Now, knowing you Jules, I know that you are not a person who passes everlasting condemnation on others as perhaps JimBob suggests.
Final thought for JimBob . . . I have found you a new email. I am sure it is not taken. You can get the URL and Email cheaply through most ISP’s. How about JimBob@ouchthisbeaminmyeyehurtsandkeepsmefromseeingclearly.com?
Blessings!
Ken,
P.S. Just might purchase notthejimbob@toomuchtimeonmyhands.com
Correction . . . Baby Dinosaur’s comment was “notthemommy” Pre-JimBoob.