CCCAMPER@UMCVMB (Elizabeth Stevens) (01/12/90)
Dear Friends,
The holidays are over and we can look forward to a few months
confined indoors and it's not very conducive to pleasantness!
(except for those of you far enough south!*envy*) Maybe
we all are a little edgy?
Thinking about this makes me believe, though, that an elemental
problem is simply our differing goals for the list.
1) to share fellowship with other Christians and learn for
their perspective
2) to persuade others to come to share our own perspective
(style of religion)
3) Bible study and interpretation
4) ??other
My own goal is to share and learn. It is difficult to share
with someone if they don't respect your point of view. There
are those of us who have no respect for some of the others
point of view and this usually leads to problems. To me,
there is a valid question of why someone would want to
subscribe to Christia if their personal goal for the list
negates any possibility of fruitful discussion. I listen to
what God tells me to do and there is a very slim chance
that someone telling me here to change my beliefs would
have any affect on my faith. At least most or all of us
here are interested in Christianity so it might be more
fruitful to spend time converting atheists and agnostics
than we who are living our understanding of Christianity
already.
There is also the problem of simple courtesy. When we differ,
is there really a need to not only point out differences but
to more or less shame the person we differ with? Or to attempt
to make them feel stupid or inadequate for not seeing things
our way?
It would be interesting to hear what some other goals are
and maybe we could learn from them how to handle our
discussions fruitfully.
Christia is extremely worthwhile. The fellowship here has been
the inspiration here that changed my life. This is a ministering
body of Christ. For all our shortcomings (everything involving
people has shortcomings!) there are many good and worthwhile
aspects of this list.
*Please* remember that *everyone* here was created in God's
image and no matter how frustrated their viewpoint makes
you, HE still loves them. It's too bad C.S. Lewis isn't here
to offer his insight into foibles! *grin*
(can you imagine if we held a Christia (re)union today how many
security guards we would need to hire to keep the peace?)
c'mon y'all, we all *could* be friends here!
agape, Elizabeth
my prayer
help me to serve thee, help me to pray
help me to think of you always, each day
help me to be an example for thee
help me share with others what you've given me
thank you for mountains with blue skies above
thank you for families sharing in love
thank you for children, husbands and wives
thank you dear Lord, for watching over our lives
help me be patient, help me be kind
help me to listen when there's much on my mind
help me remember the pain you've carried for me
and i'll gladly share all of my joy with thee
forgive me dear Father for doubting in you
forgive me my worries that make me so blue
forgive my resentment when by now i should know
these wounds that hurt me could help me grow
help me to serve thee, help me to pray
help me to think of you always, each day
help me to be an example for thee
help me love others the way that you have loved me
* perfectly *
(my own personal daily goal)
Return Address......
Elizabeth Stevens (314) 882-5166 CCCAMPER@UMCVMB
Computing Facilities
University of Missouri-Columbia
316 Jesse Hall
Columbia, MO 65211