Posted on 07/21/2006 9:06:08 PM PDT by kristinn
Dear Heart . . .
I think we have all seen, if not most of us engaged in proof of
the phenomenon where our patriotism, values, biases, egos, strategies . . . . get so intense within us . . . that our tunnel vision takes over and little else matters near as much as it might ought.
I think all of you on both sides have earnest patriotic . . . more or less rational points on each side.
I tend to PREFER sweetness and light. But the world is not yet so. And sometimes slap-downs APPROACHING in kind are the only language that gets some folks' attention. And, sometimes, seem like the only fitting response.
The prophet sent the bears after the kids. I still don't really understand that given God's preference for patience. But he did it, perhaps even with God's blessing.
Paul rebuked some VERY forcefully and pointedly. My own conclusion is . . . sometimes nothing 'weaker' is fitting.
I think the pastor/mother/kids thing is a very admirable one. But I can apply that one and STILL say some startlingly forceful and pointed things . . . and perhaps, even on occasion some "personal attacks."
Some persons are evil in their hearts, deeds and words. And, it's redemptive to say so--if not for them, then for the onlookers. Of course, one ought to be able to take the consequences directly and certainly from God's scrutiny of same.
Sometimes, I think we'll be held accountable as much for our wimpy responses as for eaggerated over the line ones.
That doesn't mean that I think catty, haughty, petty, snipey pontifications based more on one's own ego defenses and childishness are that warranted at all.
On the other hand, I have no guilty conscience about using such '4th grade-ism's" as Scuba Teddy; SKerry; Shrillery and the like. I believe those folks have earned that and far worse.
Some derride me dismissively for such '4th grade-isms' and I understand their point.
Nevertheless, I believe that some middle folks are jolted enough by such off the wall labels that they may begin to think about why ANYone would use such a term for such a person. Thoughtful pondering in such cases is usually better than none.
I don't have nor know of any research which answers the question WHICH IS MOST FRUITFUL--causing middle grounders to think by such jaring, jolting, jangly terms . . . or being all sweetness and light and inoffensive.
I'm fairly confident that some personalities will be moved more by one or the other. So it might boil down to what percentage of the middle of the roaders are made up of personality batch "A" vs personality batch "B."
I don't know, that in a war, being PRISSY has any great merit. imho, God is very holy. HOWEVER, He's NOT prissy. As THE MESSAGE version accurately demonstrates with the well translated idioms and vernacular of the original languages . . . God can be down right earthy and even pointedly so in very punny ways, deliberately pointed jokey ways, right in Scripture.
Therefore what . . . extend grace, I guess. I have a lot of sympathy for both sides. On this thread, I probably come down on the side of calling a spade a spade. I think "hags" worked to rile them, discourage them and serve them notice that our side was not going to roll over and play wimpy or dead in some kind of mamby pamby perspective while they called our beloved soldiers murderers etc. I think that's worth doing.
But I respect your heart and your position. I can understand your feelings about being flamed for sticking to honorable and even FR values vis a vis personal attacks.
But if anyone deserved personal attacks, it's certainly Code Pinko.
Understandable.
BTW, thanks for saying so. You are welcome and quite worth it.
I have been . . . mercifully but at no small cost . . . infected by His Spirit with a seemingly above average capacity to empathize with a wide diversity of perspectives, positions, emotions and the like.
Can certainly understand your feelings about the rules. I've been trashed and even banned more than a time or two by seemingly lopsided application of such based on intense emotion and bias as far as I could tell.
On the other hand, the letter of the law kills. Only The Spirit brings life and liberty.
I'm rather glad that JimRob is not a harsh, rigid, very narrow applier of his own rules. Sure, I might slice the cookie differently on a given case or even generally. But it's not my living room.
Your turn.
In your honor, I will call them "Pricks" instead of "hags"...
You wouldn't be a Code Pink Prick now would you?
"And we will not have our women disrespected."
None of us around here called them women. Do you remember anyone here accusing them of being women?
They're hags!
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