Peggy.
The only common bond we all share here is our experience as a JW. Everything out side of that is how that experience influences us as we try to figure out who we actually are as individuals. Depending on things such as our age, location, maturity level, gender, emotional stability, marital status, length of time out of the religion and on and on, will determine how we view any given subject matter posted on this board. The responses to any given subject is as diverse as the people responding. As a JW we were all programed to think alike. As exJW's we are not.
We tend to see ourselves in threads like the one you mentioned and the level of compassion, understanding, frustration, anger, ridicule or embarrassment shown in our responses is largely dependent on our level of identifying that person within ourselves. Some who are fresh out are still angry about being lied to and manipulated. Reading the blind faith ranting of someone who is still in and blinded to the fact that they are being mentally manipulated by 12 senile old men in Brooklyn stirs a wide variety of emotions in those reading his comments. Those who you see as making fun of this guy are actually making fun of themselves. It's a natural beginning process of healing and growth. Each and every one of us has at one time smacked ourselves up side our heads and asked ourselves "what in the hell was I thinking."
The truth is none of us were thinking, we were just responding as we were programed to respond. When you spend a good portion of your life responding as opposed to thinking, some of the more compassionate aspects of independent thinking takes a while to develop. I told you in your first thread, because of some of your comments, that you were above normal in your insights for someone who just come to the board. Possibly now you might begin to understand my comment.
Unlike the rank and file JW who is programed to think alike, respond alike, feel alike, and hide your true feelings alike, we are all trying to figure things out for ourselves. The hard part in doing that is, in the process, we are trying to figure out who the hell we, as an individual, are. We were not allowed or encouraged to do a lot of self examination or independent thinking as a JW. Depending on some of the issues I mentioned previously, they will influence how we respond to most things here. Someone who makes fun of the guy, his website, and his comments today, may view it differently a few months or years down the road.
As for now, we are all at different levels of growth, healing and understanding. I think you are sharp enough to understand and appreciate that. Some who eventually come here for healing and understanding end up doing more in the way of giving than receiving. You just may be one of them.
Take care,
Dave
