Doing my head in!

[NorrinRadd]

I've never found that knowing WHY they do helps anything?

I'd love to know how knowing their reason for doing it helps?

Like finding out why a serial murderer chose a certain victim, or killed people. The why doesn't matter - the result is still the fact.
That's why I don't do a whole lot of trying to 'mend fences' with liberals by talking about our differences.

I don't care why we disagree, I know the result of the worldview, and why they believe what they do makes no difference to me.
I may never understand that.

In fact, that's a good thread subject.

Apparently it's also a good way to get a thread closed -- unless it was all the heterodox "lutefisk" stuff that did it. (My family is Lutheran, but of German and Transylvanian heritage; maybe that is why I've never before heard the term.)

Anyway, at the risk of promulgating the "liberal" ethos of "situational ethics," IMO the issues of when and why to seek understanding depend on the situation. E.g. --

-- I have a "liberal" position w.r.t. roles of women. I don't mind that conservatives disagree with my view, but i strenuously object when they claim it is "unbiblical." Say you disagree with my interpretation, say the majority of long-standing tradition opposes my view. Fine. But don't claim the Scripture is unambiguously on your side, don't claim I imported my view from outside Scripture, and don't claim my view is some new innovation of the past 50 years.

-- If you're a Calvinist, don't claim your view is "the" Scriptural one; there are plenty of passages that lean Arminian. Don't say stupid things like, "Arminians believe in salvation by works." OTOH, if you're Arminian, don't claim Calvinism is "unscriptural"; there are certainly passages that lean Arminian. Listen to the arguments and if unpersuaded say, "I understand, but I disagree," not "YOU'RE WRONG!!!"

-- If you're a 1 Cor. 12:13 Charismatic or Evangelical, don't say the Pentecostal belief in "baptism in theSpirit" as a "second blessing" is unscriptural; if you're an Acts 2, 10, 19 Pentecostal or Charismatic, don't claim that the belief that "baptism in the Spirit" means regeneration is unscriptural. Listen to the opposing view, and even if you disagree, admit that the usage is not systematically consistent.


Personally, I'm not real interested in "understanding" views that start with the premise that "the Bible is wrong," or "the Bible is irrelevant." I *am* interested in sorting out different ways of interpreting and applying the Bible.

 

[Nadiine]

Slacker.



We, as staff, can only action posts that go against the SoF, the FSGs or the site-wide rules. I could understand the frustration if the three of us were trying to get the FSGs changed or something. But I wasn't even coming at it from a staffer's standpoint, I was coming at it from a member's standpoint. But I can also understand your concern more now that you've explained that.

One thing to bear in mind...when I speak as a staff member, I'll speak with a mod hat.



No one is saying it isn't...I'm certainly bombarded with the topic throughout the day in other areas where I moderate. That's why I like this as my safe haven!!



I definitely see where you're coming from, and I apologize for that. As stated above, when I need to talk in terms of staff, I'll do with a mod hat. Otherwise, my posts are from a normal member standpoint.



Certainly not the intention. It was just a suggestion...like deciding to not eat a certain food for a week or something.



Gotcha. People can still be free to post about what they want. It wasn't a forced thing and I wouldn't have commented anymore on other threads where liberals were talked about. Because that would've been breaking my own challenge to myself!



Makes total sense. Thanks for taking the time to explain. I hope that my explanations have helped, too.

Sorry, I was busy on a project yesterday and didn't have the time to spend anywhere, I had to keep popping in and out.
Plus I"m still 1/2 asleep right now

I think we're on the same page with what you meant (which I totally understand & get) and appearances as others can see them & feel intimidated to conform when 3 staff members push fellowship or specific topics to stay away from.

Thanks for your explanations PW

One thing to bear in mind...when I speak as a staff member, I'll speak with a mod hat.

Ya, with the BIG RED LETTERS & stuff