Why are we here?Posted By William Paolini |
Russ,
First off...best of luck in the program you are about to take! Hope it accomplishes all you expect and want! If they let you Internet, drop a progress line now and then
When Herb split the forum space, I was hoping like you that we could have both a place of counterpoint debate as well as a place where religious could inquire from each other to learn. Unfortunately, as you point out, this does not happen here and those who are not religious cannot bring themselves for there to be a space where religious can gather and discuss in safety, and of course non-religious can freely come also as long as not pushing the anti-God argument. Sad that some can't accept and allow the type of interaction in at least one space here that you mention. :-/
Why are we here? For varied reasons. Like you mention you wanted to minister. Others I think are here simply to be oppositional to religion and God and nothing more, wanting their voice loud in all sections of the forum space regardless. Some are here just because they enjoy confrontation and stirring the pot. Most, like you mention, are probably here not to learn or question, but more to voice their side to others and nothing more. Those new who do come to discuss and learn religion from other religious, as we have seen are quickly chased away by the anti-religious. Me, when I'm bored with all else online then I come to this religion forum just to see what is being said and join in if it feels like anything productive might result for someone.
I personally feel, based on what you wrote, that you are "planning" too much...or at least are letting expectation of results drive you rather than simply sowing. Realize that for all who participate here, that there may be 2x or 3x or more who never participate and just lurk and read. So for those, any ministry might have been quite beneficial. So I guess I'm saying that if you know the work you are doing is good, then don't worry about if "you" see the intended results because God will ensure that the person who needs it will be here, perhaps discussing, perhaps just lurking, and when the time is right for that person the seed that got planted will begin to move.
FWIW, many times I look at it this way, and use the father child relationship as a working analogy: so whether or not my child really knows or understands what they should be doing, there is always one thing that they can do for me which will *always* be the right thing, the perfect thing...simply being good! So they don't really need to sit around and figure out what they should be doing for me, because in the end they know that if the do good, then whatever it is will be sufficient for me to say and think that they are doing exactly as I wanted. So the same with God and you...don't fret so much over having to know if what you are doing is exactly what you should be doing for God. All you have to do is to be good in the context of what He has taught us and you will be making Him smile
Again, good luck on your program and hope all goes best!
-Bill
First off...best of luck in the program you are about to take! Hope it accomplishes all you expect and want! If they let you Internet, drop a progress line now and then
When Herb split the forum space, I was hoping like you that we could have both a place of counterpoint debate as well as a place where religious could inquire from each other to learn. Unfortunately, as you point out, this does not happen here and those who are not religious cannot bring themselves for there to be a space where religious can gather and discuss in safety, and of course non-religious can freely come also as long as not pushing the anti-God argument. Sad that some can't accept and allow the type of interaction in at least one space here that you mention. :-/
Why are we here? For varied reasons. Like you mention you wanted to minister. Others I think are here simply to be oppositional to religion and God and nothing more, wanting their voice loud in all sections of the forum space regardless. Some are here just because they enjoy confrontation and stirring the pot. Most, like you mention, are probably here not to learn or question, but more to voice their side to others and nothing more. Those new who do come to discuss and learn religion from other religious, as we have seen are quickly chased away by the anti-religious. Me, when I'm bored with all else online then I come to this religion forum just to see what is being said and join in if it feels like anything productive might result for someone.
I personally feel, based on what you wrote, that you are "planning" too much...or at least are letting expectation of results drive you rather than simply sowing. Realize that for all who participate here, that there may be 2x or 3x or more who never participate and just lurk and read. So for those, any ministry might have been quite beneficial. So I guess I'm saying that if you know the work you are doing is good, then don't worry about if "you" see the intended results because God will ensure that the person who needs it will be here, perhaps discussing, perhaps just lurking, and when the time is right for that person the seed that got planted will begin to move.
FWIW, many times I look at it this way, and use the father child relationship as a working analogy: so whether or not my child really knows or understands what they should be doing, there is always one thing that they can do for me which will *always* be the right thing, the perfect thing...simply being good! So they don't really need to sit around and figure out what they should be doing for me, because in the end they know that if the do good, then whatever it is will be sufficient for me to say and think that they are doing exactly as I wanted. So the same with God and you...don't fret so much over having to know if what you are doing is exactly what you should be doing for God. All you have to do is to be good in the context of what He has taught us and you will be making Him smile
Again, good luck on your program and hope all goes best!
-Bill
