Just a little Update...(with pictures)

by RichieRich 151 Replies latest jw friends

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  eclipse
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  Rosalee

  so bigwilly ... you admit to being a freak :)

  good for you ... that's half the battle ... carry on.

  "anything wrong with freaky people".... good one.

  BFD ...aka ... Will ... never mind ... you don't deserve my patience.
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  bisous

  bigW - I totally agree with much of your assessment. I can honestly say that looking at the RR picture made me a bit uncomfortable, even squirm a bit at first. But to me, that is a GREAT thing ... see, once that little prickle began ... it encouraged me to examine why? I went back and re-read some of the posts here, thought about and challenged my perception of things and what led to these perceptions. If I hadn't had that little frisson, I might have kept on scrolling.
  
  I guess that initial squirm led me to be judgemental of myself a bit. Because when it is all said and done, everyone's body belongs to them. Some of the points misanthropic made might be valid - but it is all situational. If we could all attempt to 'live and let live' ... according to our own personal mores ... we'd be better off. That's why the *tsk tsk brigade* is so irritating to me. Free your minds folks ...
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  kerj2leev

  What I think about is mainly Richie's age, he is young and the things he likes as far as the tattoo's and piercings may not fit with the person he is still becomming. It could affect his life in ways he has yet to see. I hope not but it could, that's the thing that worries me. I wouldn't want Richie to be affected later in life ~ be it his work or personal life based on things he did while he was young.
  * I wasn't going to comment on any of this, but I felt the need to since this topic is hitting pretty close to home with someone in my life. Tattoos and piercings can be removed through lazer or surgery but they are all extremely expensive, time consuming procedures. Although in time it will be gone, it kills me to see someone I know personally who has so much regret for these same choices made in his youth. I know not everyone who has such extreme body modifications will ever get to a point in their life where they regret them. Coming from the perspective of someone who has, it's very sad for me to see the emotional anguish attached to the choices he made before he knew who he really was. And that's all I want to say

  Well said!
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  coolhandluke

  the nature of freedom of expression is down to the individual. as long as your freedoms don't encroach on mine? party on. whatever Richie wants to do with his body is Richie's goddamned business. how quick people are to slap him on the back as you say and congratulate him when he makes stands for his religious freedom, sends pictures of flipping off in the mirror at the kingdom hall or happens to be with a stunning young woman. all of those are parts of his freedom. who are you to say that his reasons have to do with attention seeking or cuz his mommy didn't hug him enough. are you personal in real life friends with Richie? i doubt it. so i doubt very seriously that your judgements of him can hold any water. am i going to clip my tongue? nah. but if Richie wants to and he enjoys it, good on him.

  This is just a nonesensical tirade that has little to do with the issue at hand

  nonesensical? oh Nonsensical. Got it. I'll break it down Barney style for you (Barney is a big purple dinosaur that teaches rudimentary things to small children much as I'm about to do with you.)

  Lets get the major things out of the way. While being confused with BigWilly is a compliment it bears no credibility to the argument to insult either of us. And with that said I apologize for my initial anger in response to your post. You are correct in saying that it has no bearing in a civil conversation of dissimilar views.

  Your opinion in agreement with another's actions or not has no real bearing on the outcome of those actions unless they encroach on your own freedoms. Dissimilar views are truly the only way we learn. You never know just how you look through other peoples eyes. The reality though is that nothing you say is going to change what Richie does. He chose to leave his childhood religion at the protest of his parents and all that he knew. That was his choice. To those around him it was a poor one. But it was his choice. I understand that your viewpoint is from the perspective of someone older than him and perhaps wiser in some arenas. That changes not the fact that our lives are our own. Your opinion is yours to keep and his actions are his to keep. Such actions are not for all much as most personal decisions aren't. I choose to keep my tattoo's hidden. Richie doesn't. That is his choice. What I have learned about people in the past year is that it isn't anyone's place to change them or even attempt to. We can encourage, give our viewpoint and offer advice when asked. I do not recall his soliciting opinions of his actions or choices.

  I have a friend who is an alcoholic cutter. I love her. I'm not going to change the fact that she drinks. I don't condone it and when asked I have told her what I think. When she's around me she respects my opinions by not over drinking. When together I ask about her scars. They mark points in her life, like my tattoo's, like Richies body modifications. And I love her for who she is and not who I want her to be. Because behind all of her reasonings for what she does she is at basest level my friend, human and a genuinely good person. Humans cope with their pains, their struggles, their ideas in many different ways. Who are we to impose our consciences on them?

  If Richie came to my door to pick up my daughter for a date I'd be taken aback by his appearance but that would all disappear when he smiled, extended his hand and began speaking. The best girlfriend I have ever had was not the best looking one. And the best looking girlfriend I ever had was the worst one. It is down to the individual and what they possess in their souls not what is grafted onto their flesh that matters.

  "Sensical" enough for you?
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  BFD

  BFD ...aka ... Will ... never mind ... you don't deserve my patience.

  Dahlink,

  I would never play dirty like you JWs. Your identity is safe with me.

  BFD
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  bigwilly

  I guess that initial squirm led me to be judgemental of myself a bit.

  That's what we're working for Bis. Rather than roll with the judgmental part of ourselves, stop and ask why this bothers us. Self actualization is hard and most people avoid it at all cost.
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  bigwilly

  I'm housetrained and come with my own leash, collar and whip
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  Celia

  I didn' read all the answers to this post, but some have said things I agree with.

  Being the mom of a soon to be 18 y.o. wonderful kid, I would be devastated if he did some of

  the things Richie did to himself. I would still love him and support him, but being older and more

  experienced, I know these choices would hurt him sooner or later. And anything that hurts my kid hurts me too.

  I want him to be successful, happy, have a job he likes, friends that are supportive and trustworthy....

  Would he find all this with all the hardware on his face, the tattoes, the mangled tongue....

  I doubt it. You can say what you want about being tolerant about others' choices and look,

  society and bosses in general will not be so tolerant.
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  Crumpet

  Richie doesn't need me to fight his corner but to Rosalees statements about Richie's appearance being offputting - perhaps so - but it depends to whom. Some people are very put off by a man in a suit with a briefcase and a watchtower for instance. Personally I'd approach the person who looks like Richie or Big Willy if I needed help or was lost before I approached anyone else, because I feel comfortable with the "freaks" as you call us. And from experience I know them to usually be the kindest of human beings.

  And perhaps taking CHL's final words somewhat out of context, some of us graft our souls onto our skin as its the only way we can pull the pain that is inside out from us.