Hi Grunt
I have butted heads with Kent a few times. Usually half in fun when he would make some remark about the USA, that was, OF COURSE, wrong. I don't like the way he insults people.
It seems the Americans are a bit more emotional about anyone making fun of their country than is normal here in Scandinavia. OF COURSE some people will be offended, no matter what you say - but what I usually write about the US and the US systems of things isn't an insult at all.
We have to be careful we don't feel so much of importance we're starting to talk in capital letters, saying Sir to ourselves. No offence intended. I do admit my sense of humor is different than many, especcially in the US. (Normally it works just fine in Australia and England. I've noticed Canadians also subscribe to some of the more direct kind of humor.)
Anyway, try to figure out if my "rude attacks" on Gods Own Country isn't meant to be a bit humoristic. You see, Grunt - I've got many friends in the US as time goes by.
I think the rule we should follow is that we talk to one another just like we would face to face. Most of us are not so rude as to say "you are stupid" to someone face to face. Yet here many feel free to do so.
Well, again there is differences between countries and places. In principle I agree full-heartedly with your saying, but fact is we CAN say that to a person in Norway without riscing being shot at! We CAN roll down our car-window when an asshole don't drive at a green light and tell him he's a blind asshole without riscing our lives.
Naturally, there is a big difference online. We don't se the others facial expression, and we can't read the body language. I've always said it's not what I say that's important - it's HOW I SAY IT! And in that, facial expression and body language, the tone of the voice - everything do play a part for the other to interpret what I actually say.
Online, a person can only READ what is being said, and even thoug I read and write English, it's a lot of words I don't know, a lot of expressions that may seem OK for me - that others choose to take offence from, and so on.
Again - it would be a good idea to try to see what a person is actually trying to say - not HOW he says it. Not everyone here has English as their first language.
As for insults; I agree I can be insulting - on purpose. But honestly, is it me that STARTS that thing? I guess you will find I'm not a guy to turn the other cheek, and I answer in the spirit of the accusations or attacks directed at me.
Some people are simply too stupid to answer at all, and as a result you will find there is a few people on this board I usually never answer. Simply because it's absolutely in vain, they will just answer with personal attacks, avoiding the subject, throw in Red Herrings, start discussing something totally different in the thread, and so on.
But fact is I can be insulting. The only thing I ask is to see if I'm the one starting it all, because I believe you will find that seldom is the fact. I'm not perfect, far from it. But I do have an advantage here - I haven't any personal prestige invested in anything! I'm a hard man to offend, since I choose NOT to be offended - and I honestly don't think anyone on this board could actually manage to make me real mad - no matter how hard they tried.
You need to know me extremely well to manage that - and not many people do.
Th accusations of me being "bitter" pops up every now and then; usually from JWs which are pissed off by The Watchtower Observer. The ones accusing me of such nonsense have their head filled with Watchtower-ideas, and they still subscribe to Watchtower "values".
The idiotic idea of "unity" - never to "offend" anyone. Unidirection (is that the word)isn't the same as "unity" - and to take offence by order from all and everything that doesn't fit into the ideas of a cult is stupidity.
So, I guess these idiotic and unfounded accusations and claims will pop up from Watchtower-drones over and over. And from people who BELIEVE they're out - but who have their mind-set geared towards the Watchtower "morals" and their black and white thinking.
Else, I enjoyed your post.
Yakki Da
Kent
"The only difference between a fool and the JW legal department is that a fool might be sympathetic ."
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