Theos-Talk Archives (January 1997 Message tl00479)

On Wed, 15 Jan 97, RIhle wrote:

>As an interested bystander, it is my opinion, right or wrong, that JRC has
>already several times "broken" the semi-Self steed that you were not only
>riding but that you more or less had ~egoically become~ completely.  

I am not clear at all what you mean by this.  My best guess is that you
mean that I said something that JRC disagreed with, he rode whatever low
horse it takes to repeatedly insult me, the effect of which on me is that I
felt personally offended and took my ball and went home in a fit.  Assuming
this is an accurate portrayal of how you think I took it, I believe you are
underestimating the extent to which I am interested in rational discussion.
Only when I am convinced that the other party is primarily, if not
exclusively, interested in bringing the discussion down to a personal level
do I give up on it.  If I said "men are stronger then women," if JRC said
"you're an idiot," and if I responded by looking elsewhere for objective
discussion, I fail to see how I have incorporated self.  It is the rational
course of action to take.  Once one party to the conversation is determined
to make it personal, my only alternatives are to participate with him in
his approach, or leave.  For a while, I gave in to the temptation to lower
myself to his level, but, due to how dirty that made me feel, I now realize
that not participating is the best alternative. 


>you often become "deluded" that you ~really are~ your
>dispassionate ideas, logical processes, etc.  

I am not very clear about what you mean by this, either.  Are you saying
that I have not distinguished between myself and my thoughts, that I am
mistaken in believing that I have been dispassionate and logical, or
something else?