Changed by TOL

vegascowboy

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How many of you would say that you have changed...

...theologically, politically, etc....

...since you have been an active participator on TOL.


NOTE: This change need not be as a direct result of being on TOL (through the ideas and words of others), although those stories, I think, would be the most interesting.

Thanks.
 

ebenz47037

Proverbs 31:10
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How many of you would say that you have changed...

...theologically, politically, etc....

...since you have been an active participator on TOL.


NOTE: This change need not be as a direct result of being on TOL (through the ideas and words of others), although those stories, I think, would be the most interesting.

Thanks.

I have. :wave: I used to believe in full-blown predestination. When my husband passed away, in 1999, I almost turned away from God because I believed that a God who would take a man away from a young wife with a nine year old daughter wasn't the God I wanted to serve. It was thanks to Knight, Sozo/ghost, Lion, Becky, Bob B, Bob Enyart, Bob Hill, Turbo, and Poly that I started to realize that God doesn't micromanage us to the last seconds of our lives. Basically, I went from a Calvinist to an open theist.

I also changed a little politically. I was already conservative when I joined TOL. But, since joining, I've become what my family likes to call a "right-wing fanatic."
 

vegascowboy

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I have. :wave: I used to believe in full-blown predestination. When my husband passed away, in 1999, I almost turned away from God because I believed that a God who would take a man away from a young wife with a nine year old daughter wasn't the God I wanted to serve. It was thanks to Knight, Sozo/ghost, Lion, Becky, Bob B, Bob Enyart, Bob Hill, Turbo, and Poly that I started to realize that God doesn't micromanage us to the last seconds of our lives. Basically, I went from a Calvinist to an open theist.

I also changed a little politically. I was already conservative when I joined TOL. But, since joining, I've become what my family likes to call a "right-wing fanatic."

I am learning all about this as I make my way through your testimony. Thank you for sharing, eb!
 

zoo22

Well-known member
I've been thinking about that recently. TOL's changed me. I'm more willing to listen and try to hear other people, I'm more likely to investigate deeper before jumping to conclusions, more likely to (try to) look before I leap. I'm less willing to get involved in discussions which I know there'll be nothing but disagreement; those endless disagreements just seem increasingly pointless (though I haven't managed yet to completely strike them out). My politics have changed a bit, some further right, mostly further left, though I've changed the way I approach it. There are specific things that have changed in ways I think of people, and about the ways our minds work.

I'm also more discouraged. But on the flipside, there's a higher encouragement level at the positive end... Meaning I'm more discouraged overall, but the places (people) I have found encouragement from are brighter.
 

vegascowboy

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I'm also more discouraged. But on the flipside, there's a higher encouragement level at the positive end... Meaning I'm more discouraged overall, but the places (people) I have found encouragement from are brighter.

Are those people that you mentioned still walking the halls of TOL?
 

Nick M

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Not so much changed as reinforced. I have looked at things closer. Like prophecy regarding Israel, on urging from Clete and StP. And doing a better job of seperating what Paul said from those things.
 

Jacob

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I have learned more about what the Bible has to say, and what men say (opinions, perspectives).
 

Nathon Detroit

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I have. :wave: I used to believe in full-blown predestination. When my husband passed away, in 1999, I almost turned away from God because I believed that a God who would take a man away from a young wife with a nine year old daughter wasn't the God I wanted to serve. It was thanks to Knight, Sozo/ghost, Lion, Becky, Bob B, Bob Enyart, Bob Hill, Turbo, and Poly that I started to realize that God doesn't micromanage us to the last seconds of our lives. Basically, I went from a Calvinist to an open theist.

I also changed a little politically. I was already conservative when I joined TOL. But, since joining, I've become what my family likes to call a "right-wing fanatic."
:first: POTD
 

Son of Jack

New member
:think: How have I changed?

Like zoo, I have learned to listen more than I used to. In the past, I thought I listened to others, but as I engaged several individuals in discussion, and debate, I found that I was mostly being defensive. There are two examples that spring to mind immediately. When I first arrived at TOL, I thought that if I could just reason with a person enough, then they would lay down their arms and accept Jesus Christ. I was quite frankly wrong. Townie was very helpful in this regard because in every thread where we engaged the unbelieving person together he would always, without fail, point out that it was impossible to objectively satisfy the inquiry and, when asked, the inquirer would be unable to produce an objective standard which would settle the matter. The second example came from discussions I had with elohiym and Selaphiel about the doctrine of hell.

The problem in both cases (in all the cases where I've been wrong) was about the assumptions I carried into the conversation. Instead of looking at all sides of an idea, I had a tendency to keep my blinders in place because it was more comfortable. I'm convinced that changing someone's way of thinking, shifting a paradigm, is about like moving a mountain by faith.:)
 

vegascowboy

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Several of you have now said that you have become, in some respects, more tolerant of diverse opinion.

Are there any here that would say (or be willing to admit) that the opposite is true? Have any of you become less tolerant...either politically or with regard to religion?
 

Nick M

Black Rifles Matter
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Are there any here that would say (or be willing to admit) that the opposite is true? Have any of you become less tolerant...either politically or with regard to religion?

Without fail. Many are now exposed as not being just wrong or not knowing to, they do no better, and do not care. That makes them evil.
 

Nathon Detroit

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LIFETIME MEMBER
In the past 14 years I have changed dramatically. I have become far less concerned about winning every argument and more concerned about just stating my beliefs on any given topic. There was a time not so long ago that I felt I needed to have the last word in every TOL debate, but now I really don't care if I have the last word. I prefer to state my case based on the facts as I see them and then... let the chips fall where they may.
 

chrysostom

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I have learned a lot about the bible
but
being a Catholic you would expect that

I have become more tolerant of most views
except
those who say they are really against abortion
but
will not vote republican
and
that I will never tolerate
 

Delmar

Patron Saint of SMACK
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In the past 14 years I have changed dramatically. I have become far less concerned about winning every argument and more concerned about just stating my beliefs on any given topic. There was a time not so long ago that I felt I needed to have the last word in every TOL debate, but now I really don't care if I have the last word. I prefer to state my case based on the facts as I see them and then... let the chips fall where they may.
:up:
 

vegascowboy

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In the past 14 years I have changed dramatically. I have become far less concerned about winning every argument and more concerned about just stating my beliefs on any given topic. There was a time not so long ago that I felt I needed to have the last word in every TOL debate, but now I really don't care if I have the last word. I prefer to state my case based on the facts as I see them and then... let the chips fall where they may.

:BRAVO: This is why you are Knight. Well-said.
 

JoeyArnold

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Banned
How many of you would say that you have changed...

...theologically, politically, etc....

...since you have been an active participator on TOL.


NOTE: This change need not be as a direct result of being on TOL (through the ideas and words of others), although those stories, I think, would be the most interesting. Thanks.




Some may convert from trinitarian to non-trinitarian while at TOL.
 

JoeyArnold

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Banned
I have. :wave: I used to believe in full-blown predestination. When my husband passed away, in 1999, I almost turned away from God because I believed that a God who would take a man away from a young wife with a nine year old daughter wasn't the God I wanted to serve. It was thanks to Knight, Sozo/ghost, Lion, Becky, Bob B, Bob Enyart, Bob Hill, Turbo, and Poly that I started to realize that God doesn't micromanage us to the last seconds of our lives. Basically, I went from a Calvinist to an open theist.

I also changed a little politically. I was already conservative when I joined TOL. But, since joining, I've become what my family likes to call a "right-wing fanatic."



Agreed, to an extent. God doesn't exactly micromanage in that way. But I'll still rather believe in a hybrid between Calvinism and open theist. I want to believe in both.
 
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