Everybody Has Two Cents Worth, And The Coin Has Two Sides

Christian Forums has been a learning experience for me. I inadvertently break rules (translated I didn't read the rules) and get reported (I had a .com in my signature), I've started threads on forums where my topic was not allowed. I've made comments that were taken completely different than I meant them. I think I made one prolific poster mad and I feel really bad about that, and I sure didn't mean to. If I keep this up, I may be asked to leave and not come back! Banned for life!
_________________________________________
But in the meantime, I got to thinking...always a dangerous thing...with online interaction, we can't hear inflection, or that someone is speaking softly instead of raising their voice, that they are actually being kind, not snarky. Sometimes words look harsh that weren't meant to be that way at all, and we find ourselves a little miffed...or as Cathineanne told me in my last post...we get our knickers in a twist.

Then there are those heated discussions we find ourselves in that have escalated to the point of real anger. Politics and religion often bring out the worst in otherwise nice people.

Let's be honest...sometimes they are not otherwise nice people. But that's a different post for another day.
_________________________________________

In a controversial debate, both sides feel abused, maligned, picked on…if you listen to the comments and complaints, they are each saying much the same thing.

Both sides are fellow humans with passions and feelings, and should be treated as such.

Both sides are convinced they are as right as right can be, and that the other side couldn’t be more wrong.

Sometimes you're both wrong. There are three sides to every story: Your side, their side and the truth.

Sometimes you have to accept that certain people are not going to like you for their own reasons, and you won’t be able to change that.

There are those people on both sides of the coin who recognize that you don’t have to agree with someone to still like and respect them. Those people are few and far in-between.

Folks on both sides of the coin can get self-righteous and downright mean when faced with opposition.

Most of the time, both sides have some very heart-felt reasons for their stance.

Arguing, name-calling, back-biting, anger: None of these things help either side, ever.

If you can’t talk to the other side of the coin without the aforementioned arguing, name-calling, back-biting and anger, walking away (or clicking the red X) is the best thing you can do.

No one can live a perfect life…don’t take it too personally when you’re called a hypocrite by the other side of the coin. They are making mistakes and bad choices, too. Everyone does, and theirs will show up eventually.

If at some point you realize you’re wrong, say you’re wrong.

Don’t compromise your convictions to end harassment for your beliefs. Walking away is the better option. If you know you’re right, you don’t have to defend yourself against those who would belittle you for your principles. You won’t change them, anyway.

And lastly: No matter how right you are, or even how much you try to stay neutral, there are those who will find fault with you, who will talk about you, and who won’t treat you the way they’d like to be treated. It happens to everyone…forgive them and move on.

And there you have it, my friends...my own
Two Cents Worth.png

Blog entry information

Author
AmusingMargaret
Read time
3 min read
Views
786
Last update

More entries in Christian Forums

More entries from AmusingMargaret

Share this entry