Sock Puppet: Antonio da Rosa

Dear Guests:

Since the inception of this blog my efforts In Defense of the Gospel have been focused solely on the doctrinal errors of both Lordship Salvation and the Crossless Gospel. It is not with great pleasure that, for the first time, I must turn my attention to a personal matter.

Antonio da Rosa made this statement, “The Mormon Jesus and Evangelical Jesus are One and the Same.” That statement touched of great deal of discussion and consternation even among those who are sympathetic to the heretical Crossless interpretation gospel. I began a multi-part series under the heading Evaluation & Repsonse to “Crossless” Theology.

On Tuesday, February 5 (in Part 4 of the series) Antonio began posting a series of comments at my blog under an assumed handle, fg me. I knew from the first comment he posted that it was Antonio posting as fg me.

In the thread I gave Antonio several opportunities to post comments under his own name. My desire was to give him the opportunity to post his comments under his own name and drop the deceptive fg me handle he was posting under.

I sent Antonio an e-mail inviting him to post in the thread under his own name. In the thread I lifted my ban on him so that he could post freely under his own name. He did not reply to any of my invitations, but he kept up the deception of posting as fg me.

Antonio pretended to be a totally separate individual who was neutral in the debate. As this separate individual he happened to decide that Mr. da Rosa’s, (his own) arguments were more persuasive than Rachel’s or mine. What Antonio did is called using a “sock-puppet.” In Christian or secular circles, and I operate in both, that is considered highly unethical.

I was not thrilled with allowing Antonio to carry on, not only with his disingenuous method of debate as fg me, but especially with his “sock-puppet” charade, for five days. However, I felt another record of his egregious doctrinal errors and posting them as though he were someone else would further substantiate the issues that many have with his doctrine, debate tactics, character and behavior.

You can view Antonio’s sock puppet (fg me) in the thread under my article, Evaluation & Response, Part 4. You might begin with my comment on Feb. 13 @ 10:38am. From there you can scroll down and then back up the thread at your discretion.

Antonio has an opportunity to acknowledge and apologize for this issue. I have notified him of this in the thread and via e-mail.


UPDATE (2/18/08)
On Friday (2/15) I sent Antonio another heart felt, non-inflammatory appeal (via e-mail) to get this matter cleared up. He still refuses to acknowledge or respond to my appeals.

The following is the first and last statement Antonio made in the longer comment he posted at the beginning of the thread. The full content of his comments were, as I noted in the attached thread, deleted. I show his opening and closing statement to demonstrate that he has insisted, contrary to the documented evidence, that he never posted as fg me in my Evaluation, Part 4 thread.

“I did notice fg me. I believe that he did a good job over at your blog… I have admitted to no such practice, nor will I.”

Antonio's refusal to deal with this, is, IMO, going cause this issue to follow him until such time he confesses and repents.

On February 13, 2008 Rachel The Land of Reason posted a must read rebuke for Antonio da Rosa, the Sock Puppet: fg me. Following is an excerpt:

I challenge you to post the truth about what happened here. Admit to being FG Me and admit to trying to hide that fact. Acknowledge your deception and apologize for it, no excuses. Stop acting childish and do the mature thing - own up to what you've done. This is the only right thing to do.

I am hopeful time, and the convicting ministry of the Holy Spirit, will bring him to genuinely repent. Until such time he regards iniquity (sin) in his heart, and his prayers are hindered (Psalm 66:18).

IMORTANT UPDATE: (12/30/08)
Today, at another blog, Antonio finally confessed to being the Sock Puppet: fg me. In reality his full apology, which is filled with vitriol and personal ad hominen attacks cannot be posted in its entirety. What it shows, however, is that he was primarily sorry only for having been caught. That is false repentance. Nevertheless, here is the only portion of da Rosa’s apology that is suitable for publication.

“I indeed was the fg me on Lou’s blog. 

I have long since confessed my sins concerning that (and many others along the way) and forsaken them. It is a sad thing when the urges of the flesh to pride and superiority show their ugly, and evil heads so as to bring others low and cut them down.

 It isn’t an unheard of thing...To those (including Lou Martuneac, Stephen, Rachel, and any others) who were hurt or offended by my few day stint as fg me, I apologize and ask for your forgiveness.”




LM



*With some reluctance I will leave this comment thread open for the time being. If, however, any one launches any kind of personal attack on any person or questions motive, I’ll delete that comment immediately.