I have been mostly staying away from the BDf lately myself. I started a similar thread like this just about maybe 10 days ago.
The BDF was a big reason I cam here, almost 4 months ago. I will eventually get back on there, but I have learned a few things about chatting on the internet by being here. Besides a site about comic books, I have never been on a chat site before. Being the winter, not being able to go outside as much, I joined thinking where else on the net can I really go but to my fellow brothers and sisters.
And yes, I am still glad to be here, but I know their are things I should have foreseen that I did not. My bad, because I am a Christian for 23 years, and in my mid 50's should have just understood better about some things.
A couple of my responses could have been measured better on the BDF, despite that I thought I was once being mislabeled, and another time that someone was being, well, maybe not appropriate. But two wrongs don't make a right, and as Christians we are supposed to be to a higher standard.
But I think the real longer term problem, and the real big issue here is Christians who just have to demand they are right, be it discussing with fellow Christians, or agnostics, or atheists, or Catholics.
I mean, come on, some of this is, quite frankly, bordering on being almost an advertisement on why
not to become a Christian to those of the world who see us.
We are going to be sharing a lot of time in heaven together, lets start loving each other as close to as what we can do and be for how God wants us to here and now.
Whether or not we disagree, like each other, or whatever, we
have to try and do better. It actually pains me from a personal standpoint about what happened with me, but also here with others that I have seen take such a self righteous stance. And get so personal.
Not only are hurting ourselves, but maybe more importantly, we are causing harm to those who are not saved that come here.
That should be upper most in our minds. It is not all about us. What is the worth of a soul?
So we ought to humble ourselves, pray, be wise.
I keep saying, John 17.
9 I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours...11 I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you.Holy Father, protect them by the power of[b] your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one.
14 I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world.15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it.17 Sanctify them by[d] the truth; your word is truth...
...20 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message,21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you.
May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
And the fruits of the spirit.