Dangerous grounds to walk on my friend, as even I have been attacked by my "own" for having vastly different views. Yes, I am one of the worst sinners, but I believe that there is a true Deity that paid for my sins. Do I force my beliefs on you or anyone else? NO.
This does not make me better that anyone else, believer or non believer.
Respect is the nominater!
When Papillon started to offer skills training to all I was called the son of satan. So the less said here the better.
I have no bitterness inside of me, but I refuse to be ordered around and to this day go my own way in my own beliefs, which has nothing to do with anyone else.
Labeling and character assasination is a great ploy by others to protect their own interests.
Ancient tribes were formed to protect themselves in numbers and the habit still exists today.
Nowadays we have just replaced the weapons with our tongues and ink.
No one is better than anyone else, as we are all the same for as long as we have breath!
Death is the leveller even if one has the fanciest funeral.
Attacked by one's own group is a division in the group - two groups. Each will claim piety over the other. It happens in all kinds of caste systems - a label is just that.
One can say, "I am a Christian", but are they the type that runs a charity or the type that performs genocide? The label itself is meaningless, the person matters.
It is hard to avoid boxing and labeling due to the way we are designed, but it is good to remember that nearly all labels we to describe a person are wrong to some degree.
!ENGAGE 30
To say that you are a Christian and to be a Christain are two different things my friend. Humbleness for instance doesn't sit well with self importance. Apologies sounds like poison to many. I am not only talking about Christians here.
A very few can truly understand the concept of to hurt others in any way whatsover is to hurt the self.
Someone said that everything that we dislike in others is in fact whithin ourselves.
I agree with you that all labels are wanky, especially those with first impressions and history cleary reflects the erronous ways of mankinds love of false labels.
You had to endure a lot during your 40 years for various reasons not of your own making and for that I apologise, not sanctimonously but in truth.
But so did I and I don't see either of us lying down and pitying ourselves.
Instead it made us stronger, even with our own faults.
Between you and I, many, or a few hate us secretly for it.
Be that as it may, we should feel sorry for them!
This is the same for all groups, which makes the labeling useless as every label is then split into "brands" with each claiming to be the best on the market. I would suggest that my own behavior is more "Christian" than many Christians, but that doesn't make me a Christian either, it makes me a relatively decent human - but decency isn't the default of any religion - it is agnostic.
The fastest way to learn about our issues is to see what we dislike in others - the fastest way to work out where we can improve, is to see what we admire in others.
This made me laugh :)
Definitely not, the past leads to the present, but is no excuse for behavior.
People apply the mystical when they don't understand and when they themselves are victims, they think the survivors have been endowed with a special power.
But not dwell on them - help where help is needed and welcomed, before needed and shunned.
Some sharp answers here and I can hear that you have been around the block my friend.
In fact, around a few blocks.
Creativity is the name of the game and critical opinions only adds fuel to the fire, unless of course if it's constructive critisism.
Hope that the coming week will treat you guys well!
ENGAGEtokens.Thank you kindly @tarazkp