I'm in general agreement with you Amazing, especially on the subject of flame wars. While I detest ignorant name-calling I understand that it is hard to avoid. Most of us get angry now and then and are bound to get tangled up once in awhile in stupid flame wars. But most of us also come out of it none the worse for wear. I agree with the comment made about this being an "expert" or advanced site, as compared to a beginner level site. There are other places that beginners can visit to learn without so much interaction. Randy and Kent provide that type of site and they are very valuable. But at some point the beginner starts moving toward advanced thought processes and starts flexing their new-found brain muscles. At that point the person can go in hundreds of different ways. For some people, the knowledge gained at Freeminds or Observer is enough and they just continue to drink of the written words and thought provoking essays. For others it seems to be more necessary that they try out this thing called freedom of thought and venture into the scary and uncontrolled world of open discussion and argumentation.
I do not agree with some comments on this subject that imply that lurkers will be forever damaged if they come accross a petty argument and a filthy name-calling diatribe once in awhile. I believe in personal responsibilty. It is up to the one reading to make up their own minds as to the value in anything they read or witness in real life. And we must be able to deal with the bad and ugly along with the good and beautiful. Maybe some lurkers will be better off if they run back to their "momma" and unplug their brain. This freedom is not for everyone. It may be knoble to always have in your mind the mission of saving someone from this cult and always say things that you feel will lend support to that end. But, in reality, all people are responsible for themselves and many will choose to remain in their cults for their own reasons and will never grow. From the perspective of someone who has embraced their own freedoms and regularly excercises their own brain, this result is distasteful, even repugnant. Nevertheless, we cannot control what other people think and how they react, no matter how nice we speak or how logical our reasoning.
The real world is not so neat and tidy. I think we would do a diservice to any lurker should we all decide to present our opinions in a thoughtful and courteous manner because people are watching. That's not reality. Fact is, there are good people and bad people. Even good people say and do stupid things and bad people occasionally surprise you. Only in the cults is there this idea that some utopia can exist among humans and someday civility will evolve to be the dominant quality of every human being. Our personal views are just that, personal. That others do not share our values is a fact of life. That others will do worse than scream foul obcenities at us is a given. All who lurk here can eventully learn that this is the way of the real world and stop living in their fantasy world. Some lurkers will never get it. But all who share here are responsible for themselves and will decide what is or is not of value to them in their own search for whatever it is they are looking for.
While I share the sentiment that civility and noble presentation is of value, I will not share in suggesting that those who participate in ways not so easily labelled as honerable are somehow guilty of stealing the chance of lurkers to someday seperate themselves from cult of the WTS. I do not believe any of us are responsible for that, even though our presence here may be of help to some who are themselves inclined to begin using their own brains and hearts. That help is not ultimately coming from a body of people typing messages back and forth to one another, but rather from within the lurkers themselves.
Just my opinions. I respect your thoughts on this subject and find them valuable.
Sean
