This past week, I've had to deliver some disappointing news.

There has been a lot of hype lately in my favorite hobby, video game collecting. One of the older, rare games sold for over thirty thousand dollars on E-Bay. I don't know what lunatic would pay enough money to buy two cars for one 3x4 inch piece of plastic with a spec of silicon inside, but apparently there are at least two of them (the one who `'won" and I suppose the one who "lost" who perhaps consoled themselves by buying two new cars..)

Regardless, I have had people approach me in helping them identify a game they have is rare or not. One such person was shot down by my "competitors" so he came to me for validation that his games are of some stunning value. Sadly, they are clearly remanufactured copies. When I told him so, I found myself in a surprising situation. He refused to believe me! He asked me how I could know with such surety, especially since he'd taken them to several pawn shops and antique dealers who'd told him they were prototypes.

Some background information - I have made these games by hand since 1984. 1 think I can say I am one of the leading experts on this cottage industry. Looking at what he sent me, they were obviously made in the last few years and no game company back in the 1980's would have made them this way. Yet how did I convince this fellow? Why wouldn't he believe me? I mean he would have shouted my name from the rooftops as proof if I had agreed with him! To cloud the issue, I use old parts to make these old games, everyone does, and because of that they look old. Its not the parts but the way they are used that is the give away.

And yes, folks I have run into religiously are exactly like that, so I should not be so surprised. They want to believe some doctrine, something near and dear to them, like faith only. They talk to me about it, hoping I will validate their point of view. They may have many friends who think their reasoning is sound, people who are successful and considered wise. But when I don't accept it, they can't believe it. How can I dare to disagree? Some of these other friends might be graduates of religious schools, or preached all their lives, or whatever. To cloud the issue, faith only is so easy to understand as false when you know the bible but this same bible is what the faith only teachers use to prove it! It's the way the bible is misused that is the give away.

Not long ago I had someone in a bible class in our congregation scoff because I raised a point that they had heard a different point of view from at some "school down south." When I suggested we look closer at the issue together they said brother so and so their teacher is much more of a preacher and bible student than I will ever be. End of discussion, Yikes. So this isn't limited to just folks outside the church.

I would like to say, with both my video game contact and with those who were teaching false doctrines, that I had some amazing rebuttal far beyond "I know what I am about here" or "read it for yourself' but I didn't. Sometimes people simply will not be convinced, usually because they have made up their mind before they opened their mouth. The frustration comes in when you KNOW you are right but they won't believe you. I feel bad for this video game fellow, because he may end up trying to sell what he has as rare and get himself in a lot of trouble, maybe even a lawsuit. I am trying to help him! The same with bible teachings, I am not being contrary but don't want them to get into a lot of trouble.

I'm also told that the value of anything is whatever someone is willing to pay for it. Perhaps, but that doesn't mean its "worth it" once you have it. Think about it.

Randy