Re: Religion in posts (important)

[Guest guest]

I for one do not have a problem with religious posts.

BOBINPANAMA

>

>

> Hello dear Joanne,

> I'm sorry to hear how sad you feel. I understand how faith has helped your

> healing and it is very important to you. I agree that a spiritual life is

> very important for healing.

>

> I think we are all at different places with what has happened in our lives,

> different in what things we find difficult and have to heal from. May I

> offer some ideas on why I think there are different perspectives on it?

>

> An example is there's a great deal of people who have been sexually abused

> in churches or religious institutions, or by religious figures. Then there

> are also many who have not been sexually abused but emotionally and

> physically abused in their homes by parents and other family who are super

> religious and quote bible passages (spare the rod spoil the child). They

> are brought up with violence and negativity all under a heavy veil of

> religion. For these people religion will not be comforting, it will feel

> oppressive and be upsetting.

>

> For people who have not been abused, they can be offended because they have

> a different belief system (Buddhist, Jain, Muslim, agnostic, etc) and often

> they can feel that someone is telling them that their belief is superior to

> their own.

>

> Finally, at the very least, people don't want to see arguing and emotional

> upset, it is not healing for us. That's why most groups don't have it as

> part of their discussion unless it's specifically a religious group.

>

> Back to a spiritual life which has a different meaning to different

> people.To some it is religion, to others it's to feel connected with

> nature, to others it's being in tune with their inner self without

> religion.

>

> I love when you talk about gardening and creativity, and you talk about

> that being part of your spiritual life. It's wonderful that you remind us

> about stopping to appreciate and enjoy, to be in contact with nature. I

> don't think anyone can be offended by that, but I think I can see both

> sides of why religion is important to some people and very difficult topic

> for others.

>

> I think you a wonderful inspiration and support to us Joanne. I simply

> adore you and all the care and love you give us. You are loved by many

> here. I personally hope to keep you around, you are so loving and not many

> people are like that. This world has a short supply of Joanne's.

>

> With lots of love,

> April

>

> On Tue, Feb 14, 2012 at 8:01 AM, Joanne Ford <joannesford@...

> >wrote:

>

> > **

>

> >

> >

> > Hi All

> >

> > A lot, a very lot of people from this board have been emailing me asking

> > me not to talk about God in my posts. This has been very saddening and

> has

> > really taken the joy out of things for me.

> >

> > I have explained, but it has not made any difference, that it is not only

> > the diet but a total change of heart that changed me and enabled me to

> get

> > well. I used to live in a very fast pace environment where far too much

> was

> > expected of me and I worked so hard that I never had a moment to think.

> > This led me up a road of shear sadness and fear and this also made me

> very

> > vulnerable to abusing people, including abusing doctors.

> >

> > My experience of all that has made me very determined to lead an

> > independent life away from my extended family and other people that do

> not

> > share my outlook on life. My life is very detached from the hussle and

> > bussle of modern life, and as a result it could be somewhat boring. But I

> > have chosen to live my new life in a faith filled way and this in turn

> has

> > resulted in healing. The diet is of course a big part of that but

> spending

> > my time living creatively and helping people that are suffering is what

> has

> > given me the strength and the wisdom to carry on and not have to rely on

> > the people and things of my past that clearly just pulled me down and

> made

> > me poorly.

> >

> > Right now I have several Christian friends from other sites who I have

> > been thinking of inviting here. But if this thing where folk are emailing

> > me direct and telling me I should not be talking about God is going to

> > continue then I am going to find it hard to share here. My story is one

> of

> > healing both spiritually and physically and personally I do not see how

> > anybody can heal from fibro without taking care of both parts of us

> >

> > This emailing me about all this has been going on for months and I did

> not

> > mention it until today because I thought I could handle it but I cannot.

> A

> > fair few people have left this board over the last few days and although

> I

> > cannot be certain I think this issue is related to at least some of their

> > departures

> >

> > Anyway, I do not know what to do now other than to tell people that do

> > need my style of help to email me direct

> >

> > In the meantime I will keep posting for the folk I know are not against

> > me, but I am going to have to keep God out of my posts because all this

> > hassle is getting me down and affecting me as a person

> >

> > Love Joanne

> >

> >

>

>

[Guest guest]

There is a delete key.

BOB

> **

>

>

> I have read all the mails re God etc in the group.

>

> I also have an issue about the amount of God mails on the

> group but am not going to be aggressive or nasty about it, people here

> are ill and don't need that anyway. there is way too much religious talk

> here for a fibro group and sometimes only religious talk and no health

> talk. But it seems like the time has come for a line to be drawn so as to

> avoid

> confusion and let everyone know where they stand. And hopefully the

> group will carry on happily.

>

> Because I don't want to be bombarded with religion, I don't want to be

> reading

> mail after mail like the ones that have appeared. When it gets to

> frankly ridiculously outlandish religious statements, I blew several

> fuses but

> said nothing, because I did not want to waste what little energy I have

> on people who are extreme.

>

> I think one of the problems is that some of the people who have caused

> offence

> must not realise quite how 'God-heavy' (and some in particular are very

> extreme)

> their mails and that they don't realise

> that other people don't want it and that is uber-religious and thus way

> too heavy going for anyone but

> someone of the same level of wanting to mention it all the time. It is not

> the topic of fibromyalgia. It is

> also really hurtful to anyone who was abused throught the church.

>

> I respect that people have different attidudes and levels of religious

> absorption, different life experiences and outlooks, but the main thing

> is that people who are highly religious need to respect that not

> everyone else is and religion should not be pushed on anyone. No one has

> the right to push it. I really feel there is a need for someone to

> establish a separate email group for the religious discussions and use that

> to discuss it as much as desired by the people who desire it.

>

> Spirituality and religion are not the same thing.

>

> I respect that people get joy and security and wellbeing from being

> religious, but it is an individual thing. For many it is also a private

> thing. People can be religious and spiritual but we need to not have

> religion interfering or

> dominating this group or it will decline, as it seems to have done already.

>

> I joined this group for health information and ideas. The two times I have

> nearly left before and feel like it again, are because of the sheer amount

> of religious emails. They are not marked 'off-topic' and I find I feel I

> might miss out on fibro info if an email contains both and I just delete

> it.

> I don't have the energy to be constantly checking for religious content

> and deleting. Of all people, everyone here should know what low energy and

> muscular pain mean.

>

> The reason I did not leave before was because mainly of Joanne and a few

> others. That is because you help and have good FIBRO ideas, info and

> explanations.

> However, when things become more tedious than beneficial, it becomes bad

> for fibro. I will be leaving the group if this matter is not sorted. It can

> be easily sorted.

>

> Siobhán

>

> ________________________________

>

> To: " fibromyalgiacured " <fibromyalgiacured >

>

> Sent: Tuesday, 14 February 2012, 13:01

> Subject: Religion in posts (important)

>

>

>

>

> Hi All

>

> A lot, a very lot of people from this board have been emailing me asking

> me not to talk about God in my posts. This has been very saddening and has

> really taken the joy out of things for me.

>

> I have explained, but it has not made any difference, that it is not only

> the diet but a total change of heart that changed me and enabled me to get

> well. I used to live in a very fast pace environment where far too much was

> expected of me and I worked so hard that I never had a moment to think.

> This led me up a road of shear sadness and fear and this also made me very

> vulnerable to abusing people, including abusing doctors.

>

> My experience of all that has made me very determined to lead an

> independent life away from my extended family and other people that do not

> share my outlook on life. My life is very detached from the hussle and

> bussle of modern life, and as a result it could be somewhat boring. But I

> have chosen to live my new life in a faith filled way and this in turn has

> resulted in healing. The diet is of course a big part of that but spending

> my time living creatively and helping people that are suffering is what has

> given me the strength and the wisdom to carry on and not have to rely on

> the people and things of my past that clearly just pulled me down and made

> me poorly.

>

> Right now I have several Christian friends from other sites who I have

> been thinking of inviting here. But if this thing where folk are emailing

> me direct and telling me I should not be talking about God is going to

> continue then I am going to find it hard to share here. My story is one of

> healing both spiritually and physically and personally I do not see how

> anybody can heal from fibro without taking care of both parts of us

>

> This emailing me about all this has been going on for months and I did not

> mention it until today because I thought I could handle it but I cannot. A

> fair few people have left this board over the last few days and although I

> cannot be certain I think this issue is related to at least some of their

> departures

>

> Anyway, I do not know what to do now other than to tell people that do

> need my style of help to email me direct

>

> In the meantime I will keep posting for the folk I know are not against

> me, but I am going to have to keep God out of my posts because all this

> hassle is getting me down and affecting me as a person

>

> Love Joanne

>

>

[Guest guest]

I don`t like organized religion either,but I do beleive in god,and

spirituality.I do think,many people have been abused by the church,but that is

not from god.It is from people using god to get what they want.Be it money or

sex,or what ever.As i have said before,Joanne,the shining light and love of god

shines through you,and I don`t want you to stop sharing that.You have touched so

many hearts.That is god`s plan for you.Don`t stop.

Re: Religion in posts (important)

 

Joanne,

IMO, you should say whatever you want to say. Whatever you think

applies. For you, leaving God out of the equation would be like keeping

an ingredient secret that makes the whole recipe work.

I'm not a fan of organized religion. You and I probably do not agree on

the details concerning God and religion. To me those differences are

irrelevant. What you are sharing and getting across is that the

spiritual, or even psychological, element is an important piece of the

puzzle. A necessary part of the formula for healing. You express it in

your terms, the way that is meaningful to you. If other people are too

dense to extrapolate and translate that into something useful for

themselves, and want to bash you for that, let it be their problem.

You don't bash anyone or try to tell people they have to do things

exactly the way you do to succeed. You give them your example, and you

always express an acceptance of other people - a live and let live

attitude. In fact, it comes across to me that accepting other people is

part pf what works for you in your health.

You obviously put a lot of time and effort into helping people here on

the list, and I, for one, appreciate that. No one has the right to tell

you that you shouldn't talk about certain things, when they are on

topic. You have to do it your way, to be fully helpful. How can we

succeed if you feel like you have to withhold important information from us?

Sandi

lunarose@...

< http://onedaymybrainexploded.blogspot.com/ >

>

> Hi All

>

> A lot, a very lot of people from this board have been emailing me

> asking me not to talk about God in my posts. This has been very

> saddening and has really taken the joy out of things for me.

>

> I have explained, but it has not made any difference, that it is not

> only the diet but a total change of heart that changed me and enabled

> me to get well. I used to live in a very fast pace environment where

> far too much was expected of me and I worked so hard that I never had

> a moment to think. This led me up a road of shear sadness and fear and

> this also made me very vulnerable to abusing people, including abusing

> doctors.

>

> My experience of all that has made me very determined to lead an

> independent life away from my extended family and other people that do

> not share my outlook on life. My life is very detached from the hussle

> and bussle of modern life, and as a result it could be somewhat

> boring. But I have chosen to live my new life in a faith filled way

> and this in turn has resulted in healing. The diet is of course a big

> part of that but spending my time living creatively and helping people

> that are suffering is what has given me the strength and the wisdom to

> carry on and not have to rely on the people and things of my past that

> clearly just pulled me down and made me poorly.

>

> Right now I have several Christian friends from other sites who I have

> been thinking of inviting here. But if this thing where folk are

> emailing me direct and telling me I should not be talking about God is

> going to continue then I am going to find it hard to share here. My

> story is one of healing both spiritually and physically and personally

> I do not see how anybody can heal from fibro without taking care of

> both parts of us

>

> This emailing me about all this has been going on for months and I did

> not mention it until today because I thought I could handle it but I

> cannot. A fair few people have left this board over the last few days

> and although I cannot be certain I think this issue is related to at

> least some of their departures

>

> Anyway, I do not know what to do now other than to tell people that do

> need my style of help to email me direct

>

> In the meantime I will keep posting for the folk I know are not

> against me, but I am going to have to keep God out of my posts because

> all this hassle is getting me down and affecting me as a person

>

> Love Joanne

>

>

[Guest guest]

This post is beautifully stated. I must admit, I, too, almost left the group

when discussions began to suggest that if I didn't have a certain belief system,

I would never be healed. That is just as heavy as someone saying your belief

system is bosh. (I stayed because Joanne has such an incredible heart, and her

posts are so interesting as an extension of that caring person.)

Religion is a very touchy topic, as many of these notes show. When Jesus is

mentioned, that post excludes everything but Christianity. When the Pope is

mentioned, it excludes all those who might be Protestant, or Buddhist, or Jewish

or what have you. The group becomes exclusionary rather than inclusionary.

That's why it's problematic, particularly in a public group labeled

" fibromyalgia cured. " If in fact many originators are Christians, perhaps you

could consider renaming it Fibro Cured with the Help of Jesus or Christians

Curing Fibro (or something along those lines). This way you can avoid

discussions of this type and unsuspecting individuals can, too.

While I whole-heartedly respect every single individual's personal view re: his

or her faith in a particular healing source, I feel it's only fair that others

respect mine, a simple concept I think everyone can endorse. There's nothing

wrong in my view to encouraging a spiritual connection with

Life/Universe/Creator. It's the us/them specifics that take away from an

otherwise supportive and loving experience here, however unintentional.

Peace to all,

> Hello dear Joanne,

> I'm sorry to hear how sad you feel. I understand how faith has helped your

> healing and it is very important to you. I agree that a spiritual life is

> very important for healing.

>

> I think we are all at different places with what has happened in our lives,

> different in what things we find difficult and have to heal from. May I

> offer some ideas on why I think there are different perspectives on it?

>

> An example is there's a great deal of people who have been sexually abused

> in churches or religious institutions, or by religious figures. Then there

> are also many who have not been sexually abused but emotionally and

> physically abused in their homes by parents and other family who are super

> religious and quote bible passages (spare the rod spoil the child). They

> are brought up with violence and negativity all under a heavy veil of

> religion. For these people religion will not be comforting, it will feel

> oppressive and be upsetting.

>

> For people who have not been abused, they can be offended because they have

> a different belief system (Buddhist, Jain, Muslim, agnostic, etc) and often

> they can feel that someone is telling them that their belief is superior to

> their own.

>

> Finally, at the very least, people don't want to see arguing and emotional

> upset, it is not healing for us. That's why most groups don't have it as

> part of their discussion unless it's specifically a religious group.

>

> Back to a spiritual life which has a different meaning to different

> people.To some it is religion, to others it's to feel connected with

> nature, to others it's being in tune with their inner self without

> religion.

>

> I love when you talk about gardening and creativity, and you talk about

> that being part of your spiritual life. It's wonderful that you remind us

> about stopping to appreciate and enjoy, to be in contact with nature. I

> don't think anyone can be offended by that, but I think I can see both

> sides of why religion is important to some people and very difficult topic

> for others.

>

> I think you a wonderful inspiration and support to us Joanne. I simply

> adore you and all the care and love you give us. You are loved by many

> here. I personally hope to keep you around, you are so loving and not many

> people are like that. This world has a short supply of Joanne's.

>

> With lots of love,

> April

>

> On Tue, Feb 14, 2012 at 8:01 AM, Joanne Ford wrote:

>

> > **

> >

> >

> > Hi All

> >

> > A lot, a very lot of people from this board have been emailing me asking

> > me not to talk about God in my posts. This has been very saddening and has

> > really taken the joy out of things for me.

> >

> > I have explained, but it has not made any difference, that it is not only

> > the diet but a total change of heart that changed me and enabled me to get

> > well. I used to live in a very fast pace environment where far too much was

> > expected of me and I worked so hard that I never had a moment to think.

> > This led me up a road of shear sadness and fear and this also made me very

> > vulnerable to abusing people, including abusing doctors.

> >

> > My experience of all that has made me very determined to lead an

> > independent life away from my extended family and other people that do not

> > share my outlook on life. My life is very detached from the hussle and

> > bussle of modern life, and as a result it could be somewhat boring. But I

> > have chosen to live my new life in a faith filled way and this in turn has

> > resulted in healing. The diet is of course a big part of that but spending

> > my time living creatively and helping people that are suffering is what has

> > given me the strength and the wisdom to carry on and not have to rely on

> > the people and things of my past that clearly just pulled me down and made

> > me poorly.

> >

> > Right now I have several Christian friends from other sites who I have

> > been thinking of inviting here. But if this thing where folk are emailing

> > me direct and telling me I should not be talking about God is going to

> > continue then I am going to find it hard to share here. My story is one of

> > healing both spiritually and physically and personally I do not see how

> > anybody can heal from fibro without taking care of both parts of us

> >

> > This emailing me about all this has been going on for months and I did not

> > mention it until today because I thought I could handle it but I cannot. A

> > fair few people have left this board over the last few days and although I

> > cannot be certain I think this issue is related to at least some of their

> > departures

> >

> > Anyway, I do not know what to do now other than to tell people that do

> > need my style of help to email me direct

> >

> > In the meantime I will keep posting for the folk I know are not against

> > me, but I am going to have to keep God out of my posts because all this

> > hassle is getting me down and affecting me as a person

> >

> > Love Joanne

> >

> >

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hello

This group has been about support sharing and empathy. I am sorry to hear that

people are sending Joanne emails about her comments about her faith and God.

Joanne is one of the main people on this site and has helped so many of us. I

always tell my husband what a wonderful group this is from other groups I have

been on when someone tries to share something off topic or about something going

on like a massive earth quake and how people go in attack mode.

We all have pain here and that is why we are here. If you dont want to read

about someone sharing a story about God or faith just delete it. We should have

the freedom of speech here to share our stories.

Everything that Joanne shares with us she is doing out of love and how can that

be wrong?

Ciao-

Ange

________________________________

To: " fibromyalgiacured " <fibromyalgiacured >

Sent: Tue, February 14, 2012 5:01:20 AM

Subject: Religion in posts (important)

Hi All

A lot, a very lot of people from this board have been emailing me asking me not

to talk about God in my posts. This has been very saddening and has really taken

the joy out of things for me.

I have explained, but it has not made any difference, that it is not only the

diet but a total change of heart that changed me and enabled me to get well. I

used to live in a very fast pace environment where far too much was expected of

me and I worked so hard that I never had a moment to think. This led me up a

road of shear sadness and fear and this also made me very vulnerable to abusing

people, including abusing doctors.

My experience of all that has made me very determined to lead an independent

life away from my extended family and other people that do not share my outlook

on life. My life is very detached from the hussle and bussle of modern life, and

as a result it could be somewhat boring. But I have chosen to live my new life

in a faith filled way and this in turn has resulted in healing. The diet is of

course a big part of that but spending my time living creatively and helping

people that are suffering is what has given me the strength and the wisdom to

carry on and not have to rely on the people and things of my past that clearly

just pulled me down and made me poorly.

Right now I have several Christian friends from other sites who I have been

thinking of inviting here. But if this thing where folk are emailing me direct

and telling me I should not be talking about God is going to continue then I am

going to find it hard to share here. My story is one of healing both spiritually

and physically and personally I do not see how anybody can heal from fibro

without taking care of both parts of us

This emailing me about all this has been going on for months and I did not

mention it until today because I thought I could handle it but I cannot. A fair

few people have left this board over the last few days and although I cannot be

certain I think this issue is related to at least some of their departures

Anyway, I do not know what to do now other than to tell people that do need my

style of help to email me direct

In the meantime I will keep posting for the folk I know are not against me, but

I am going to have to keep God out of my posts because all this hassle is

getting me down and affecting me as a person

Love Joanne