In Reply to: Here I go again posted by Bryon on January 18, 2003 at 12:58:57:
As usual, you don't seem to understand what you read and have no clue about context.
I was offended at your assumptions, which I have already stated. Read them again to see what those assumptions were, if you will.
Once again. I know nothing about Dean Gotcher. I read his book and didn't like it. I have no opinion about Dean Gotcher. I have one about his book. Got it?
His research was not what I discounted. His book was what I discounted, for me personally. I stated my opinion, I stand by it.
If you missed the context, it is possible to say "The Word of God may or may not be an authority in my life" becuase I hadn't stated anything to the contrary and you assumed it wasn't and answered accordingly. I still haven't stated anything to confirm or deny that. You do not have enough information to know whether I am perhaps a Muslim or Jew.
You just want to get everyone into a corner that they don't accept something only because they are not a Christian and have rejected the word of God. It is your usual tactic. That is what I addressed.
Nuances are important.
Questioning and doubting are 2 different things to me. The former may achieve the letter, but the latter can be achieved without the former, and the former does not always achieve the latter.
I see difference, you don't. An animal is a cow to you.
You have your idea of what Eve would say. It's not mine. And the easiest thing to do is what you normally do, and that is to attack me, "what bible are you reading?" and tell me I have rejected the truth. Not impressive at all.
After reading carefully your previous post regarding Berg, I see that you did not actually say that Berg was in hell. Funny though, how instead of being a non-issue, my incorrect assumtion that you had made such a statement became a relevant point of discussion, because you actually do subscribe to that belief and are very willing to justify such statements, and you might as well have said it.
Well, relevant point for discussion or not, please do not throw anymore scripture at me. I can read the bible too. You gained no points with me by doing so, and you missed the point: you may know scripture, but you are not God, and you are not the Creator nor the Judge. You may speculate according to what you as a mortal human being know here and now.
I've stated my opinion. You could have simply stated yours as, "I get my idea he is in hell from these verses: ........ " but instead you still feel at liberty to break the rules of this board and preach and throw scripture EXCESSIVELY.
You style of posting has been brought up to you many a time, and you persist. I am sure I am not the only one having a problem with your style. I find it personally very offensive, enough to make me not want to even bother reading or posting on this board. If what you are doing is accepted as being within the guidelines, good for you, then I guess this is not my kind of board.
Don't take refuge in your persecution complex insinuating you are the sole Christian that accepts the word of God - the rest being rejectors of the truth, yet once again, PLEASE. There are a lot of other Christians here, and I find that offensive.
Your Christian values are not being dismissed.
Your can state your values without invalidating everyone else as rejectors of the word of God and the truth if they disagree with you. If you still cannot do that, please don't post.
If you read the guidelines, this is not a group where common grounds for consensual agreement must be reached. It is one where we "share our hearts regarding our personal journey out of the Family experience", and a board where "respect for those of different beliefs is imperative"
Sincerely, I like your points regarding the social pressure against being a Christian and the disdvantages of participating in "mind meld" as you put it.
Sincerely, I like your points about whether or not truth can be arrived at through a so-called democratic voting.
Sincerely, I do applaud your points regarding the weakness of groupthink, and the groupthink mechanisms at play.
All these would have made for interesting discussion on this board, I believe. Even discussing whether or not a board like this is able to operate within the said guidelines, or if it falls prey to groupthink mechanisms, is indeed worthwhile. But would you be able to do so objectively without throwing scripture and saying everyone else is wrong? I don't think so. Which is a shame, really.
You have a penchant for assuming too much. Before we know it, you'd probably be saying as your usual pattern goes:
(1) you are already at a disadvantage in this mind meld
(2) everybody already agrees that we're gonna sit around and vote for the truth
(3) Groupthink conspiracy is already weakening everyone from hearing the truth, so they aren't capable of hearing you
(4) This is "Built upon a godless communist system of thought control and psycho-babble."
And not forgetting the usual themes:
(5) saying you are the only Christian here
(6) everyone who disagrees with you has rejected the truth of the word of God
(7) you are being persecuted
(8) This is part of a conspiracy
(9) Don't sit on a fence. Make your choice, you can agree with me or you are part of the devil and the Anti-Christ
For me, personally, I don't want to waste time arguing about what I did and didn't say, and what I am or am not regarding receiving or rejecting God's word if and when I don't agree with you. You bring so many interesting things up for discussion. Unfortunately as the record shows, you just aren't good at actually discussing them.
I find you no different in your methodology from Berg.
One thing I learned from arguing, you don't do it just because you can.
This is probably my last post to you for that reason.
Quoting what was already said to you a few posts below, "Have the last word if you want, because I think you are that type, but after that, I'd be happy if you'd stop replying to me with your messiah-complex know-better-than-thou shit. Thanks."
Sincerely,
Thinker
_______________________________________
To the coordinators:
"I will give myself a slap, feel guilty as Hell, crawl on my hands and knees upon jagged rocks, repent in sackcloth and ashes and pray earnestly that God repairs the damage incurred to anyone's comfort zone. Not! There are far too many Christians already sitting on the fence."
It is obvious to me Byron still feels he may use this board for his mission to snap sleeping Christians out of their comfort zones. Is this permissable? If so, I will not bother reading or posting here.