Thought for the day

ozziepost

I just heard this statement in a sermon this morning and had to write it down:

"complaining and arguing is about selfishness"

The more I looked at the words, the more I wondered.

How about you? Any thoughts?

the_classicist

"Fate melts poverty and power like ice." -- Orff?, at least he made the music for it.

"Most powerful is he who has himself in his own power." -- Seneca

Oi! Greetings Ozzie and I hope my post finds you in good health. My only comment is that motive is everything, which IMO is a "good" way to consider those words for both parties. Otherwise you have some tosser telling you when you are being selfish whether it be in regard a complaint or an argument, and we have all been there.

Sincererly,

District Overbeer

Uzzah

A complaint in and of itself is usually based on self interest. A complaint with a suggestion for improvement however is constructive and infrequently self-motivated.
It isn't always about me!
Uzzah

inquirer

awesome!

Evanescence

"complaining and arguing is about selfishness"

I can't quite agree with that, what if you are complaining or arguing about how somebody else is treated eg. human/animal rights getting abused.
Complaining about you sibling getting something is selfishness.
Selfishness, is when you can only think about youself and what you want.
this is an interesting topic though, does make you think.
Btw, ozziepost, isn't it time for you to make another weekend thread? it is afterall sunday night
Evanescence *can't get out of the red sorry*

trevor

Sermons are dangerous things.

The Israelites were accused of complaining an murmuring as though they were selfish.

They were allegedly sold into slavery by God. Dragged of to the wilderness an for 40 years. Threatened with stoning for the most trivial of reasons and so on….

Sometimes when people complain it is to highlight behaviour of someone else whose selfishness is affecting them or others.

Then again there are a lot of moaners around who cause their own problems by complaining so much.

The answer my friend is blowing in the wind

mrsjones5

"Complaining" and "arguing" come from selfishness and lack of humility. We complain because we (vainly) think that we deserve better treatment, or a better position, or more recognition, or more compensation. Do you think that you are doing God a "favor" by serving Him? Do you think He needs you and your service? Note this: God does not need our service; rather, it is a great privilege that we would be called to serve the Creator of the universe, the Most High God.

http://www.scripturestudies.com/Vol3/C2/c2_nt.html

From a sermon I just found online.

Josie

jaffacake

It depends on the context. I do think that the more we think about ourselves, and our own needs, more than those of others, the more unhappy and depressed we can become.

BrendaCloutier

Yes, it depends on context:

When I set my 3rd husband down and listed my complaints about our marriage and said we needed a marriage counselor.... he failed to hear that I wasn't going to stick around unless he got up off his arse and worked on the marriage.

His response was that he didn't think our marriage was bad enough to get outside help.

My question was how bad does it have to get?

Selfish? Yes and no. I had a great deal vested in our relationship and I wanted to see it succeed. He didn't.