by minimus 52 Replies latest jw friends
Minimus,
I totally agree that people on this board have feelings. Those who post with respect and tact will get the same in return from me. If they are boorish and rude I tend to take the gloves off. I am no one's doormat.
I try not to be cruel in any case.
JK
666, I'm with ya!
So are your feelings hurt minimus taht this thread has not got more replies
Para:
I understand that there is alot of bitterness, hurt feeling and uncaring individuals in the witnesses.
yep, this is why I have been fading...because of the hurtful actions of a few power hungry elders.
...ironically, I may step up my activity (aka meetings) a bit because the fade is snowballing and I dont want to hurt close friends who are also JW.
My loyalty is not to the Watchtower Corporation, it is to my close friends that I grew up with, shared experiences with. Not that long ago, my blinders were firmly on. So I try to have empathy and I do not want to hurt them. Thus my reason for not leaving JW completely. (call me a hypocrite, I dont give a damn...my feeling have been hurt so many times I have a scab the size of Texas...bring it on)
The same goes for people on this board. I have only met one person on JWD so far in real life, and that was when we were both attending the same congo regularly. And back then, as an elder, I said and did things then that were hurtful to that person....because at the time I thought it was the right thing to do. I have since apologized but that can never change the past.
We are all real people sitting in front of computers..with real minds and hearts and feelings...sometimes pouring out our hearts and hoping for a listening ear and a nonjudgemental attitued. I hope we keep that in mind, even for those trolls who try our patience....but some do cross the line of good JWD decorum (and our standards are pretty liberal here) and they should be shown the door (and the mods do a good job of that, thank you all for that)
SnakesInTheTower (of the "is not an assh*le, has feelings too" Sheep Class)
Good post Min.
I plead guilty on occasion. Though I generally try and keep in mind that these are real people on the recieving end of the post, I have gotten out of sorts at times. We do need to remember also, that many of the xjw's here are very isolated now, as a result of leaving the jw's. This might be the extent of 'community' that some of them have for long periods - especially right after leaving. They are vunerable, and experiencing a great deal of pain from leaving. The last thing they need is to be 'bashed' by unthoughtful posters.
Skin thickens with time and experience here, but still there have been times I have been hurt by callous comments, and perhaps have hurt others by mine.
Good advise. Little red dot or not, I hope I have not offended you.
Jeff
I agree with the guy behind the red dot,
I try to be my self on here, as obnoxious as that is, and am generally hard to offend anyways.
We had a bit of a broughhaha a bit ago about slurs against developmentally delayed persons by way of demonstration of Minimus' point.
Feelings were hurt, apologies were made.
I think it's true some folks are not being their natural selves, does anyone think wanderer really goes around talking like a WT article?
Others are really just being themselves when they might want to aim higher.
Whether in person or on the board, I doubt you could offend me, disgust me, make me pity you, yes.
Good post Min,
Roller
Very nice, Very nice Minimus! In the words of Borat! Mr. Flipper here. I agree we all have feelings and I also try to be considerate of those feelings insofar as the poster is not personally attacking unjustly others on this board. I feel we are all a sharer in common experiences we have had in being perhaps shafted from the organization. Minimus one way, Snakes another way, Jk666, just to name a few, but we all have our burdens we've had to carry. That being said we should understand that what might be an important issue to one person, might not be to another person, because they have not gone through it in a particular way. In other words, I believe in being diplomatic as possible and appreciating all the variety of experience that's being brought to this forum. I feel we are all kind of in a big community of ex-witnesses here so let's try to understand as well as help others. That's all, Peace out, Mr. Flipper
I try to be considerate of other peoples feelings when posting. I write it up, get it out me my system and if it will offend I delete it. Philip
...ironically, I may step up my activity (aka meetings) a bit because the fade is snowballing and I dont want to hurt close friends who are also JW.
My loyalty is not to the Watchtower Corporation, it is to my close friends that I grew up with, shared experiences with. Not that long ago, my blinders were firmly on. So I try to have empathy and I do not want to hurt them. Thus my reason for not leaving JW completely. (call me a hypocrite, I dont give a damn...my feeling have been hurt so many times I have a scab the size of Texas...bring it on)
This makes me so sad. To know that your close long time friends will throw you under the bus if they find out that you no longer believe as they do. I found it to hard to be with people that couldn't accept me for me.
lisa
An interesting related point, after my wife checked out the website yesterday I could tell it had her a bit down.
Later I commented on something she had done that I thought was quite clever and she retorted with:
"I guess I'm smarter than your average Jehovah's Witness" in a drawn out dopey voice.
It had never occurred to me how much we bash active witnesses just on the basis of their religion. I understand that there is alot of bitterness, hurt feeling and uncaring individuals in the witnesses. The leadership isn't looking out for their member's best interests and for the most part active witnesses are just misguided.
It doesn't make them stupid for belonging to a religion. Just misguided.
Para: I am really sorry that Bobbi was negatively impacted by her visit to JWD. I hope it will open up the lines of communication for you to share with her why it is that some people are so full of fury against the Witnesses. Try and turn this negative into a positive!
As for me, if I am not sure HOW to say something, then I tend not to post at all. When I do post, I tend to make quick little comments due to time constraints, not always taking time to include emoticons to clarify tone. As I do so, I wonder how they are coming across to any readers in cyber space. Hopefully, nothing has been abrasive, because that would really upset me. At the same time, I realize that by defending a Christian worldview, I am going to irritate those who think it is all hogwash...
