Respecting our Elders II

On a different thread of examination.

What do you think is the biggest reason why brethren today may be challenged in not respecting their elders?

And do you think we give enough respect to our elders?

Tagging your age at the end of your answer ma help others to appreciate perspectives of all ages. Age 44

What do you consider an elder?

Elders as in age or spiritual elders.. Elders arent necessarily older people.. WHat kind of elders r u talking about?

I am speaking of people older than the person reading this, giving respect, to people older than yourself.

Many youth dont get taught that principle of respecting elders.. thats the main thing

Well everyone should respect eachother regardless of their age. However there are people who live by the saying if you want respect you have to give it back. There are elders who demand respect & don't give it back to younger people which is wrong on their part.

I define an elder being someone who cares for another and their well being whether it be their spiritual and/or physical including a person's health. So I believe age has nothing to do with that and being Christian I believe no one could be an elder for me if they don't share my faith. With that said many people abuse this and I've had my share of people doing that, but use your best judgement and if what they say does not align with the word of God then what they say is no longer valid

I'm the same way. If the older person is not saved, it's hard for me to see them as an elder. Elders are supposed to be wiser and mature in the faith, in my opinion. Can't be so if they're not saved.

I guess anyone older than I am is my elder. I think that everyone is entitled to respect if they lead respectful lives. The members ages are already listed in each post.

Like I mentioned in the other thread, I think a main reason we struggle to respect our elders is because our values are different than our elders sometimes. Elders lived in a different world, with different needs for survival. So what was once valued, now is just outdated status quo sometimes.

Some values don't change, like love and survival, but respecting those elders who can teach us these things still depends on the values of the youth, and where they are on that journey. Perhaps young people are too distracted to identify their values, or perhaps they are too manipulated by others telling them what their values should be.

So either the elders values need to change with the needs of the young people in a modern world, or the young people's values need to change to appreciate and respect what their elders are capable of sharing with them.

But to expect anyone to blindly respect someone is an absolute that can lead to sin and the pain associated with it. Like I said in the other thread, back in the day the elders usually only got there if they avoided sin, unlike today, based on the factors the o.p. mentioned.

I believe the lack of respect for anyone boils down to self-absorption and a feeling of self-importance, arrogance, etc.

I naturally respect old people and those in authority, but everyone else needs to earn it, and even those two groups can lose it.

Hurray!! I get to speak in defense of my age! I am 96, I am elderly and have been for sometime. I am sometimes treated as though I am not a person any longer. Many of my contemporaries have dementia, all are considered as mentally impaired. Many think this always comes with age, My family will have nothing at all to do with me.

As an example, here is a situation I am living with. My assisted living facility decides what I am to eat, and I am not allowed to read the menu because the few made are put in plastic, and unavailable to those who cannot come to the dining room. The aged are not considered worthy of paper, they must have plastic that can be sanitized.

Even though whole grains are so important to our health, we are not allowed one whole grain except wild rice served buried in white rice. Cornmeal, oatmeal, or wheat is all processed. My requests are turned down as only from inferior age.

My experience of living in another generation and noting the changes is not considered worthwhile. The love I have is rejected. My years of study is not considered worthwhile because I am housed in a body that has aged. Youth feels superior because my body is inferior to theirs, now.