True mirth

[magna1o3@...]

--- in asc2k@y..., "jeremy weiland" <jweiland@n...> wrote:
> p.s. ah, yes, and i just read mark's email about the urban legend.
> kind of makes the whole thing seem stupid and absurd, huh?

not at all, since the real subject and purpose of this thread is that of
compassion.

is it true mirth to laugh at someone's misfortune, however satirical (and
remember that the false rapture story was believed to be true), or is is better
to laugh lightheartedly with another at their good fortune?

the very fact that this simple challenge has created heated debate means that
there is movement, opportunity, purpose, experience.

how is that absurd? and is such a conclusion not itself a judgment?

celestine

[Jeremy Weiland]

>not at all, since the real subject and purpose of this thread is that of
compassion.

that was certainly the subject of *your* email; however, the thread
started out as a post about an urban legend that actually *was* strange and
absurd. i don't know about you, but i don't read of too many christians who
experience a guy looking like jesus looking like he's raising dozens of what
look like bodies into the air. it's absurd and funny that somebody thought
that was a rapture experience. this has nothing to do with the fact that
they died, which, if it were true, would be a tragedy that wouldn't detract
from the admittedly strange circumstances surrounding this story.

>is it true mirth to laugh at someone's misfortune, however satirical (and
remember that the false rapture story was believed to be true), or is is
better to laugh lightheartedly with another at their good fortune?

whatever true mirth is, it's hardly wise to judge somebody's capacity
for compassion and goodness from one email. as anybody who's been on this
list for a while can attest to, email's are the *worst* communicators of
subtleties that exist. no other form of communication is misunderstood so
often, save possibly the pick up line :-)

>the very fact that this simple challenge has created heated debate means
that there is movement, opportunity, purpose, experience.

agreed. there's a middle ground between you and aaron's reactions to
the email.

>how is that absurd?

it's not. what's absurd is people bickering over it. and, yes, i fully
understand the irony of that statement :-)

>and is such a conclusion not itself a judgment?

yep. sure is. haven't given up on judging situations yet, but i am
trying to cut back on judging people, especially over a single email. know
what i mean?

but it's all good. i'm glad we're getting this out in the air.

later,

jeremy

[magna1o3@...]

--- in asc2k@y..., "jeremy weiland" <jweiland@n...> wrote:
> >how is that absurd?
>
> it's not. what's absurd is people bickering over it. and, yes, i fully
> understand the irony of that statement :-)
>
> >and is such a conclusion not itself a judgment?
>
> yep. sure is. haven't given up on judging situations yet, but i am
> trying to cut back on judging people, especially over a single email. know
> what i mean?
>
> but it's all good. i'm glad we're getting this out in the air.
>
> later,
>
> jeremy

:-)

celestine