Calling people evil or demonic

[Grace]

Not every post was targeting me. But the timing of when the thread started reveals it was a response to my post about the president. To say otherwise is a bit disingenuous, in my opinion.

I'm doing my best to not make this thread about you.

As I said, in my opinion, the timing when the thread was started would suggest otherwise. And my mind will not be changed on that. The thread was started right after I said something about president that seemed to offend some.

[Bootstrap]

Not every post was targeting me. But the timing of when the thread started reveals it was a response to my post about the president. To say otherwise is a bit disingenuous, in my opinion.

I'm doing my best to not make this thread about you.

As I said, in my opinion, the timing when the thread was started would suggest otherwise. And my mind will not be changed on that. The thread was started right after I said something about president that seemed to offend some.

This thread was, in fact, motivated by things that you said that seemed out of keeping with my understanding of biblical teaching on Christian speech. I also chose not to mention you or to single you out, and to focus on what Scripture teaches. I also chose to ask it as a question and get various perspectives.

To me, the word "targeting" implies bullying, harassing, or some kind of aggressive behavior. singling you out, shaming you. And I very much want to avoid doing any of those things. I have chosen not to make this thread about you at all. That would be easier if you would let it happen.

I do want to focus on how we, as Christians, should follow Scripture's teachings here. All of us. Not my opinion, but the teaching of Scripture.

[GaryK]

I'm doing my best to not make this thread about you.

As I said, in my opinion, the timing when the thread was started would suggest otherwise. And my mind will not be changed on that. The thread was started right after I said something about president that seemed to offend some.

This thread was, in fact, motivated by things that you said that seemed out of keeping with my understanding of biblical teaching on Christian speech. I also chose not to mention you or to single you out, and to focus on what Scripture teaches. I also chose to ask it as a question and get various perspectives.

To me, the word "targeting" implies bullying, harassing, or some kind of aggressive behavior. singling you out, shaming you. And I very much want to avoid doing any of those things. I have chosen not to make this thread about you at all. That would be easier if you would let it happen.

I do want to focus on how we, as Christians, should follow Scripture's teachings here. All of us. Not my opinion, but the teaching of Scripture.

Not naming or singling someone out doesn't equal not targeting them. I'm guessing it's pretty clear to most people who read this and the other thread who was being targeted. I think Ken said it well.

I think there is a big difference between calling people out or disagreeing with them in the flow of a discussion thread on another topic. That seems fair game and is just part of the flow of a discussion thread. Versus creating a whole new discussion thread just to talk about some particular language or position that you want to call out in someone else. That seems gratuitous.

[Bootstrap]

This thread was, in fact, motivated by things that you said that seemed out of keeping with my understanding of biblical teaching on Christian speech. I also chose not to mention you or to single you out, and to focus on what Scripture teaches. I also chose to ask it as a question and get various perspectives.

To me, the word "targeting" implies bullying, harassing, or some kind of aggressive behavior. singling you out, shaming you. And I very much want to avoid doing any of those things. I have chosen not to make this thread about you at all. That would be easier if you would let it happen.

I do want to focus on how we, as Christians, should follow Scripture's teachings here. All of us. Not my opinion, but the teaching of Scripture.

Not naming or singling someone out doesn't equal not targeting them.

By any definition I know of, nobody is being targeted in this thread. See the definition of targeting above.

And this really is my intent: "I do want to focus on how we, as Christians, should follow Scripture's teachings here. All of us. Not my opinion, but the teaching of Scripture."

I think it's useful to ask whether posts promote that or distract from that. Actually discussing Scripture as something that applies to the way we live our lives is important to me.

[temporal1]

all the while,
1) not acknowledging Grace’s apology-clarification,
2) ignoring a short question about whether certain gov policies can be evil, do evil,
3) starting yet another thread suggesting asking direct questions is “making it a fight” .. viewtopic.php?t=6714

i don’t think it’s intended, however, when multiple members do not get the intended message, maybe a different approach is worth consideration?

[GaryK]

This thread was, in fact, motivated by things that you said that seemed out of keeping with my understanding of biblical teaching on Christian speech. I also chose not to mention you or to single you out, and to focus on what Scripture teaches. I also chose to ask it as a question and get various perspectives.

To me, the word "targeting" implies bullying, harassing, or some kind of aggressive behavior. singling you out, shaming you. And I very much want to avoid doing any of those things. I have chosen not to make this thread about you at all. That would be easier if you would let it happen.

I do want to focus on how we, as Christians, should follow Scripture's teachings here. All of us. Not my opinion, but the teaching of Scripture.

Not naming or singling someone out doesn't equal not targeting them.

By any definition I know of, nobody is being targeted in this thread. See the definition of targeting above.

And this really is my intent: "I do want to focus on how we, as Christians, should follow Scripture's teachings here. All of us. Not my opinion, but the teaching of Scripture."

I think it's useful to ask whether posts promote that or distract from that. Actually discussing Scripture as something that applies to the way we live our lives is important to me.

But you just wrote that "This thread was, in fact, motivated by things that you said that seemed out of keeping with my understanding of biblical teaching on Christian speech."

I can't understand how that is not singling out or targeting or calling out Grace.

[Grace]

This thread was, in fact, motivated by things that you said that seemed out of keeping with my understanding of biblical teaching on Christian speech. I also chose not to mention you or to single you out, and to focus on what Scripture teaches. I also chose to ask it as a question and get various perspectives.

And in the first sentence the insinuation is made that the thread was started because of something I posted. In my opinion that is "targeting".
I think it would be good to be reminded (myself included) there are very wise and diligent moderators who so willingly take their time to moderate Mennonet. Let's trust them to call out any posts/words that are out of line, instead of taking matters into our own hands.

To me, the word "targeting" implies bullying, harassing, or some kind of aggressive behavior. singling you out, shaming you. And I very much want to avoid doing any of those things. I have chosen not to make this thread about you at all. That would be easier if you would let it happen.

Let the moderators decide what is out of line. And please stop telling me what to do to make it easier. That is for me to decide.

I do want to focus on how we, as Christians, should follow Scripture's teachings here. All of us. Not my opinion, but the teaching of Scripture.

Why not let each individual decide for themselves how they choose to live out what the scriptures teaches. And I will repeat, if something is out of line, trust the moderators to deal with the matter.

[JimFoxvog]

When is the line crossed between potent enough and not potent enough? On the "potent level" Is the killing of unborn children and mutilating gender confused children, potent enough to be called "evil"? Just asking and curious to know.

To me, motivation is important if we are attaching the word "evil" to a person. A long-respected Christian doctrine was that life (human life that should be protected) starts at the first breath. Those who speak of "gender-affirming" procedures believe they are helping. We may have come to different conclusions, but I don't think it fair to call the people with another opinion "evil". Misguided or deceived--maybe.

On the opening question, I think it takes the gift of discernment of spirits to know if something is demonic. If it is, casting out the evil spirit may be the solution.

[Bootstrap]

Why not let each individual decide for themselves how they choose to live out what the scriptures teaches. And I will repeat, if something is out of line, trust the moderators to deal with the matter.

This thread does not call for the moderators to do anything. And individuals will, in fact, decide for themselves how to choose to live out what the Scripture teaches. Is there any real danger of anything else happening?

This thread is for discussing what Scripture DOES teach. Would you please allow that to happen? Why discuss what Scripture teaches? Because I think that should be our guide ...

[Josh]

I’m going to toss out there that dropping atom bombs on a city with millions of people, going into a school and conducting a mass shooting, murdering unborn babies, or orchestrating the trafficking of children for sexual abuse are all things that are evil and demonic, the people that do them are evil, and are controlled by the demonic.

Of course any such people can repent and be born again and obey the gospel and be set free of serving the devil. But let’s call a spade a spade.