wow, d0rkyd00d!
[Less than a month and you're a Senior Member already!!
You oughta be proud!]
You said:
Unfortunately, most of the people on this earth can't help but retaliate to a
difference in opinion by using insults … This is a discussion board, not a
third grade classroom.
Dang, d00d! That about sums it up! It is an unfortunate truth. It's been
happening for a long time and is likely to continue--we just don't have to
play a part in it. I was wondering if anyone else here felt the same as I did. I
mean, Still can be a jerk, don't get me wrong, but you have to be above the
fray a little, you know? We're only kickin' around ideas and opinions here.
We ain't solving NOTHING.
You have a lot of wisdom for someone so young. I wish I had it when I was
your age, but I'm doing the best I can now. Keep heading in the direction
you're headed, d00d. As far as people calling me names, hell… these
people don't scare me. I know who I am and my opinion of me isn't about
to be shaped by strangers, even if we DO share a common past. I just think
they should stop and think before getting all emotional about a JW spouting
off on a JW board. What do they expect? I mean my goodness!
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Had Enough
First, as I said to d0rkyd00d above, Still can chafe the skin a little. I'm not
oblivious, okay? And I realize that not all attacked him. But I think too few
took into consideration two very fundamental facts:
1. He's new in the truth. He's Lee Elder 35 years ago. He's me back in
1975. You can't expect him to be on the same point of the learning curve,
but too few chose the high ground but respond to him in his language.
That's not very intelligent--understandable, but dumb. I know some tried to
point out some facts to him in a non-angry way but did they really
think they were going to make any headway? I mean really?
Secondly, this is a JW discussion board. It's like an online kingdom hall,
and people should try to restrain this freedom we have to say whatever we
wish, especially on a JW board. Yes we have the freedom to disagree with
whatever we please (as long as our anonymity remains intact!), but if we're
not toeing the party line, then we should be a bit more respectful of those
that are. In a Kingdom Hall would you stand and argue with the speaker
who said some of the things Still says?
To dorkydood you said:
HE started out with sarcasm, insults, attacks, holier-than-thou finger
pointing,and name-calling just to mention a few. Some of us even tried to
reason with him on some of his errors, but he came back with more sarcasm
and insults.
Did his behavior shock you? Did it take you completely by surprise? Had
you never witnessed such boorish attitudes from dubs before? Did it shock
you when the methods of posters to fling silly names at him JW-style met
with more of the same from him? If so, you should've known better. He's
the cock of the walk in the KH he goes to. He's 'reaching out' and the love
bomb has yet to wear off. Of course he doesn't know it yet but his situation
is like buying a stock after it has reached its peak and has begun it's
downward spiral. Most everyone knows something about the org. that he's
still clueless about. He has just discovered the wonderful bliss that is the
Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, a refuge from the big bad world were
there are no problems beyond the help of the Mouthpiece of God Himself.
And the Paradise Earth is just around the corner!! Give him time.
Sorry, but that kind of behaviour, in the name of following Jesus'
example is simply disgusting.
So, I wonder why so many responded to him in kind? Have we not
learned anything, or are we so entangled in past behaviors that we
are unable to see a better way?
It's not JUST a matter of having a different opinion than mine or someone
elses. It's the WAY it is pushed down our throats, like a bully in school
strutting around looking for someone to kick. THAT's not Christlike! That's
not helping a lost sheep back to the org.
Did he push his views down your throat? Hmm... I guess I missed that part.
So that's what those who jumped all over him reacted to. Right or wrong,
he does deserve to be corrected because of his attitude.
Did your correction of him "take"?
Even some humbly admitted (like myself) to having been snug and smug
in the truth ourselves at one time. But NEVER did I or as others said too,
go up to an apostate and sneer, push him around like a bully, or name-call
or act like a bully throwing stones just because they thought differently
that I did.
Let me put it this way: ex-JW groups sometimes have conventions and
meetings throughout the year. What would be the collective response to a
JW who arrived to disparage the "idiots" and the "nuts" and the "angry,
mentally ill" participants? He acts like a know-it-all JW on a JW site and
people get bent out of shape. Weird.
peace,
todd