Can we make MN less hostile?

[Sudsy]

I think this could be a less hostile environment and is at times but whenever we go to post something and don't consider if this post passes the test of how the fruit of the Spirit is described then we likely are not walking in the Spirit but according to our flesh/ego.

As referenced before I believe even following this simple scripture Titus 3:2 we can avoid giving way to our egos and work toward a much less confrontational discussion environment. It often seems to me that the need to be right/correct is what some of us struggle with. Topics become a competition to win by presenting better arguments on a subject than the other person. When that is happening and we are not exploring truths to build one another up, it shows up how the ego has taken over. I include myself in this too and again point to this verse which could really change how we discuss and what we discuss -

To speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people.

I believe scripture calls this 'crucifying the flesh'. The flesh doesn't like not getting it's way and it is a main battle ground for a believer. We are to regard it as dead and not give it life so the Spirit can rule in our hearts.

Feel free to let me know when you see my posts not reflecting Titus 3:2 as we do need accountability.

[MaxPC]

I doubt that “we” can make this forum less hostile as we have new (and old) members jumping on the current progressive Western bandwagon of blaming every sin and woe on “Whites”. I came back to Mennonet to discuss authentic Christocentric, Kingdom of God focused reality. MN has again become a waste of my time to read and to participate in.

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”.

Wayne, I am enjoying the exchange between yourself and the other practicing Anabaptists in the Creation thread. That conversation is one of the best examples of charitable Biblical discussion I have seen on this forum.

In my opinion of course. YMMV.

[Bootstrap]

I came back to Mennonet to discuss authentic Christocentric, Kingdom of God focused reality. MN has again become a waste of my time to read and to participate in.

We agree on that. But Kingdom of God threads don't seem to go anywhere on MN, that doesn't seem to be what people want to talk about. Or perhaps you could start some threads that really do capture people's interests, focusing on these things?

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”.

The vast majority of these threads come in touting the latest Fox controversy, tracking quite well with Fox commentators, from that perspective. Nobody starts a thread advocating CRT or Hegel or whatever. Nobody mentioned the fact that the officer who killed George Floyd was sentenced to 22 years. There have various interesting developments on what happened January 6th, Giuliani, the Trump Corporation, etc. nobody is starting threads to whack Fox conservatives over the head with these things.

I'm not sure I would call Fox conservatism "traditional conservatives". An awful lot of traditional conservatives from the Reagan era have been pretty clear that they don't think this is the same thing at all. These conservatives don't seem to care about a lot of things traditional conservatives cared about, like budget deficits and the rule of law.

I doubt that “we” can make this forum less hostile as we have new (and old) members jumping on the current progressive Western bandwagon of blaming every sin and woe on “Whites”.

Actually, I think it is the conservatives who have the power to make MN less hostile. These threads start by people who already believe that anyone who disagrees with their view is evil, misguided, or stupid, and they get angry if someone disagrees with them. Nobody on MennoNet 'blames every sin and woe on “Whites”, making that kind of false claim just adds to the hostility here. It's a passive-aggressive move, hitting someone else on the head and playing victim at the same time. And that's common in these threads.

I don't think those threads are what the Kingdom of God is about.

I'm not sure that MN can become a place that is actually about the Kingdom of God. I wish it could, and I would really like to see that. But I don't think it can be home to the right-wing talking point of the day and the Kingdom of God at the same time. If people stop bringing in the latest conservative controversy, I suspect politics will drop down to a trickle. If it does not, I think it's important to keep emphasizing that the latest conservative talking points are not the same thing as the Kingdom of God.

And maybe we can take our cues from the Bible, from Jesus, and from others who are focusing on the Kingdom of God and rejecting political framing.

[Bootstrap]

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?

[justme]

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?

then do it boot.

[Grace]

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?

then do it boot.

Amen.

And Boot, if in your opinion a thread isn't focusing on the Kingdom of God and Biblical Christianity, DON'T respond.

[Grace]

We agree on that. But Kingdom of God threads don't seem to go anywhere on MN, that doesn't seem to be what people want to talk about. Or perhaps you could start some threads that really do capture people's interests, focusing on these things?


The vast majority of these threads come in touting the latest Fox controversy, tracking quite well with Fox commentators, from that perspective. Nobody starts a thread advocating CRT or Hegel or whatever. Nobody mentioned the fact that the officer who killed George Floyd was sentenced to 22 years. There have various interesting developments on what happened January 6th, Giuliani, the Trump Corporation, etc. nobody is starting threads to whack Fox conservatives over the head with these things.

I'm not sure I would call Fox conservatism "traditional conservatives". An awful lot of traditional conservatives from the Reagan era have been pretty clear that they don't think this is the same thing at all. These conservatives don't seem to care about a lot of things traditional conservatives cared about, like budget deficits and the rule of law.


Actually, I think it is the conservatives who have the power to make MN less hostile. These threads start by people who already believe that anyone who disagrees with their view is evil, misguided, or stupid, and they get angry if someone disagrees with them. Nobody on MennoNet 'blames every sin and woe on “Whites”, making that kind of false claim just adds to the hostility here. It's a passive-aggressive move, hitting someone else on the head and playing victim at the same time. And that's common in these threads.

I don't think those threads are what the Kingdom of God is about.

I'm not sure that MN can become a place that is actually about the Kingdom of God. I wish it could, and I would really like to see that. But I don't think it can be home to the right-wing talking point of the day and the Kingdom of God at the same time. If people stop bringing in the latest conservative controversy, I suspect politics will drop down to a trickle. If it does not, I think it's important to keep emphasizing that the latest conservative talking points are not the same thing as the Kingdom of God.

And maybe we can take our cues from the Bible, from Jesus, and from others who are focusing on the Kingdom of God and rejecting political framing.

From someone, who for the last 3 years started a vast majority of threads touting all the liberal conjured Trump controversies, tracking liberal commentators, I am left shaking my head.

[Neto]

I have found that some are not here to discuss, but to "teach". Also (w/o any reference to any person currently or frequently posting on the forum), I have found that efforts to respond to every misrepresentation of Scripture are futile. (I used to think that someone needed to respond, simply in the case that a "lurker" or new member would think that these aberrant views are representative of "anabaptism". It would take a full time poster to respond to all of the weird nonsense that has at times been posted here as though it was typical anabaptist thought. I had to learn to just let it go.)

[Robert]

I came back to Mennonet to discuss authentic Christocentric, Kingdom of God focused reality. MN has again become a waste of my time to read and to participate in.

We agree on that. But Kingdom of God threads don't seem to go anywhere on MN, that doesn't seem to be what people want to talk about. Or perhaps you could start some threads that really do capture people's interests, focusing on these things?

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”.

The vast majority of these threads come in touting the latest Fox controversy, tracking quite well with Fox commentators, from that perspective. Nobody starts a thread advocating CRT or Hegel or whatever. Nobody mentioned the fact that the officer who killed George Floyd was sentenced to 22 years. There have various interesting developments on what happened January 6th, Giuliani, the Trump Corporation, etc. nobody is starting threads to whack Fox conservatives over the head with these things.

I'm not sure I would call Fox conservatism "traditional conservatives". An awful lot of traditional conservatives from the Reagan era have been pretty clear that they don't think this is the same thing at all. These conservatives don't seem to care about a lot of things traditional conservatives cared about, like budget deficits and the rule of law.

I doubt that “we” can make this forum less hostile as we have new (and old) members jumping on the current progressive Western bandwagon of blaming every sin and woe on “Whites”.

Actually, I think it is the conservatives who have the power to make MN less hostile. These threads start by people who already believe that anyone who disagrees with their view is evil, misguided, or stupid, and they get angry if someone disagrees with them. Nobody on MennoNet 'blames every sin and woe on “Whites”, making that kind of false claim just adds to the hostility here. It's a passive-aggressive move, hitting someone else on the head and playing victim at the same time. And that's common in these threads.

I don't think those threads are what the Kingdom of God is about.

I'm not sure that MN can become a place that is actually about the Kingdom of God. I wish it could, and I would really like to see that. But I don't think it can be home to the right-wing talking point of the day and the Kingdom of God at the same time. If people stop bringing in the latest conservative controversy, I suspect politics will drop down to a trickle. If it does not, I think it's important to keep emphasizing that the latest conservative talking points are not the same thing as the Kingdom of God.

And maybe we can take our cues from the Bible, from Jesus, and from others who are focusing on the Kingdom of God and rejecting political framing.

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.

[ken_sylvania]

Actually, I think it is the conservatives who have the power to make MN less hostile. These threads start by people who already believe that anyone who disagrees with their view is evil, misguided, or stupid, and they get angry if someone disagrees with them. Nobody on MennoNet 'blames every sin and woe on “Whites”, making that kind of false claim just adds to the hostility here. It's a passive-aggressive move, hitting someone else on the head and playing victim at the same time. And that's common in these threads.

I don't think those threads are what the Kingdom of God is about.

I'm not sure that MN can become a place that is actually about the Kingdom of God. I wish it could, and I would really like to see that. But I don't think it can be home to the right-wing talking point of the day and the Kingdom of God at the same time. If people stop bringing in the latest conservative controversy, I suspect politics will drop down to a trickle. If it does not, I think it's important to keep emphasizing that the latest conservative talking points are not the same thing as the Kingdom of God.

And maybe we can take our cues from the Bible, from Jesus, and from others who are focusing on the Kingdom of God and rejecting political framing.

If we are to conclude that Genesis was dreamed up by mankind in an attempt to explain the origin of the world, shall we also conclude that the account of Jesus' birth, life, suffering and death was also dreamed up by humans to give themselves hope for the future?

You are making a modern Western assumption there. You are assuming that Genesis 1 and 2 are designed to explain how the world originated, and in a way that corresponds to modern science. And perhaps you are also assuming that Genesis 1 explains the very beginning of creation ex nihilo, out of nothing, the equivalent of the Big Bang.

Mr. Bootstrap, are you one of the "conservatives" that you mention has the power to make MN less hostile?

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

I quote the above as an example. If you would have taken more time to actually read and try to understand exactly what I wrote, and to look at the post I was responding to, you might have come to realize that I was responding to a suggestion that the book of Genesis may have been the result of people trying to explain things they couldn't understand which, if true, would mean that the book of Genesis is man's book and not God's book. My point had nothing to do with a "modern Western assumption" or any kind of an assumption that Genesis 1 and 2 are designed to explain how the world originated in a way that corresponds to modern science.
I do believe that Genesis 1 and 2 are factual accounts, but even if I thought they were God-given allegories my point would have been exactly the same. And yet you chime in and represent me as an ignorant, culturally isolated Westerner that doesn't understand any kind of Middle Eastern thought pattern, and you would like to try to educate me through your superior education and intelligence.

I think your suggestion that the hostility on MN is mostly one-sided is unsupported by the evidence.