Freedom is symbolized by the Flag (a box with linear stripes). Constitution is recorded on rectangular paper and stored in rectangular boxes. Most of our communications are done on square or rectangular devices.
Houses and Office buildings are squared, built with lots of square and rectangular materials. Our world is full of boxes and yet they are blamed for making things "too confining and restrictive".
Everyone wants to site "thinking outside the box" and THEIR freedom of speech, religion, to assemble as their reason for doing uncaring and unfair things. All "boxes" are not square and small. There are boxes of all shapes and sizes. Lately, words loose their meaning and/or are used interchangeably. If by box you mean container, well then, there are stores and an internet full of Containers. My favorite store is "The Container Store" http://www.containerstore.com/welcome.htm I was so excited when they opened a store in Raleigh. They have every size, shape and many colors of containers and hangers for just about anything.
I like to think of thoughtful, well founded, wholesome and TRUTHFUL speech as structual attributes of courteous speaking and writing. I put alot of effort into making sure I understand things I am talking about and use to think that was what responsible, educated people did.
Oprah always said "you do better when you know better".
Well, silly me I want to know when I do something unwise, uncaring or disrespectful. Therefore, I figured other people would want to know when they were doing or saying something undesirable. But turns out that is infringing on their rights. Hmmm I didn't see the right to be selfish, hurtful, and to violate others who respect you in the constitution. My bad... I will research more about these rights that you speak and discover how to love those who insist on being selfish, insulting, insincere, unethical, untrustful and disrespectful to history and tradion, not to mention completely blasphemious to Christianity principles. (GOD referred to Jesus Christ before 2008, when everything became open to public opinion and the push for tolerance meant that any definition that someone did not like became "hateful speech".
To make things more stressful, friends who openly profess their christianity and mix "religious" stuff in their political rants that are full of name calling, profanity and untruthful statements are seen by those who point out the hypocrosy, and want to incorrectly try to lump all the people who share a belief together. Well, that is their burden to try to figure out, I finally have learned I can only speak and be responsible for myself. . Nonetheless, it is like being caught between two stones and squeezed unmercifully.
If you say, you value the truth, then make sure you only share truthful information. ASSUMPTIONS, ALLEGIATION or SUSPICIONS are not facts and need to be carefully considered when quoting or forwarding information. If I would not choose the wording or tone, I will not share it. And regardless of the accuracy, some things should just not be shared or discussed. Phillipians 4:4-8 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+4%3A4-8&version=NKJV is a good structure for conversation and will really change things if more people would use this as their agenda. Most important is verse 8. "whatever is ......" if it is not on the list table it until it fits the criteria.
As Christians we are called to be different, to think carefully about our speech and actions. Fools must say things because they want to say them. A wise person holds their tongue and speaks wholesome, truthful things (yes, sometimes it hurts people but when spoken in a loving way the wounded pride will heal once the heart is exposed and allowed to be cleansed).
Why state the obvious??? Jesus didn't call people names or list their sins to them. So why would we do them???????????
Houses and Office buildings are squared, built with lots of square and rectangular materials. Our world is full of boxes and yet they are blamed for making things "too confining and restrictive".
Everyone wants to site "thinking outside the box" and THEIR freedom of speech, religion, to assemble as their reason for doing uncaring and unfair things. All "boxes" are not square and small. There are boxes of all shapes and sizes. Lately, words loose their meaning and/or are used interchangeably. If by box you mean container, well then, there are stores and an internet full of Containers. My favorite store is "The Container Store" http://www.containerstore.com/welcome.htm I was so excited when they opened a store in Raleigh. They have every size, shape and many colors of containers and hangers for just about anything.
I like to think of thoughtful, well founded, wholesome and TRUTHFUL speech as structual attributes of courteous speaking and writing. I put alot of effort into making sure I understand things I am talking about and use to think that was what responsible, educated people did.
Oprah always said "you do better when you know better".
Well, silly me I want to know when I do something unwise, uncaring or disrespectful. Therefore, I figured other people would want to know when they were doing or saying something undesirable. But turns out that is infringing on their rights. Hmmm I didn't see the right to be selfish, hurtful, and to violate others who respect you in the constitution. My bad... I will research more about these rights that you speak and discover how to love those who insist on being selfish, insulting, insincere, unethical, untrustful and disrespectful to history and tradion, not to mention completely blasphemious to Christianity principles. (GOD referred to Jesus Christ before 2008, when everything became open to public opinion and the push for tolerance meant that any definition that someone did not like became "hateful speech".
To make things more stressful, friends who openly profess their christianity and mix "religious" stuff in their political rants that are full of name calling, profanity and untruthful statements are seen by those who point out the hypocrosy, and want to incorrectly try to lump all the people who share a belief together. Well, that is their burden to try to figure out, I finally have learned I can only speak and be responsible for myself. . Nonetheless, it is like being caught between two stones and squeezed unmercifully.
If you say, you value the truth, then make sure you only share truthful information. ASSUMPTIONS, ALLEGIATION or SUSPICIONS are not facts and need to be carefully considered when quoting or forwarding information. If I would not choose the wording or tone, I will not share it. And regardless of the accuracy, some things should just not be shared or discussed. Phillipians 4:4-8 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+4%3A4-8&version=NKJV is a good structure for conversation and will really change things if more people would use this as their agenda. Most important is verse 8. "whatever is ......" if it is not on the list table it until it fits the criteria.
As Christians we are called to be different, to think carefully about our speech and actions. Fools must say things because they want to say them. A wise person holds their tongue and speaks wholesome, truthful things (yes, sometimes it hurts people but when spoken in a loving way the wounded pride will heal once the heart is exposed and allowed to be cleansed).
Why state the obvious??? Jesus didn't call people names or list their sins to them. So why would we do them???????????
