FresnoJoe Posted April 19, 2016 Group: Graduated to Heaven Followers: 207 Topic Count: 60 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 8,651 Content Per Day: 1.17 Reputation: 5,761 Days Won: 4 Joined: 01/31/2004 Status: Offline Birthday: 03/04/1943 Share Posted April 19, 2016 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorningGlory Posted April 19, 2016 Group: Royal Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 1,022 Topics Per Day: 0.16 Content Count: 39,193 Content Per Day: 6.10 Reputation: 9,977 Days Won: 78 Joined: 10/01/2006 Status: Offline Share Posted April 19, 2016 On 4/16/2016 at 7:34 AM, LadyKay said: If I have to limit the topics that I can post, then I may have to go else where. If anyone is ever offended by a topic started by me, just ignore it. You do not need to reply to any topic that offends you. A lot of times here I glace over topics and think "nope I am not addressing this one." That wouldn't be necessary for you, LK; I've never seen any topic of yours that was inappropriate. And, I agree, if we don't like some topics we dont have to 'visit' them! I think Ezra is only talking about unbiblical things and topics that challenge Scripture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Teditis Posted April 19, 2016 Share Posted April 19, 2016 On 4/18/2016 at 11:03 AM, Joline said: You have touched upon some very solid points...except one, which I find problematic. To distort what others believe and teach is a problem which leads to much disharmony. In order to have discussion aiming at unity, we must not distort what "others" actually believe. Many times this is called a "straw man". How can people have a respectful dialogue when they could care less what the other is saying? I have found myself defending historic doctrine in an effort to rid discussions of disharmony due to false accusations, even though unintentional they may be.. Sometimes I wonder at hypocrisy as well due to this very thing............... Even when I disagree with what is taught, to misunderstand or distort what another teaches does no one any good. That's a real good point... listening, truly listening to what the other person is saying is vital to having healthy conversations with anybody. It's important to keep our own filters off and look past conceptions about the speaker too. Disregard tone of voice and attitude so that you can respond to just what it put forward through spoken/written words. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Thallasa Posted April 19, 2016 Share Posted April 19, 2016 On 16/04/2016 at 2:36 AM, Esther4:14 said: I think it goes both ways. I have seen some of the threads in question over the last week or so. I have also seen excellent responses made to some of these posts. So, there are the posts that do need to be addressed in some way. However, there are the posters that can often be very aggressive in their rebuke, and there may be nothing wrong with their argument, but their tone is just so harsh. I still find them very offensive. There is something that I have read somewhere along the line about how this message board is supposed to help foster unity. However, I often only see unity in the form of favoritism for people that other people know they agree with or that they are friends with, and this is fine. It is fine to have some people we just will get along with better. There is only so many hours in the day. There is only so much time to really get close to people, so the number of people we will ever really be close with is small. So, it is fine to have friends, but it isn't so fine to treat people differently if they don't fit in the same mold as your friends, or if they are growing in Christ with different questions that you might have about life that is causing them to pursue understanding of things you might not feel you need to find answers for. So, there is just as much impatience for others that I see here on the forum, as there are some posts that go a little too far left. Patience is an exercise of faith and it is what will keep people seeking Christ. My childhood was kind of a train wreck. I have struggled with addictions as a Christian. I still have PTSD and get very nervous about being accepted in church at times because I find it very difficult to relax. It makes me feel like people are looking at me and thinking I am weird because I feel tense a lot. I can't help it. So, I know from experience that I would be no where if someone was constantly pointing this out to me the way I have seen people do here at times in very aggressive ways. I would be no where without some of the Christian people I have known who have had the faith to let God lead me rather than trying to control what I do or how I think. I do think that the forum does provide a way for us to assemble together; however, sometimes, I think people need to take a break every now and then and spend some time reading scripture and growing in our faith in other ways. I have been enjoying reading from the Ante Nicene Fathers recently. I find it very comforting and Ignatius really has some great things to say about the importance unity played in the early church, which has caused me to consider what I had read somewhere about the experiment of unity that motivated the establishing of this site. "Have a regard to preserve unity, than which nothing is better. Bear with all, even as the Lord does with thee. Support all in love, as also thou doest," "Let not those who seem worthy of credit, but teach strange doctrines, fill thee with apprehension. Stand firm, as does an anvil which is beaten. It is the part of a noble athlete to be wounded, and yet to conquer. And especially, we ought to bear all things for the sake of God, that He also may bear with us," "Let your assembling together be of frequent occurrence." "Be studious of unity, than which nothing is more precious. Bear with all men, even as our Lord beareth with thee. Show patience with all men in love as [indeed] thou doest." "If you love only the good disciples only, thous hast no grace; but rather subdue those that are evil by gentleness. All [sorts of] wounds are not healed by the same medicine. Mitigate [the pain of] cutting by tenderness," (The epistle of Ignatius to Polycarp, empahsis added). Thankyou Esther ,a much needed post . And may Jesus give you comfort and quiet joy, as you walk in His steps . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Thallasa Posted April 19, 2016 Share Posted April 19, 2016 16 hours ago, The_Patriot2016 said: Well said omega. I admit sometimes I am a bull in a China shop, especially when I get riled up, there has been many times where I have had to just leave a thread for that reason, and several times when I should have and didn't. We need to realize we are all human, all make mistakes, and grant others grace when they do, and ask for forgiveness when we do. You are never offensive ,and neither do you flatter which is a good thing . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezra Posted April 20, 2016 Group: Royal Member Followers: 16 Topic Count: 134 Topics Per Day: 0.04 Content Count: 8,142 Content Per Day: 2.35 Reputation: 6,612 Days Won: 20 Joined: 11/02/2014 Status: Offline Author Share Posted April 20, 2016 5 hours ago, MorningGlory said: I think Ezra is only talking about unbiblical things and topics that challenge Scripture. That is correct. Since we live in a time (2 Tim 3:1-7) when the Bible and Bible truth are being assaulted daily (even by Christians), every believer must either know the truth, or seek the truth. God not only wants all men to be saved, but also those who are saved to come unto the knowledge of the truth (1 Tim 2:4). 1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, 7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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