I appreciate the wisdom I've learned from you and Matti, James, but definitely thanks to our time in conversation. I've found many of my opinions have mellowed out over the years (hard to believe it's been six already) and that I've come to a similar way of thinking as you have in a number of subjects. If you wanted to add some reflections here, please, feel free.
It's been a wild ride.
I'm glad it's been helpful! I suspected at the beginning that we thought similarly, so it is perhaps to be expected that there would be parallels in the way that we would change over time. If you look at a lot of my older posts, I was often a lot more 'out there'; it isn't always comfortable reading. I'm glad that my web history prior to RAF is largely lost to the mists of time and the sea of forgetfulness.
I'd like to know more about which opinions of yours have changed for the better! The one thing I'd note here about mellowing - I don't mean to imply that this is true of you, but this is a convenient opening to hit on this subject - is that it isn't always a good thing. It's fine to chill when it comes to things that don't matter terribly much, which is a great many subjects (even including a variety of political questions, as vehemently as some - perhaps including my past self - might disagree with that). But I've been saddened to see that many members of communities in "Christendom" have gotten 'mellow' when it comes to their core beliefs and convictions. It's important to love people, and we can try to be more understanding, but the trend now is towards deconstructionism, which practically means that someone just trades all their Biblical values for secular ones. I guess you could say that we need to be flexible and gentle in things that are truly preferences, unyielding in true principles, and wise enough to know the difference.
On the years, internet time has always seemed to work on a different plane to me. But I'm of an age now where I'm beginning to realize that socialization works similarly in the real world; I guess I just haven't historically been involved with it enough to notice.
Oh, certainly. It can be quite the blessing to have past actions forgotten, and not simply forgiven.
I think one instance of my view changing is the topic of names, which I believe I've brought up to you before through other means of communication. At the time of our original discussion on it, I placed less emphasis on the name, and more on the essence of the one holding it. But these days, I see it more as a standard to bear, and a legacy to leave. I carry the name of one of my great-grandfathers. I don't know much about him, but I want to learn more.
Regarding 'mellowing out', esp. in regards to religious affairs, I definitely see the progression these days, and have partaken in some of it myself. For me, it is largely about church music-- I am intolerant of many songs, of genres such as rap, hip-hop, and rock, for the worship service. I still raise an eyebrow if a modern (rock/CCM) song was simply made into an orchestra piece, but is still the contemporary, doctrinally-shallow song that lay beneath the melody.
However, if someone wishes to listen to that music for their own edification (yes, I still have my doubts) on their own time, in their own abode, and not in the worship service, I find I care significantly less about it. A "Christian-Rock" song is still rock, but it's healthier to listen to than totally profane music.
On another note about religion, I find many people here (at a Christian college) commonly share the views that being an Independent Fundamental Baptist means one is necessarily judgmental, stodgy, and against progress. I find it a hilariously simplistic view, but that is among my generation-- I cannot say I'm any less a child of my time than they are.
I think I concur about socialization in the real world-- years pass by without much conversation (or much real conversation). I'm actually more sociable 'IRL' than online, and I think I'm okay with that. There are worse flaws.
I'm at a sort of a cross-roads. I want my own place, and if I "had my druthers", it'd be in a rural location, so I'm not bothered. However, I realize that I have to have someone in my life, or else I'll get nothing done, so sticking it out in the dorms with roommates is the best goad for productivity I have.
Quote from: Verdauga on Sep 16, 2026, 10:45 PMOh, certainly. It can be quite the blessing to have past actions forgotten, and not simply forgiven.
It isn't always easy to do!
Quote from: Verdauga on Sep 16, 2026, 10:45 PMI think one instance of my view changing is the topic of names, which I believe I've brought up to you before through other means of communication. At the time of our original discussion on it, I placed less emphasis on the name, and more on the essence of the one holding it. But these days, I see it more as a standard to bear, and a legacy to leave. I carry the name of one of my great-grandfathers. I don't know much about him, but I want to learn more.
We naturally think a little more about legacies, I think, as we get older. When I was working on LAF/RAF at the time all those things were mostly just natural steps; something needed to be done, let's get on with it. The reflection about the impact was more something that happened later on.
Quote from: Verdauga on Sep 16, 2026, 10:45 PMI still raise an eyebrow if a modern (rock/CCM) song was simply made into an orchestra piece, but is still the contemporary, doctrinally-shallow song that lay beneath the melody.
Well, if we have too strong an idea about what a good song ought to be like, a critical spirit can cause us to miss out on what good we might have gleaned from it. Just because a song repeats the same thing 75 times, for instance, doesn't mean that it has no value at all. I'm more irritated by songs that are theologically or Biblically inaccurate. That said, there are, of course, some songs that are better than others.
If a piece is of the wrong spirit or attitude to begin with, then that's another matter. I am extremely skeptical about anything from the metal or rap families, for instance; I honestly can't imagine anything from the first family being acceptable, and the latter, only in a narrow range (which is not the range that actual rappers ever seem to use).
Quote from: Verdauga on Sep 16, 2026, 10:45 PMI find many people here (at a Christian college) commonly share the views that being an Independent Fundamental Baptist means one is necessarily judgmental, stodgy, and against progress.
The cultural standard now is against separation or standards of any kind (which they call legalism), so I'm not shocked. It's possible that there are some people who live up to those stereotypes; there's always some people, in any group that has a stereotype about it, who live up to that reputation.
Quote from: Verdauga on Sep 16, 2026, 10:45 PMI think I concur about socialization in the real world-- years pass by without much conversation (or much real conversation).
It bothers me, but people are so busy, and there are a lot of ways that things can be taken wrong. It tends to take special moments, or certain people, or both before I am willing to risk putting myself out there. Maybe that reflects a problem with me, but I think it's true for a lot of people. I don't want to come off as creepy or to put myself in awkward situations. Maybe it has something to do with the times I did try in the past and it didn't go well. I don't know that I subscribe to that idea about everything being repressed from your youth, but at the same time, there can be trauma or emotional wounds. Besides, it makes sense that if you do something and it doesn't work, you're encouraged by that experience not to do it again.
Quote from: Verdauga on Sep 16, 2026, 10:45 PMI'm actually more sociable 'IRL' than online, and I think I'm okay with that. There are worse flaws.
That's nearly gotten to be true for me too, but the trouble is that I'm not much more sociable in real life than I've historically been. So in practice I just haven't socialized much at all. That gets maddening. Like I mentioned on the RAF thread, I wouldn't be surprised if that helps drive LLM interactions. Getting the prompt reply triggers the same part of the brain that you would get from a real response, even if the product primarily parrots phrases back to you.
(I do like alliteration...)Quote from: Verdauga on Sep 16, 2026, 10:45 PMI'm at a sort of a cross-roads. I want my own place, and if I "had my druthers", it'd be in a rural location, so I'm not bothered. However, I realize that I have to have someone in my life, or else I'll get nothing done, so sticking it out in the dorms with roommates is the best goad for productivity I have.
I know
l (less confusingly known as Tumbler) helped save my college grades on numerous occasions; I think we're sufficiently similar as to make that a good choice.