by smiddy 41 Replies latest jw friends
as soon as i see bible scriptures being banded about--i'm out. ive got enough crap in my life without adding to it.
i really couldnt give a toss what someone thinks some bible writer from 2000 or so years ago might have meant.
give me the ligtweight stuff anytime. cartoons very welcome--especially outlaw-----that guy is a genious
Heated debates upset me and I don't think either side convinces the other.
Some threads are like that . . . but there's the anger thing . . . maybe it too is part of the healing . . . getting that anger out. It's not ideal and sad when we have to inflict it on each other, but maybe it serves a purpose. Dunno . . . just suggesting.
perhaps because for many that have been here for some time feel the serious threads are just rehashing stuff they have dealt with or talked about...but it if thats so its good if they still chime in for newer ones looking for meatier stuff.
And i guess sometimes we are all fluffy!
Oz
I suppose it's possible that some threads are an outlet for anger and serve as a helpful release. Still, I steer clearof those- maybe others do too. I, too, am not ready to trade one religion for another so I stay away from Biblical and religious threads that offer no insight into the WT$
Too soon for politics as well. I avoid those too.
Having discovered this site just over a year ago I still find it interesting enough to visit on a daily basis.
I left the 'truth' with my wife over 40 years ago and apart from some early nasty arguments with family still in (though most have died off sorry to say) its been a long time since I found out how that religion has been progressing or regressing............I was astounded to learn how perverted shunning has become (used for all sorts of lame reasons), the splitting up of families, the continuing lack of education, the slowing of their conversion rate, the time wasted in service and perhaps most of all the ill treatment of the WTBTS's human resources.
It is obvious to me that many have simply wasted their lives being 'in'. I am also surprised that we have so many who are still witnesses who are on this site, still functioning as a witness............... for families sake.
One problem I have with any level of discussion is that it takes me too long to collect my thoughts and respond to a discussion. Too often I find myself the last one to post. Or I get caught up in a debate and fail to note that everyone has moved on......hello is anyone still reading this? Hello...................?
Subjects I like the least are Drunken rants about anything......don't drink/use pills and post. Mean spirited political debates especially mind numbing bullshit about Obama like birther crap etc.
We also have people who have posted for a decade and racked up thousands of posts who do not deserve their reputations......mean spirited or sound like the village idiot with their petty debates.
The 'Belivers' ,who have made up their own religions and love to cherry pick scripture are as lame as the JW's. It is obvious that they have arranged their beliefs to fit there comfort level.
The good stuff: Well thankfully there's plenty of that. I have been amazed at the number of wonderful discussion's, the kind that warm the heart and feed the mind. How many of these people I'd love to meet on a social basis.
The amount of research I've done to find answers to so many basic questions or concepts........... how like a tree the research becomes with one branch leading to another.
In general how much is shared, how open people can be, how much love, respect and consideration there is.
And of course how silly so many topics are. How intentionally funny some of the comments are....... For the most part it's all good.
You've used the word: "overlooked".
I'm not exactly sure how you are meaning to use it.
I'd look at "times viewed" before making a determination.
There are legitimate reasons for not commenting on a topic.
1.No open ended questions are posed; simply statements made
2.Topic provides information only and nothing need be added
3.Opinion piece doesn't challenge your own views
4.Person posting the Topic is too inflammatory
The Topics which ask the reader something about themselves are the most popular because they are inclusive.
The "rant" subjects have been done to death.
Look at your Subject on THIS topic.
What if you had titled it: ARE SERIOUS/IMPORTANT TOPICS BEING OVERLOOKED?
When the topic is telling, teaching, accusing, explaining, demonstrating, ranting, promoting etc. little room is left for response.
When the topic is asking, inviting, sharing, quizzical, mysterious, funny, personal, etc. the door is open a bit wider for the feelings and thoughts from the gang.
I think it is incumbent upon you as a poster to keep threads alive that you feel are serious. I give certain religious fruitcakes way too much airtime because I think what they are saying is important (just not they way they think it is). If you are tired of a certain style of posting or a certain topic etc. then you are capable of making a difference. Post on your important threads, resurrect threads you'd like to add to. If there is a poster who you think epitomises your viewpoint or your posting style - encourage them, comment on what they said and they'll likely say more. I personally find certain pictoral postings a real wind up when I'm in the middle of a debate so I rarely recognise them.
In short this board is what we want it to be and if - for example - you want more politness, be polite or want more bite and rumble, ditto and so on.
This isn't a church so you can contribute as you wish and everyone gets the ministers they want to listen to.
:)
P.S. I've started some deep and brilliant threads that have barely registered a flicker of interest. Am I bitter? Absolutely - you bunch of wasters :D hehe.
don't take it personally, some people here have an agenda/baggage
I started a thread that raised the same concerns a while ago. It has been approximately one year since I started here though it seems as though only three months have elapsed. My inital look at the forum startled me. Perhaps there were only two or three threads I cared about. The rest seemed superflous. I was attracted to the heavy threads involving doctrine and JW history b/c my family was in for decades. All these names I heard all through my childhood suddenly appeared again. No one in the outside world is consumed by Rutherford or Knorr.
I thought I wouldl visit two or three times. Something else happened. First, I think marketing the thread by making the title succint and "sexy" helps draw traffic. Catchier titles garner more posters. Some people use weak, weasal type titles and only if I am very bored do I read them which is sad b/c I've found some gems. I found that the heavy threads stirred up bad memories and I felt blue. One thing that concerns me is the viciousness here. The same crowd descends into nasty combat and the same crowd can be so uplifting. I don't have vast internet forum experience. This may be typical for a site that is not heavily moderated. I have a running feud and it troubles me greatly. Not responding should be the response to any slings or arrows but I just need to vent which does not excuse my actions. I deplore the nastiness in so many threads. Yet if someone needs help and it seems particularly if a child is threatened with death b/c of blood doctrine, members respond with information in lighting speed.
This is a tent type forum. There are what I would call very juvenile posts and posts with much informaton for a mature crowd. I would never endorse the entire forum. There is gold here for anyone's preference. Perhaps we vent so much b/c we never could in the Society.
I approach this forum in a casual manner. For some reason, I refuse to do research. My posts would be better if I composed them before publishing them. I don't want an academic or professional experience here. It is recreation for me. The rest of my life is spent among people similar to me. It is nice to be exposed to such a breadth of opinion. I don't think I've ever changed my opinion from reading a post. Perhaps I alter my opinion.
These are my observations after one year. If I have a problem now, it is with spending too much time here at the expense of other duties. I need to break the habit. Once you know some personalities, it becomes more interesting. My views of the forum have changed over time.
"Why is it that serious /important topics seem to be overlooked and fluffy inconsequential topics get all the attention"
Why do people choose to embrace fantasies, rather than deal with reality?
Evidently, it makes life a little more bearable.
