Rob Bell's New Book

I am in no way an authority or person of importance in the Christian world. I'm just a seminary guy observing and trying to figure things out like everyone else. I was just checking twitter and watched the whole John Piper Rob Bell thing explode. I read the article on the Gospel Coalition and a few other articles and saw my liberal friends take one side and my conservative friends take another. Here's my thought. I don't know how much water it holds, its just some thoughts.

My friend Jimmy Spencer responded to this whole situation with a video saying that Rob Bell (we never just call him Rob, it's always Rob Bell, I guess it just rolls together like that,) has the right to ask questions. I totally agree to that statement, he does, just as I do, have the right to ask the tough questions when it comes to life and faith. I think talking about the afterlife and pondering those questions is fine and we can do it and disagree about it and that's fine. I have plenty of friends who I know love Jesus, are saved, and who I completely disagree with on a lot of issues. Anyway that's a different post for a different day.
Everyone is up in arms about whether or not he's a universalist or if he has left Christianity. I think it's fine that he asks the questions that he does and tries to get people to ponder and think and discuss things but the way he has gone about it with the publicity that has gone out about his new book leads me to say "Didn't he realize what he was saying?"

I know the book isn't even out yet, a very small group have actually read the whole thing, so we the public are in no place to judge or condemn the book, but I can judge and have an opinion about what Rob Bell and his marketing team have put out for us so far. Did no one at any point stop and say "Hmm this sounds a bit like we are supporting universalism, is that really what we want to do?" And if it IS what Rob Bell was intending then I can come up with one of two conclusions to draw: 1. He is a universalist, and if he is, ok just say so and let's move on. 2. He's not a universalist he is merely trying to stir the pot and get some word of mouth about his new book. Which to me just comes off as kinda dirty.

It seems to me that he has done more than enough and sparked enough conversations/controversy to make sure that his new book will sell well. I have no idea what kind of conclusions or ideas Rob Bell develops in his book. I have no idea if he is a universalist or not. I do know that he asks tough questions, and challenges ideas and concepts often. I think it is silly for people to be upset over the reaction that others are having to this whole situation. It seems that no one took into consideration the reaction that the press release would have. Do my more liberal brothers and sisters really think that statements like that would immediately send our conservative brothers and sisters to respond? And then flip that, do my conservative brothers and sisters really think the liberals would respond/defend Rob Bell?

At the end of the day it looks like a short 3 minute video and a small blurb about the book have created enough buzz for this book to make someone a lot of money. I don't know Rob Bell's heart or motives. I know that his publicity made me worry a bit about what the book is going to say. I'm not ready to condemn him but I am a bit skeptical of the whole situation.

Again, I'm just a guy. You can agree or disagree, just wanted to add another voice to an already overly commented on subject.