An Open Response to Sam Frost
Sam Frost posted “An Open Letter to Don K. Preston” on his “Reign of Christ” website, and that letter has been posted on FaceBook. When I saw it, it reminded me that I had, unfortunately, forgotten to respond to Sam’s last email. Sometimes my email correspondence is all but overwhelming. My apologies to Sam for that oversight.
In his letter he shared with his readers that he and I had corresponded concerning a debate. All of which is true.
Sam left out of his letter how he had initially said that due to his own academic pursuit that he could not do the debate anytime soon, and that was fine. Scheduling is a killer. I told Sam that due to my own scheduling, I probably could not do a debate this year.
Sam notes that I demanded an honorarium to do the debate, noting of course, that he will do it free. Well, Sam has a job that pays his bills. My ministry is my job. I also noted that Joel McDurmon demanded a sizable honorarium, and Sam had no problem with that. In fact, the partial preterist world seemed to boast of Joel’s demands! But when it came to me, I am supposedly unreasonable to do the same. I have repeatedly asked Sam to explain why it was proper for Joel to demand an honorarium but, it is somehow unreasonable for Preston to do so. Sam says the question was not relevant to my demands, but of course, it is. This is a thorny issue of consistency and part of the reason I made the demand in the first place– to expose that inconsistency.
All that aside, as just noted, I had told Sam that we could not do a debate this year (2013) because I already have a debate scheduled with Steve Gregg, to be held in Denver, Co. in September. In addition, I have some other major projects in the works, and they have been in the works for a good long while. So, just like Sam could not do the debate due to being “too busy” I likewise cannot do the debate this year for the same reason. Yet, Sam tries to make it appear that I was simply making excuse of being too busy. This is unbecoming. (Jason Bradfield in his usual caustic manner, posted a response to Sam’s open letter saying: “Don Preston is a goat, who is also a chicken.” This kind of rhetoric is reprehensible, un-Christian and unscholarly, but is, unfortunately fully tolerated on RoC).
I want to let everyone know that I have posted an email to Sam yesterday (1-10-13) stating that I am keeping my schedule for 2014 open for a debate with him, and we can proceed with negotiations.
In the meantime, John Noe has boasted that his debate prowess is far superior to mine, and has stepped forward seeking to debate Sam. So, that should be interesting, to say the least.
For His Truth, and In His Grace,
Don K. Preston