I haven't seen as much fighting and name calling since I left the JW's. The only difference is you people say it to each other via the Internet in an open forum as oppose to behind closed doors as the JW do. This is one of the reasons I both like and dislike this board. This is real life in its ultimate uncensored glory. I have no tribe to call mine, you people are as close as it comes. I am not a JW and I am not a so called worldly person. Who I am in regard to the spiritual aspect of my life is an exJW, just as you all are. The best part about that is we have no rules to inprison our thoughts and beliefs, but we all came from the same place. We all have the same starting point, it makes us all different in the same way. It is a bond that seems to both love and hate it's parallelism.
In this last volley of personal thoughts you have all contributed in the joy and happiness of only two people on this board, You Know and Fred Hall. They are both kissing their green bibles and chanting the words "I told you so, Jehovah is the true god". You only reinforce the vehemence of the JW tool.
What are you fighting about, Kent and Comf hate the way Shelby calls herself a slave of Christ? Is that it? What a waste of intelligence by all three of you. Selby, Kent and Comf you all have passion, you all have your good points and you bad points. Is it so important that you have to make your individual thoughts stand out by dragging the others in the dirt? It's too bad, you all have so much you can contribute but I looks like you are all so wrapped up in saying it in a certain way that the message is completely lost in the presentation. What have you all gained? What have you all lost? What, if anything have you all learned?
Shelby,
don't think for a second that your words do not come across as vulgar to many on this board. You are not that stupid. You know exactly how many who have had the JW religion shoved down their throats will react to your comments no matter how sweet and caring you make them sound. As much as Kent's words are obvious in their vulgarity yours are no different when observed from the antonym perspective that many are reading them. In any other forum on the Internet your thoughts and the way express them would be taken in a completely different way. I find your posts pleasant in their presentation but offensive in the context to there intended targeted audience. You know how many feel on this board about not only what you say but how you say it. If you are attacked for that, don't act surprised that you will get some of the comments you have received. Those who believe in god will defend you, those who do not will attack you. This forum does not divide the believers and unbelievers, the belivers and unbelivers do. Please do not act as if the board does this and you will not be hurt by what is said to you. Your words cause as much of the digressive division on this board as Kent's do. If you really want to show love for those on this board you need to come to that realization and act accordantly. You say spirits speak to you, well good for you, just please realize that others have a very hard time believing that and trying to convince them they are without love in their hearts if they do not believe it is just wrong. You might want to think about the big picture and find a way to give your message in a more operative manner. After all, what is more important to you, your message or the way you present your message. You know your audience, now figure out the best way to address them that will be more effective than it is now. Look at what has resulted by your present presentation. Is this what you wanted?
Kent,
I have never written or responded to a single one of your post even though I have enjoyed what you have had to say in several of them. I have also noticed you have never responded to any of mine. I will say the same thing to you as I said to Shelby. What is more important, the message or the messenger? You have so much to give, you have such a passion for your mission. For such an intelligent man you can sure act like a moron at times. The intelligent part kicks butt, the moron part is just sad. Write it off to pain, write it off to anger, many here will understand exactly where you are coming from. If the real intent with your web site and the information you post there is to help, you degrade and impeach such information by your personal actions. It is hard for me to believe you have such passion for your cause that has done so much good and then you can turn around and take away its effectiveness with such childish posts as the one that spawn the hurt feelings of the last few days. I'm just wondering how many lurkers have decided that the JW religion must be right because of what they might have read here in the past day. It nullifies your hard work and message don't you think? Maybe you don't care, but I find that very hard to believe. Chew me out, tell me to fuck off, call me a whinny little baby, it doesn't effect me at all and I can take it. I'm just concerned with those who cannot. Are you?
Comf,
I'm sure there is a lot more to all this then I know so I can't make any comment's about it in regard to your participation. I am just surprised as hell at you. I guess I either do not know enough about your history with Shelby or I have the wrong idea about how great of a guy I thought you were. So what if Shelby uses other names. So what if she says the same thing over and over again. So does You Know and I can't wait until November and he doesn't post for several mounts. Is it all that important? Does it effect your life so much that you need to expose her for being not exactly who she thinks she is? You are better than that, you are smarter than that. What have you accomplished? Is your life better now, is she going to change who she is in the slightest because of your post? You must be going through a hard time right now and something has to be bugging you out side of this board. I don't know you real well but this seems out of character for you from what I have seen. But then again, I don't know you very well, just what I have seen in the chat room. Your resent post doesn't seem to have come from the same guy I use to chat with. Of course who am I to say, I'm just the court jester around here.
Prisca,
If you leave you do noting more then to show that vulgar language used to hurt and condemn is indeed a useful tool and it has authority to effect you. You succumb to its pseudonymous power and you show that when used as it has, it has effectiveness in it's intended purpose. Do you really want that? Do you think that by leaving this will all go away? Someone called you an asshole, so what. Did a cuss word typed in hypertext thousands of miles away from you effect you so much that you simply give up? Are you the whiner some have accused you of being? I don't think so, prove them wrong, stay and speak your piece like you have never spoken it before. Fight for your thoughts and beliefs, fight for those on this board who love you, fight for yourself. If you don't do it now, you might never lean to. This board is easy, it's noting in the big picture of your life, start here and learn how to use that strength in your convictions that are really important. Going away proves noting. If you like, stay but limit your posts only to the threads you are comfortable with. An old Zen master once said a thousand words are send in silence. He didn't say they were said in absence. You still believe in god, good for you sweetheart, I think it helps make the person you are, but it isn't the core of what makes up all of you. I don't know if I believe there is a god, I hope we can still be friends. I am a very spiritual person, I just don't know if I believe in god, If there is one, I think he will understand.
Tina,
You are such an enigma, so much love and so much hate all trying to balanced in the same wonderful heart. What's more beautiful, a flower or a spider? I guess it all depends on your perspective. I read your posts when they are a flower and I think you are quite a woman and you posses so much love and understanding. Then I read your posts and they are as a spider and I think you are quite a woman, you posses so much strength and ingenuity. The thing I see is you cannot see that love can also be strong or strength can also be loving. When the two exist in consonance there is no power to equal it.
You, sweetheart posses both strength and love in your comments. They sometimes just do not seem to inspire you at the same time. When they do, you will know and so will everyone else. Such an awesome power you have hiding inside of you. The passion in your heart exudes as much love as it does animosity. I think you are about as human as they come. I just hope your heart doesn't feel any real joy in Prisca saying she is leaving. If it does, I wonder what the real reason is. I think there might be a lot more to it then what I have seen. Probably on both parts. I like you both very much and can agree and disagree with both of you at the same time. As I have said before, it's all in the perspective one has while looking at any given subject, but sometimes it has noting to do with a subject, it's just the person.
Joelbear,
What in the hell are you here for?...............If you took a few seconds to think about this then maybe you can take those same reasons and apply them to a reason for staying. Don't you even think about leaving! You, my friend are not a coward, you have more to prove and help here than most. You are part of this board and if you leave you will do more damage then this little flame war ever could. You have become a big part of the solution, if you leave you will become part of the problem. You represent one of the biggest problems I had in my journey to become open-minded, caring, understanding, and accepting of others. If you leave this board, you leave not only your friends but your enemies. Your friends are easy, your enemies are the ones that will be effected by the loss of you loving comments and caring heart. You took this job, don't quit on this board now.
Simon,
This board is perfect the way it is. I have heard the story about how this board came about and how you had to endure many unpleasant experiences to not only put it up but also keep it up. If it was any different it would not have the character it has. The good the bad and the ugly are all a part of life. If you eliminate any one of them it will just not be the same. You have done a great job in letting this board be come itself. It does not judge, it does not discriminate, it just lets people be people. What a gift you have given us and I think you for it. If everyone thought the same way this board would be dull as hell. No one can learn unless they have something to learn, and on this board there are a lot of things to learn about people. Some may not be good, but without seeing the bad how does someone know what is good? There are many people on this board that allow one to gage themselves in regard to where they are in their own life and I learn from each and every one of them about my place on this universe. Some break my heart and some heal it. Thank you for just having it here, I for one appreciate it very much just as it is.
Dave