Jesus has taught me I no longer have to play the victim if I don't want to.A willing student correcting his elders. Yes, I know. Instead of heeding what GM said, and trying to understand it, you became defensive and began to be offended by his "tone".
Now you're "playing the victim" and can't even see you are lecturing yourself.
Oh, horror of horrors he hurt your little feelings. You claim to be a willing student.....you aren't. Nor do you want to be.
Lecturing myself is something I am abundantly aware of. And I stand with Jesus and usually recognize the logs in my own eyes before pointing out the speck of sawdust in anyone else's.
Your friend did not hurt my feelings. I can recognize a person's good intentions behind their behavior. I have worked a lifetime with other people as a mediator and an oncology tech with end-stage patients and their families. And I worked a short time as a drug/alcohol counselor for teenagers. I think he is hurt himself and can only lash out to me instead of tracing down the fundamental problem.
I know when I am doing a helpful job by the reaction I get from others.
Too often you folks on TOL are cruel and mocking to others--a clear sign that you have no available better choices in your toolbox to live the Christian life you claim to live.
I respect your struggles. And if I think it is appropriate, I will surely address them and try to understand.
I think your anger and aggressiveness toward me is understandable, given the context of our interaction. I myself am always willing to be accountable for my own hypocrisy, bigotry and wrong-headedness.
The first thing to do is to be AWARE of one's intentions, as well as the EFFECT of those intentions on others.
I am hoping folks like you would show me other, less upsetting ways to frame my points and arguments. I am sorry you take them so defensively but unless you show me specifically HOW to communicate my same ideas, beliefs and thinking without touching a nerve, there is not much I can do, is there?