briar patch

[Jazman]

To clear up any confusion about what makes a post political there are some real simple definitions that's commonly accepted by all the folks I know.
If the person being discussed is currently holding or has held political office then the post is political.
If the topic being discussed is a law or regulation determined by the government then the post is political.
If the topic being discussed involves wars and the nations at war then the post is political.

Current events are stories such as rescues, emergencies, traffic, weather, local news about festivals and crime, good news kind of events and what have you.
These are the definitions I'm familiar with and it pretty much acts like a real effective fence in social situations and family gatherings.

Thanks for clearly laying out your definition/lens. This explains where you're coming from and that's really helpful. Thanks!

But this may be understood for the people you know... it isn't for a lot of people I know, including people here. I personally have a much narrower and different definition/lens as do other people here and elsewhere. But I'll try to keep in mind, even try to accommodate if possible, your definitions in future postings in current events.

[JohnH]

What if we just stick to the shared understanding for the current events forum?

[temporal1]

What if we just stick to the shared understanding for the current events forum?

if that means relying on admin+mods to lead, ok.

[JohnH]

What if we just stick to the shared understanding for the current events forum?

if that means relying on admin+mods to lead, ok.

Or just reading the description right there in plain sight:

Current Events
Things that are not part of politics happening presently and how we approach or address it as Anabaptists.

[mike]

What if we just stick to the shared understanding for the current events forum?

if that means relying on admin+mods to lead, ok.

Or just reading the description right there in plain sight:

Current Events
Things that are not part of politics happening presently and how we approach or address it as Anabaptists.

Forum members are not children and can follow the rules without being told or corrected every single time. Where some fail to do so, maybe you could set a good example.

[temporal1]

One does have to wonder whether the Iranians negotiating with the US actually have control over the armed forces of the country and can effectuate the deals they are ostensibly making.

Somebody said yesterday that Iran has taken its effort to win the war over to X, where its weapons are propaganda and memes.

That said, they still appear to have some pesky gunboats afloat.

The greatest power (terrorists) have is knowing the majority in the world, including POTUS, are unwilling to stoop to their level of wanton destruction, even when more than capable. They count on it.

Do you think the families of the 160 girls killed when the US bombed that school would agree with you? Didn’t Trump just threaten to destroy Iranian civilization? Doesn’t Pete Hegseth publicly pray to Jesus to help kill America’s enemies?

God’s time will tell.

I prefer not to blame the almighty for things that are directly the fault of humans.

i’m responding in the briar patch ..
because i’m deeply offended in the way you routinely CHOOSE, with your personal agency, and free will, your greater formal education and station of being a former pastor, with all these advantages, you CHOOSE to interpret through the most negative and accusatory light, esp wrt others’ faith. mine, and not just mine.

i reject every word you’ve posted above.
If you didn’t understand or agree, instead of asking what i meant, you self-righteously jumped in with what you wanted to say,
with no evident interest in what i might have intended.

you had your say. congratulations.

[temporal1]

i sincerely apologize for losing my cool above.

i’m heartsick at the thought that i would be ambivalent about those precious school girls, and/or that anyone (not new) on this forum would think for a moment i would be. i have never been pro war in my life, i don’t look to politicians for faith leadership, a nonissue.

The idea i’d confuse or exploit God’s perfect will to mean “my will” or any other distortion, crushes me. It hurts.
After all these years. This. Really sad.

When i think or write about God’s will and timing, i’m not being flippant. i’m being literal to the depth of my ability.
Fully understanding and accepting, His will might be very hard for me. No matter. His will is perfect. i trust it.

Jesus is our savior and leader.
We know He trusted His Father’s will, altho it was agonizing. God’s will is not always easy.
i pray i can bear it.

Another hard day.

[Szdfan]

i sincerely apologize for losing my cool above.

i’m heartsick at the thought that i would be ambivalent about those precious school girls, and/or that anyone (not new) on this forum would think for a moment i would be. i have never been pro war in my life, i don’t look to politicians for faith leadership, a nonissue.

The idea i’d confuse or exploit God’s perfect will to mean “my will” or any other distortion, crushes me. It hurts.
After all these years. This. Really sad.

When i think or write about God’s will and timing, i’m not being flippant. i’m being literal to the depth of my ability.
Fully understanding and accepting, His will might be very hard for me. No matter. His will is perfect. i trust it.

Jesus is our savior and leader.
We know He trusted His Father’s will, altho it was agonizing. God’s will is not always easy.
i pray i can bear it.

Another hard day.

Temp,
I appreciate the apology and I wanted to let you know that I wasn't upset by your post. We have a long history of ruffling each other's feathers. I recognize that I came across harsher than intended and I apologize for that.

My reaction is in response to the argument made over and over again that our violence is righteous because we are good and Iran's violence is barbaric because they are evil.

I didn't feel that your comment on POTUS's restraint reflected what I see happening. Our country has just spent billions of dollars to bomb Iran with significant consequences to civilians. Our leaders use religious language to argue that we are fighting a "holy war" and that Jesus supports our violence.

But I think Pope Leo is right -- God doesn't see our violence as righteous.

This doesn't mean that I think you support any of this killing, but I don't see this as a case of good vs. evil. I think both sides claim righteousness while causing harm. I don't think we can claim moral clarity while doing similar things as the Iranians.