this post was submitted on 14 Oct 2024
529 points (85.4% liked)

World News

38829 readers
1883 users here now

A community for discussing events around the World

Rules:

We ask that the users report any comment or post that violate the rules, to use critical thinking when reading, posting or commenting. Users that post off-topic spam, advocate violence, have multiple comments or posts removed, weaponize reports or violate the code of conduct will be banned.

All posts and comments will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. This means that some content that violates the rules may be allowed, while other content that does not violate the rules may be removed. The moderators retain the right to remove any content and ban users.


Lemmy World Partners

News !news@lemmy.world

Politics !politics@lemmy.world

World Politics !globalpolitics@lemmy.world


Recommendations

For Firefox users, there is media bias / propaganda / fact check plugin.

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/media-bias-fact-check/

founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] andrewrgross@slrpnk.net 2 points 2 days ago (1 children)

That's a shame. For what it's worth, his position isn't a mystery to me. I believe that he's been convinced by his church that unquestioningly supporting Israel's expansionary goals, regardless of any other moral question is an absolute necessity for anyone who truly loves Jesus and believes strongly in his rebirth and in the promise of everlasting life in heaven.

It is -- with all due respect -- as crazy as anything you'd hear in a Texas cult bunker. But I'm guessing that it's real as a wildfire to your friend. It makes me sad to think about.

[–] Waraugh@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I appreciate the insight and time you have taken to respond. Also your understanding. I have a really difficult time processing the situation. It does feel very cult like and matter of fact. I don’t understand how someone that seems so good can know something so bad is going on, who is so obviously able to recognize the bad in other related areas, and blindly vehemently support them unquestionably. He’s intelligent and successful…yet so lost, the most caring and compassionate person I know; it can’t be ok.

[–] andrewrgross@slrpnk.net 2 points 2 hours ago* (last edited 2 hours ago)

If it makes you feel any better, I remind myself that I myself am subject to the same irrationalities and motivated reasoning as anyone else. We're all just people, and people aren't logic machines. We're bundles of impulses and habits that live within whatever stories our minds have to create to make sense of all of this.

In this context, if you're looking for some kind of remedy, the best I can offer is that instead of trying to bother disputing with myths and superstitions, recognize that anyone who grows out of them usually does so because they find some other way to the same fundamental bedrock notions. Your friend wants to adhere to the rules laid out by the creator. They want to be worthy of Christ's love.

I think if you were inclined to change their mind -- which I'm not recommending -- it would be when this comes up to remind him how many people have been seduced into supporting ungodly things thinking they were following God's will. That's Satan's number one tactic. So all we can do is stay humble and listen to our hearts. If seeing kids living in Bethlehem struggling to survive under an oppressive king just as Jesus and his parents did seems wrong, it's okay to not have a confident stance. Maybe your pastor says it's God's plan, but no one -- not even the disciples -- could ever no God's plan for sure. You don't have to have a stance. You can say "God's will will be done. He does not require my involvement."