When somone offends us

Something that was mentioned to me the other day, is that often when somone gets offended by something we say, or I guess really takes something we say as critical, it is usually because they fear the truth in it. They may already think poorly of themselves in that aspect, and so obviously your "confirming" that they contain this flaw. It's like Laman and Lemuel in the Book of Mormon. They didn't like what they heard from God or Nephi and Lehi, because they knew it was true... or that they truly DID have things that they needed to change about themselves.

People who refuse to come back to church because someone said something that "offended" them are a good example of this. Let me tell you, if I were to stop going to church because someone said something that "Offended" me, I'd have gone inactive.... and prolly left completely YEARS ago.

However, I believe that I am the kind of person that can take what someone says, and pull the constructive part out and use it to become a better "Me," and then throw the rest away.... thereby going on with my life without any serious damage being done by ignorant people.

It's like the situation with Adam Peeples. He said things to me, that after examination, I could use to improve the person I am. My problem with him is not that he said things to me I didn't like. It is because he is a hypocrit.... he wanted to hang me for "crimes" he himself is "guilty" of. It's the core of who he is that offends me, vs the words he has said to me. And even so, I would prolly have left it at simply disliking him, if he were an individual. But he then decided to run for office. And I'm sorry, but we have enough garbage in the political system as it is. As a God Fearing American, if I don't stand up for what I believe in when I see a politician further trying to corrupt the system, then I cannot complain when they change the way things are and I don't like the country I live in. So that is my reasoning there. NOT because he said something I didn't like.... but because he is threatening my home with the yuckiness that permeates him to the core.

Which brings me to the flipside of being offended.

There are those times, when we are honest with ourselves, and we a in tune with our SOULS, that something truly offends us...... our core, not our ears. These are the things that we SHOULD act to remove from our lives. Not to get overly religious, but just as Jesus overturned the Money Changers' tables in the New Testament. This was something that offended his Soul, not his ears or his ego.

We should be secure and in tune with ourselves to be able to REALLY turn our back on the things that offend our Souls. And at the same time secure and confident enough with ourselves to push through the stuff that offends our ears and ego, taking what we need to be better from it, and throwing out the rest.

One other point I want to make with this: If someone like Adam were to come to me, and sincerely be different and willing to make a go at being Friends, I would never turn my back on him. It is his actions, not HIM that I have a problem with. There are a few others that fit into this category. Jesus made it a point to have a problem with the sin not the "sinner". I try to do the same. I do not hold grudges. I do however believe in protecting myself and the ones I love from getting "hit by the same truck over and over."