With or without religion

@fmf said
Maybe divegeester should seek to emulate the poster you singled out as the "best high volume poster" on the Spirituality Forum in 2018.

Right.

@philokalia said
Sure, FMF.

Point being, the forum has issues with posters that make things overly personal and less about the spiritual. Sometimes it is extreme -- extreme enough for the administration to be involved... But, I think even countless posts that fall within the rules of the forum can still be toxic to the community. And maybe we shouldn't dwell on those.

And maybe we shouldn't dwell on those.

I suggest you simply don't dwell on them, then.

@fmf said
And maybe we shouldn't dwell on those.

I suggest you simply don't dwell on them, then.

I think it'd be helpful if nobody dwelled on those, so my suggestion was that we should all not dwell on them.

Are you suggesting that like, you or someone, SHOULD dwell on these things? That some members would benefit from concentrating on these things?

@philokalia said
I think it'd be helpful if nobody dwelled on those, so my suggestion was that we should all not dwell on them. Are you suggesting that like, you or someone, SHOULD dwell on these things? That some members would benefit from concentrating on these things?

I believe you shouldn't dwell on them. But post as you see fit. That's what I do.

@fmf said
I believe you shouldn't dwell on them. But post as you see fit. That's what I do.

Ok, you didn't answer my question.

Do you think it's good for you to concentrate on these forum conflicts from the past? How do you feel about me suggesting that you don't do that?

@philokalia said
Do you think it's good for you to concentrate on these forum conflicts from the past? How do you feel about me suggesting that you don't do that?

I am a believer that I am what I post and I am also 'everything I have ever posted'. I believe the 'past' in terms of what people have posted is an integral part of the 'present'. I take responsibility for everything I have ever posted in the past. If some discrepancy is found, I will either explain it or, if necessary, explain my change of stance. I expect the same of others.

I am not interested in your constant 'advice' about my posting nor am I interested in your constant opining on what people should or shouldn't "concentrate" on or what you see as "forum conflicts" or what you think of the "past". You are wasting your breath on me. That's how I feel about your "suggesting" this that or the other.

So you think that regrettable posts or fights from years ago are alive in the present, and these are things we should basically bring into the present...

A lot of people would consider this just dredging up bad memories.

... I also think everyone is more than their past actions and that past actions shuuld be forgiven while we look to a good future.

@philokalia said
So you think that regrettable posts or fights from years ago are alive in the present, and these are things we should basically bring into the present...

A lot of people would consider this just dredging up bad memories.

... I also think everyone is more than their past actions and that past actions shuuld be forgiven while we look to a good future.

I think how I contribute to this message board is fine and I am not interested in how you characterize it.

@fmf said
I think how I contribute to this message board is fine and I am not interested in how you characterize it.

Alright.

You don't think highly of how I characterize things? That's fine. I don't post solely for you.

@philokalia said
You don't think highly of how I characterize things? That's fine. I don't post solely for you.

Judging by your posting record, you think this forum benefits from you constantly posting about me.

Oh, I thought I was just responding to things you were saying to me -- and that it takes two to tango, so to speak.

So I guess we are both somehow guilty of this, right?

@philokalia said
Oh, I thought I was just responding to things you were saying to me -- and that it takes two to tango, so to speak.

So I guess we are both somehow guilty of this, right?

You should post as you see fit. I do.

@philokalia said
It must be annoying to you that so often people assume the opposite -- that everyone who is religious was specifically raised that way, and anyone who was raised witout religion generally does not re-enter it. There is a lot of stock invested in this idea that losing one's religion is part of a sort of progress and that, in the future, no one will be religious.

...[text shortened]... would not have ever gone to religion in this modern era.

He was frustrated that he failed.

It is common, I've discovered the same mindset in some fellowships I've belonged to which is sad. Some of those who grew up church have a difficult time accepting those of us who came to the Lord late in life. My father-in-law was an Atheist most of His life and became a Christian in his 80's. The last few years of His life, he moved in with and attended an early morning prayer meeting with me each Wednesday morning. It was nice, my wife said he was a different man after he became a Christian. She was so happy that this was the guy our kids knew. It was a real blessing seeing him enjoy them, they adored him and he knew it.