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temporal1 wrote: ↑Sun Mar 31, 2024 4:38 pm Grace is needed

Yes, she is. But sometimes I think she should reread Colossians 4:6 before posting.

ohio jones wrote: ↑Sun Mar 31, 2024 9:02 pm

temporal1 wrote: ↑Sun Mar 31, 2024 4:38 pm Grace is needed

Yes, she is. But sometimes I think she should reread Colossians 4:6 before posting.

i didn’t catch that until too late, i hope Grace understood my intent. i think she did.

This forum allows members to be known by their “body of work,” which helps spot anomalies and oversights.
Everyone has a bad day now+then. Sometimes very bad. Family problems, work problems. Too much coffee. Or sugar!

Grace is quick to admit error, apologize, be humble, to everyone .. which can be so hard to do. i feel sorry for those who fight it. In the long run, it’s just so much better to admit (imperfection). We all are imperfect, there’s no real shame in it.

Now i may be reprimanded for speaking of Grace. i hope not. i enjoy her thoughts so much. i appreciate candor, even when it pinches.

i don’t expect perfection. Except from Robert, who occasionally reminds us of his.

I think one of the problems of calling things “evil” and “demonic” is that it ends up taking away the potency of those words if we use them too much. I do believe that evil exists, but if everything I disagree with is “evil” or “demonic,” then nothing is.

Szdfan wrote: ↑Sun Mar 31, 2024 9:29 pm I think one of the problems of calling things “evil” and “demonic” is that it ends up taking away the potency of those words if we use them too much. I do believe that evil exists, but if everything I disagree with is “evil” or “demonic,” then nothing is.

Always the case.
i don’t think i’ve ever used the word, “demonic” or its forms, in my life. i hope i’m not misspeaking.
when i was a young teen i asked my mother about demons, i think many come across that word/concept in early teen years,
she advised not to think about it, to keep focus on God, Jesus, and this is protection.

decades later, i believe her advice served me well. i don’t plan to change.

evil is another matter. evil is around, it can be cunning, and it must be resisted. certainly there is great evil that causes murder and all description sin and crimes. God, Jesus are protection, offering The Way in all circumstances.

i don’t see overuse of these words everywhere.
sometimes certain people or groups will go overboard. i think most are conscientious.
they are weighty, fearful words, and should remain so.

Szdfan wrote: ↑Sun Mar 31, 2024 9:29 pm I think one of the problems of calling things “evil” and “demonic” is that it ends up taking away the potency of those words if we use them too much. I do believe that evil exists, but if everything I disagree with is “evil” or “demonic,” then nothing is.

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.

Grace wrote: ↑Sun Mar 31, 2024 10:33 pm

Szdfan wrote: ↑Sun Mar 31, 2024 9:29 pm I think one of the problems of calling things “evil” and “demonic” is that it ends up taking away the potency of those words if we use them too much. I do believe that evil exists, but if everything I disagree with is “evil” or “demonic,” then nothing is.

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.

The scale involved is horrifying. The efficiency. Has there been anything to compare?
If only more would take a step back to think about it. It’s chilling.

One day .. what defense is there? “We didn’t know better?”

Szdfan wrote: ↑Sun Mar 31, 2024 9:29 pm I think one of the problems of calling things “evil” and “demonic” is that it ends up taking away the potency of those words if we use them too much. I do believe that evil exists, but if everything I disagree with is “evil” or “demonic,” then nothing is.

I agree with this. I almost never use the terms for that very reason. I've known people who were quick to through those words around and it is hard for me to take them seriously.

Five pages, wow ! Astounding that a thread targeting me has garnered that many pages, even after I apologized for saying what I did, about the current president.

A few years ago someone (who claimed to be a follower of Jesus) posted here, encouraging people to run over black lives matter protestors if they block the road. I asked him even if he doesn't agree with them, surely they are made in God's image and deserve not to be killed like that. He said they are not in God's image because they are not born again. I tried to encourage him to look into the doctrine of imago dei and reconsider this position. As I recall not one person on Mennonet responded to his claims except me.

I think dehumanizing thinking has entered the church through the wide open door of political commentary, the undocumented are "illegals", BLM are not made in God's image and politicians you don't agree with are demoniacs with Satan controlling them or "whispering in their ears".

Jesus acknowledged demons but never dehumanized the person. I'm not aware he called anyone demon possessed, rather he seemed drawn to them. He spoke kindly to them and treated them as people in need of the power of God. So should we.

Sin is sin- is one sin worse than another?

All sins are not equal, despite what Reformed doctrine or Luther may have taught. This is a key difference in Anabaptism.

It should be obvious that going on a preplanned killing spree is worse than thinking mean thought to someone for a few seconds. Or getting an abortion is a much worse sin than ignoring your children for a few minutes because you are preoccupied with some amusement.

The idea that “all sins are equal” was something the early church didn’t believe either; David Bercot discussed this at the recent AIC.