Christians are called not to 'handle' certain types of people, but to love all sorts of people. To think that we must conform to the standard, average, or normal ideal of secular fora is debasing our holy religion. If you suspect a troll, be good and caring and honest and show love to him; i.e. treat him like everyone else, not like a pariah. Maybe he'll be touched by the Holy Spirit working through you. That's just my opinion of course; if you want, you can treat the troll like an outcast and shun him and ignore him like the rest of modern society does for people it dislikes. We are the people of the Gospel, the children of the everlasting covenant, not anything less.
Interesting post brother and I agree with you to a point. I believe we should love everyone as our Lord Jesus has told us in scripture, and we should be gentle with the person who is "trolling", but that doesn't mean a Christian person should feed them. If a person becomes a constant disruption to a group be it on a forum like this or in a church for that matter there does come a time when enough is enough, and the person should be dealt with fairly and gently.
Gordon i agree too that there comes that time and you should treat them fairly and gently . the problem in my experience is that few people are ever fair or gentle in these situations ..We are way too fond of labeling people and showing our own ..( donkeys ) in our indignation that we loose our tempers and act inappropriately ..
Then those who don't treat them fairly and gently are no better then the person who is a serial pest.
On too many forums, "troll" is an aspersion cast toward anyone with an opinion divergent from the majority. Let it not become so here. "In essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty, in all things charity."
Gordon Why is it that we cannot get past labeling people all together ? I am extremely guilty of it but i honestly get sick of it . Now in America for example we try to demonize everyone who doesn't agree with us .You see it n politics in our culture , in religion in ourr schools , so on and so on ...Its just sickening .. that question is not meant toward you i mean all of us .. and pardon my misspellings im having technical difficulties
Andy you and I are obviously on a crossed line - I am not suggesting we label anyone. I responding to brother Consulars post above with what I thought was a very thoughtful and rational post.
There is no misunderstanding . I was commenting on your reply to his post .. To which you replied and in which i replied in return Did you read the last statement i made at the bottom of my last post to you saying that the question i posed was not directed at you but to all of us ..In other words i meant it in the plural sense .. I did not state YOU are suggesting tht we label anyone ..If we are on a crossed line i think its due in part to the lack of tone and nuances that text does not allow ..
It shouldn't have anything to do with disagreements in a discussion but sadly i would say that it in fact it does in most cases . However none of this applies to this thread .