Hi Kent,
Thanks for your post. I appreciate your comments, and I too am sorry if I misinterpreted them.
I also understand what you are saying about claims, and when it came to writing the back cover for my book, I had to balance claims with marketing. I did not say anything that wasn’t true on the book’s back cover. The fact is that if people would apply sound suggestions in their lives, they would have better lives. The difficulty for most people is actually applying sound counsel routinely in life. I too must fight to stay upbeat and remember the good things in life. In fact, I myself read my own book from time to time just to stay centered and balanced in my thinking.
But it is people, individuals—who make changes. Personal growth books simply provide a fertile environment for a person’s motivation to grow.
I do not claim to have received some kind of special gift from God in the self-growth department. What I wrote in my book was a combination of my own life-lessons, and many things I’ve read and applied in my life that worked. I present these life-lessons from my own perspective, and I have found that this is important. I have read the same things many times, but sometimes, the way it is the unique way the author presents the information that just strikes a chord of understanding within me. I hope that I may do the same for someone else by my unique presentation of lessons-learned.
Tallyman criticized the title of my book, “The Game Rules for Life.” But there is a reason why I chose that title. I wrote the book as I was coming out of the Borg and divorcing my alcoholic ex-wife. As an elder doing all I could do to help others, and after tearfully begging Jehovah for help, I just couldn’t understand why He was so silent and wouldn’t help me with my family. I kept asking Him, “What are the rules? If you will just tell me the game rules, then I can know what to do.” I thought I knew what the rules of the game were from being a Witness. But it wasn’t working.
So I got rid of the “rules” I had learned from the GB, and looked to the ones I had learned in life. Hence, the title of my book. It has been my intention for about a year to rename my book when I revise it in the future, because I have grown past the need for “rules.”
In my view you have to expect reactions like than when promoting the claims you do.With all due respect, I am still trying to figure out all these “claims” I’ve made. If you read the back of my book again, I have simply asked if people are hurting, and then add:
“The Game Rules for Life addresses these and many other critical areas of life. It takes a candid and fresh approach to many of life's most perplexing problems and stimulates you to discover sensible solutions. It shows you how to discover and implement your life-dream by creating a Plan for Living. In short, it shows you how to manage and minimize, if not eliminate life's problems and deliver greatness everyday.”
I didn’t said that “I” was going to solve their problems, because “I” can’t. Only they can. However, perhaps I can provoke them to thought about their life. This is my whole purpose.
I also understand that when you put yourself “out there” with a book, you are subject to criticism. As I have previously said, some people will love you and some will people hate you. I am willing to risk being criticized, and have been before. But these people really do not know me, who I am, or what I’m all about. So I chalk it up to lack of understanding and anger on their part. It’s their stuff, not my stuff. But at the same time, I feel for them.
You are correct about all the attacks here on the board. I know that I have done some attacking, but usually when some other person attacked another. I have refrained from attacks in recent months, and just don’t feel the need anymore. I have never been so vilely criticized by anyone in the way the Tallyman did.
It simply happened because Tracy has a link to my website in her profile. There is nothing wrong with this, nor is it prohibited by policy (to my knowledge). Many ex-JW's have visited my sites, and have written to me expressing their appreciation.
To my best recall, I don’t believe that I have ever had an argument with Tallyman, and certainly not on the thread he was on. So for him to single me out was unprovoked BY ME. To think that I provoked him simply because I wrote a book, is not reasonable. He was simply lashing out at Tracy. But Tracy is not me, and I am not Tracy. We are separate individuals. Therefore, it was wrong of Tallyman to attack me because he had a disagreement with Tracy.
I understand why there is so much anger here. We have all been hurt so deeply. And sometimes, that anger vents in the wrong place.
I am also sorry that you are having difficulty staying afloat. Believe me, I know all too well what that is like. I sincerely hope things improve for you.
Any rate, thanks for your comments, and I again apologize if I misread them. I wish you all my best.
Doug
FreePeace
"The World is my country, and to do good, my religion." --Thomas Paine
TruthQuest: http://beam.to/truthquest
Who Am I? -How to Reinvent Yourself After Leaving the WTS