Warn Your Neighbor

[5ft Diva]

Someone just shared some insight on this with me that I had never considered.

**Her definition was that when you know something is harmful to your spirit, like a movie, concert, or a book, you share that with your friends around you and you don't keep that information to yourself so that they can make an informed decision for themselves.

So I was just wondering what your definition was of "Warn Your Neighbor". (I have always heard it as missionary work (i.e., preaching the gospel - literally) so I'd love to hear your thoughts on this.)

[Big_Sissy]

hmm, that is an interesting thought!

[bookworm]

I've always heard it the way you have, Diva- about sharing the gospel.

And while I will let people know about media I find offensive, if they ask, often I don't tout my opinions much on that stuff, because it is sometimes very subjective and I don't want anyone else to feel I'm judging them if they find entertainment value in something that bothered me. Hmm... interesting question, though. I wonder how others interpret it.

[Erudite]

Wow. Interesting thoughts. I've been having these kinds of thoughts about the lifestyle change that we've recently made...should I be warning my friends or was the lifestyle change just for me, the answer to my personal prayer? I have to say that I have NOT felt impelled to warn others about it. I need to let others make this particular choice for themselves, because the truth is, in this particular example, they HAVE been warned, repeatedly, and need to come to a decision about it for themselves. I can't and won't change them. Plus, as I said, my answer has been a personal one and each person may need to define the answer, with God's help, for themselves.

I guess on movies and what not, I would warn others, but I don't see a lot of movies for the very reason that so many are poisonous to begin with. I'm trying not to have that in my life, so if there were a warning to give, it is not to give such things to me. My family (as in my siblings) does that for me now...protects me from poison. They'll go see something and say "that's not one you'll want to see". It's nice!

[5ft Diva]

I totally agree, BW, and I feel there is a way to warn others while respecting their agency. Let me tell you the story behind this.

This woman who was sharing her experience with me told me that her son was going to a concert. She wasn't worried about the concert he was going to because her children and husband listen to the music all of the time. Her friend found out and said, "You may want to check out the video clips of their concerts before you let your son go. This group prides themselves for putting on a raunchy concert. The songs themselves aren't, it's what they choose to do between their songs that is." My friend chose to view some clips and was abhorred. She then took the information home to her family; they were disgusted as well.

She then told her kids (her son had tickets and her daughter was thinking about getting them) now that they knew how bad the concerts were they should not keep this information to themselves and tell everyone what they knew. She just explained to her kids that their friends may not have realized how raunchy the concerts were and should at least let them know before they went to it so that they could make an informed decision. Her kids went to school the next day and let their friends know what they knew and you know what?....none of them wanted to go either. Those who had tickets returned them and got tickets for another concert instead.

Now look how many people were helped because of one woman's "warning". I think this story illustrates that there is a difference between opinion and accurate unbiased information.

Oh, and the concert......Blink182

[Big_Sissy]

ha ha, yeah, blink182 is not a concert you want to see. Good music, but the actual members are MORONS.