Anger

[In the Clouds]

When is anger righteous and when is it sin?

There is so much anger in the world.  I am seeking Biblical answers to this question, please.  Righteous anger is acceptable like when Jesus turned the tables over at the temple.  But, we see those scriptures that tell us to turn the other cheek and not seek vengeance.  When should we be meek and when should we retaliate or fight? 

[chirpy]

my first thought about the difference is  Self Control a fruit of the spirit

versus lack of self control a fruit of the flesh.  Why are we angry?

many things in the world should make us angry but how our anger is directed is the key.  Do we resolve or contribute to the problem? Are we in control or not in control?  Do we help or hurt with our anger? 

[Indentured Servant]

31 minutes ago, In the Clouds said:

When is anger righteous and when is it sin?

There is so much anger in the world.  I am seeking Biblical answers to this question, please.  Righteous anger is acceptable like when Jesus turned the tables over at the temple.  But, we see those scriptures that tell us to turn the other cheek and not seek vengeance.  When should we be meek and when should we retaliate or fight? 

I have found that anger is simply an emotion that makes us aware of the need for action in a particular situation.

The expression of that anger is where most people get into trouble. Many use anger expressions of the culture, or previous generations in their family.

We've been passively trained to react to it, rather than resolve the triggering event.

The verses that says, "be angry and sin not," can be understood as, "When provoked, to not partake in it." 

I kinda see that as saying that we shouldn't allow ourselves to reciprocate the provocation, (something I fail at, even very recently).

 

[Edward429451]

On 4/3/2025 at 4:14 AM, In the Clouds said:

When is anger righteous and when is it sin?

There is so much anger in the world.  I am seeking Biblical answers to this question, please.  Righteous anger is acceptable like when Jesus turned the tables over at the temple.  But, we see those scriptures that tell us to turn the other cheek and not seek vengeance.  When should we be meek and when should we retaliate or fight? 

 

In my limited experience with anger I can really only see in one type of instance that anger is useful. That would be an instance of fear, becoming fearful. The emotions of fear and anger are very similar, but there are differences of course. But if you find yourself getting fearful in a tense situation, then channel it into anger and you have a better chance of coming out of it alright. 

 

That's my opinion based on my experience.  But you wanted biblical answers. Scripture says quite a bit about anger. As servants of the Lord, we try to adopt the Lord's characteristics and heart, right? Well...

Psalm 145:8

8 The Lord is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy..../KJV

Nehemiah 9:17

17 And refused to obey, neither were mindful of thy wonders that thou didst among them; but hardened their necks, and in their rebellion appointed a captain to return to their bondage: but thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and forsookest them not..../KJV

So that's how the Lord is, slow to anger. So we should be slow to anger. And many times, it is our mouth which expresses our anger and gets us into the fray, so maybe be slow to speak also? Makes sense to me. Oh wait, found it!

 

James 1:19-20

19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:

20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.../KJV

 

Yes we seen Jesus turning over tables and whipping those guys butts out of the temple and that does make one encouraged unto righteous indignation, or so we may think...and it still might not be good, because the wrath of man does not worketh the righteousness of God! So let's all re-holster their guns (Lol) and see the peaceable way out. 

 

To me, anger isn't two steps away from fighting. Anger is 1/2 step away from fighting. But, just because the other guy is angry doesnt mean that we should be also. I can think more clearly when I'm not angry than when I'm angry. So if some guy is angry for whatever reason(take your pick, mama held him too much or not enough, a perceived wrong that I did to him or his country, anything...) and decides he is going to attack me...why should I get angry? I have to remain calm and clear headed so I can figure a way out of this mess with no shots fired! 

We do not wrestle against flesh and bone, but with evil spirits, (Ephesians) so it isnt really their fault, the people are not the enemy even if they are attacking you. They are demonized and taunted into doing evil things to people and hurt people. So these people need help and not shooting them. 

But! You can not reason with an angry man. You can't evangelize a man as he is attacking you. You still have to defend yourself. SO what it amounts to is, they must force you to shoot them. I didnt want to shoot the guy, he made me! It was shoot or die. 

I have carried a concealed pistol every day for around the last 40 years and I have never had to shoot anyone. Having a pistol gives you time to think, and in many cases, superior firepower over knives and stuff. I have had several close calls over the years but no shots fired because I was alert and armed. Well, I did have one incident where I fired a single shot. But a big dog was attacking me! The owner let him out of his front door right in front of me! And of course the dog charged me, snarling.  

I mentally drew a line in the sand and waited for the dog to cross it and when he did, I drew and fired a single shot into the grass in front of the dog! And it was just like in the Cartoons! 4 Paws in the Air! That dog went back home so fast it was funny! 

I did the rude dog owner a good turn by not shooting his dog. He returned the favor by buying the dog a strong chain and tie out that he put up out front for the dog, the very next day! I could easily have gotten angry at the dog owner because he let his dog out, and I was right in front of his house so I know he seen me. But a dead dog brings police officers and I so I really didnt want to have to shoot that dog and have to go thru that circus. 

Ecclesiastes 7:9

9 Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools..../KJV

Even though the guy letting his dog attack me and I would have been very (self) justified in being angry at him for it, it would have been foolosh for me to get angry and shoot the dog. Even if I came out of it ok in the end had I shot the dog, they prolly still would have seized my nice pistol and cost me  a bunch of money, you know how cops are. So let's not be hasty! Try to turn the dog first with a warning shot, and luckily it worked. 

I know that police frown on warning shots and I gave that dog a warning shot. But no cop frowned about me doing that because, the dog owner was prolly scared that I would call the cops! Lol. So no cops showed up about the one shot fired, and this guy lived next door to me! He knew who I was. 

Proverbs has a lot to say about anger. Proverbs 14:17, 16:32, 15:18, 29:22, 22:24-25, 15:1

[Indentured Servant]

33 minutes ago, Edward429451 said:

In my limited experience with anger

My upbringing taught me inappropriate anger. 

 

I saw a slogan from someone titled:

      MY Math...

PTSD + CCW = RIP

 

The world is filled with anger triggers, (yeah, I did that intentionally), and many people lack negotiation skills to combat that.

[In the Clouds]

In being reactionary or passive, my emotional self wishes that more people would understand that kindness is not weakness.  Sometimes it's hard to know where that red line is.  Think about when Moses went up on the mount and received the ten commandments.  He came back and saw the golden calf being worshipped and got furious.  And then, think about when Moses angrily struck the rock and was banned from the Promise Land.  So many lessons here.  I pray for discernment and patience; but, it's not always easy.  Is there forgiveness when we react in the wrong way eventhough it seems justified?  Do we receive blessings when we do not act in the flesh?  Open my eyes and my heart, Lord.

[Edward429451]

31 minutes ago, In the Clouds said:

I pray for discernment and patience; but, it's not always easy. 

 

Me too! I prayed for discernment and the Lord answered me right away and said practice discernment by looking for me in other people...

I'm still chewing on that one. I've got as far as, well God loves these people and died for them too, so what business do I have ever rising up against any of them? We are all Brothers and Sisters on this planet and no one is better than anyone else. So everyone has some of Jesus inside of them somewhere, and if we practice looking for traces of Him in them  that we may be able to bring out under the right circumstances, we may be able to help them and our Lord... No wonder He tells us to pray for our enemies and Bless them. 

[Edward429451]

1 hour ago, Indentured Servant said:

My upbringing taught me inappropriate anger. 

 

I saw a slogan from someone titled:

      MY Math...

PTSD + CCW = RIP

 

The world is filled with anger triggers, (yeah, I did that intentionally), and many people lack negotiation skills to combat that.

It is a lot of responsibility to carry a firearm. But I was raised around loaded guns all over the house, and dad didnt put up with any shenanigans so nothing bad ever happened, so I grew up learning how to reload my own ammo and shooting all dad's 38's/357's/45's and 44 Mags once Dirty Harry came out! We lived on a farm and used to shoot AR15's out the window at groundhogs in the pasture, lol. So I liked shooting guns and reloading and it became my main life hobby. 

 

Then when I bought me my first new pistol for myself it was a Colt Government model 45 and I didnt want to get in trouble with it so I went down and enrolled at the OPOTC academy to get the cop training and be a cop cuz they can carry without trouble. I did good in the training and graduated 3rd overall out of about 35-40 people? So that wasnt bad. But before I got sworn in I discovered that I had skills and could make way more in a trade than I could as a cop. So I never got sworn in. I went in business instead, lol. I am so glad now! If I had I had been a working cop all those working years, I'd prolly be a punk by now, with no regard for people. I like helping people. 

I never did get in trouble or get any weapons charges. Quite a few close calls but never a shot fired or anyone hurt. I'm proud of that. To be able to remain calm in a tense situation lets you think more clearly than the opponent. 

Two guys tried to strong arm me and my pregnant Wife one time, but strongarm robbery doesn't work against a Colt 45! So we al "became friends!" real fast and they left us alone, lol. 

I stopped an attempted home invasion at my door and they never got in the house. But who answers the door unarmed anyway? He was like, hey we all friends here! Love it. 

But if a man has PTSD or something of that nature, it might not be wise for that man to carry a gun all the time. Especially if they are quick to anger. 

[AnOrangeCat]

On 4/2/2025 at 11:03 AM, Indentured Servant said:

I have found that anger is simply an emotion that makes us aware of the need for action in a particular situation.

I agree, and I feel similarly about depression. Our emotions are generally meant to promote action of some sort. Being in a fallen world means things are skewed toward sinful outcomes, but I feel like the original intent is still very much present and that they can still be useful indicators.

[Indentured Servant]

4 minutes ago, AnOrangeCat said:

I agree, and I feel similarly about depression. Our emotions are generally meant to promote action of some sort. Being in a fallen world means things are skewed toward sinful outcomes, but I feel like the original intent is still very much present and that they can still be useful indicators.

I really like the way you stated that... Very insightful!