Maybe I'm just not cut out for a forum

[Unit 11]

13 hours ago, debrakay said:

This week I have been called a fool, a bigot, a racist, a wealthy white opioid addict, crazy, insane, ridiculous, and the problem with the world today.  Part of these come from a Senior forum I joined a week ago and part of them from a Christian forum I joined a couple of days ago.  Maybe it's time to admit I am not someone who needs to be on a forum, discussing anything other than recipes and the weather.  I give up.

I know. It's sad. 

Last year a webzine publisher I knew made some innocent remark on a forum which got her all kinds of hatred in response. In the heat of the moment she responded in kind with an unfortunate racial remark, and got "cancelled." She gave a tearful apology, closed down her webzine, and faded from view. 

It seems to be an unfortunate fact of life that people turn everything into an excuse to be mean. I've seen it in sports fandom, pop culture fandom, politics, religion, news reporting, social media. In the home fellowship group I used to belong to and often mention in these forums, I got pulled into an argument about the timing of the rapture, just me against everyone else in the room. Maybe twice during the argument, I asked where in the Bible did it say this or that. Well. In the weeks afterwards, whenever I offered an opinion about anything, someone would mimic "Where in the Bible does it say that?" with an undisguised smirk. I still get sore now, thinking about it. 

That's one reason why I make it a point not to get into arguments. Nor am I on Facebook, Twitter or anything else. The never-ending shouting match is going to have to rage on without me.

 

 

Edited March 5, 2021 by Unit 11

[leah777]

11 hours ago, debrakay said:

Yes, they are every where and they really don't care for morality, integrity, truth and mostly God.

And in that sentence you have made a negative sweeping generalization of a whole group of people, and implied strongly that they are not saved. Fairness works both ways.

BTW: I am not in US and have no political fidelity to any US group.

[Whyme]

7 hours ago, Marathoner said:

It's grieving when something like this comes our way, especially from those who profess Christ. Forgive them. Easier said than done? At times, yes. I've been called all manner of things, accused of things, and there was a time when this weighed me down and tempted me to wrath. I brought this before the Lord and His Spirit reminded me of my experience in Army Basic Training a long time ago.

Some drill sergeants were sadistically gifted and waxed poetic on the recruits. Yeah... you name it, I've heard it and had it heaped on my head. I kept my lips sealed and let it roll off my back back then, which is when I realized that I have the ability to do that here and now. What can I say?

"Really? That's nothing compared to my senior drill sergeant. I've been called worse."  

Being called a racist is pretty bad.

[Justin Adams]

13 hours ago, debrakay said:

This week I have been called a fool, a bigot, a racist, a wealthy white opioid addict, crazy, insane, ridiculous, and the problem with the world today.  Part of these come from a Senior forum I joined a week ago and part of them from a Christian forum I joined a couple of days ago.  Maybe it's time to admit I am not someone who needs to be on a forum, discussing anything other than recipes and the weather.  I give up.

Never give up.

Eugene was my airline base for many years. I love Oregon, yet some are a little left of center.

Stick around as I am sure you have something to offer.

Blessings

[Unit 11]

8 hours ago, walla299 said:

As one of my old pastors said: "People can't drive you nuts if you don't give them the keys." 

That's a saying I will remember. 

 

 

[Guest clancy]

13 hours ago, debrakay said:

This week I have been called a fool, a bigot, a racist, a wealthy white opioid addict, crazy, insane, ridiculous, and the problem with the world today.  Part of these come from a Senior forum I joined a week ago and part of them from a Christian forum I joined a couple of days ago.  Maybe it's time to admit I am not someone who needs to be on a forum, discussing anything other than recipes and the weather.  I give up.

Debra, I am trying to get my head around this, it’s not about us, it’s about God and what he wants....

I belong to a non believers site, I have tried to leave it on a number of occasions, because “ I” had ,had enough.....well it’s not about me it’s about God...he’s recharged my batteries and I’m back there again.....God knows these members,I don’t and who knows what he could be saying to them through me...I know one or two are searching....look to the Lord and seek His will, not our own.

[Whyme]

Psalms 1 Blessed is the one
    who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
    or sit in the company of mockers,
² but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
    and who meditates on his law day and night.
³ That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
    which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—

[Whyme]

Scripture teaches us to avoid people who don't walk according to the ways we are taught. Why would we cast our pearls before swine?

1 Corinthians 15:33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.”

Proverbs 13:20 He who walks with wise men will be wise,
But the companion of fools will suffer harm.

Corinthians 6:14-18
Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, "I WILL DWELL IN THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM; AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE. 

17 Therefore, “Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.” 

18 And, “I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”

Edited March 5, 2021 by Whyme

[enoob57]

13 hours ago, debrakay said:

Yes, they are every where and they really don't care for morality, integrity, truth and mostly God.  I was just surprised on the Christian forum.  Jesus warned us though.  He knows the heart of each one.  Since I do not, I hit the ignore button, block button or just wipe the dust off and leave.

The ones that are tough to love is where the work is  In Christ we are called to these...

[Starise]

I believe there are two extremes in dealing with this and many other healthy ways that are in between them both. If you want zero resistance of any kind, then yeah drop out of life. Drop out of all internet forums. Jesus said in this world you WILL have trouble. In fact I don't believe we can ever completely evade trouble. Trouble will find us . We can however MINIMIZE trouble. 

The idea of rest has already come up. We need rest. Jesus even pulled away while in His physical body for quiet times and rest.

People who actually seem to enjoy negative back and forth exchanges are a little messed up IMHO. Unfortunately that shoe fits some people. That's the other extreme. Some see the internet as the perfect platform to remain anonymous, have the ability to unleash whatever evil ideas or belittling things they can say to others. They see themselves as snipers closing in for the shot and then secretly leave the scene.

Any Christian who enters an unsaved or mostly unsaved arena and wears their beliefs on their shoulder should have the expectation they will eventually be derided either directly or indirectly. Jesus told us to expect persecution. Words on a forum are much preferred to working in a communist gulag somewhere, although that might not be as far off as we might think.

This sort of thing does tend to wear us down. Make us weary as I stated on another thread about non Christian forums. We need time to pull away,and if God leads us to do so, then leave. 

I have found that some so called christian forums are christian in name only. I have been here for a short time and have had mostly good experiences here at Worthy. 

As nearly as I can tell George who is the owner of the forum has this forum as a sort of satellite ministry for Christian fellowship. I see him as signed on sometimes but his participation has been low so far as the forum goes. I'm sure he has good reasons for this. He's probably busy. I read the Worthy emails and things George posts which are always very informative for Christians. George also puts out videos occasionally. George seems to be on the road with his family stuck in the US because of COVID (instead of Israel), so he's traveling evangelist style church to church speaking.

The mods are always the first people to approach if you have trouble and lately the most involved mod has been @Alive . 

God forbid things would ever get bad enough to go to George. I certainly don't recommend that, and would actually DISCOURAGE it. That's why we have mods. If you ever felt there was a breakdown in the mod section you could go that route. I haven't seen things ever get to that point here.