It certainly is. Even in our published Substack articles, we are limited to the size of that post. Since we don't own this platform, it is our responsibility to respect their parameters.
I think the internet in particular has disassociated knowledge from those who teach it. Yet even TV and Radio and newspapers (remember them) are an impersonal means of communication, as are all books, including the Bible. Which is why we need prayer life with God and communication with elders as we grow up.
People now seem to take in knowledge and give very little acknowledgement to where it has come from, if it is true or not, or if the person who shared it should receive any thanks for doing so.
Silence in response to confrontation is a reasonable reaction as it avoids inflaming the situation.
There are times to remain silent and a time to speak:
Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him. Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit. (Prov 26:4-5)
How and when we answer foolish questions is determinate upon if we will be drawn into a stupid situation or if the person is willing to be corrected about his conceitedness.
I wonder if people are so stifled by their lack of communication skills due to minimal information being gained by face to face relationships that they simply can't think in such a way as to say anything new or of any substance. Which seems to be the substance of your post?
Your psychological assessment of the issues seems reasonable, yet to answer any of your questions would take a considerable amount of time and thought. I therefore will contemplate it and get back to you- not silence but thinking!
I may even not get back to you, but will discuss it with someone else face to face, which may be of more benefit to all!
Thank you for this information, greatly appreciated, it will not go into the void of darkness never to be revived!
I appreciate your assessment of this topic. All of what you said is indeed relevant and true. However, as a psychologist, resistive silence is purposeful and cloaked in passive revenge. The masses use this ideology frequently to control the communicator. Due to this cultural misnomer, closing the loop of communications becomes impotent, if not impossible. Passive resisters fear being wrong. In that fear, they are left to suffocate in their self-induced loneliness.
not sure what you mean by "The masses use this ideology frequently to control the communicator." ?
Who are "the masses"? That is a term I have heard used by Marxists in a derogatory manner toward the people who don't understand them- or think they are wrong, which would be most of the sane people in the world.
How can "the masses" control a communicator by ignoring them? If that what you are saying?
Are passive resisters the same as or similar to passive aggressive people, but on a larger scale?
I use the term “the masses” to refer to the ordinary or common people, particularly on the internet—the great majority of the population. It encompasses everyday individuals, often emphasizing the normative thought of readers/viewers.
The term “Passive Resisters” depicts individuals who use passivity of silence to punish communicators, while leaving them with a “feeling” of nobody cares. Martin, you are obviously NOT one of them. And…I deeply appreciate that.
When an individual is communicating with someone and this someone does not respond but stares at you in silence, it controls the communicator by silencing them. Thus, closing the loop of communication becomes mute - literally. In this manner of misconduct, the recipient uses silence as an act of control, if not revenge.
I doubt the masses have any particular motivation, other than trying to keep their head above water. As Christ said "forgive them for they don't know what they are doing."
I don't get much response from my readers, but I feel that I am putting something out that is true, and that is a great honour to know the truth.
If anyone would like to comment and discuss what I have put up then I am more than willing to discuss any points with them, but I am limited in time, as are all of us.
There is so much information that it takes forever just to look at the list of emails that I have, I assume others are the same. I am not on farcebook, X, or any other sites, they just waste too much time.
It is therefore a great honour if anyone responds with any depth to what I have said, but if not then that's ok, God will direct them to him how he wishes.
I have some truth and I feel I must do something with it, that is all I can do.
Keep doing what you are doing Stephen, God will direct you as he wants, and often what he wants us to do is to wait patiently and see the salvation of the Lord.
Just wanted to let you both know my SUBSTACK was glitching yesterday and firstly didn't display my comments, then at some point did, then deleted them?? I have no idea what your responses were. Don't know what is going on with it and just wanted to explain, as it wasn't through my own volition or anything I did.
OK, Hephzibah, I'm not making the connection. What does the "Milgram experiment" and the "Stanford prison experiment" have to do with this topic. Were they commutation experiments?
There are four tactics using silence as a form of resistance – 1)silence to escape accountability and control; 2)silence to negotiate an alternative; 3)silence to reclaim independence; and 4)silence to retain power and authority. The Lord Jesus Christ King of Kings, Lord of Lords was silent before his accusers. Jesus would complete his purpose and be crucified. He would not respond to the evil men who had brought him there. Their time had passed for asking questions. He would remain silent, just as the prophets had foretold. The Israelites were well aware of the submissive nature of sheep. They had seen many sheep sheared for their wool or killed as sacrifices. Jesus, as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29), quietly submitted to His death.
John 10:17 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”
He did not try to stop those who opposed Him; He remained silent rather than defend Himself.
He was the Lamb of God, and as he went to be sacrificed, he would remain silent. He would not cry or beg for mercy. He would not seek to change Pilate’s mind by arguing with the accusers. The plan of God was in place—as evil as the plans of wicked men were, God would use it for His glorious and perfect purposes—to redeem a people for himself! The silence of Jesus reminds us that silent suffering was necessary for Jesus. We are taught that sometimes being quiet takes more strength & courage than talking.
It is now our turn as Jesus' disciples to speak. To contend for the faith
that was once for all delivered to the saints. The Spirit will give us the words to speak boldly & never to deny or be ashamed of our Lord Jesus Christ. Thus, before our accusers & those who hate us, we testify about Christ. Before the noisy hostilities of the world, even if the world silences us with death. We then have the quiet confidence that the silence of Jesus Christ is far more powerful than all the rhetoric of the world. Who will return as the rightful sovereign King, Warrior Lion of the tribe of Judah to execute His justice, judgement vengeance and wrath of the Lamb.
Jude 14 It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones, 15 to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”.....
17 But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. 18 They said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.” 19 It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit. 20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. 22 And have mercy on those who doubt; 23 save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.
I agree that there is more than one reason for silence, and it could simply be needing time to think about what is said.
Christ showed us the example of remaining silent rather than answering back, which was both a powerful tool of controlling the situation, but also one of submitting to the authority at the time.
He did not always remain silent however, during much of his life he reviled and answered those who accused him and refused to succumb to their authority.
In the end he did allow himself to be killed in order to demonstrate to us how to endure unjust persecution when unable to escape from it. We will be tested to the limit to try us in the fire and determine if we love God with all our heart, mind and soul.
Jesus did not need to be tested to this limit, but demonstrated how we should react when we are. Thus he laid down his life for us, so that we who follow his life will also be able to (if necessary) follow his example in death.
Agreed. Silence is the most powerful form of control. Jesus used silence fully knowing His opposition was incapable of understanding what was going on AND that they could not embrace Truth (Himself). Jesus knew that He must go to the suffer all what the authorities were about to dish out, then be crucified for the sake of redemption for all. Under such conditions, we are called to remain silent. However, my article addresses the individuals who USE silence as an act of passive revenge.
The social psychological dynamics that allowed some participants to heroically succeed (defiance through resistance & how this was done) in a situation in which most others fail & blindly obey unjust authority in delivering extreme levels of electric shock to an innocent "victim." (obedience) What features of resistance are common to both groups? Passive, silent, proactive or aggressive? How could successful resistance techniques be applied to real-world situations to challenge authoritarian abuses of power and empower potential victims?
Answers to questions about the detailed organization of social interaction in the experiments, in turn, could prove essential to ongoing attempts to explain why Milgram found what he found.
The Stanford Prison Experiment has become one of psychology's most dramatic illustrations of how good people can be transformed into perpetrators of evil, and healthy people can begin to experience pathological reactions and in turn respond with passive resistance through silence- traceable to situational forces.
I think it would be difficult to draw too many conclusions from these experiments, I have seen the films and I am not convinced that those giving the shocks always believed they were real shocks.
Certainly it shows people are willing to obey orders but were not willing to think for themselves if what they were doing was moral or true.
Just wanted to let you both know my SUBSTACK was glitching yesterday and firstly didn't display my comments, then at some point did, then deleted them?? I have no idea what your responses were. Don't know what is going on with it and just wanted to explain, as it wasn't through my own volition or anything I did.
Hephzibah, Sustack's algorithms have limitation. If your comments are too lengthy, glitches will occur. Short and concise "blasts" work best on this platform. Something to think about.
My comments I posted on here were not that long. And I honestly thought this platform was for writers?
It certainly is. Even in our published Substack articles, we are limited to the size of that post. Since we don't own this platform, it is our responsibility to respect their parameters.
That's very true. Thank you for the timely reminder! Bless! 🤗
Interesting subject Stephen
I think the internet in particular has disassociated knowledge from those who teach it. Yet even TV and Radio and newspapers (remember them) are an impersonal means of communication, as are all books, including the Bible. Which is why we need prayer life with God and communication with elders as we grow up.
People now seem to take in knowledge and give very little acknowledgement to where it has come from, if it is true or not, or if the person who shared it should receive any thanks for doing so.
Silence in response to confrontation is a reasonable reaction as it avoids inflaming the situation.
There are times to remain silent and a time to speak:
Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him. Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit. (Prov 26:4-5)
How and when we answer foolish questions is determinate upon if we will be drawn into a stupid situation or if the person is willing to be corrected about his conceitedness.
I wonder if people are so stifled by their lack of communication skills due to minimal information being gained by face to face relationships that they simply can't think in such a way as to say anything new or of any substance. Which seems to be the substance of your post?
Your psychological assessment of the issues seems reasonable, yet to answer any of your questions would take a considerable amount of time and thought. I therefore will contemplate it and get back to you- not silence but thinking!
I may even not get back to you, but will discuss it with someone else face to face, which may be of more benefit to all!
Thank you for this information, greatly appreciated, it will not go into the void of darkness never to be revived!
I appreciate your assessment of this topic. All of what you said is indeed relevant and true. However, as a psychologist, resistive silence is purposeful and cloaked in passive revenge. The masses use this ideology frequently to control the communicator. Due to this cultural misnomer, closing the loop of communications becomes impotent, if not impossible. Passive resisters fear being wrong. In that fear, they are left to suffocate in their self-induced loneliness.
not sure what you mean by "The masses use this ideology frequently to control the communicator." ?
Who are "the masses"? That is a term I have heard used by Marxists in a derogatory manner toward the people who don't understand them- or think they are wrong, which would be most of the sane people in the world.
How can "the masses" control a communicator by ignoring them? If that what you are saying?
Are passive resisters the same as or similar to passive aggressive people, but on a larger scale?
I use the term “the masses” to refer to the ordinary or common people, particularly on the internet—the great majority of the population. It encompasses everyday individuals, often emphasizing the normative thought of readers/viewers.
The term “Passive Resisters” depicts individuals who use passivity of silence to punish communicators, while leaving them with a “feeling” of nobody cares. Martin, you are obviously NOT one of them. And…I deeply appreciate that.
When an individual is communicating with someone and this someone does not respond but stares at you in silence, it controls the communicator by silencing them. Thus, closing the loop of communication becomes mute - literally. In this manner of misconduct, the recipient uses silence as an act of control, if not revenge.
I doubt the masses have any particular motivation, other than trying to keep their head above water. As Christ said "forgive them for they don't know what they are doing."
I don't get much response from my readers, but I feel that I am putting something out that is true, and that is a great honour to know the truth.
If anyone would like to comment and discuss what I have put up then I am more than willing to discuss any points with them, but I am limited in time, as are all of us.
There is so much information that it takes forever just to look at the list of emails that I have, I assume others are the same. I am not on farcebook, X, or any other sites, they just waste too much time.
It is therefore a great honour if anyone responds with any depth to what I have said, but if not then that's ok, God will direct them to him how he wishes.
I have some truth and I feel I must do something with it, that is all I can do.
Keep doing what you are doing Stephen, God will direct you as he wants, and often what he wants us to do is to wait patiently and see the salvation of the Lord.
Well said, Martin. Thank you for taking the time to dialogue this issue with me.
Thanks Stephen,
I was wondering if I I could ask you if you would look at the last two posts I have put up and give me your comments?
They are very controversial, yet nobody has given me any in depth comments to date.
Cheers for now
Martin
Just wanted to let you both know my SUBSTACK was glitching yesterday and firstly didn't display my comments, then at some point did, then deleted them?? I have no idea what your responses were. Don't know what is going on with it and just wanted to explain, as it wasn't through my own volition or anything I did.
Thanks H, computers are great when they work, but are a big frustration when they don't- often they are waste of time no matter if they work or not!!
Have a nice day, spend it in the garden where God put us originally!
Amen! Thank you
OK, Hephzibah, I'm not making the connection. What does the "Milgram experiment" and the "Stanford prison experiment" have to do with this topic. Were they commutation experiments?
There are four tactics using silence as a form of resistance – 1)silence to escape accountability and control; 2)silence to negotiate an alternative; 3)silence to reclaim independence; and 4)silence to retain power and authority. The Lord Jesus Christ King of Kings, Lord of Lords was silent before his accusers. Jesus would complete his purpose and be crucified. He would not respond to the evil men who had brought him there. Their time had passed for asking questions. He would remain silent, just as the prophets had foretold. The Israelites were well aware of the submissive nature of sheep. They had seen many sheep sheared for their wool or killed as sacrifices. Jesus, as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29), quietly submitted to His death.
John 10:17 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”
He did not try to stop those who opposed Him; He remained silent rather than defend Himself.
He was the Lamb of God, and as he went to be sacrificed, he would remain silent. He would not cry or beg for mercy. He would not seek to change Pilate’s mind by arguing with the accusers. The plan of God was in place—as evil as the plans of wicked men were, God would use it for His glorious and perfect purposes—to redeem a people for himself! The silence of Jesus reminds us that silent suffering was necessary for Jesus. We are taught that sometimes being quiet takes more strength & courage than talking.
It is now our turn as Jesus' disciples to speak. To contend for the faith
that was once for all delivered to the saints. The Spirit will give us the words to speak boldly & never to deny or be ashamed of our Lord Jesus Christ. Thus, before our accusers & those who hate us, we testify about Christ. Before the noisy hostilities of the world, even if the world silences us with death. We then have the quiet confidence that the silence of Jesus Christ is far more powerful than all the rhetoric of the world. Who will return as the rightful sovereign King, Warrior Lion of the tribe of Judah to execute His justice, judgement vengeance and wrath of the Lamb.
Jude 14 It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones, 15 to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”.....
17 But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. 18 They said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.” 19 It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit. 20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. 22 And have mercy on those who doubt; 23 save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.
I agree that there is more than one reason for silence, and it could simply be needing time to think about what is said.
Christ showed us the example of remaining silent rather than answering back, which was both a powerful tool of controlling the situation, but also one of submitting to the authority at the time.
He did not always remain silent however, during much of his life he reviled and answered those who accused him and refused to succumb to their authority.
In the end he did allow himself to be killed in order to demonstrate to us how to endure unjust persecution when unable to escape from it. We will be tested to the limit to try us in the fire and determine if we love God with all our heart, mind and soul.
Jesus did not need to be tested to this limit, but demonstrated how we should react when we are. Thus he laid down his life for us, so that we who follow his life will also be able to (if necessary) follow his example in death.
Amen!
Agreed. Silence is the most powerful form of control. Jesus used silence fully knowing His opposition was incapable of understanding what was going on AND that they could not embrace Truth (Himself). Jesus knew that He must go to the suffer all what the authorities were about to dish out, then be crucified for the sake of redemption for all. Under such conditions, we are called to remain silent. However, my article addresses the individuals who USE silence as an act of passive revenge.
The social psychological dynamics that allowed some participants to heroically succeed (defiance through resistance & how this was done) in a situation in which most others fail & blindly obey unjust authority in delivering extreme levels of electric shock to an innocent "victim." (obedience) What features of resistance are common to both groups? Passive, silent, proactive or aggressive? How could successful resistance techniques be applied to real-world situations to challenge authoritarian abuses of power and empower potential victims?
Answers to questions about the detailed organization of social interaction in the experiments, in turn, could prove essential to ongoing attempts to explain why Milgram found what he found.
The Stanford Prison Experiment has become one of psychology's most dramatic illustrations of how good people can be transformed into perpetrators of evil, and healthy people can begin to experience pathological reactions and in turn respond with passive resistance through silence- traceable to situational forces.
I think it would be difficult to draw too many conclusions from these experiments, I have seen the films and I am not convinced that those giving the shocks always believed they were real shocks.
Certainly it shows people are willing to obey orders but were not willing to think for themselves if what they were doing was moral or true.
Just wanted to let you both know my SUBSTACK was glitching yesterday and firstly didn't display my comments, then at some point did, then deleted them?? I have no idea what your responses were. Don't know what is going on with it and just wanted to explain, as it wasn't through my own volition or anything I did.
Hephzibah, Sustack's algorithms have limitation. If your comments are too lengthy, glitches will occur. Short and concise "blasts" work best on this platform. Something to think about.