i actually did put someone on ignore, for a couple days. i felt really bad about it tho, and i always have been averse to doing that to anyone. what i realized, when i did, was that reading his posts was leaving me upset for a lot of my day - i was thinking all day, that's wrong, that's wrong, this is misapplied, this is ignorant, that does not logically follow, that's actually not an accurate quote, etc etc
so all day i was thinking about things that are wrong, instead of things that are right. in my head i'd be composing what i should say to rebuke him -- and at the same time knowing he'd heard all this before and totally rejects it, so what's the point? i became depressed over it, and bitter, and found a mean spirit rising up in me over it.
not cool.
so for a couple days i had this person ignored. and it was better, the cloud of rubbish that had settled in my head lifted. but then i was back to, you know, this is like a crutch. if i can't be of a right spirit with him off the ignore list, how weak is my faith! a good work is to pass over offense and to control my own tongue, and keep my mind set on what is good rather than what is evil. what good is it if i can only do that by insulating myself?
so i took him off ignore. now i have a completely empty ignore list again.
i know, i don't see this whole ignore list thing the same way many others do. and i'm not saying i'm right and y'all wrong about it, it's not like that. it is just how i personally see and feel about it. so i'm just recounting my experience, not trying to instruct anyone about how they should use or not use the functionality of it. it was good for me, for a couple days, to use it, but ultimately i would rather learn to live and have conversation without blocking anyone; i think in the end i will be better off even though a person or another may tempt me to stumble. if i fall, is Christ not faithful to lift me up again? and so i'll grow. and limp a bit lol