Comments on: High Standards, Mercy, and Forgiveness http://www.faithpromotingrumor.com/2009/12/high-standards-mercy-and-forgiveness/ exploring Mormon thought, culture, and texts Fri, 30 Jul 2010 15:09:25 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Ripe for Destruction http://www.faithpromotingrumor.com/2009/12/high-standards-mercy-and-forgiveness/#comment-38044 Ripe for Destruction Fri, 29 Jan 2010 00:12:50 +0000 http://www.faithpromotingrumor.com/?p=2566#comment-38044 I never honk at people when driving, which sometimes makes my wife crazy. My explanation is that I only honk (or let the bird fly) at someone who is doing something that I never did. Since, when I was young, I made virtually every bone-headed mistake possible while behind the wheel, almost everyone is safe from my wrath. Same goes with being judgmental. I've made so many mistakes in my life, I think it's better if I keep my mouth shut and save my poison pen for my diary. I never honk at people when driving, which sometimes makes my wife crazy.

My explanation is that I only honk (or let the bird fly) at someone who is doing something that I never did. Since, when I was young, I made virtually every bone-headed mistake possible while behind the wheel, almost everyone is safe from my wrath.

Same goes with being judgmental. I’ve made so many mistakes in my life, I think it’s better if I keep my mouth shut and save my poison pen for my diary.

]]> By: Ethan http://www.faithpromotingrumor.com/2009/12/high-standards-mercy-and-forgiveness/#comment-30822 Ethan Tue, 22 Dec 2009 16:50:47 +0000 http://www.faithpromotingrumor.com/?p=2566#comment-30822 So true. I also think that we tend to keep the most thorough lists of petty grievances of those who are the closest to us. C.S. Lewis said that one of Satan's tricks is to get us to feel a sort of armchair charity for people across the world while we simmer in constant unforgiveness and irritability towards those who we know the best--namely our own family. Small infractions, or imagined misdeeds, often meet with bitter vindictiveness, at least inwardly, from a spouse, sibling, child, or parent. The stranger on the street would be more forgiving. That's tragic. So true. I also think that we tend to keep the most thorough lists of petty grievances of those who are the closest to us. C.S. Lewis said that one of Satan’s tricks is to get us to feel a sort of armchair charity for people across the world while we simmer in constant unforgiveness and irritability towards those who we know the best–namely our own family. Small infractions, or imagined misdeeds, often meet with bitter vindictiveness, at least inwardly, from a spouse, sibling, child, or parent. The stranger on the street would be more forgiving. That’s tragic.

]]> By: Jacob J http://www.faithpromotingrumor.com/2009/12/high-standards-mercy-and-forgiveness/#comment-30740 Jacob J Tue, 22 Dec 2009 05:02:47 +0000 http://www.faithpromotingrumor.com/?p=2566#comment-30740 Sure, I agree. We should be forgiving. Sure, I agree. We should be forgiving.

]]> By: Sheldon Lawrence http://www.faithpromotingrumor.com/2009/12/high-standards-mercy-and-forgiveness/#comment-30739 Sheldon Lawrence Tue, 22 Dec 2009 04:32:04 +0000 http://www.faithpromotingrumor.com/?p=2566#comment-30739 Chris, yes, the spirit of competition is at the heart of it. As contradictory as it seems, there is a kind of spiritual competition. If you haven't read C.S. Lewis's chapter on pride in Mere Christianity, do it. Geri, thanks for the anecdotes on good ole David. I haven't followed his career much, but he just came up to Rexburg and seems like a good kid. Jacob, It's just a generalization from observation...no empirical evidence. Just watch a handful of movies, including Disney, and see how many plots center on the need to see the bad guys get completely humiliated in the end. Isn't it human nature to want to see people get exactly what they got coming to them, and then a little bit more for good measure? Vengeance is great fun--has been since Seneca and earlier--and the bloodier the better, but that's actually a different topic. Chris, yes, the spirit of competition is at the heart of it. As contradictory as it seems, there is a kind of spiritual competition. If you haven’t read C.S. Lewis’s chapter on pride in Mere Christianity, do it.

Geri, thanks for the anecdotes on good ole David. I haven’t followed his career much, but he just came up to Rexburg and seems like a good kid.

Jacob, It’s just a generalization from observation…no empirical evidence. Just watch a handful of movies, including Disney, and see how many plots center on the need to see the bad guys get completely humiliated in the end. Isn’t it human nature to want to see people get exactly what they got coming to them, and then a little bit more for good measure? Vengeance is great fun–has been since Seneca and earlier–and the bloodier the better, but that’s actually a different topic.

]]> By: Jacob J http://www.faithpromotingrumor.com/2009/12/high-standards-mercy-and-forgiveness/#comment-30701 Jacob J Mon, 21 Dec 2009 23:18:51 +0000 http://www.faithpromotingrumor.com/?p=2566#comment-30701 <em>But most of the stone throwing has little to do with desire for justice and everything to do with lust for vengeance.</em> I am not really familiar with the comment boards you refer to, so my question is an honest one coming from ignorance (I didn't even know Archuleta had declined to serve a mission, for example). How are you able to tell that the stone throwing is based on a lust for vengeance? But most of the stone throwing has little to do with desire for justice and everything to do with lust for vengeance.

I am not really familiar with the comment boards you refer to, so my question is an honest one coming from ignorance (I didn’t even know Archuleta had declined to serve a mission, for example). How are you able to tell that the stone throwing is based on a lust for vengeance?

]]> By: Geri http://www.faithpromotingrumor.com/2009/12/high-standards-mercy-and-forgiveness/#comment-30534 Geri Sun, 20 Dec 2009 16:46:42 +0000 http://www.faithpromotingrumor.com/?p=2566#comment-30534 Thank you for your article. I am LDS and when I read the judgements that were being heaped upon David Archuleta by supposed good LDS people I was heartbroken. It is no wonder that people of other faiths have such a hard time with Mormons. I will admit to being a hugh Archuleta fan. What most people in the church don't know is that 30 of Davids fans have had the missionary discussions and have joined the church. I met a women a year ago at a concert and she asked me all kinds of questions. So I sent the missionaries to her and she was baptised in September. We told David of her decision at a concert in July. And he was so excited for her. He had told her in April at another concert not to quit reading the Book of Mormon just because she didn't understand it. That with continuous reading the Lord would help her understand what she needed to know. So maybe that is why I have such a hard time that they judge him so harshly. Because I know he is being a missionary now. Sorry I wrote so much on here. But I guess I just thought you would understand. Have a Great Day! Thank you for your article. I am LDS and when I read the judgements that were being heaped upon David Archuleta by supposed good LDS people I was heartbroken. It is no wonder that people of other faiths have such a hard time with Mormons. I will admit to being a hugh Archuleta fan. What most people in the church don’t know is that 30 of Davids fans have had the missionary discussions and have joined the church. I met a women a year ago at a concert and she asked me all kinds of questions. So I sent the missionaries to her and she was baptised in September. We told David of her decision at a concert in July. And he was so excited for her. He had told her in April at another concert not to quit reading the Book of Mormon just because she didn’t understand it. That with continuous reading the Lord would help her understand what she needed to know. So maybe that is why I have such a hard time that they judge him so harshly. Because I know he is being a missionary now.
Sorry I wrote so much on here. But I guess I just thought you would understand. Have a Great Day!

]]> By: Chris Henrichsen http://www.faithpromotingrumor.com/2009/12/high-standards-mercy-and-forgiveness/#comment-30533 Chris Henrichsen Sun, 20 Dec 2009 15:10:39 +0000 http://www.faithpromotingrumor.com/?p=2566#comment-30533 "jealousy with a halo" Nice. It seems that a key element of pride is the desire to see ourselves as better than others. So, it is no so much about being moral or righteous, but about appearing more righteous than others. Who wants to be rich if nobody is poor? Who wants to go to heaven if nobody goes to hell. “jealousy with a halo”

Nice.

It seems that a key element of pride is the desire to see ourselves as better than others. So, it is no so much about being moral or righteous, but about appearing more righteous than others. Who wants to be rich if nobody is poor? Who wants to go to heaven if nobody goes to hell.

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