Let's be fair, brothers. Pr. Rossow did NOT make those comments to the press, but on a blog where others would understand the context in which those comments were made. I know Tim. He would not speak in that manner, and make the comparisons he made that night, to the press, or to unbelievers or others who wouldn't understand the context of those comments and comparisons. I think some of the comments offered by Pr. Fouts, and others, throughout this discussion are good, in that we all need to be careful what we write online, as these things can definitely be used against us in public, or can be garnered by the outside world, who wouldn't know why or in what context some of the comments we make were made. So, this is a lesson learned, to be sure.
But, included in that lesson is this sad reality, namely that there are people among us who would copy such comments and release them to the press, knowing that a) those comments had been taken down from the site, and b) those comments would be used to paint the worst possible picture of the commenters, and c) those reading those comments in the world would not understand the context in which they were made.
I don't write this to defend the comments made by Pr. Rossow or others that night. In fact, I thought those comments were unfortunate and less than desirable at the time, and I intended to write Tim and let him know that, but then the post was taken down, so I let it go, thinking, "Good. Wiser heads have prevailed here (and here on ALPB). This is not the time to be discussing this." I even wrote on a couple of FB discussions that night that it was a time to cry and a time to pray, not a time to discuss and condemn. Little did I know that someone/some people had copied that deleted post with its deleted comments and would release it to the press as he/she/they did. And, I find the fact that someone/some people would do this to be reprehensible - as reprehensible as some commenters here find Pr. Rossow's remarks.
But, of course, I also find it reprehensible that someone/some people would go to RNS and release this story that was being handled well within our church body to begin with, which, from all appearances, seems to have been a deliberate attempt to disparage our synodical president and bring ire upon him not only from within our church body, but also from the world, and also an example of synodical politics at its worst. Great churchmanship, that! (And, yes, I know that we cannot know for sure how RNS came across the WMLT blog, but I find it extremely difficult to believe that Caleb K. Bell, the author of the original article ran by RNS, which unleashed the media frenzy, just happened upon that blog, especially since his original article was not very reflective of the content of the letters upon which he was reporting. I've contacted him a few times asking him if he could indicate how he stumbled upon this story, without giving up his sources, of course, but haven't yet received a response, and I doubt I will. The best construction I can put on this is that someone/some people felt so strongly that Pres. Harrison was in error that he/she/they felt the only avenue he/she/they had to express his/her/their displeasure would be to go to the press, not fully taking into consideration the negativity doing so would bring upon our synod. I find that best construction immensely sad.).