Striving For Charity

[IcePrincessKRS]

Over the last several months I have noticed several people expressing concern that PhatMass has been growing in negativity/hostility, snarkiness, and lacking in charity. There is no way we can force people to act with Christian charity, we can only make the decision individually to strive towards that goal. We can be an example to one another.

I would propose that each of us makes a sort of pledge or promise, to one another and to ourselves, to do our best to act in charity. To treat one another with respect, to try to be more positive in our interactions. We should be making an effort to speak in kindness and charity, and to leave behind inappropriate ugliness, negativity, and snark. (Sure, sometimes a little snarky joke can be funny, but it's disheartening when that becomes the main tone and mode of communication.) I think that it would be considerate of us to try and not drag arguments from one thread to another (thus derailing and disintegrating a new thread).

All that would be expected of any of us to to try our best to act/speak with Christian charity. Making it a promise to yourself and one another might be the nudge our consciences need to remind us what kind of behavior we should be exhibiting. We might point a finger and say "You need to be more charitable" (pardon the 3rd grade terminology here), but what about the 4 pointing right back at us?

We want PhatMass to be a welcoming environment, where we can evangelize and grow in our faith. We have many opportunities to learn from one another and to help each other grow in faith. Lets try to keep this in mind through all our interactions, that we may be a strong community growing together in faith and holiness.

[Jaime]

I think this is a great idea Icey!!

[Tridenteen]

JMJ
I'm all for no more name calling and title flashing

[Apotheoun]

I promise to treat everyone with charity, and shall not call anyone a liar on a public forum.

[Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam]

I do solemnly promise to do my best to act with charity and respect and to treat my neighbor in the manner that I wish to be treated (I doubt that adult Jesus overturning the Temple Tables would have made Baby Jesus smile). However, this wording is all I can agree to in good conscience

[MIKolbe]

a thread like this is way overdue. Thank you, Icey. This has got my vote.

[IcePrincessKRS]

[quote name='Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam' date='14 July 2010 - 09:42 PM' timestamp='1279154542' post='2142788']
I do solemnly promise to do my best to act with charity and respect and to treat my neighbor in the manner that I wish to be treated (I doubt that adult Jesus overturning the Temple Tables would have made Baby Jesus smile). However, this wording is all I can agree to in good conscience
[/quote]

I dunno, seeing that He is the Son of God I am sure even baby Jesus would have approved of overturning the tables at the temple. He did, afterall, have wisdom beyond His years (the finding in the temple ring a bell?). He would smile at seeing His Father's work done, no?

[BG45]

I don't see anyone voting no on the proposition. Charity is something everyone agrees on.

[Apotheoun]

"Do not accept anything as the truth if it lacks love. And do not accept anything as love which lacks truth! One without the other becomes a destructive lie."

+ St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross

[CatherineM]

I promise to be good.

[MIKolbe]

[quote name='BG45' date='14 July 2010 - 08:57 PM' timestamp='1279155475' post='2142797']
I don't see anyone voting no on the proposition. Charity is something everyone agrees on.
[/quote]
indeed...now I pray for the will to implement it.

[laetitia crucis]

I do solemnly promise to do my best to act with charity and respect and to treat my brothers and sisters in Christ in a manner that would make Baby Jesus smile.

[Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam]

[quote name='IcePrincessKRS' date='14 July 2010 - 09:50 PM' timestamp='1279155013' post='2142794']
I dunno, seeing that He is the Son of God I am sure even baby Jesus would have approved of overturning the tables at the temple. He did, afterall, have wisdom beyond His years (the finding in the temple ring a bell?). He would smile at seeing His Father's work done, no?
[/quote]

Maybe....I think too much emphasis is placed by modern Catholics on Christ's divine nature and most people tend to forget the human nature (though not intentionally). I think Baby Jesus, being a baby, probably would have cried like most infants at such a disturbance as one making a whip of cords, hitting people, overturning tables, and driving people out of the temple for things that had to be done their like legitimately change money from pagan money to money without pagan gods on it. Just saying, one must remember that a being fully diving doesn't mean this baby wasn't fully human.

[Slappo]

On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law; to help other people at all times; to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.

[laetitia crucis]

[quote name='Slappo' date='15 July 2010 - 01:05 AM' timestamp='1279170349' post='2142866']
On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law; to help other people at all times; to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.


[/quote]

Before I posted, I was debating on whether or not to post the Girl Scout pledge.

Be Prepared!

[TeresaBenedicta]

I do solemnly promise to do my best to act with charity and respect and to treat my brothers and sisters in Christ in a manner that would make Baby Jesus smile.

Thanks for this, it was something I was noticing as well.

[IcePrincessKRS]

[quote name='Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam' date='15 July 2010 - 02:01 AM' timestamp='1279170070' post='2142864']
Maybe....I think too much emphasis is placed by modern Catholics on Christ's divine nature and most people tend to forget the human nature (though not intentionally). I think Baby Jesus, being a baby, probably would have cried like most infants at such a disturbance as one making a whip of cords, hitting people, overturning tables, and driving people out of the temple for things that had to be done their like legitimately change money from pagan money to money without pagan gods on it. Just saying, one must remember that a being fully diving doesn't mean this baby wasn't fully human.
[/quote]


Well, the main point of the "pledge" is to [b]try[/b]. If we mess up it's not like we broke the pledge; I just want for everyone to make a concentrated effort to do our best to be more charitable.

My babies laugh at some pretty random stuff.

[dominicansoul]

thanks for this thread

i believe dUSt created phatmass to be a place of evangelization on the inter-webs. I hope we can all take phatmass back into that direction...

it does begin with our selves, individually... I can't promise, but I can say I will try my best to be charitable... (and that will take heroic virtue, because my pride always seems to win out...)

God help us all..

[homeschoolmom]

[quote name='IcePrincessKRS' date='15 July 2010 - 09:11 AM' timestamp='1279199461' post='2142918']
Well, the main point of the "pledge" is to [b]try[/b]. If we mess up it's not like we broke the pledge; I just want for everyone to make a concentrated effort to do our best to be more charitable.

My babies laugh at some pretty random stuff.
[/quote]
Well, I would suggest that someone [i]would[/i] be breaking their pledge if they deliberately said something uncharitable, knowing that they were being uncharitable. But yeah, we should definately be trying at all times to treat others with charity.

[IcePrincessKRS]

[quote name='dominicansoul' date='15 July 2010 - 10:16 AM' timestamp='1279199762' post='2142920']
thanks for this thread

i believe dUSt created phatmass to be a place of evangelization on the inter-webs. I hope we can all take phatmass back into that direction...

it does begin with our selves, individually... I can't promise, but I can say I will try my best to be charitable... (and that will take heroic virtue, because my pride always seems to win out...)

God help us all..
[/quote]

The promise is to try to be charitable. No one is expecting that we be perfect all the time, but if you're trying and doing your best then that's all I'm asking of anyone.