It's time to take a break from posting here.

The insults just take the fun out of it.

My last post will be here.

My friend, Leonard Matlovich, would be so proud if he could see what he began.

In 1975, I knew him personally. While on active duty, he outed himself to his commanding officer and became the first active-duty gay serviceman to challenge the military's policy. He won, helping show that gay people could serve their country proudly.

Coincidentally, we were both processed for discharge that same year.

I experienced the humiliation of the MAAs coming to my barracks and making a big production out of taking all my military gear and uniforms. Someone tipped me off to hide my duffel bag so I would have a way to carry my clothes home. I still have it.

I'll take my leave now.

I've said all I wish to share here.

Friend,

"But for me, my previous generation was The Greatest Generation, a title well-deserved."

What was wrong with your generation?

Friend,

"Never fear the next generation; at one time we were all the next generation"

And every generation complains about the previous generation.

I have work to do...so long.

Snoofy,

I prefer not turning this thread into a sermon.

Just drop the WWJD thing.

Snoofy,

"Be nice to the poor. Give the needy food any money and shelter.
That's not really much of a high standard."

What you aren't understanding about Jesus and His teachings is that He wanted us to place our trust in God above all else.

That wasn't a new idea. The same principle runs throughout the Old Testament.

Again and again, people were warned not to place their faith in wealth, political powers, militaries, possessions, or anything else for their ultimate security and survival.

The Bible repeatedly warns against placing ultimate trust in man or earthly powers instead of God.

Jesus called people to trust God, put Him first, and live unshackled from the things that seek to control them.

How that correlates to welfare and similar programs is subjective and open to interpretation, but the ultimate goal remains putting God first.

Jpw,

"Anti-intellectuals are winning."

OOhhhh.

Are you actually saying liberals are "intellectuals" and conservatives are "anti-intellectuals"?

Are you aware statically 2 thirds of Republicans got at least one vaccine?

And people accuse me of writing with broad stroke.

Db,

And no one does I know either.

The man who wrote a good bit of the New Testament in letters professed he would do things he knew were wrong but did them anyway.

As a Christian we have the teachings of Jesus from the Bible to use as a baseline. Pretty high standards.

Those are the things we see as ideals which are not possible to actually live up to.

Like I said, your friends must have pretty low standards if they can live up to them or maybe down to them....I don't know.

Db,

"Quite a number of people I know do."

That's impossible unless their standards are so low it's like stepping over a rock.

They would need perfect control of their thoughts and every innate emotional response and perfect control of their actions.

They are either lying to you or fooling you or you're lying to me.

How would you really even know for sure about someone to make such a statement?

I don't believe it is true.

Wild,

"Gee whiz these so-called moralists in this administration are such gas lighting hypocrites. As a federal worker, I had to take hours long classes on cool stuff like not being able to buy my immediate boss a lunch that cost more than ten bucks. Heaven forbid I bribe him."

Do you think that started with "this administration"?

Federal employees have been sitting through ethics training and gift rules for decades under both parties.

Friend,

You're free to spread your beliefs.

And I'm free to ignore you and stop reading this thread.

Adios...

Friend,

You just now figuring out that's what Christians believe?

Christians vary all over the place in their specific beliefs and practices.

There are even Christian churches that other Christian churches consider to be teaching false doctrine.

As for who's right, I suppose we'll all know one day.

Either there is something beyond this life, or there isn't.

Snoofy,

"Do you think that there are people in Hell who are just as good as the people in Heaven?"

"Being good" isn't the criteria.

The Bible approaches the issue from the perspective that everyone is a sinner.

Religion has become such a source of conflict.

The Constitution protects freedom of religion and prevents the United States from establishing an official religion.

There is often confusion about that. Some people speak as though there is a constitutional right to "freedom from religion," but that is not the same thing as freedom of religion or freedom of speech.

There are those who will not be satisfied until religion is pushed entirely out of public life, and that simply is not going to happen.

Eventually, people will have to learn to live according to their own beliefs, share their views peacefully, and allow others to disagree or walk away.

People will gather with others who share their faith, values, and traditions for fellowship and worship without feeling the need to force those beliefs on everyone else, blast them into the open air, or demand that society conform to them.

That is the only way people of different faiths and backgrounds can coexist without constantly fighting over it.

Snoofy,

If there is a heaven and hell, I won't be the one doing the judging.

So my opinion isn't much use.

I can only go what I've learned from Christian churches and what's written.

It's not my style to tell anyone with any confidence who is or isn't going one place or the other.

I found in my notes years ago it got started that I told Laura she's going to hell.

I wasn't able to find it and asked Dan to say where he found it back 5 years ago.

He didn't respond with an answer.

Friend,

I found this.

On 6-19-22 I wrote the following,

Dan,

"Like when you told Laura you wouldn't see her in the afterlife?"

Find that post and share it.

POSTED BY BILLJOHNSON AT 2022-06-19 07:26 PM

It seems you have made that accusation before. Did you find the post and share it like I asked?

Considering it was Dan who originally got this started, I wouldn't bank on it being true.

Friend,

"My, how "Christian.""

No...it's how human.

If Laura was provoking me and most likely was, then she got a response out of me.

Find the post and share it. I'll try to find it too.

Friend,

Not blaming.

I didn't say Laura was attacking me. I said I would be interested in knowing how much Laura was.

If she was, then I deserve for that to come out.

That was an abrupt thing for me to say and out of character.

If you want to judge me, feel free.

Dan,

"You literally told Laura you wouldn't be seeing her in the afterlife."

That was rather abrupt of me to say, and I would be interested in the rest of the context. How much was Laura attacking me?

However, was that really saying I think I am better than Laura?

As I've said over and over, "I'm not better, just forgiven."

I have plenty that needs forgiven.

Pride is an easy hole to fall into.

Paul, in the New Testament, wrote that he was given a "thorn in the flesh" to keep him from becoming proud.

For me, since the 80s, that thorn has been an extremely painful dry eye condition that has made me dependent on the understanding and accommodations of employers and other people for much of my adult life.

It's hard to feel superior when you're constantly reminded of your own weaknesses and limitations.

No, I don't think I'm better than other people, contrary to what some people here believe.

Alex,

When I decide to not talk to someone it is never because they disagreed with me.

It was because their insults were too personal and I employ boundaries.

It's just certain posters.

Have I ever said it to you?

Zed,

Anyone who claims, "I am morally superior to you," has missed one of the first lessons of humility.

For all my talk about religion and values, have I ever said or implied that I am better than anyone else?

I challenge anyone with access to my posts to show otherwise.

I would genuinely like to see it so I can apologize to whoever I said it to.

Zed,

"He prayed for discernment, BILL, and God listened."

If you would, please expand on that.

Donner,

My self-image is closely tied to my belief that I am a child of God.

I am wholly dependent on my belief that I was reborn in God's image through Jesus Christ.

Without that hope, I would likely be dead by now.

There is little doubt in my mind that my life choices were on a path of destruction.

I realize some people hear me say this and assume I believe I'm better than they are.

I don't think I do.

Believing I needed to be reborn is the opposite of believing I was better than everyone else.

Being reborn doesn't make me better, just forgiven.

Donner,

"And you are apparently not even aware that you do."

The irony is that accusing someone else of judging requires you to judge them first.

Donner,

I feel good with myself.

I just don't feel the need to look down upon other people to do it.

Donner,

You win.