Organization: The American University
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.catholic
Date:         Sun, 20 Dec 1992 11:05:33 EST
From:         Jim McIntosh <JIM@AMERICAN.EDU>
Subject:      Peace!
              19 Dec 1992 17:59:38 GMT from <jocallag@OVID.HELIOS.ND.EDU>

One person wrote:
>Steve, I don't want to be insulting either, but, only a
>brain-dead conservative  would feel  threatened with  this "railroading"
>evidence presented by Martin. I think Martin half-heartedly threw it out
>there just to see if some "defender of the faith" would jump at it, beat
>it to death, and claim victory for truth, justice and the Vatican way (I
>do like this Martin Berry line:-)
To which someone else responded:
>                                       I suppose the virtue of "brain alive"
>liberals is to be insincere in communication.  In fact this leads me to
>a speculation, J.J., about an interesting paradox.  "Brain dead" conservatives
>believe in sincerity and truth, and are willing to argue using their dead
>brainsover the truth of what they take to be sincere statements of others who
>think
>the statements are true.  "Brain alive" liberals on the other hand don't seem
>to be interested in sincere communication, and hate the fact that anyone would
>argue with them over the truth of the their insincere communications.


Gentlemen! You can't fight in here, this is the War Room!  :-)))

Seriously, though, at this time of year when we remember the joy of
Christ coming to us, can't we find other things to talk about instead
each other and our perceptions of the faults of other groups of people?
One of the things I have found to be a real gift on this list is the way
we are able to accept each other, and discuss our various positions,
without the discussions falling into the "flame-wars" seen in other
forums.

One basis we must start with is the position of trust. We must trust that
the others on the list are spirit-filled people who are genuinely trying
to follow the Lord as best they can. The message we hear, and the call we
experience is different because of our upbringing, our experiences and
the way the Lord speaks to us when we pray and reflect on the gospels.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. We all have our role in the
Church. The conservatives bring a stability and a strong desire to test
any change before it is made. The liberals bring the call for change.
Without the first we'd be lost and adrift with our constant changes;
without the other we'd still be sitting around Jerusalem. :-) It is
through the tension between the two groups that we are able to hear and
authenticate the message of the Spirit.

If we find the style of others to be a problem, either try to see past
the words used to discern the argument presented... or hit (fill in the
appropriate key to delete a post in your software). There is no need to
respond to every post on the list. Sometimes turning the other cheek
means ignoring the provocative ("flame-bait") post and moving on to
others on the list.

I don't mean to lecture. Surely I have no right. I have just been
bothered by the trend taken in some posts lately, and thought I should
speak up before it becomes a problem.  Peace and all good, everyone!

Jim McIntosh, SFO (jim@american.edu)
The American University
Washington DC 20016-8019 USA
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU