Are Forum Members ever guilty of stirring up strife?

[Willa]

Well, I have to admit that it fun to poke Enoob in the ribs.  But I do so admire and respect him and would never want to hurt him or be destructive.  I try to avoid it other places than the humor or derailing threads.  But I need to be nicer there as well.  

Often being ourselves is a fleshly thing when it is cutting and destructive in its outcome.  And the flesh has to die.  Self has to die so Christ can live.

 

 

[hmbld]

35 minutes ago, Willa said:

Sarcasm

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (EDITED)

 

Sarcasm is the use of irony to mock or convey contempt.^[1] "The distinctive quality of sarcasm is present in the spoken word and manifested chiefly by vocal inflections".^[2] The sarcastic content of a statement will be dependent upon the context in which it appears.^[3]

Origin of the term

The word comes from the Greek σαρκασμός (sarkasmos) which is taken from σαρκάζειν meaning "to tear flesh, bite the lip in rage, sneer".^[4]

 

Thank you for this thought Willa.  Sarcasm certainly is popular.  Someone explained to me once that sarcasm is basically telling a lie.  If I stop and think about what sarcasm is, it certainly does not seem very Godly.  I think it becomes a habit that we sometimes embrace, and try to get better at it lol.  I need to be more responsible in my use of words.  

[Willa]

28 minutes ago, algots said:

*** OFF TOPIC ***

You do know Wikipedia is User Input, right?

So these definitions may not even be accurate...just what someone, or some people, think they should mean. I am not saying that that aren't, or can't be accurate, but they aren't the formal definitions, just what someone may want the definition to be with, or without, their personal bias interjected.

I could go on Wikipedia and change the definition of door to mean window.

sarcasm

Miriam Webster 

noun  sar·casm  \ˈsär-ˌka-zəm\

Simple Definition of sarcasm

: the use of words that mean the opposite of what you really want to say especially in order to insult someone, to show irritation, or to be funny

Source: Merriam-Webster's Learner's Dictionary

Full Definition of sarcasm

1:  a sharp and often satirical or ironic utterance designed to cut or give pain

2a  :  a mode of satirical wit depending for its effect on bitter, caustic, and often ironic language that is usually directed against an individualb  :  the use or language of sarcasm

[other one]

1 hour ago, post said:

the internet and phone text-messages in general would greatly benefit from a universally recognized symbol or font or something that indicated sarcasm!

 

Copy/paste this to your desktop and put it into your posts as needed

 

[post]

is sarcasm in and of itself ungodly? well . .

And at noon Elijah mocked them, saying, “Cry aloud, for he is a god. Either he is musing, or he is relieving himself, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened.”
(1 Kings 18:27)


How were you inferior to the other churches, except that I was never a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong!
(2 Corinthians 12:13) 

Elijah & Paul were both speaking by the Holy Spirit. 
and God Himself -- 

Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?
    Tell me, if you understand.
Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!
(Job 38:4-5) 

so, don't let your conscience be bothered without cause, if you are speaking rightly

[hmbld]

6 minutes ago, post said:

is sarcasm in and of itself ungodly? well . .


so, don't let your conscience be bothered without cause, if you are speaking rightly

Yes, I have heard this argument used before.  I don't know about all sarcasm, but I can tell you my attitude generally isn't right if I'm being sarcastic.  Most sarcasm I've witnessed has been pretty mean spirited.  Sarcasm can be used for humor, but again, I am skeptical of sarcasm in light of Matthew 12:36  But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.

[Guest]

14 minutes ago, post said:

is sarcasm in and of itself ungodly? well . .

And at noon Elijah mocked them, saying, “Cry aloud, for he is a god. Either he is musing, or he is relieving himself, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened.”
(1 Kings 18:27)


How were you inferior to the other churches, except that I was never a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong!
(2 Corinthians 12:13) 

Elijah & Paul were both speaking by the Holy Spirit. 
and God Himself -- 

Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?
    Tell me, if you understand.
Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!
(Job 38:4-5) 

so, don't let your conscience be bothered without cause, if you are speaking rightly

Is it equal? Mocking a false God to respond in wrath, to prove he has no power at all, in the face of the true God, is equal to mocking here in the forums? Neh

[post]

On 5/9/2016 at 3:50 PM, bopeep1909 said:

I have recently observed a thread where a person verbally attacked a Worthy member. I think that post should immediately be deleted. There is no place on a Christian message board for that kind of behavior.

if a person is stirring up strife, and not acting in a way that is in line with how we should be, as ambassadors of Christ, is there "no place on a Christian message board" to do as the scripture says we ought to do, and rebuke that person? 
Christ did not mince words with people who were trying to trap Him with arguments and setting snares for Him with their questions. in several of the epistles Paul spoke quite sharply, and encouraged Titus to be stern with the church body in Crete because their human nature was deceitful and combative. the prophets are full of very harsh language towards Israel and judgments against them and other nations. 
i think that, if anyone believes the "christian" way to deal with people who are acting out of line, but call themselves believers, is to never dare to speak a word against their behavior, that it is not the picture that scripture presents; it is as the world's false Christ, who wouldn't condemn a mosquito - and certainly wouldn't cause a fig tree to wither.

i say this because i know that there is a false spirit in the world that accuses Christians of hypocrisy when we speak out against sin -- and we should be careful not to let that creep into the church, so we don't find ourselves guilty of collusion with sin by failing to reject it. but i know that there is also a difference between a righteous rebuke and a purely worldly vendetta -- one way perhaps we can judge for ourselves whether we are right when our heart rebukes another, is are we defending ourselves, or defending the name of God? because worldly rebuke arises from vanity and the pride of life, but godly indignation glorifies His name, and edifies a man if he is wise, though a fool will reject it to his own destruction & shame. 

if there is no place on these forums to follow what the scripture teaches, do please let me know. 

we are told to restore gently a brother caught in sin - we know this, and am sure it's popped into a lot of your heads as you read my post. but the scripture also says the following: 

For there are many rebellious people, full of meaningless talk and deception, especially those of the circumcision group. They must be silenced, because they are disrupting whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach — and that for the sake of dishonest gain. One of Crete’s own prophets has said it: “Cretans are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons.” This saying is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, so that they will be sound in the faith and will pay no attention to Jewish myths or to the merely human commands of those who reject the truth. To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted. They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.
(Titus 1:10-16)

brothers and sisters, if there are Cretans among us, we don't do them a favor by letting them continue on without speaking to them in the measure that they merit, and we do not sin by doing so if we speak by the Spirit. love chastises those whom it loves. 
"if" we speak by the Spirit -- we all need to check ourselves before we 'argue' or 'chastise' or 'rebuke' -- it's nothing to take lightly, but not to be considered an ungodly activity in and of itself, either. if we can turn a man from sin, we save him from death - and some men, and some sin, will not be turned by sweetness. 

[post]

two more witnesses to what i said above: 

 

Do not rebuke mockers or they will hate you; rebuke the wise and they will love you.

(Proverbs 9:8) 

 

Let a righteous man strike me -- that is a kindness; let him rebuke me -- that is oil on my head. My head will not refuse it, for my prayer will still be against the deeds of evildoers.

(Psalm 141:5) 


open rebuke is better than secret love. 

[Guest]

1 minute ago, post said:

two more witnesses to what i said above: 

 

Do not rebuke mockers or they will hate you; rebuke the wise and they will love you.

(Proverbs 9:8) 

 

Let a righteous man strike me -- that is a kindness; let him rebuke me -- that is oil on my head. My head will not refuse it, for my prayer will still be against the deeds of evildoers.

(Psalm 141:5) 


open rebuke is better than secret love. 

Is rebuking the same as mocking? I dunno if mocking is appropriate. But, we are told to deal with those that teach heresy or accuse. but mocking, I dunno post