Can we make MN less hostile?

[Wayne in Maine]

I can spend my year of living on efforts more profitable to God’s kingdom than what Mennonet has become - a forum for debate between Western Progressives and traditional (Western liberal) “conservatives”.

I would also much rather focus on the Kingdom of God.

So what can we do to:

1. Focus on the Kingdom of God, Jesus, and biblical Christianity, and
2. Stop putting the focus on political controversies and scoring points for the Red Tribe and the Blue Tribe?

Go ahead Boot, do it. (and encourage Ken to do likewise, that will give Josh and other social conservatives less to react to).

[ken_sylvania]

I can spend my year of living on efforts more profitable to God’s kingdom than what Mennonet has become - a forum for debate between Western Progressives and traditional (Western liberal) “conservatives”.

I would also much rather focus on the Kingdom of God.

So what can we do to:

1. Focus on the Kingdom of God, Jesus, and biblical Christianity, and
2. Stop putting the focus on political controversies and scoring points for the Red Tribe and the Blue Tribe?

Go ahead Boot, do it. (and encourage Ken to do likewise, that will give Josh and other social conservatives less to react to).

We can still react to people who don't accept Genesis as a literal scientific account though, right? Please?

[Sudsy]

1 Cor. 3 - Paul indicated as long as there was jealousy and quarreling going on then they were being worldly. It is like they were never born again. So, the question seems to be were they unspiritual, professing Christ followers that were still baby Christians who need to grow up spiritually or were they still mere humans that had not been born again ?

Going back to Titus 3:2 if we can't live that way, we just might have had some kind of religious experience some time in our life and became religious without a true conversion or we currently are in a back slidden state and insensitive to the guidance and conviction of the Holy Spirit. I've been in that back slidden state before and it is far from the Kingdom life experience that Jesus promised us. As scripture says the Kingdom life is right living, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. A supernatural way to live.

Let's work together to encourage one another to be ambassadors of the Kingdom that will draw unbelievers to Christ and the Kingdom way of life. Jesus said He came to bring life that was abundant. A peace that passes all understanding.Joy that can't be explained it is so wonderful. Love for everyone that must be supernatural. And more. Amen.

[Wayne in Maine]

I would also much rather focus on the Kingdom of God.

So what can we do to:

1. Focus on the Kingdom of God, Jesus, and biblical Christianity, and
2. Stop putting the focus on political controversies and scoring points for the Red Tribe and the Blue Tribe?

Go ahead Boot, do it. (and encourage Ken to do likewise, that will give Josh and other social conservatives less to react to).

We can still react to people who don't accept Genesis as a literal scientific account though, right? Please?

No, you can't!

[JimFoxvog]

Go ahead Boot, do it. (and encourage Ken to do likewise, that will give Josh and other social conservatives less to react to).

Has it ever crossed your mind that possibly people get tired of your "know-it-all" demeaning attitude?

Can you not see how partisan your posts are? You load your post up with all kind of partisan and tribal language, then claim you want to be less hostile and more Christ centered. Very inconsistent and inflammatory.

then do it boot.

Maybe MN would be less hostile if members didn't keep condemning other members and instead addressed the ideas expressed.

[MaxPC]

Go ahead Boot, do it. (and encourage Ken to do likewise, that will give Josh and other social conservatives less to react to).

Has it ever crossed your mind that possibly people get tired of your "know-it-all" demeaning attitude?

Can you not see how partisan your posts are? You load your post up with all kind of partisan and tribal language, then claim you want to be less hostile and more Christ centered. Very inconsistent and inflammatory.

then do it boot.

Maybe MN would be less hostile if members didn't keep condemning other members and instead addressed the ideas expressed.

Jim, these are not condemnations; but rather it is instruction and a call to accountability regarding repeated behaviors perpetrated by a certain individual. I believe you are mistaken to try to stop that process that is intended to help that individual to change and improve his attitudes and behaviors.

In particular if you will read all of the posts addressing those behaviors you will see that the individual being called to accountability has repeatedly condemned others himself. That individual's double standard, his berating and belittling of others; and his attempts to control the conversations on the forum to his own advantage has been much of the source of that hostility; the moderators have repeatedly called this individual's behaviors into account and yet he is perseverating in those same behaviors.

[temporal1]

Max posted ^^

Go ahead Boot, do it. (and encourage Ken to do likewise, that will give Josh and other social conservatives less to react to).

Has it ever crossed your mind that possibly people get tired of your "know-it-all" demeaning attitude?

Can you not see how partisan your posts are? You load your post up with all kind of partisan and tribal language, then claim you want to be less hostile and more Christ centered. Very inconsistent and inflammatory.

then do it boot.

Maybe MN would be less hostile if members didn't keep condemning other members and instead addressed the ideas expressed.

Not that my thots are wanted or needed, but ..
while your observation is a valid generalization, i don’t believe it applies to any of the 4 you quoted, none is guilty of “continual condemning” here or elsewhere, and all are reliable about addressing ideas. i’m sorry to see them implicated in this way. it seems careless.

Not to mention, one is admin-owner who regularly attempts to lead your point, another is a mod with Herculian self restraint, the others, ditto regarding self restraint.

2 Timothy 2:14
https://biblehub.com/2_timothy/2-14.htm

The Lord's Approved Workman

13if we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.

14Remind the believers of these things, charging them before God to avoid quarreling over words, which succeeds only in leading the listeners to ruin.

15Make every effort to present yourself approved to God, an unashamed workman who accurately handles the word of truth.…

[Robert]

Go ahead Boot, do it. (and encourage Ken to do likewise, that will give Josh and other social conservatives less to react to).

Has it ever crossed your mind that possibly people get tired of your "know-it-all" demeaning attitude?

Can you not see how partisan your posts are? You load your post up with all kind of partisan and tribal language, then claim you want to be less hostile and more Christ centered. Very inconsistent and inflammatory.

then do it boot.

Maybe MN would be less hostile if members didn't keep condemning other members and instead addressed the ideas expressed.

Jim, these are not condemnations; but rather it is instruction and a call to accountability regarding repeated behaviors perpetrated by a certain individual. I believe you are mistaken to try to stop that process that is intended to help that individual to change and improve his attitudes and behaviors.

In particular if you will read all of the posts addressing those behaviors you will see that the individual being called to accountability has repeatedly condemned others himself. That individual's double standard, his berating and belittling of others; and his attempts to control the conversations on the forum to his own advantage has been much of the source of that hostility; the moderators have repeatedly called this individual's behaviors into account and yet he is perseverating in those same behaviors.

My concern, which includes myself, is there are little to no I statements in all this. We all have to take some responsibility here too.

I need to be less reactive. I need to state my opinions and move on. I need to not be triggered, and if I am, be honest and open about it. I need to keep working at this. I need to elevate others more.

[MaxPC]

Maybe MN would be less hostile if members didn't keep condemning other members and instead addressed the ideas expressed.

Jim, these are not condemnations; but rather it is instruction and a call to accountability regarding repeated behaviors perpetrated by a certain individual. I believe you are mistaken to try to stop that process that is intended to help that individual to change and improve his attitudes and behaviors.

In particular if you will read all of the posts addressing those behaviors you will see that the individual being called to accountability has repeatedly condemned others himself. That individual's double standard, his berating and belittling of others; and his attempts to control the conversations on the forum to his own advantage has been much of the source of that hostility; the moderators have repeatedly called this individual's behaviors into account and yet he is perseverating in those same behaviors.

My concern, which includes myself, is there are little to no I statements in all this. We all have to take some responsibility here too.

I need to be less reactive. I need to state my opinions and move on. I need to not be triggered, and if I am, be honest and open about it. I need to keep working at this. I need to elevate others more.

Robert, in looking back over all the expressed concerns it was quite clear, at least to me, that "I" statements were both explicitly and implicitly used. This call to accountability is not the first such effort on this same topic to the same person who repeatedly uses the same behaviors others find at best problematic as well as offensive.

It has all been said before with no sign of improvement. Those repeating these calls for accountability are not condemning, they are emphasizing points that have been made before. Those calling for accountability (including you) write many more posts that encourage and provide intelligent discussion when compared to posts that are focused upon having to call a person into account. I think that this larger pattern and track record is important too. It tells me that when these members, who are primarily positive and informative, do feel the need to call an accounting, they are not being petty or negative. Further when a number of them are seeing the same thing, that speaks of verification that these behaviors are occurring.

To sum up, I do not see pettiness nor negativity in these multiple calls to accountability. I see these as balanced and well-considered concerns about the need to mature and change away from disruptive behaviors.

[temporal1]

i wrote:
it seems careless.

i want to clarify.
i don’t believe it was intentionally careless, maybe unfortunately so (?)
because, i believe, the generalization is correct, and, i believe, encouraged on this forum.

writing is hard.