Information Rage?

Events occurring and how they relate/affect Anabaptist faith and culture.
KingdomBuilder
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Re: Information Rage?

Post by KingdomBuilder »

I think it's different when you encounter such rhetoric in real life vs via media. What can we do with what's broadcasted? Stir on it? Nothing at all? How can we honestly, as Christians, engage positively with radio waves?
This is the type of garbage I think is fine to ignore, as it seems utterly impossible to impact.
I don't think taking in wordly media can be compared to Jesus being around sinners. If it is, why don't we just listen pop music to know more about the other kingdom?

Now. Had this been a person within our realm of influence, it'd be very different.
A personal example: once at a family gathering, someone made a ghastly statement that was basically a death wish. I was appalled at the statement, but also at the half dozen Christians who sat there like it didn't happen. I proceeded to speak out against that kind of talk, especially since there were young children at the table. It didn't go perfectly, but I do think it was better than turning a blind eye.
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haithabu
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Re: Information Rage?

Post by haithabu »

I first realized that extreme forms of thinking are taking root in regular peoples' minds when it started to leak through in Facebook repostings from family members. When your own sister publicly declares that people like you who support traditional marriage are guilty of the Orlando shootings, then you realize that there is something potentially dangerous going on in the general culture that you'd best be aware of.
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Valerie
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Re: Information Rage?

Post by Valerie »

appleman2006 wrote:
PeterG wrote:I'm afraid that (a) the professor's statements, (b) the news report, (c) this thread, and (d) this post are not as different from each other as we might wish.

"Just look as those bad people! Please join me in my disapproval of them."
Peter do you not believe there is a vast difference between expressing disapproval of someone or someone's actions and basically wishing out loud that they were dead or that calamity would hit them?
I think there is a huge difference and to equate the two is not really fair.
Thank you
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Valerie
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Re: Information Rage?

Post by Valerie »

MaxPC wrote:
Sudsy wrote:I think there can be a problem with too much removing ourselves from observing the realities of what is going on in the other kingdom. I'm glad the bible gives us some particulars of sinful settings and activities that show us how far sin may abound. For instance, the Sodom and Gomorrah texts and the sins of David and Samson and just how evil the apostle Paul was before conversion, etc. No running away and hiding from these realities of what does happen in this world. I have seen some who remove themselves so far from sinful settings that they have become unconcerned and caring for those bound by sin. Jesus was quite aware of the sins of the worst of sinners and He reached out to them to show them the way of escape.

So, I'm not in favour of ignoring what is going on in the world and discussing this at times and I am surprised when some people give way to anger or slander in a way I didn't expected they would. I'm still surprised at times (thank God they are fewer) at myself when I give way to the flesh and spew out some venom. I often think of that verse that says to take heed of thinking we can't sin in a certain way because we may get caught doing the same. Jesus said calling a brother a fool is committing murder in our heart. How often have I murdered someone, God knows. I was like the apostle Peter years ago and really thought 'not me Lord' when it came to backsliding but it happened. I like the attitude that 'but for the grace of God, there go I'.

I really don't see Jesus in scripture as one who takes a blind eye to what is going on but rather is one who engages the sinner in the sinner's environment. Religious folk tried to slander Him and called Him the friend of sinners. Is that what they call me and if so, is it in the way Jesus was a friend of sinners ? I'm afraid at times it isn't.
Amen and amen!
:up:
The fact that Jesus confronted the culture of His day and modeled the higher road of Faith and Charity sets an example for us all. He didn't worship political ideologies; He didn't try to rationalize away the problems of others. When needed he showed compassion and likewise when needed, he gave a clear instruction of true discipleship. Jesus is direct, clear and honest.
Not only that, but Jesus and the Apostles taught what the signs of the times would be, before Christ's return- and we can read actual Scriptures that would describe the way unbelievers will be- to bring it to light and expose it, is really revealing a fulfilling of prophetic Scriptures in these days we live as evil waxes worse. There's a reason Jesus and the Apostles pointed it out, and to bury our heads in the sand was not the intention of them teaching us about these things to watch for-at times when I hear things like this, I like to either remind people that we were told how people will be in before Christ's return and to 'look up, our redemption draweth nigh' or to share with 'doubters and mockers' that what we see going on around us, was prophesied and now we are seeing the fulfillment, how ever long the Lord tarries-
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MaxPC
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Re: Information Rage?

Post by MaxPC »

haithabu wrote:I first realized that extreme forms of thinking are taking root in regular peoples' minds when it started to leak through in Facebook repostings from family members. When your own sister publicly declares that people like you who support traditional marriage are guilty of the Orlando shootings, then you realize that there is something potentially dangerous going on in the general culture that you'd best be aware of.
I'm sorry to hear this happened, Haithabu. It reminds me of the warnings in the books of Micah, Matthew and Luke:

[bible]Micah 7,5-7[/bible]
Jesus tells us:
[bible]Matthew 10, 34-36[/bible]
[bible]Luke 12, 49-56[/bible]
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silentreader
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Re: Information Rage?

Post by silentreader »

haithabu wrote:I first realized that extreme forms of thinking are taking root in regular peoples' minds when it started to leak through in Facebook repostings from family members. When your own sister publicly declares that people like you who support traditional marriage are guilty of the Orlando shootings, then you realize that there is something potentially dangerous going on in the general culture that you'd best be aware of.
And if I haven't noticed that before now, and started responding to it within my circle of possible influence, then there has already been considerable damage done.
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Bootstrap
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Re: Information Rage?

Post by Bootstrap »

haithabu wrote:I first realized that extreme forms of thinking are taking root in regular peoples' minds when it started to leak through in Facebook repostings from family members. When your own sister publicly declares that people like you who support traditional marriage are guilty of the Orlando shootings, then you realize that there is something potentially dangerous going on in the general culture that you'd best be aware of.
I have been noticing this kind of thinking and complaining about it for years, often on MennoDiscuss. Years back, most of it came from the religious right, right wing nuts, etc. Recently, we're seeing a lot more of it on the left. With topics like gay marriage, vitriol and hostility against gays has been a long tradition. Now we are seeing vitriol and hostility toward people who agree with us on traditional marriage. What goes around comes around.

I think the last election was a game changer. Civility was branded "political correctness", and hostility was conflated with honesty. At Trump rallies, we saw violence from both sides of the political spectrum, from Trump supporters and Sanders supporters and just plain crazies. We have elected officials who have assaulted reporters, and elected officials who make outrageously false accusations, sometimes with their own armies of internet trolls who have become expert at making life miserable for people who disagree with them.

So what is a Christian response to this? Certainly not blaming just one side. And certainly not repeating accusations without carefully researching them - which generally requires a lot more work than it is worth. I think we need to stop being in denial that we Christians can also hate people and promote vitriol. And I think we need to repent of that. I think we need to stop being in denial that we Christians can be a gaggle of gossips spreading false rumors about people, and aware that people who get trashed by mainstream media often have their lives torn apart in ways they do not deserve. And I think we need to repent of that too. If we have successfully repented of these things in our own lives, we need to be cautious of who we identify with, because a lot of people who agree with our positions may be knee deep in vitriol.

And I agree with Peter:
PeterG wrote:I'm afraid that (a) the professor's statements, (b) the news report, (c) this thread, and (d) this post are not as different from each other as we might wish.

"Just look as those bad people! Please join me in my disapproval of them."
That's not a Christian response. When it comes to narcissistic information rage, many of us Christians have logs in our own eyes.
Just look as those bad people! Please join me in my disapproval of them."
Exactly. And sadly, I'm afraid that someone will respond to my post by saying, "Oh no, we don't do that, those people over there are the ones who are spreading all the vitriol. Let's get even more worked up about them. "
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Bootstrap
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Re: Information Rage?

Post by Bootstrap »

KingdomBuilder wrote:I think it's different when you encounter such rhetoric in real life vs via media.
I agree. And you encounter a lot less of this in real life. Face to face contact reduces vitriol, people kind of know they need to get along when they are looking at each other. The Internet is naturally narcissistic. Even sometimes social media like MennoNet. So one big thing we can do is get out and talk to people face to face.
KingdomBuilder wrote:What can we do with what's broadcasted? Stir on it? Nothing at all? How can we honestly, as Christians, engage positively with radio waves?
We can take it less seriously. The same people who tell us we can't trust the media often seem to be completely caught up in it, and don't take much trouble to see which things are true before responding. There's a lot of crazy stuff on the Internet and in the media. Some of it is true. Figuring out which part is true is a lot more work than it's worth most of the time.
KingdomBuilder wrote:Now. Had this been a person within our realm of influence, it'd be very different.
A personal example: once at a family gathering, someone made a ghastly statement that was basically a death wish. I was appalled at the statement, but also at the half dozen Christians who sat there like it didn't happen. I proceeded to speak out against that kind of talk, especially since there were young children at the table. It didn't go perfectly, but I do think it was better than turning a blind eye.
That's great!

Let's bloom where we are planted. And most of us are not planted primarily on the Internet.
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appleman2006
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Re: Information Rage?

Post by appleman2006 »

Just to make things totally clear. I am not simply blaming one side. I think there is more of it on one side than on the other right now but hey that will probably change again.

I really do not care which side it is. But the day that I cannot speak out against it will be a sad day. Not in a hateful way. Not in a revengeful way. But hopefully in a way that says things do not have to be this way. There is a better way.
Again I am sorry that this type of thing still shocks and upsets me. Actually I am not really but I am sorry that my saying it may have been misunderstood by some of you. Now I will climb back in my hole. Ignore what is happening out there. And maybe with time I can again get back my blissful ignorance. :hug:
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Judas Maccabeus
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Re: Information Rage?

Post by Judas Maccabeus »

Bootstrap wrote: I think the last election was a game changer. Civility was branded "political correctness", and hostility was conflated with honesty. At Trump rallies, we saw violence from both sides of the political spectrum, from Trump supporters and Sanders supporters and just plain crazies. We have elected officials who have assaulted reporters, and elected officials who make outrageously false accusations, sometimes with their own armies of internet trolls who have become expert at making life miserable for people who disagree with them.
There were times in the last election that I was afraid we had really gone over the edge and it would descend into mass violence. I am old enough to remember the 60s well, this is worse. The propaganda on each side reached way beyond what I had seen ever before. When I hear people I thought should know better suggesting that violence might come after a "stolen" election (Our side lost) I knew we were in deep trouble.

I will suggest that the repeal of the FCC "Fairness doctrine " during the Reagan administration is the root cause of this, but with cable that genie is out of the bottle, and I doubt it will go back in.

J.M.
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