Thanks and Goodbye

by brotherdan 89 Replies latest jw friends

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  brotherdan

  I really do appreciate all the help you guys have given me in this process. But it's time for me to leave. It was time for me to leave the WT (at least in my mind) when it became damaging to me. This site has also become damaging.

  I like being around happy people that love life. IMO, the site has degenerated into a place where everyone can go to complain, hate, and tear down faith of any type. I respect the beliefs of all of you. However, when the conversations degrade into attacks against the God that I love and know, I cannot partake in the conversation anymore.

  I know that many of you feel that this is a place where you can help JWs come to Christ. But maybe I am not strong enough for that. The last couple of months I've come away from the site feeling drained and sad. I don't want that in my life. I don't want to hear about God being a disgusting killer that approves of rape, child killing, and every other horrible thing that man has dreamt up.

  Did man create God? Or did God create man?

  This is officially goodbye.
• 

  BurnTheShips

  Hi Brotherdan, go if you wish, but many, if not all, of us will miss you. I have enjoyed your presence on this board.

  I find that being exposed to the criticism has been good for me. I have been here for years, and have participated in many discussions with critics of my faith. It has made me analyze it more fully, and understand it better.

  I find that if you have a strong faith, you will not be torn down. Your faith will be strengthened.

  Let those that dislike God attack him if they wish, they sometimes do it out of ignorance. They aren't attacking you. Don't take it personally. God can look after Himself.

  BTS
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  Darth plaugeis

  I wish I got to know you better Dan.

  I will miss you my Friend!

  PM me anytime! Bye Dude!
• 

  Satanus

  Most people that post goodbye threads come back. Whatever your case, you gotta do what you gotta do. You have your path.

  S
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  mamalove

  Sorry you have a bad taste in your mouth to this site. I hope that some of it is still good in your eyes and not all negative. Some threads and posters stick out more than others, but hopefully as time goes on you will not feel so upset and will remember how much SOOO many people have reached out to you, and were heartbroken over your situation. I was touched how many folks were taking a special interest in you. I hope you find some comfort in that eventually. Its not fun to hold onto the negative. Best of everything to you!!
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  whereami

  Come on Dan. No one wants to see you leave my friend. I hear what you're saying regarding your faith being under constant attack. We are all at different points in our lives my friend.

  I'm sure some that don't believe in what YOU do feel the same way sometimes when listening to people of faith constantly belittle their lack of faith. Litening to people say that we're satan's children and are all going to fry doesn't sound too nice either.

  Maybe taking a break might help, but please come back. We all can learn from each other.
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  VampireDCLXV

  I'm sorry to hear that, Dan. I understand your frustration at those who are so militantly anti-god that they don't stop to think about who they're hurting. Disagreement is one thing BUT vicious mockery is another. There's too much of THAT here. I myself try to stay out of threads that can be potentially explosive unless I'm fired up to make a valid point. Perhaps you can try the same? I hope you'll PM me with some other type of contact info before you're gone for good. Can you do that for me, please?

  Take care, friend...

  V665
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  james_woods

  There were religious differences here, (with Brotherdan) but I have to disagree that everyone here is angry, or that the site is "full of angry people" -

  For a simple example, look at the thread about MsDucky's surgery.

  That to me tells a lot more about the general character of people here than some religious ideology.
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  Markfromcali

  Brotherdan, I certainly support your freedom to come or go from this site or anything else. On a forum this size it is just practical to be selective since it's just too big to read everything anyway, and you're going to get a big mix of people. More specifically, it's clear to me that people don't realize that communication online has both an amplifying effect as well as a tendency to view things in reductionistic terms, and that certainly doesn't help people relate socially.

  Frankly I don't believe that there's much wisdom in the crowd, you may get ideas and interesting individuals from the mix occasionally but collectively not so much - which just means you have to be selective. In the bigger context of the web itself, perhaps another site may be more to your liking, even another JW related one say JWR for example.

  As a reminder, perhaps there are individuals here that you have enjoyed communicating with that you may want to stay in touch with. So on a practical note perhaps shoot them an PM about keeping in touch by email?
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  bohm

  Dan - Personally, I try to keep a divide between the "angels on pinhead"-discussion and the important stuff, and i hope i never offended you. Being confronted with conflicting world-views here has also gone under my skin from time to time, and i dont got your burden to carry.

  You got to choose your own path, i hope you look back at some point, if only to tell us that you tried faith, freed your mind and your wife and became a better person that way.