Belief Wrestling vs. Certitude

@philokalia said
I think you would understand it better if you read his book on the topic because the word 'enemy' can be used in a way that is not shallow or so black & white -- which is how I expect to be able to use words when I am chatting with adults.

You should use the word "enemy" in as malleable and as wishy-washy a way as you see fit. I don't see people in [what I perceive as being] cults as being "enemies" per see. Speaking as an adult, I believe they need to be a threat to me or to those I am responsible for before they qualify as an "enemy".

@philokalia said
You should not call someone a cultist like that -- especially someone who is right here in our forum.

Why not?

What about if they are not in this forum, ok then?

@philokalia said
I am not saying that I can prove that any particular individual is full of room for growth, only that one can fully embrace the position's of one's church or institution, and still be growing intellectually and morally while not doubting the claims of the Church or institution.

But that isn’t what Galveston75 said, so again you are missing the point. Perhaps you don’t understand it.

@philokalia said
Even if I thought that someone was in a cult, I would not refer to them as a member of a cult.

It's not very helpful language unless you really want to signify that someone is your enemy.

It’s perfect language because it’s direct, truthful, concise and easy to understand. It is backed up within evidences, examples and hundreds of pages of debate in this forum over the years.

@philokalia said
I am reading Carl Schmitt's On the Political right now, so I have an appreciation for the friend/enemy dichotomy as it stands in a political context, and do not view the relationship of enemy as necessarily personal... but just as an abstract concept.
It is very bourgeois to think of oneself as above the friend/enemy context.

Why is it you always feel the need to tell us what you are reading, especially when you have stepped in on or two forum cowpats?

And “bourgeois”... really?

@philokalia said
I think you would understand it better if you read his book on the topic because the word 'enemy' can be used in a way that is not shallow or so black & white -- which is how I expect to be able to use words when I am chatting with adults.

Galveston75 considers me his “enemy”, I do not consider him mine.

@philokalia said
You would think that a guy who throws around the word 'cult' so easily would be a bit more judicious about whether he lectures someone on the word enemy

Tell me more about the latest book you are reading about the meaning of “enemy”.