Trying To Improve My Attitude..............

[Thomas Helwys]

What angers me the most are the ones who think they are never wrong and never could be wrong, those who charge others with taking scripture out of context just because they disagree with the viewpoint being expressed, those who call such others heretics, ignorant, dishonest, etc.

There is one person here who is always guilty of this, and yet he claims to be a Christian.

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

There are a few areas that really get me very upset.

One is the childish picking and bullying that people who claim to be mature believers display toward each other. Not just on this board, but by the sorry preaching with humanistic view of what made a person "right with God" that battered and abused folks into compliance. I came to the place were I was hindering the Holy Spirit in my own life by my attitude toward those folks.

Unfortunately, that same mindset is often displayed on the BB. To some it doesn't matter what the post or thread is, they can't just contribute without expressing some "not right with God" attitude. To me one of the great joys is to see someone (let's say Fred) post approval of a post on a thread made by a person (let's say Barney) to which Fred had just strongly opposed Barney on a different thread. To me, that is one who is showing the desire that all be edified and seeking to validate truth.

Bully tactics and "gang" picking on someone who is feeble in emotion, mind, and or body really gets me irate. Especially when medications are involved. How some who sit in front of a computer screen have the audacity to discredit what a medical doctor or other professional has in face to face contact determined is enough that, if I were a moderator, such wouldn't be tolerated in the slightest.

It is one thing to offer suggestions or to express encouragement, but to attempt to challenge a diagnosis or medication is really beyond the limits.

This is because I lost a good friend a number of years ago. A person who happened to be an epileptic. They had been convinced by some sorry "Bible thump-er" to stop taking medication and rely upon prayer for healing. He died from complications suffered during an uncontrolled seizure. He died alone. He is missed.

Lastly, I have no tolerance for an animal that mistreats any human. I don't care if it the family pet or some wild beast. If it purposely mars a human - it sacrifices it's life.

However, the same with human to animal treatment. My wife and I keep Westies. The two we have right now were highly abused in a "dog breading farm." Personally, I think the owners should forfeit their own life for what they did not only to these two, but to all the other defenseless.

I agree with you on these points. Note we have a few Bible thumpers who, not to long ago, harrassed a fellow with manic depression....REAL WRONG (and I agree with a 0 Tolerance Policy on that infraction).

Also my wife & I are big into animal rescue....Ive got 3 Bulldogs & two are blind. They would have put these dogs down but we brought them into our home & we are their caregivers....and they provide us with love. I just recently (w/i 2 weeks) adopted a mixed breed Shepherd, Husky, Greyhound & I think Lab.....named Kip & he is my USA Dog ....athletic as heck....keeps me going for long walks etc.

And Kip & I do the Lords work together. We walk together into town & talk to allot of people & they love the dog. My comment to most of these friends we are making together is..."so how is God working in your life today?"

May I suggest that we get together on this board & explore the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew's Gospel. Perhaps the moderators can give us a area separate to do that. That should focus us to come together as Kingdom people & understand the message that Jesus was preaching.... instead of this nauseating bickering back & forth.

Agedman....if you would be willing to be the facilitator then I would be glad to help as well.

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

What angers me the most are the ones who think they are never wrong and never could be wrong, those who charge others with taking scripture out of context just because they disagree with the viewpoint being expressed, those who call such others heretics, ignorant, dishonest, etc.

There is one person here who is always guilty of this, and yet he claims to be a Christian.

Tom, let me give you a visual image I now use to help me. Imagine a river, & your on the river bank (water has always been something calming to me & I love water sports, boating & fishing etc).

So your on the bank, minding your own business...perhaps wading in the river ...maybe fishing & doing something you enjoy ...then along comes this piece of wreckage....(some kinda flotsam or jetsam) & it diverts you....you go over to it & check it out---all the while you could have been catching that trout (which gives you great joy). Anyway, that flotsam junk will keep coming downstream all day, distracting you & you quite naturally (probably outa curiosity) stop what you are doing & go to that stuff bobbing down the river....and each time you jump in to check it out. OK, here is your directive---Stop doing that for a while. Then it will come by a second time & maybe a third time and say, "Maybe you didn't see me on my 1st & 2nd trip.....Well, here I am". IE, I'm that relationship you always get angry about. I want you to get angry again so you can raise your blood pressure, divert your attention in wrong directions, waste your time, not focus on your God & your family....I'm just hear to PO you! And this time you look at it and say, "I don't need you. Float on by."

And the real key that I personally learned the hard way....we are trained to fight distraction.....DON'T FIGHT IT! Again you will find that it is allusive & persistent, especially if you have indulged it for years.....it will come back until it doesn't get any more traction from you. Kinda like the bears.....'Don't feed them'

Eventually whatever it is that is bothering you will go away....you have changed you behavior & now your enjoying your fishing trip without worrying about all life's junk & thats a real cool place to be in. :thumbs:

PS: We do have a feature called "IGNORE" on the BB Forum...hint, hint. :godisgood:

 

[Thomas Helwys]

Tom, let me give you a visual image I now use to help me. Imagine a river, & your on the river bank (water has always been something calming to me & I love water sports, boating & fishing etc).

So your on the bank, minding your own business...perhaps wading in the river ...maybe fishing & doing something you enjoy ...then along comes this piece of wreckage....(some kinda flotsam or jetsam) & it diverts you....you go over to it & check it out---all the while you could have been catching that trout (which gives you great joy). Anyway, that flotsam junk will keep coming downstream all day, distracting you & you quite naturally (probably outa curiosity) stop what you are doing & go to that stuff bobbing down the river....and each time you jump in to check it out. OK, here is your directive---Stop doing that for a while. Then it will come by a second time & maybe a third time and say, "Maybe you didn't see me on my 1st & 2nd trip.....Well, here I am". IE, I'm that relationship you always get angry about. I want you to get angry again so you can raise your blood pressure, divert your attention in wrong directions, waste your time, not focus on your God & your family....I'm just hear to PO you! And this time you look at it and say, "I don't need you. Float on by."

And the real key that I personally learned the hard way....we are trained to fight distraction.....DON'T FIGHT IT! Again you will find that it is allusive & persistent, especially if you have indulged it for years.....it will come back until it doesn't get any more traction from you. Kinda like the bears.....'Don't feed them'

Eventually whatever it is that is bothering you will go away....you have changed you behavior & now your enjoying your fishing trip without worrying about all life's junk & thats a real cool place to be in. :thumbs:

PS: We do have a feature called "IGNORE" on the BB Forum...hint, hint. :godisgood:

Thank you for your thoughts. Good advice.

You know, there's probably no one on the forum that I disagree with more theologically than you, Icon, and SN, and yet you are three of my best friends here. Amazing, huh? But then you three are good guys at heart, and that's what makes the difference.

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

Tom... if I could I would probably get rid of denominational churches. As Martyn Lloyd Jones once said, Go in, take a look around, listen to the sermon...& if you dont like it go somewhere else. what we do in this fighting mode is dysfunctional. I went to a Conservative Lutheran church out of curiosity & discovered I didnt like it....it didnt fit me. And I did the same thing with a Reformed Church. But I never disrespected them nor questioned their beliefs. They were just not in line with mine. the Lutheran pastor attempted to suggest I sit down with him to review the bible & I just sited that my mind was made up...I had studied the scriptures & thats where I am. I then asked him if the tables were turned, could he go to a church (with his children) and accept Baptist & DoG theology & he said no he could not....then he understood....I could not sit under a Roman Catholic Like Universal Atonement system of theology (BTW they never pick up a bible either).

So bottom line...you go to your church & I will go to mine.