suddenlyseymour

its too easy to criticize

No, its just harder to criticize stuff when you are compromised in the same way...

And it was you who put yourself here "on the internet in this format" with the tag "Ask me anything". Then you admit to posting fraudulent numbers to boost chart status, and then you say that anyone who has an issue with that is "pathetic" and "silly".

oh dear.

I don't see anywhere in Romans or in Matthew 7 where either Paul or Jesus say "its silly and pathetic to try and point out someones blindspots" which IS the point that Matt made.

The point that you were making wasn't missed because it wasn't made. Read back, it simply isn't there. I agree that we should look past failures, Lord knows I have many of mine. But you deal with them first. You repent, you renounce then you move beyond them.

Matt admitted to acting fraudulently in order to court fame. He made no attempt to speak of his action with regret or even to place them in the past tense, rather he called those who were taken aback by his admission silly and pathetic. I can speak only from a knowledge of my own sin, but when people are hurt/scandalised by mistakes I have made my first instinct is to apologise again, because I am still sorry, I still regret them. Apology is a lifestyle not an event. If he had said "You know, we once fudged some numbers to boost sales, and I still feel awful about it; that is why I'm the last guy to get on my high horse about failing in that area" - this would be a different conversation. This is exactly what he didn't do.

there is something to be gained in repentance though, right? There is something to be gained in being above reproach, right? And you expected it, right? Doesn't James 3 warn us that not many of us should become bloggers, worship leaders and pastors precisely because we will be judged more harshly?

I think your answer raised some legitimate concern about you. I speak as a man who has removed many logs from my eyes. That kinda compromise is gonna lead you into a ditch.