Ever notice this?

[Stan]

I do not think I have ever seen strong willed folks, achievers etc etc every change their mind on any hot issue on any forum ever.

Everyone seems to put forward strong, straight forward and clear positions, and .....

(add your own finishing sentences)

Let's see where this goes.

[John317]

I think it's like in a church which hears a sermon, and while the people may not say they've been changed by a single sermon, there's an accumulative affect after years of study and listening.

What preacher would keep preaching if he had to see immediate or rapid change in his congregation? Sometime it takes a long time, and some preachers tell me that they seldom see many people change their mind because of their prreaching.

Often people are not even conscious of the effects of words and messages on their thinking.

People don't very often want to say that they can see they are wrong or that their minds have been changed.

My own mind has been changed several times by posts on Adventist Forum. One was in some dialoguing with Robert. I saw that I hadn't given enough weight to the issue of sin as selfishness.

He didn't change my mind on the issue of the Sabbath as the memorial of creation, even though he tried, but I could see his point about the Sabbath as a symbol of righteousness by faith, which I hadn't up to then given enough attention to.

Another thing that I've learned on the Forum (and which I have no doubt God is preparing us for) is that when the Sunday law comes, each one of us will have to know how to stand alone in the strength of God without the support of fellow Adventists and under pressure to do things that we know Christ would not want us to do. We have to learn now, therefore, what it is like to have people we thought of as friends and fellow believers turn their backs on us and do things that even non-Christians don't do. We share that experience with Christ, and therefore we can rejoice, just as Paul said.

[SivartM]

I notice it every time I say, "Stop arguing, you're never going to agree..."

[BSW]

One thing I have "gathered" from the forums is the that it pays not to have thin skin. Opinion (even based on scripture) is the individual's interpretation of any given topic, and we all have them.

It's funny, but I actually took things too seriously, and was easily offended at first. When someone didn't agree I thought they were wrong, when in reality, I was. So I thank Jesus via. the forums for helping me realize to stay meek (not that I am perfect here).

Liberty in Christ is liberty indeed. Nothing can offend us.

But we are to reason together, not in a rude unloving way, but in Christian love. So to agree to disagree is as healthy as agreeing, because it helps push us to investigate for ourselves what is right according to our interpretation.

[Gail]

Good thoughts, all! I don't know why we polarize ourselves for battle so much here. I would like to see more of a picture of heaven on earth on the board. Is that possible?

[Dr. Rich]

Good words BSW--Matt. 12:30 "He who is not with Me is against Me and he who does not GATHER with Me, scatters." What we 'gather' from this forum seems to be a mutual love for Jesus Christ no matter what we understand at this moment in time. Truth is like a sword, sometimes it cuts (hurts) when it goes against firmly held belief.

[phkrause]

One thing I have "gathered" from the forums is the that it pays not to have thin skin. Opinion (even based on scripture) is the individual's interpretation of any given topic, and we all have them.

It's funny, but I actually took things too seriously, and was easily offended at first. When someone didn't agree I thought they were wrong, when in reality, I was. So I thank Jesus via. the forums for helping me realize to stay meek (not that I am perfect here).

Liberty in Christ is liberty indeed. Nothing can offend us.

But we are to reason together, not in a rude unloving way, but in Christian love. So to agree to disagree is as healthy as agreeing, because it helps push us to investigate for ourselves what is right according to our interpretation.

Good post, but I have to say that what I've notice also is opinions are not always welcomed. If you don't agree you get blasted for that opinion. Labels fly left and right, if your for this well than you must be a so&so, if you are for that well than you are a that-n-that. But even though there's all this jumping on this person or that person, its still a great place to spend time. Its family, and like family sometimes we can only stand each other for so long.

pk

[Bravus]

I suspect that, if web discussion does anything, it pushes us more firmly into our existing positions. Without the discussion - marshaling our arguments, demolishing those of our opponents - we might have a wider range of views, or hold particular views less strongly, but the 'processing' we undergo in discussion firms views. Not necessarily a bad thing, but not an unalloyed good one either... something worth thinking about.

Of course, this assumes that a goal of discussion is to change opinions... which may or may not be a valid assumption.

And, again, it's important to remember the role of the lurkers. Those of us who say a lot tend to say it from a particular perspective, which we feel we need to defend. But those who are simply reading may not even have thought about a particular issue, and may find their views being formed as a result of reading the discussion.

It's one reason civility and courtesy are important: we're surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, and like it or not some of their judgments are made based on the apparent reasonableness of the discussants, as well as the quality of the actual arguments and evidence brought.

[abelisle]

If a personal testimony carries more weight than just an opinion, I have to admit that since I have been an active participation on CA, I have changed my mind about a few things: 1) the role of SOP 2) the historicity of the Bible as a meta-narrative 3) the articulation process between politics and religion 4) the impact of societal and cultural norms on Christian culture.

I have resisted using opinionated rhetoric because it is unChristian and because it is futile to try to change people's minds I feel. Only when one allows themself to embrace doubt will their faith be strengthened. "Lord I believe. Help thou my unbelief."

Alex (looking for real answers to existential questions)

[SivartM]

Come to think of it, I've changed a lot of my opinions since joining CA. I used to be the most conservative person in my family but now I'm a radical moderate Quaker agnostic something.

[karl]

Come to think of it, I've changed a lot of my opinions since joining CA. I used to be the most conservative person in my family but now I'm a radical moderate Quaker agnostic something.

That's great, but I'm gonna be hammering you on those "something" leanings.

[SivartM]

I was thinking that you'd be more concerned about the "agnostic" part. :)

[Amelia]

[Dr. Rich]

Well ya, I mean, why depend upon facts when you have faith?

[GreatLakesGramma]

I do not think I have ever seen strong willed folks, achievers etc etc every change their mind on any hot issue on any forum ever.

I've changed my mind about a few things as a result of forum discussions.

[Stan]

Maybe I will change my mind on this :)

[Woody]

Does that mean GLG is 'strong willed'?

[GreatLakesGramma]

Ha ha ha! Just ask my mother or my husband!

[karl]

Originally Posted By: SivartM

Come to think of it, I've changed a lot of my opinions since joining CA. I used to be the most conservative person in my family but now I'm a radical moderate Quaker agnostic something.

That's great, but I'm gonna be hammering you on those "something" leanings.

[SivartM]

"Something" was a generality for whatever I couldn't remember changing my opinion on. "Agnostic" is for people who care to guess at what I mean. Because I like to confuse people (that, of course, has not changed since I came here).

[karl]

"Something" was a generality for whatever I couldn't remember changing my opinion on. "Agnostic" is for people who care to guess at what I mean.

Because I like to confuse people (that, of course, has not changed since I came here).

There's "something" to be said for consistency. "Gooey" comes to mind.

[SivartM]

Soft and sticky? Or effusively and insincerely emotional? Because I don't think I'm either...

[Neil D]

Originally Posted By: SivartM

I was thinking that you'd be more concerned about the "agnostic" part.

What's the difference between "agnostic" leanings and "something" leanings?

And you forgot the jesuit leanings...

....and the 'social justice' leanings...

...and the "equality' leanings...

...and the other leanings....