Are we losing our way a bit at JWN?

by nicolaou 80 Replies latest forum suggestions

• 

  TD

  The flow of discussion here meanders back and forth like a river. It always has.

  The second Gulf War and the search of WMD's dominated discussion at one point. Now we rarely, if ever talk of it

  The man-hate here was thick enough at one point that I left. You would never know it now. Those people are long gone and discussions of gender issues have drifted towards what sometimes strikes me as "red-pill" lunacy.

  At one time, discussion was dominated by a number of very passionate liberal participants. Now we seem to have swung in a more conservative direction.
  

  There were heated discussions over the Trayvon Martin shooting and a couple of people I really liked got upset and left. We don't talk about it now, because tragic as it was, it is old news.

  If you don't like the "tone" here, give it time. It will change. Avoid discussions that are distasteful.

  Better yet, do as Cofty suggests and start a more positive topic.
  
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  Finkelstein

  What sparked up the latest brouhaha was the separating of children from their parents in detention at the US border crossing. Such a terrible thing to be empathically concerned about. Good grief
  

  It somehow became a fight between the right and the left political spectrum within the United States why ?

  Who knows.

  It should have been evaluated as a social humanitarian concern or debate.

  Either way the there is action being implemented to change this law to stop this practice out of the concern of the general public.
  
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  DesirousOfChange

  I made a post, probably at least a year ago now, that I thought the GB/WTS was being less "toxic" (not a quote) in their message, both in publications and conv talks & videos, etc. and it was reflected by less posts and comments on this board -- simply because there seems to be less to complain about or rally against. I think someone has "reigned them in" on saying things like "mentally diseased", "roasted hot dogs", etc.

  I also think the fact that this boards seems to have more comments of a political message board than a religious (JW) message board also confirms that. Some people just have to bitch about something, and there seems to be less to bitch about in the JW religion.
  

  JMHO
  
• 

  Simon

  What sparked up the latest brouhaha was the separating of children from their parents in detention at the US border crossing. Such a terrible thing to be empathically concerned about. Good grief

  That isn't really what ends up being debated, it's certainly not the focus of the topic as it's started - it's begun as a way for people to make accusations and throw mud, adding a few claims of racism and genocide along the way. What better cover than pretending you're concerned about "the children".

  It somehow became a fight between the right and the left political spectrum within the United States why ?

  Who knows.

  Well, we do know ... it's because it's started precisely to be a fight between the different political sides.

  It should have been evaluated as a social humanitarian concern or debate.

  If it had been framed / started with that intent, the discussion would be different. Really, if it was "WE have been separating kids at the border for the longest time regardless of who is in the WhiteHouse. Is it right? Is it necessary? Should we still do it?

  That way the discussion can be about the thing, not whether it is only a policy of a certain president or not.

  But when it's started as "Trump started this, is solely responsible for it and is a monster for doing this and so are all the people who don't object to it" then the natural response is for people to point out that the evidence is otherwise, that Obama did it more etc... and it becomes one side vs the other trying to cast blame and not really about the issue.

  In fact, people are so determined to cast the blame that even when people present the reasons that their own guy used to justify it, they refuse to accept it because doing so would admit the new guy is justified in doing it too - how can you have a discussion when people refuse to even base it in reality of historical facts?

  But of course the people starting topics like that are not doing it because they really have any concern about the people involved, they are solely focused on having an avenue to attack the current administration because they won't accept the outcome of the election.
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  OnTheWayOut

  I appreciate that we can speak our minds, unlike our inability to do so in the cult we escaped from.

  And the internet forums pretty much are the right place to debate. Anyone who isn't into Trump or Atheist debates can move to another thread. I just wish so many can not make it so personal in attacking differing views.

  When I say something strong against "belief," it'll be because someone was saying something strong for it. But I don't ever think I should belittle the person. Calling people stupid never helps.
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  jp1692

  OTWO: I just wish so many can not make it so personal in attacking differing views. ... I don't ever think I should belittle the person. Calling people stupid never helps.

  ^^^ THIS ^^^
  
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  Simon

  Finkelstein: if all you're going to do is start posting anti-trump messages on this of all topics, then you should not be surprised when they are removed. It's people like you who simply can't give it a rest that contribute to the issue - you don't post anything substantive or debatable, just effectively "Trump is a monster". We get it, you don't like Trump, you would prefer he wasn't President. But he is. You don't get to have the candidate or the party that you want in office all the time, and the current attitude that the sky is falling when that doesn't happen is not healthy.
• 

  cobweb

  When i come to this forum i select hottest and latest to structure what i see. This means that Politics gets included and tends to dominate which i don't like. I don't know if there is anything i can do about that - maybe someone could make a suggestion.

  On reddit i don't have this issue because subjects have their own discrete forum and so the xjw forum is used for xjw issues and if someone wants to talk about American politics then people will go to a more appropriate reddit.

  I certainly don't think there is any lack of jw news, a lot of it just never makes it here.
• 

  ThomasCovenant

  Cobweb,

  ''When i come to this forum i select hottest and latest to structure what i see. This means that Politics gets included and tends to dominate which i don't like. I don't know if there is anything i can do about that - maybe someone could make a suggestion.''

  Me too. And I don't sign in unless I want to post. So I rarely get to see/read anything under 'members only.'

  Any new visitors are unlikely to sign up and sign in straight away so are also unlikely to read anything members only. Maybe get anything political related moved to members only. But I don't know how practical that would be.
  
  
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  Giordano

  We get more political discussions because many Ex witnesses have replaced their old J.W. belief system in favor of a political system that feels most comfortable to them.

  Unfortunately being wed to one side of an issue leaves us wallowing in yet another form of tribalism ....there seems to me to be a lot of roiling under the surface of former JW's.

  Perhaps the most disturbing thing is the very JW lack of compassion for people who don't believe as they do.

  Asking questions or god forbid........... pointing out facts.......... causes the same anger.