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Internet Trolls...

Daisy

Daisy

"Make sure of the more important things."
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I thought this was good advice I should try to heed, as well as to pass along...we should remember whom we represent, no matter where we are...

"Therefore, whether you are eating or drinking or doing anything else, do all things for God’s glory." 1 Corinthians 10:31

Don't be one...don't debate one...

Because social media is here to stay, Christians need to realize our comments on blog posts, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest pages are a reflection of our faith and maturity because "the mouth speaks what the heart is full of" (Luke 6:45).

When we write our comments, we're talking to real people. If we keep that in mind, we're less apt to get off subject and call people names. We must avoid Ad Hominum Disagreement.

It's so important that we read things carefully before leaving a comment (Proverbs 18:13), and accept correction if we're wrong about something (Proverbs 9:8). See The Sting of Correction.

Beware of Trolls

In addition to behaving like a Christian on social media, we should steer clear of debates with internet trolls. Trolls intentionally write arrogant, aggressive, repetitious comments.

Experts warn us not to respond to them because they're not genuinely interested in discussion. Instead, they're empowered by offending people like the fools mentioned in Proverbs 26:4 who shouldn't be answered. See a Foolish Contradiction.

If we have strong convictions about non-essential doctrines, Bible translations, or popular authors, we'd be wise to stick to sites that express our views.

Perhaps the biggest irony is the judgmental way some folks use the phrase "Judge not." It may be the most misunderstood concept in Scripture. That's why I have a collection of 1-minute devotions called Misunderstandings About Judgement.

Dear Christians, let's behave on social media as Christians should behave, remembering that our words and thoughts should be pleasing to our Lord (Psalm 19:14).
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(1) Psychologists have different views about the cause of troll behavior, but they agree that trolls are typically bored and angry people who get a sick enjoyment and a feeling of power from leaving repetitive rude comments. They warn us not to debate them. (source)
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https://biblelovenotes.blogspot.com/2010/09/internet-trolls.html
 
I try not to troll, however, I do admit my flaw in that if someone is being stupid (which is often on this forum), I tend to pounce on them. If someone is consistently stupid (about a third of the posters here), I tend to just dismiss and laugh at them and not even try to debate as I stop considering them to be worth my effort.

I am trying to learn to be more graceful and loving in those situations.
 
tacomancer said:
I try not to troll, however, I do admit my flaw in that if someone is being stupid (which is often on this forum), I tend to pounce on them. If someone is consistently stupid (about a third of the posters here), I tend to just dismiss and laugh at them and not even try to debate as I stop considering them to be worth my effort.

I am trying to learn to be more graceful and loving in those situations.
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I hear ya, Taco...if someone's being stupid, it's so easy to be stupid right back...I'm tryin' to be conscious of not doing that and dismissing them, like you said...
 
Ignore button works wonders

I have a LOT of people on that, and continue to add as i see fit

Civility is a must
 
gdgyva said:
Ignore button works wonders

I have a LOT of people on that, and continue to add as i see fit

Civility is a must
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I guess I should use it more but I'm always ready to give a person the benefit of the doubt...usually, to my own dismay...
 
I never put people on ignore and I never report anyone for anything. I get out.

I like to post on threads when they begin. If a thread is 3 or more pages long I don't even look at it unless I'm directly quoted, and sometimes not even then.

I read the OP's point, some following points, I make my point and unless someone intelligently questions or disagrees, I'm out. No one wins arguments on forums. I try to ignore insults and ad hominem attacks and often succeed.

Pages long threads, I've learned from experience, are rarely worth the effort. They devolve into specific people arguing with specific people and no one ever wins.

Sometimes I can tell a thread is worthless from the title:

Micheal Cohen exemplifies the loony left narrative​

How difficult would a massive nationwide gun seizing campaign be?​

When some of us declare woke ideology as an emerging cult ...​


I just skip right over that stuff.

Note: I'm not talking about "Song of the Day" and "What are You Watching" type threads.
 
Problem is defining a Troll.

I am been accused of being a troll because I don't hesitate to call out the stupidity of the far Right.

But lefties can be guilty too. If some Righties supports Russia, they get called a troll.

Some users on here clearly are TROLLING, but again, how do we know WHO those trollers are? Someone might ONLY quote one source, posts primarily from that source, and that their posts are ALWAYS anti-someone, and pro-someone else, without even raising a question for debate, basically just mimicking and regurgitating what their source is promoting. Is that TROLLING? I would say yes, but other's would say they are only presenting what they believe to be true.

OH HELL, we ALL present what WE believe to be true. Some of us only PRETEND to be presenting what we believe to be true. We do it to just rile people up. They are the trollers, in my humble opinion.

Then again, trolling, to some people's minds, can also define someone who only promotes religious doctrine - particularly Christian doctrine. If some Muslim came on here and based EVERYTHING they believed on the Quran, we would be calling them a troll, wouldn't we?

Not to mention, some believe all us Canadians are trolls too.
 
On all these subject that we argue about there's no obvious right or wrong. Just have a friendly but passionate discussion, resolve it to a few basic fundamental point of contention and simply agree to disagree and then move on. The problem is here is some people are desperate to win an argument and that supersedes what they're arguing about. We've all been there. Suddenly the discussion is about YOU and you're being personally attacked. I just ignore that nonsense and just stop posting.
 
I want people to believe in whatever they want to believe or not believe in. I only wish they would give me the same consideration without being so obnoxious bout it.

I also find it disingenuous that people who state that they don't believe in anything spiritual use spiritual moral terms like 'good & evil.' I can see them saying ethical words like 'right and wrong' but using spiritual descriptions seems hypocritical, even out of habit.
 
grip said:
I also find it disingenuous that people who state that they don't believe in anything spiritual use spiritual moral terms like 'good & evil.' I can see them saying ethical words like 'right and wrong' but using spiritual descriptions seems hypocritical, even out of habit.
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You have a point with the word "evil", but "good" is not a religious term at all.

Good and Bad. Not religious. No hypocrisy.

Have a good day. Not religious.
I feel good. Not religious.
Have you been a good boy/girl today? Not religious.
 
Elora said:
I thought this was good advice I should try to heed, as well as to pass along...we should remember whom we represent, no matter where we are...
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I don't read the insipid articles you post.
I read the only words you actually posted. The thread title and this one sentence:

I thought this was good advice I should try to heed, as well as to pass along...we should remember whom we represent, no matter where we are...
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Can you define "troll" as it applies to this "theological thread"?
 
Dragonfly said:
I don't read the insipid articles you post.
I read the only words you actually posted. The thread title and this one sentence:



Can you define "troll" as it applies to this "theological thread"?
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Not my problem...and no...it's defined in the article...
 
Elora said:
Not my problem...and no...it's defined in the article...
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You see, without you putting in any effort at all to flesh out YOUR threads, I'd consider the vast majority of your threads to be "Troll Threads".

So you may want to define a few things.
 
Dragonfly said:
You see, without you putting in any effort at all to flesh out YOUR threads, I'd consider the vast majority of your threads to be "Troll Threads".

So you may want to define a few things.
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As per my comment #7
Then again, trolling, to some people's minds, can also define someone who only promotes religious doctrine - particularly Christian doctrine. If some Muslim came on here and based EVERYTHING they believed on the Quran, we would be calling them a troll, wouldn't we?
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SNOWFLAKE said:
Then again, trolling, to some people's minds, can also define someone who only promotes religious doctrine - particularly Christian doctrine. If some Muslim came on here and based EVERYTHING they believed on the Quran, we would be calling them a troll, wouldn't we?
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That could be said about anything we have a keen interest in...even politics...:sneaky:
 
Elora said:
That could be said about anything we have a keen interest in
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Which is why YOU need to define the terms you wish to discuss in the threads YOU create.

Using your own words. Not cut-n-paste crap.

Please start with defining the word "troll" in the context of this "Theological Thread" that YOU started.
 
gdgyva said:
Ignore button works wonders

I have a LOT of people on that, and continue to add as i see fit

Civility is a must
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Isn't that running away from the problem instead of confronting it in a graceful manner?
 
Lovebug said:
Isn't that running away from the problem instead of confronting it in a graceful manner?
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lol...sometimes that is impossible to achieve...it's better to run away than to get dinged...or worse...of course, that is what the trolls are trolling for...don't give 'em what they want...
 
I try to give trolls (the kind who aren't interested in debate and solely want to amplify propaganda) the benefit of the doubt because even if there is no hope of convincing them of anything, those who read their comments and my rebuttals might compare our reasoning and come to their own conclusion, rather than simply assuming that the propaganda is accurate.

I don't feel that challenging a troll is feeding them. False narratives ought to be challenged regardless of the motives of those amplifying them. The trick is to simply not expect a healthy debate, don't expect to change the troll's mind, or 'win,' whatever that means. It is simply to stand against propaganda and disinformation wherever I see it. Others can make their own determination who has the rational argument, and by doing this I feel one can reduce the impact of propaganda and disinformation considerably.
 
Dragonfly said:
Which is why YOU need to define the terms you wish to discuss in the threads YOU create.

Using your own words. Not cut-n-paste crap.

Please start with defining the word "troll" in the context of this "Theological Thread" that YOU started.
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I guess some people troll and others insist on just being difficult.
 
Elora said:
lol...sometimes that is impossible to achieve...it's better to run away than to get dinged...or worse...of course, that is what the trolls are trolling for...don't give 'em what they want...
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How can you grow if you avoid a problem? "It isn't the healthy that need a doctor."
 
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