Discouraging...

I blame this type of forum for some of the disrespect. I remember when I was a kid we used to love to call people up and ask them if their refrigerator was running and if they said yes, we would say well you had better go catch it. We would never have rung a doorbell and said that face to face with someone. Spiritually, it seems, a lot of us have a lot of growing up to do. When I first came here I got way more upset than I do now when someone disagrees with me on subjects of which you can't be dogmatic. I still get upset by false doctrine, but rightly so.

The question in any debate is what is the goal of my debate? Do I want to be right, or do I want to edify? Do I want to learn, or do I want to bait people without giving my true views. I am seeing that from a particular poster, it seems, who likes to throw stuff out there that goes against the grain. He won't give his views, but waits for answers that don't agree with him and tries to tear down those views. That is intellectually dishonest, imo.

I hope you give it one more chance and put your question(s) out there once more and maybe more mature heads will prevail this time.

 

RLBosley, hey pardner..., take it all with a grain of salt. Too many people have self-appointed themselves with a ministry of changing the world.

Just consider the parable of the Pharisee and the Publican.

"Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, 'God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income.' But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner!' I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather than the other; for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted."

Who walked away "justified"?

 

As with any forum, it is good to take a break and then come back.

Folks tend to take themselves far too seriously at times. Also, some folks think that God has personally commissioned them to be His mouthpiece and corrector of errors. This can be discouraging since we ALL KNOW IT IS MY JOB TO CORRECT ALL THE ERRORS, YOU BUNCH OF APOSTATE HEATHENS!!! :laugh:

But if the worst thing that happened to you today was that somebody on this board called you a __________ , then your day is going pretty well.

 

RL, like you, when I first found this board I was shocked at some of the mean spirited people on here. My solution is to make good use of the Ignore function. By using the Ignore List I don't see posts by these sorts of people (I had to put a poster on the list just this week.) I've learned a lot reading this board. I'm sure you could find answers to your theological questions here. The trick is not to get discouraged by the few boors that post here.

 

Yup. Gotta' 'IGNORE LIST' some of the Grinches.

 

There's an ebb and flow just like in other forums. I've been part of many over my years and its usually the same. (ironically one of the nicest forums that I've participated in was one they discussed something completely unrelated to religion, theology, or politics.)

There are good voices around here and some that are a bit harsh. Nevertheless, it's a good place. Just hang around and enjoy the convo!

 

Hey RLBosley,

Combine the apparent anonymity of the Internet and lack of "real life" consequences to or discipline for harmful speech, pride in the supposed rightness of one's own views, and arrogance in taking the prerogative to correct everyone who differs with oneself, and you've got a pretty good recipe for uninhibited quarreling. But there are many encouraging things that come from the relationships and dialogue through Christian discussion boards, and it's best to focus on these methinks...

 

Although we know it's not true, sometimes we're led to believe from interactions on this board that there are six categories of personalities in the world (from best to worst):

1. Saved

2. Lost

3. Judas Iscariot

4. Antichrist

5. Satan

6. Some posters on the Baptistboard

 

Thomas Jefferson wrote the following;

“Whereas, Almighty God hath created the mind free, that all attempts to influence it by temporal punishments or burthens, or by civil incapacitations tend only to beget habits of hypocrisy and meanness, and therefore are a departure from the plan of the holy author of our religion, who being Lord, both of body and mind yet chose not to propagate it by coercions on either, as was in his Almighty power to do...

The rest of his quote follows below. However, it's interesting to note that while Jefferson was specifically referring to prohibiting government from meddling in ones "religious" belief..., we can draw several applications here.

One application could be that way too many believers attempt to influence those they disagree with by means of temporal oral punishments..., obviously not by burdens or civil restraints mind you, but never-the-less..., they create and generate an atmosphere of Hypocrisy and Meanness toward one who simply does not believe as they do.

Where's the progress here?

The rest of his quote;

… be it enacted by General Assembly that no man shall be compelled to frequent or support any religious worship, place, or ministry whatsoever, nor shall be enforced, restrained, molested, or burthened in his body or goods, nor shall otherwise suffer on account of his religious opinions or belief, but that all men shall be free to profess, and by argument to maintain, their opinions in matters of Religion, and that the same shall in no wise diminish, enlarge or affect their civil capacities.”