briar patch

[temporal1]

i disagree. there is no attempt to manipulate or mislead, no attempt at dishonesty.
but you’re displaying an example of attempting to personally dismiss and bully for having an opinion you don’t like. do you have a fancy word for that?

suggestion.
stop gulping.

Dec 2016 / Page 13 / Credible news sources
http://forum.mennonet.com/viewtopic.php ... 3030#p3030

I hope I am not repeating someone else's talking points as I will admit I have not read all 13 pages of this thread but here are my thoughts on the subject, especially in light of the recent elections.

I must say that it is almost laughable for just about any of the mainline news sources to claim to be credible right now. They have exposed their bias in a shameless way and right now I for one am actually enjoying watching them running scared.

I would of had no problem with any of them declaring a preference in the election. But they went far beyond that. They were openly rooting for a winner. In several of the debates they broke rules and very definitely showed favoritism for the left. It was so obvious it was almost pathetic.

I never thought I would say it but Fox News almost looked balanced compared to most of the others and Fox News is not balanced.

So let me make a prediction of what you are in for over the next four years.
The left leaning media will be acting like an injured bull.
They will be throwing any resemblance of non bias media out the window and will be lashing out at the new establishment in Washington in ways like you have never seen before.
And it will probably be effective.
The constant anger that they will stir up will eventually be effective in rising up a backlash that will be impossible for the present government to effectively placate.
How do I know this?
I have seen it happen every time the right gains any type of a foothold in politics here in Canada.

But I suspect anything I have ever seen will be minor compared to what is about to happen.

Based on what I have read in this thread I know some of you will disagree but all I can say is that may only show that the media has already got to you with their bias. I would suggest that you really look at what has just happened with an open mind. The crying, and anguish and just outright anger and bewilderment by most of the media should tell you just how strong the bias has been. And you really need to ask yourself whether they are sources that you can even begin to trust in the future. I might add that a very small minority of them have admitted that what they did was totally wrong and that they are at least partly responsible in an indirect way for Trump's election. The dumb, uneducated public saw through them.

The question is, Are we going to let us continually be duped by the likes of these or can we learn a lesson from this and start to be a bit more critical in our thinking? Or are we going to go to the opposite extreme and allow all those right and left wing conspiracy type Youtube sites become our primary source for news. I hope not because they are even less reliable.

I have concluded that the best one can do at this point is get as broad a view point as possible. Always try hard to find where a writer's bias is because there always is one and then read it or watch it in that light.

And finally.
Recognize that while we live in this world and so to a certain extent we must know what is happening around us in order to function: in the end they (the world) can not touch us in the areas that really matter. Providing of course that we keep our primary focus on the King of Kings.

[temporal1]

For reference:

Sept 2, 2020 / ”Guidelines for posting in Politics”
http://forum.mennonet.com/viewtopic.php ... es#p101635

Robert posted, and locked, these guidelines:

1. Try to keep the politics in the Politics section. The Mods reserve the right to move posts and threads as needed.

2. Remember that there are sincere siblings in Christ who will be on the opposite side of whatever issue you think dominates everything else. They are not evil. They are thoughtful and trying to live out the Gospel just as you are.

3. No one issue dominates everything else. We, and society, are a combination of many issues.

4. While political discussion is good to have, those who follow Jesus do serve a higher power and purpose.

5. As elections come and go, so does much of the fervor. Let us be careful not to burn too many bridges with each other. When we do, we are just like the world and no longer behaving like the body of Christ.

6. It is okay to disagree. Let us still love.

7. Let us talk to each other, not at each other. Better to ask questions then to throw attacks.

[justme]

suggestion.
stop gulping.

what do you mean by that?

[temporal1]

suggestion.
stop gulping.

what do you mean by that?

o. just that i think mainstream news should be “sipped” rather than gulped.

Page 5 / Preparing for a Joe Biden presidency ..
http://forum.mennonet.com/viewtopic.php ... ed#p105002

.. the lib agenda, if not altogether ignored, is better sipped than gulped.

appleman and others have explained much better than i ever could. many times.

his 2016 post (above) was sadly accurate about what was about to unfold.
there are times we pray not to be correct. i’m sure he would have preferred that was one of them.
- - - - - - -
btw, justme,
your question to me is a good example of Robert’s guidelines #7 above:

Robert:
7. Let us talk to each other, not at each other.
Better to ask questions then to throw attacks.

[temporal1]

Page 5 / http://forum.mennonet.com/viewtopic.php ... ng#p111552

You'll find the discussion on "gaslighting" has been moved to the Briar Patch. Phrases like "gaslighting" that assign ulterior or underhanded motives are seldom helpful in advancing positive or enlightening discussions - MODS

Szdfan,
i did not intend for this to land in the briar patch, just wanted to explain my view about gaslighting, because you’ve used this word (to) me before. i did not reply earlier.

i hear the word used in my family now+then, it’s not used for kindness. so, i wince.
i know different words “get picked up” in the common vernacular/slang; in olden times, teachers used to try to instruct avoidance of slang, etc.

i think avoidance is a generally good idea. not sure if it’s still taught.
the internet and social media are a virtual meat grinder for language.
i hope the basics survive.

i meant to explain, not counter-attack.
that may not be evident.

this forum reflects to me what a good writer i am not.
it’s practice! to try to do better.

i think Dan’s post is a good reminder/explanation.
we did not intend to be here, but here we are. and it’s ok.

[Valerie]

A president who seriously considers declaring martial law and sending the military to battleground states in order to force them to redo their elections is absurd and ridiculous, but also dangerous to democracy.

Please stop trying to gaslight.

i have no idea what your latest favorite word means, but i doubt it applies to simply trying to see things for what they are. and aren’t.

after watching the Chicago DNC and press “absolutely reject” FOR 4 YEARS a perfectly decent RNC Illinois governor (who also voted WITH the DNC on abortion and other horrible leftist bills) -
the “game plan” for President Trump was 100% predictable: reject him, ruin him, at all costs.

i’m sorry you’ve bought into it. you+millions of others.
the big boys (career politicians) have no conscience when it comes to maintaining control.

i presume your protest means i’m “getting warm.”



i don’t know what gaslighting is, other than some current popular psycho-babble meant to undermine, i doubt it refers to honesty. i’m not sure you know what it means, either.
words like that tend to be misused.

A definition of gaslighting —

Psychologists use the term “gaslighting” to refer to a specific type of manipulation where the manipulator is trying to get someone else (or a group of people) to question their own reality, memory or perceptions. And it’s always a serious problem, according to psychologists.

An example of gaslighting —

Media and partisan politics have deliberately created a ridiculous mess - for their own devices.

Many have bought into it. A form of mass hysteria.

Hmm-
I would say then, that mainstream media has been gaslighting against President Trump for 4 years-
Judge not lest ye be judged.

[temporal1]

1. i consider that to be a bizarre response to what i wrote. i have no interest in trying to untangle it.

2. i do not check the claimed religion of any political representative, i don’t know them, at all, so could not begin to judge. their job descriptions as Public Servants are not to work as missionaries, pastors or priests. i see none attempting any such thing. reps like biden, pelosi, durbin, are claimed Catholics. reports are they do not receive communion in their churches, or it’s in question. so, claim-away. Christians, atheists, what have you. many worship self-as-god, very few admit it. it’s not a requirement of the job. politicians say what is needed for votes.

how reps vote is the deciding factor.

i have nothing to say about Christian America, or Christian Nationalism.
i believe these are talking points blown out of proportion for destructive partisan politics.
media is obsessed with stirring pots. it’s a gold mine for them. they don’t even thank you for your loyalty, do they?

i intended to note how wise the founders were in their day. nothing to match them now.

[Ken]

1. i consider that to be a bizarre response to what i wrote. i have no interest in trying to untangle it.

2. i do not check the claimed religion of any political representative, i don’t know them, at all, so could not begin to judge. their job descriptions as Public Servants are not to work as missionaries, pastors or priests. i see none attempting any such thing. reps like biden, pelosi, durbin, are claimed Catholics. reports are they do not receive communion in their churches, or it’s in question. so, claim-away. Christians, atheists, what have you. many worship self-as-god, very few admit it. it’s not a requirement of the job. politicians say what is needed for votes.

how reps vote is the deciding factor.

i have nothing to say about Christian America, or Christian Nationalism.
i believe these are talking points blown out of proportion for destructive partisan politics.
media is obsessed with stirring pots. it’s a gold mine for them. they don’t even thank you for your loyalty, do they?

i intended to note how wise the founders were in their day. nothing to match them now.

You made the claim that "atheists and others" are being "allowed" to dominate and not interested in returning the favor. I'm not sure what you actually meant by that. I'm simply pointing out that this is far from true. In fact, only one out of 535 members of Congress is an atheist. I'm not interested in trying to rate who public life is more Christian than who. That is a pointless and impossible task, and no one is a perfect Christian. But it is perfectly consistent with Christianity to believe in a secular government, and that that government and Christianity should be two completely separate spheres or "kingdoms." And that they should not be entangled, as is the case with the form of Christian Nationalism that we are talking about. In fact, that is the historical belief of Anabaptists.

[temporal1]

I'm not sure what you actually meant by that.

it’s ok to ask, “what do you mean?”

[ohio jones]

i have nothing to say about Christian America, or Christian Nationalism.

... she says in her fifth post in the thread on that subject.

What did you mean?