Good post Jgnat.
I for one don't mind confrontation, as a matter of fact I have instigated it on several occasions. I guess you can call me a hard core "apostate" for a lack of words. When the PO in my congregation told me that it was OK to lie as long as it wasn't malicious, I lost it. He then lied to me when he said that he and the CO would come over my house and look at the info I had on the Mexico/Malawi scandal. They never showed. After many months of not going to meetings, 2 elders cornered me at a gas station in town while I was pumping gas. That was a HUGE mistake on their part. In front of other patrons I let them have a piece of my mind. The PO still had no answer to my question as to why he and the CO never showed up. All they were concerned with was the fact that I was visiting so called Apostate websites. I have never in my life backed down to anybody. NEVER. and never will. I wish all disputes could be handled in public. Probably never will though. OH well, I'm out now and feel better than ever.
The Claw