Faith,
It was not my intention to upset you and make you feel the victim of biased treatment, but only to keep discussion civil and constructive, and later to clarify.
Faith writes:
If I could paraphrase, "Follow God for better health," you said. "That's not consistent with a loving Father," replies Trixie. "I never expressed an opinion," you answer.
I did NOT say "Follow God for better health" Percy, I quoted JESUS telling a man He healed to "Go and sin no more" and I referenced Proverbs where people are admonished to avoid sin and practice righteousness and ill or good health is often the consequence.
I said, "If I could paraphrase..." I wasn't quoting you verbatim, and I made that clear. This is from your
Message 76. It appears just after your Bible quote. It is what I was looking at when I created the paraphrase:
Faith writes:
Also, the Book of Proverbs is full of admonitions of sickness as a result of sin, and improved health is promised for obedience.
I paraphrased this as, "Follow God for better health." I was only trying to clarify through example why your claim that you were not expressing an opinion appeared self-evidently contradictory. It was information for you, not criticism or condemnation. All you needed to do was say, "Okay, let me explain..."
Yes this is my opinion ALSO, but the FIRST thing that has to be noticed is that I WAS JUST PROVIDING A CITATION, WHICH CRASHFROG EVEN NOTED, why can't you? This is what the Bible says. So that if someone is going to start arguing with me about what the Bible says they are arguing with the Bible and not with me.
Trixie can clarify if necessary, but I don't think she was taking issue with any single Bible quote, which is probably why she didn't quote anything (though she should have). I believe Trixie was taking issue with the message you take from the Bible about the nature of God. She says she finds a different God, that she sees the Bible as only a pathway to God, not the definition of God.
And second, Trixie's accusation that because I quote the Bible on one topic means I am therefore ignoring another Biblical theme is incredibly absurd and annoying.
I think you have a tendency to see slights at every turn. No one is accusing you of anything, and no one is purposefully trying to annoy you. It is the nature of discussion on these sensitive topics for everyone to feel they are being slighted and purposefully misunderstood, and some are more paranoid and volatile than others, but the
Forum Guidelines are intended to help keep discussion focused on the topic. You need to exercise more self-control so that you aren't continually bursting forth publicly with your inner demons. Try putting yourself in another's place to see if any slight was really intended, and if you conclude it was then still resist striking out just because you are angered. Respond kindly, compassionately, tolerantly.
I guess I shouldn't be surprised that you find my answer contradictory but her insinuating irrelevant post admirable.
You're relating two things that have nothing to do with each other.
My suggestion is to just follow the
Forum Guidelines, leave personal feelings out of the discussion, explain patiently what you mean, over and over again if necessary, and stop seeing malice every time there's a difference of opinion.
My other suggestion is for you to pick up the mantle of your moderatorship and become a constructive force for good here at EvC Forum.
| -- | Percy |
| | EvC Forum Director |
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