Is any one really happy here?

[Paul Christensen]

So what exactly is a troll?

It is a very nasty individual who lives under a bridge and demands an exorbitant toll from anyone who crosses it. I got that from a story on the kid's radio request session in the 1950s when I used to listen to it. The story was "The Three Billy Goats Gruff".

 

[Paul Christensen]

Could you expand?

Elvis ate too many peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and he ended up expanding!

 

[Paul Christensen]

Christianity is a very serious topic. It's about life and death. There's bound to be very austere approaches to discussing one's view.
This is not a Netflix forum or Sports channel, where being over-zealous or impassioned would seem misguided. It's about a very serious issue, to the point that some opinions or interpretations can truly get offensive, and thus elicit a certain level of indignation. For example, any advocacy of Benny Hinn, would compel me to be a rather overt about my contempt, and abrupt and uncompromising in my approach. But, with explanation!
I would expect the same from others.
Again, this is about Jesus Christ, a truly eminent and enigmatic figure, and about God's unfathomable Word of Salvation. It is extremely controversial!
Be prepared to be serious, and convicted of your positions. There is a time for levity and fellowship within these discussions, but more importantly and prevalent, it's about rightly dividing God's Word of eternal life, ....views and sentiments are bound to get dogmatic and accusative.
Diplomacy is always recommended, but it does tend to get compromised under such circumstances.

It is interesting that in drama, tragedy is treated in a very light hearted way, and comedy is presented very seriously. This is because if you laugh at yourself, no one will laugh at you. I found this when I was teaching school and had developed alopecia and the back of my head became bald. I noticed that when I turned to the blackboard, some students laughed at me. I turned and told them that for me it is hair today and gone tomorrow and from now on I can give them only the bald facts. We all had a laugh and no one ever laughed at me again.

But a comedian who is light-hearted and laughs at his own jokes will bomb and die on stage, because no one will laugh. But get a comedian who tells his jokes with a serious, poker face, and people will fall off their seats laughing.

Shakespeare was a genius at it. In Macbeth, the moment the king was being murdered, the scene changed to two fools at the castle gate speaking total nonsense. But we are not laughing because we are aware of the dark deed that is being performed inside the castle.

Then there is the cry, "Out damned spot!" and a little black and white dog runs out.

So on a thread where there are significant differences of opinion and the observance of very negative occult kundalini manifestations, humour keeps us balanced. I was a District Court Victim Advisor, dealing with domestic violence victims, and I, along with the other advisers had to go to supervision counselling every couple of months, to ensure that the very negative situations did not affect us emotionally or mentally. My sense of humour in the office was noted as a positive aspect of my performance appraisal in that often it lightened the mood of the office, especially in times when our clients were seriously injured or murdered by their abusive partners.

A funny episode though was when I read the summary of facts about two people who had a major fist fight right in the middle of a Mormon church service! Now, that was funny...in my warped mind at least!

 

[Paul Christensen]

WOW - Mind readers here, now that's scary

My mind is difficult to read. Reading a vacuum is virtually impossible!

 

[kc_hhsl]

Never said I duidn't believe that I just don't believe as you do. Are you trying to say I am and ohters are evil because I do not think like you?

Hmmm did I say you were evil? Did I even slightly imply or suggest you were evil?

No … didn't think so

 

[historyb]

Hmmm did I say you were evil? Did I even slightly imply or suggest you were evil?

No … didn't think so

Yet people must think as you do and believe that your essential ideas are the right ones. So what can one think except that we who think differently are damned and evil. So yes you did imply that

 

[Hidden In Him]

Thank you Marks and Hidden In Him for your LIKES.

It's a shame I see so little Joy here

When I'm active again, I can promise you'll see at least a little more Joy around here : ) I laugh a lot in my daily routine, and it's reflected in the way I post around here. I have a habit of posting pics and joking around a lot. Granted, I don't get a lot of response, but maybe the really uptight ones who don't like my doctrines are thinking this the whole time:

Or maybe I'm not actually that funny, who knows? All I know is it never stops me, LoL.

Keep hope alive!

 

[Paul Christensen]

interesting, my experience has been more like "No Catholics allowed" on most of the Christian forums
that i have been 86ed from

can you provide any insight as to why Catholic forums seem so, um, moribund?
never used that term before in my life lol

I think that Catholics should be able to express their faith and be prepared to be challenged without kicking the player instead of the ball.

 

[Paul Christensen]

Complete crap, made up by Catholic pagans, imo, But I am certainly open to examining the data, if you like? But I’m pretty sure you aren’t gonna like it much. And again sorry, OK? I know changing your mind is hard

You won't convince anyone by kicking the players instead of the ball.

 

[Paul Christensen]

Complete crap, made up by Catholic pagans, imo, But I am certainly open to examining the data, if you like? But I’m pretty sure you aren’t gonna like it much. And again sorry, OK? I know changing your mind is hard

Also, my wife was brought up and educated Catholic, and she would be insulted to be called a pagan, and because I am totally loyal to her through being married to her for the last 30 years, your credibility is turning to mud.

 

[Paul Christensen]

Nope, it's just the mods are hands off not forgiving. I am a member of other places that allow Liturgical Christians to flourish like the sister forum to this one, even the members are not bad to us Traditional Christians. Here the mods take a hands off approach to all but many members (not all) hate Traditional Christians here more or less. It has been here that I have learned to resent evangelicals.

That's a pity, because in the three years I was involved with my local Anglican church, I enjoyed worshiping the Lord through the liturgy. I worshiped and said the words from my heart, because that is what the Lord looks at. In fact, when I ran worship services at my Presbyterian church, I used the Worship Book, written by the Presbyterian Church of New York, and there are very minimal differences between it and the 1970 Anglican Liturgy. Furthermore, most organised church services have their order of service which has the same basic structure as the liturgy, except they don't perform it as formally as the Anglican church.

Of course, there are differences between the Anglican and Catholic liturgies, which, out of respect for our Catholic brethren, I won't go down that track.

 

[historyb]

I am sure @bbyrd009 would not be liked to called a pagan and on his/her way to hell because they reject the Holy Trinity, an Orthodox tenet of the Christian faith

 

[kc_hhsl]

Yet people must think as you do and believe that your essential ideas are the right ones. So what can one think except that we who think differently are damned and evil. So yes you did imply that

If I am going to imply you are evil I'll state it as such. Remember - your words, I don't know what you believe hence no clue as to knowing what you are.

You can believe as you want your choice. But your argument is not with me it is with the Bible. When it clearly states something that is straightforward and no ambiguity - you can ignore it. Just because you don't want to accept it doesn't mean it isn't an essential in being a Christian - God doesn't give you an option.

 

[DNB]

It is interesting that in drama, tragedy is treated in a very light hearted way, and comedy is presented very seriously. This is because if you laugh at yourself, no one will laugh at you. I found this when I was teaching school and had developed alopecia and the back of my head became bald. I noticed that when I turned to the blackboard, some students laughed at me. I turned and told them that for me it is hair today and gone tomorrow and from now on I can give them only the bald facts. We all had a laugh and no one ever laughed at me again.

But a comedian who is light-hearted and laughs at his own jokes will bomb and die on stage, because no one will laugh. But get a comedian who tells his jokes with a serious, poker face, and people will fall off their seats laughing.

Shakespeare was a genius at it. In Macbeth, the moment the king was being murdered, the scene changed to two fools at the castle gate speaking total nonsense. But we are not laughing because we are aware of the dark deed that is being performed inside the castle.

Then there is the cry, "Out damned spot!" and a little black and white dog runs out.

So on a thread where there are significant differences of opinion and the observance of very negative occult kundalini manifestations, humour keeps us balanced. I was a District Court Victim Advisor, dealing with domestic violence victims, and I, along with the other advisers had to go to supervision counselling every couple of months, to ensure that the very negative situations did not affect us emotionally or mentally. My sense of humour in the office was noted as a positive aspect of my performance appraisal in that often it lightened the mood of the office, especially in times when our clients were seriously injured or murdered by their abusive partners.

A funny episode though was when I read the summary of facts about two people who had a major fist fight right in the middle of a Mormon church service! Now, that was funny...in my warped mind at least!

I'm sorry PC, but you flirting a little with apathy. I get the bald jokes, their benign because the context is benign. No in the class room is in a life & death situation, or even a potentially harmful one. But, like I said in my post, salvation is serious, and countless are being lead astray by the prosperity gospel, by the charlatans and heretics. Fundamentally, jokes and compromise are not appropriate in such an arena. At times it may be necessary to cool things down with a little levity, when they are getting heated, but, by nature, religion is serious, and one should be prepared for a passionate and spirited controversy.

I can appreciate how, as a Court District Victim Advisor, the manner that you applied humour was both cathartic and therapeutic, in the context that you described i.e. during the aftermath. But you would never employ that attitude with the actual client.
Thus, i'm not sure if your anecdotes were analogous to a debate forum.

 

[Seasoned by Grace]

 

[Seasoned by Grace]

Luv the cat.

 

[Paul Christensen]

I'm sorry PC, but you flirting a little with apathy. I get the bald jokes, their benign because the context is benign. No in the class room is in a life & death situation, or even a potentially harmful one. But, like I said in my post, salvation is serious, and countless are being lead astray by the prosperity gospel, by the charlatans and heretics. Fundamentally, jokes and compromise are not appropriate. At times it may be necessary to cool things down with a little levity, when they are getting heated, but, by nature, religion is serious, and one should be prepared for a passionate and spirited controversy.

I can appreciate how, as a Court District Victim Advisor, the manner that you applied humour was both cathartic and therapeutic, in the context that you described i.e. during the aftermath. But you would never employ that attitude with the actual client.
Thus, i'm not sure if your anecdotes were analogous to a debate forum.

That's one point of view I guess. But in view of you and I are just individual members with one vote each, it may be up to the silent majority to determine whether either of us are correct.

 

[bbyrd009]

I am sorry I may have to be to put you on ignore until you understand I am not Catholic

ah, i meant a diff def of Roman, my apologies

 

[Paul Christensen]

Luv the cat.

She was our dearly loved cat called Daisy. She lived until she was 17 and a half and then sadly passed away. It was only just now after 12 months that I can put her picture up and fondly remember her. I have her serious face on one side of a coffee mug and "Keep your paws off my mug" on the other side.

 

[bbyrd009]

I found that I could set my clock at each stage of the liturgical service when I joined an Anglican church. But when I got to know the people who went there, I found that they were just as mad as I was! When the Curate came to visit, he told my wife and me that after three weeks of fellowshipping with them, I would be as mad as they are. He was right! I found the Anglican Charismatics to be quite different from Pentecostals. They radiated love and joy and anything like Kundalini manifestation was totally absent. When visiting a small town, I went to an actual Charismatic Anglican church. I found it no different to the Baptist churches I fellowshiped with in later years.

mad as in hatter, yes? not Angry iow?
I must confess i havent visited one yet--and ive been to hundreds of congregations--mostly because ive never walked past one! Ill have to track one down i guess

I think that Catholics should be able to express their faith and be prepared to be challenged without kicking the player instead of the ball.

i guess that should be true of any seeker, and i genuinely love and mostly interact with Catholics for whatever reason, proximity i guess mostly, but imo the doctrinal divide between Catholics and Christians is really not bridgable (and weirdly, at the same time, functionally equivalent; Death, More Abundantly), chiefly for the pope but for other...fundamental reasons, and i cant help but think a boundary stone is violated in mixing the two, Catholic and Christian. weirdly, i happen to be 'tithing' i guess most would call it to local the Catholic congregation at the moment, by way of revealing a lack of bias

You won't convince anyone by kicking the players instead of the ball.

dont i know it lol, but i suspect we have gotten to the point in our conversation where we prefer to harden each other to any truth? lol
prolly badly in need of a like an Anglican or something


plus i'm just hideous anyway, yes
believe it or not that is an improvement lol

Also, my wife was brought up and educated Catholic, and she would be insulted to be called a pagan, and because I am totally loyal to her through being married to her for the last 30 years, your credibility is turning to mud.

ah, i'm sure that is not being heard right then, tbh i much prefer them myself
and the rather obvious pantheon i would much prefer to overlook too, do irl
bc the boundary stones are respected there, tbh

she would be insulted

no offense but that kind of helps make the point, too

I worshiped and said the words from my heart, because that is what the Lord looks at.

so you say, but wadr that is maybe not the best def of worship
.

Of course, there are differences between the Anglican and Catholic liturgies, which, out of respect for our Catholic brethren, I won't go down that track.

boundary stone

maybe the response to getting lectured at in satan's dialectic by someone who has violated a boundary stone gets a bit clearer now? Bc tbh i am not even trying to win at that point, if i ever was. i mostly prefer to yield the arena