Theophilia05151

Spending time together with no agenda...listening to one another. Don't go in looking for love, but wanting to give love.

Unity starts with an understanding that my job is not to get you to agree with me, but to live my life in such a way that I contribute to the body of Christ as a whole. On other words, I work at taking the log from my own eye so to speak and work on living up to the biblical standard God has for me. Unity is my problem not someone else's problem.

What would I do? Be grateful.

I kind of like the worthy neighborhood troll gig... and so very grateful I was named a troll from my first appearance back here. At least I know where I stand.

Love your tag line bopeep

Although had no idea what a troll was until Thursday, upon my mere entry into chat, I was called a troll and have been called a troll by five people now. So look closely at my face so you can identify a troll....This is what one looks like. I will gladly be the worthy troll if people can stop being ugly to one another around here. I actually went looking for some information on trolls last night, because much like your post indicates, I think there is something to hatred, its targets and also receiving the flung hatred of others. You may have heard about the concept of shadow which is all we repress about ourselves - both good and bad. I think there is probably something to trolldom and the concept of the shadow...but that's a troll talking. This troll is going to go teach Sunday School - on love...go figure. Love on, SS

Here you go... https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/your-online-secrets/201409/internet-trolls-are-narcissists-psychopaths-and-sadists

That first sentence should read, I would like to say more, but before I say anything I would like to ask you how you differentiate creature and child. Define them and tell me how I should treat each, please. Thanks.

Hi woundeddog, I would really like you to say more about that before I say anything. At first blush, I have to say that were all created in the image of God and the same breath of God that breathed life into Adam, breathed life into me. I am sure that this will come down to differing opinions about how we interpret Scripture. I would say that I balance what Jesus said (which in my opinion was a hyperbolic figurative statement) with the account of creation where God gave humankind life. I think it's important to look at the whole of Scripture. YHWH often refers to Israel as YHWH's son, or child. The greater part of this, is that, in humility, I truly do not want to set myself up as deciding who is and who is not a child of God and demeaning others to say they are not children of God. I have done that and it hasn't gone well. Yet, when I sincerely offer myself in love and believe the best of everyone, treating them like they are in truth the child of the most high God, things go a lot better. Again, I am not God, who has made it very clear that my little bitty part is to love in a large way. BUT, I am really, really not wanting to argue over a post that is about not arguing... Kind of defeats the point.

I think my favorite part in teaching about this is when I get to tell people to stop being so self-righteous when they pray for others. Only God really knows what another needs. Seek God's best for others, not what you think will fix them!

This is good too...as well as some of the writings of Kevin Watson from the vital piety blog... http://pendel.s3.amazonaws.com/2224E48AC8494AAE98E89045FD4E6772_3 - Guidelines for Holy Conferencing.pdf

Here is an article...that goes into a bit more detail... http://mnumc-email.brtapp.com/files/eefiles/documents/holy_conferencing_study_guide_2012.pdf

I think that's to my point...right?

It may be adding fuel to the fire here...but there is now a whole series of "bible" studies that use the devo as the primary text. I don't want to bash Sarah Young...heaven knows that people can pick apart anything I do any day of the week...but I think the devo as primary way of relating to God is not the most sound approach. People will argue if you lift up studying the biblical text as a/the primary way of relating to God saying that the the first century Christians did not "have" the bible. Jesus' example to the community was one of being a faithful follower of YHWH, which included faithful study or sacred Jewish texts. We should seek to do the same. SS

Thank you shiloh for the original post....I have read both God Calling and Jesus Calling. God Calling is highly revered in AA. However, like ricky, I think I will still with Morning and Evening by Spurgeon.