A question for believers

[exIFB]

(01-07-2011 11:05 AM)elfdream Wrote:  I think its a form of pride. "Look at me and how righteous I am!" Kind of like the guy in the temple who was doing the "I thank Thee that I am not as other men' thing.

This is pretty much it. I remember getting on a bus once up in Rockhampton, when we were going out to Great Keppel Island or something. The bus there was playing some radio station (I was enjoying the music, but I thought it was wrong, because obviously, if you are enjoying something, it must be satisfying the flesh). I asked the driver to turn off the music (I didn't say "it's off the devil" or anything). He did, and my group applauded me. I felt like an idiot (but secretly proud).

And then I spent the day mixed swimming and snorkelling. The former is a huge fundie sin.

[JohnDced]

(01-07-2011 02:06 AM)Lizzy F. Wrote:  

Quote:is that taught as part of a Fundy upbringing? That the world should conform to you?

YES

It also makes them feel good. Your "bad" behavior reminds them how pious and sanctified they are. Any interactions you have with them will end up in their testimony "I'm so persecuted" times at church.

Ha, Lizzy, so true. I actually met someone from the same church as Fundy X (name removed cause he's a real person, sadly for us all) and as soon as he clocked my name he knew a LOT about me. Which was strange as we'd never met before.

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(01-07-2011 02:26 AM)Historian Wrote:  Wow, what a great point. That is SO true. As to why it's true, I imagine your guess is pretty close. I suppose to be kind I should assume there's a small number that are, or at least think they are, righteously angry against offenses toward God. But I think it's just plain ordinary pride like everyone else.

I understand that they might feel angry (at least some of them). But Fundy X was just bursting with anger. Every day. It was the same with some of the preachers at school. It made me wonder how he actually managed to survive to his twenties without some blood vessel bursting somewhere.

Don't get me wrong, none of us set out on purpose to offend him. But it was kind of impossible not to. Taking the name of God in vain is upsetting to believers, we knew, and we did try not to do that. But this was a man who saw a non Christian girl wearing a sleeveless top in summer and thought she'd done it deliberately to tempt him.

Reading SFL has so much helped me to understand the mindset...