I guess anna and rusha don't want to answer.
First, an apology to GFR7. Then, about growing a TOL-grade thick skin.
- Thread starter annabenedetti
- Start date
- Status
I guess anna and rusha don't want to answer.
No, you made it about me, when you asked me to answer for other people.
I didn't change the subject, you did, and asked me to both be responsible for AND answer for other people.
Looks like you went off the rails.
Last edited:
You hold the mirror up to your own face just fine. Never needed my help.
Anna, thanks for the thread and the sentiments. For whatever good they're worth.
It shows what a fine person she is!
I accept that there are knuckle dragging troglodytes, insidious perverter's of Scripture, hate spewing, non-entities passing nit-picking judgments on good and decent folk.
There are people who are very mixed up off sides deluded and even lost in sin.
That she is ... her apology was extremely gracious.
PureX
Well-known member
I find I have to distinguish in my mind between Christ, and religious Christianity, all the time, because in a great many instances the latter has little to do with the former.
I don't find this particularly upsetting because I have not expected that they would align in many years. Not since I was a kid. And where they do not align, is really where we humans become involved in it; with our egos and emotional instability, and lack of education, and social prejudices, and all sorts of similar shortcomings. And I would be silly to expect humans not to behave like humans. Sad as that behavior sometimes is.
I think human interaction is always going to be fraught with fear and ignorance and resentment, and a certain degree of viciousness. And that being the case, we're going to have to develop a thick skin whether we want to or not. And whether we like it or not. It's just the way it is.
Excellent Thread and Post. I developed a thick skin early in life, nothing to be proud of. Much thicker than TOL, but I also kept feeling and loving. We could be shedding that dead skin, but we get pulled in. I feel exactly what you say and I've said it different ways, but it aways ends the same. (another song).jk - I try not to take things personal, and keep a sense of humor it doesn't always work for us. Unfortunately, the ones that do it most, will either do it here or avoid this thread. No one can insult me (us) unless we let them.
I think you can't help yourself, can you.
See, you're one of those people I talked about. Only you shout quietly, which is a novel gambit. At heart, you're really at home among the zealots.
Alexa
New member
i'm sorry to butt in, being new here and all, but i guarantee you that the length of time a person posts on a site is no reflection of how genuine they are... actually i think it's rather naive to think one can know what someone is really like AFK even if you have been reading their posts for years.
i mentioned in another thread that i post in different forums i've been a regular on some for years... i have recognised at least one person here from another forum who most certainly isn't genuine. Personally, i don't particularly care about this person's reputation... The way i see it... unless someone posts from the position of moral authority it doesn't matter how genuine they are, all that matters is their arguments, to bring up their failings outside of the immediate posts/thread would be an ad hominem, so why pretend that you know them...
annabenedetti
like marbles on glass
You guessed wrong, I posted the thread before I left for school and haven't been able to come back to it until now.
Levolor
New member
I don't believe in having a tough skin, or in developing one.
To the contrary, I believe that we need to develop sensitivity, gentleness, compassion, long-suffering, and to receive from Christ the peace that He has said that He has left us. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. John 14:27
It is this very peace within which negates the need for a tough skin.
The long-suffering allows, as defined by the online dictionary: having or showing patience in spite of troubles, especially those caused by other people. We are told that patience when fully developed makes a perfect (whole, complete, mature, whole lacking nothing) person. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. James 1:4
Now, those who are thought we might need a tough skin from are they very ones who need to develop that gentleness and compassion. For if any of those qualities were possessed for any other than their own, no one would have to have a thick skin. They, who are like this, I fear for their soul. (Matthew 18:6)
I also do not believe in love carefully concealed.
I believe in love being fully and openly and continually celebrated in one another, but not if it is tainted and poisoned from the activity of ridiculing and mistreatment of others, i.e. gloating... being the glue that holds a community together. We are called to be greater than this because we are greater than this, if it could only be known.
Only the insecure have to look down on others. If they could only know how much God loves them, other than intellectually, and how much God loves other people, no insecurity would play out with cliques and their inherent appearance of superiority causing others hurt and the thoughts of needing a thick skin.
I could probably go on... but I don't care for extremely long posts; therefore, in order to not be a hypocrite I shall end here with:
For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:14-19
Amen.
To the contrary, I believe that we need to develop sensitivity, gentleness, compassion, long-suffering, and to receive from Christ the peace that He has said that He has left us. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. John 14:27
It is this very peace within which negates the need for a tough skin.
The long-suffering allows, as defined by the online dictionary: having or showing patience in spite of troubles, especially those caused by other people. We are told that patience when fully developed makes a perfect (whole, complete, mature, whole lacking nothing) person. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. James 1:4
Now, those who are thought we might need a tough skin from are they very ones who need to develop that gentleness and compassion. For if any of those qualities were possessed for any other than their own, no one would have to have a thick skin. They, who are like this, I fear for their soul. (Matthew 18:6)
I also do not believe in love carefully concealed.
I believe in love being fully and openly and continually celebrated in one another, but not if it is tainted and poisoned from the activity of ridiculing and mistreatment of others, i.e. gloating... being the glue that holds a community together. We are called to be greater than this because we are greater than this, if it could only be known. Only the insecure have to look down on others. If they could only know how much God loves them, other than intellectually, and how much God loves other people, no insecurity would play out with cliques and their inherent appearance of superiority causing others hurt and the thoughts of needing a thick skin.
I could probably go on... but I don't care for extremely long posts; therefore, in order to not be a hypocrite
I shall end here with:For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:14-19
Amen.
annabenedetti
like marbles on glass
There are all kinds of people in the world. Using epithets to describe any of them is a lot more likely to repel people from your beliefs than attract them.
Unless they already share the same lexicon, of course.
annabenedetti
like marbles on glass
Your tactics were one of the biggest influences on my changing views regarding same sex marriage. You're not alone, though. Those who still advocate for stoning/execution for homosexuals gave me a lot to think about as well, and gave me a new appreciation for the separation of church and state.
Do you thin MAD and Calvinism contribute to what anna talks about in the opening post?
then you do accept that there are in this world
faggots
retards
and
Christ-hating pigs and whores :thumb:
why would i want to attract faggots, retards and Christ-hating pigs and whores to my beliefs?
annabenedetti
like marbles on glass
Thank you chrys. I appreciate it a lot. You said something in the other thread about needing newbies to remind us how uncivil we can be, and I think you're right about that. I have to look at myself and realize I can be just as uncivil in my own way.
annabenedetti
like marbles on glass
Wow. That about says it all.
I'm not sure how I feel about this. What does having a thick skin mean? If you simply ignore things is that having a thick skin?
If having a thick skin means gaining an insensitivity toward the same behavior against others then I'd say having a thick skin is a bad thing. See Levelor's post #32. I agree with what he said. But I don't know if having a thick skin necessarily means being insensitive toward how you treat others and how you look at others being treated badly.
I do think that people should let some of what happens roll off their back. And if that's having a thick skin then fine. But it also may be true that it's easier for me to say that when I haven't received the level of attacks that others have.
What's unfortunate is that some of the people you are referring to think that it is Godly to do those things. They think it's okay because they think God condones it. The 'nicer than God' stuff. Which I would largely disagree with, but if people want to point to a few passages scattered throughout the bible to justify insults and mockery then fine, I think what could be a better approach would be to talk about its effectiveness, which you get to next....
:up: If the harsh language draws anyone then I think it would be the exception to the rule. So why use it. Assuming you use it because you think it will be effective. But I imagine some people aren't using it for that reason....
I'd encourage you to not let it change your view. At least not too much. Does it reflect certain circles of the larger world of Christianity? Sure, I imagine it does. But in 'real life' I can't say I've encountered anyone like some of the worst of TOLers. Some people in the fundamental circles may come close. But in my experience Christians aren't like what you describe. Whether it's Pentecostal/Charismatic, Episcopal, Mennonites (if I ever saw a Menno call someone a faggot :shocked
I think part of what we see on TOL is caused by what Granite said. It's easy to spout off through the internet.
Because the hope would be they wouldn't be faggots, retards, or Christ-hating pigs anymore? Or what you perceive to be that, at any rate.
- Status