First, an apology to GFR7. Then, about growing a TOL-grade thick skin.

[annabenedetti]

Oh, for Pete's sake.Quit whining.If you don't like being called names, use the ignore feature.That you do not shows that you are more interested in whining than you are worried about the impression that is being given.

Thanks for stopping by to put in your 2 cents.

 

[resodko]

I have, a few times. In the prophets, God saves his harshest language for those who were supposed to be leaders, those who were supposed to know the truth, and yet were self-righteous idolaters. Jesus did the same to the Pharisees and Sadducees for the same reasons. There was a similarity between those groups of people: they led the people astray.

and who is supposed to be the leaders of those on tol who argue for perversion and against God's Word?

Oh, for Pete's sake. Quit whining.

we sure do get our share of whiners, eh? :chuckle:

 

[GFR7]

Lovely!
I find both of you to be very civil.
I'm glad that you're here!

Thank you. :e4e:

 

[Desert Reign]

I am exactly the same on here as i am offline. You?

To a degree.
I take it that people here are generally more willing and/or able to discuss theological ideas.
It's the same me. I try to be cool, balanced, helpful and truthful. I occasionally take what might appear uncharacteristic positions rather than being completely partisan because it reinforces me as a person. You have to respect me. I am not merely a theological or political position. Being aggressive doesn't usually help because even if on the odd occasion you manage to pressure someone to change their mind, they won't thank you for it, it will spoil your relationship with them and you won't be able to get them to do anything ever again. So I think that being balanced is more helpful in the long term.
But online I can get into a great deal more detail than otherwise. And especially in my situation, the written word is effectively my only means of communication.
Also in the real world, people know me so I don't need to put on airs and graces. Online I often take on different personalities depending on who I am dealing with because it is fun and keeps me supple.
In both cases though I am very psychological and you may have noticed that I often appeal to people's motives in what they say because I feel it is more communicative. People perhaps feel more respected that I detected their tone of voice (so to speak) through their written words. It's a sign that I am trying to respect them too and not treat them merely as the theological position they adopt.

 

[Quincy]

Nice work anna, very well thought out and explained.

 

[chrysostom]

I am exactly the same on here as i am offline. You?

do you have conversations like this with your neighbor?

 

[resodko]

my neighbors are porcupines and squirrels

they don't care what i say to 'em :idunno:

 

[Angel4Truth]

do you have conversations like this with your neighbor?

sometimes

 

[annabenedetti]

Nice work anna, very well thought out and explained.

Thanks, Quincy. It's good to see you around.

 

[annabenedetti]

To a degree.
I take it that people here are generally more willing and/or able to discuss theological ideas.
It's the same me. I try to be cool, balanced, helpful and truthful. I occasionally take what might appear uncharacteristic positions rather than being completely partisan because it reinforces me as a person. You have to respect me. I am not merely a theological or political position. Being aggressive doesn't usually help because even if on the odd occasion you manage to pressure someone to change their mind, they won't thank you for it, it will spoil your relationship with them and you won't be able to get them to do anything ever again. So I think that being balanced is more helpful in the long term.
But online I can get into a great deal more detail than otherwise. And especially in my situation, the written word is effectively my only means of communication.
Also in the real world, people know me so I don't need to put on airs and graces. Online I often take on different personalities depending on who I am dealing with because it is fun and keeps me supple.
In both cases though I am very psychological and you may have noticed that I often appeal to people's motives in what they say because I feel it is more communicative. People perhaps feel more respected that I detected their tone of voice (so to speak) through their written words. It's a sign that I am trying to respect them too and not treat them merely as the theological position they adopt.

I definitely see you as a genuine and genuinely honest person, and you're thoughtful and respectful of other people and other ideas. I agree with you often, but not always - the upskirt thread being a memorable exception. I still can't figure that one out. :chuckle:

 

[annabenedetti]

I like that
but
I have to admit
tol is a big part of my life

It's a big part of my life, too, but school is definitely helping me moderate my time now.

I never thought when I signed up here six years ago how much would happen in those six years. Life is a mystery.

 

[annabenedetti]

As for their impact on the unsettled and searching, it's profoundly disappointing,

I think it should be profoundly disturbing to anyone here who really cares about souls.

 

[Desert Reign]

I definitely see you as a genuine and genuinely honest person, and you're thoughtful and respectful of other people and other ideas. I agree with you often, but not always - the upskirt thread being a memorable exception. I still can't figure that one out. :chuckle:

Thanks. Though I think your apparently more liberal views on sexuality are a much greater issue. I mean, who really cares if someone is looking up your skirt? It has a far greater effect on that person than on you. On the other hand, it is of great significance whether homosexuals should be allowed to get married or that pastors should be forced to marry homosexuals against their express religious beliefs.

 

[annabenedetti]

Thanks. Though I think your apparently more liberal views on sexuality are a much greater issue. I mean, who really cares if someone is looking up your skirt?

I do. It's a violation of my person.

It has a far greater effect on that person than on you.

And because a man told me that, I should believe it?

On the other hand, it is of great significance whether homosexuals should be allowed to get married or that pastors should be forced to marry homosexuals against their express religious beliefs.

You only have me right on the first part. On the second, I believe churches should be left alone by the state and have never said otherwise.

 

[bybee]

Thanks. Though I think your apparently more liberal views on sexuality are a much greater issue. I mean, who really cares if someone is looking up your skirt? It has a far greater effect on that person than on you. On the other hand, it is of great significance whether homosexuals should be allowed to get married or that pastors should be forced to marry homosexuals against their express religious beliefs.

I care if someone is looking up my skirt!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[resodko]

so don't wear a skirt that some pervert can look up :idunno:

 

[bybee]

so don't wear a skirt that some pervert can look up :idunno:

Brilliant!

 

[Son of Jack]

and who is supposed to be the leaders of those on tol who argue for perversion and against God's Word?

Who are the self-righteous idolaters? Let's call a spade, a spade and be done with the nonsense of words like retards and faggots, which have nothing to do with either self-righteousness or idolatry. Then, maybe, we can begin really understand what's going on.

 

[Town Heretic]

...I mean, who really cares if someone is looking up your skirt?

I do. It's a violation of my person.

It has a far greater effect on that person than on you.

And because a man told me that, I should believe it?

No, you should believe him because you've seen Witness.

On the other hand, it is of great significance whether homosexuals should be allowed to get married

I'd say it's of great significance as to whether we can use allow or abrogate.

or that pastors should be forced to marry homosexuals against their express religious beliefs.

Would be an absolute violation of religious liberty.

 

[IMJerusha]

GFR, I hope you'll accept my sincere apology for the comment I made about you on the Toxicity thread. It was indeed toxic and unnecessary, and I'm sorry.

Later in the same thread you apologized to me, and I want to thank you for that. I appreciate it very much.

I've been thinking a lot about that thread, (posted by someone new to TOL who's already been called retarded), and how it unfolded, about my part in it, and about other threads and posts here, and the people who post them.

So many times I've seen people say you have to have a thick skin to post here, that if you're too thin-skinned, then TOL isn't the place for you. It almost seems like a point of pride, that if you've grown that thick skin, you've somehow made it. Gotten the TOL badge. Having received my share of insults here, I've managed to grow that thicker skin. And I don't like it much, because it means having a certain callousness I didn't have before. And it means I learned to sometimes give as good as I got and I'm not proud of those times, and in them, I played my own part in what I'm talking about.

I never did like the idea of "truth-smacking." Sure, discussions could and should get vehement, there's nothing wrong with that. There are some big areas of contention. But why do Christians think it's okay to say the things that are said here under the pretense of furthering a more righteous, Godly way? There's nothing righteous or Christian or Godly in calling people faggots or retards or Christ-hating pigs or whores.

If you're sure that what you believe is correct and true, you should be able to defend it against all comers, and do it in a way that draws people to Christianity, rather than repels them.

Here, Here! :cheers: And reflects the Love of Yeshua!

TOL has completely changed my view of Christianity.

It shouldn't Anna. Christianity is YOUR relationship with God through Yeshua. No one can take it from you or you from Him unless you allow it.

Yes, I've been told that TOL isn't a reflection of the whole of Christianity, but as time goes on, I have to say I'm less and less in agreement with that.

Good, because it very much is a reflection of the state of the Body. It's up to each one of us to change that and strive for the prize.

There are some really good, very decent people here, and I'm trying not to overgeneralize, but it seems rather overly-optimistic to think that what goes on in this Christian forum couldn't be extrapolated out to encompass the whole of Christianity. I've come to realize it can be, and that bothers me a lot.

You know that the saints are the sinners who fall down and get up. Baruch HaShem for the Gift of His Son!