When I Read Your Messages....
Submitted by Ford Prefect on July 25 2000 23:46:05
In reply to The real versus the superficial submitted by Forgiven on July 25 2000 18:35:38
|
.....I often hear them in the voice Douglas Adams used for Marvin the Paranoid Android :-) "And it's what I (we?) experience in my church. They all make the right noises - but when something hard comes along - or even the making of meaningful space for you in their lives, it doesn't happen; there are no families in our church whom I would be welcome to turn up on the doorstep of." This is not the case for me in my church. The hard things have come along, and I was welcome. It's been true for others in my church as well. Perhaps since it's in a somewhat rural setting, perhaps the sense of community is real....I don't know. But I've seen it happen and not just once or twice. "It's that sort of 'depth' of friendship and relationship that most of settle for most of the time - and when the marriage doesn't last, we chuck it away and try again. And it is reflected on this board. Chris's use of the term 'love' for his concern for us is an abuse of language - there is no substantial relationship that justifies the use of the strongest word in the English language for commitment." Bullshit! I've met Chris in person, and a more genuine human being you couldn't hope to find. He means what he says and he's carried through on his committments in ways that simply can't be posted here. Meeting other BL's in real life does change not only the relationships we have with those we've met, but also with those we only know through cyberspace. Indeed, it is about incarnation.....and while that's certainly best in person, it's not necessarily superficial online. Why, for example, do I continue to reply to you when we disagree so often. It's damn sure not because I like to sling scripture and score debate points. It's because what I believe and talk about here has a direct bearing on what I do in real relationships.....and I think it's the same for you. If I thought you were just debating for the heck of it, I wouldn't be replying at all. I got more than my fill of that stuff when I was sysop for a religious bbs. If Chris says he cares about you, then he cares about you. I've never said I do, but I think my actions speak for themselves. ---Ford |
Follow ups: