Good thread first of all Jeff, one that has meat for us all to look in the "mirror". This is one that I am glad that you posted as I have felt this way for a long time, seen this here for a long time and it needs to be discussed.
I for one have only been here for about a year and I have seen the board and with it people change, or maybe better put, people have changed and the board is the reflection of it. I never came here because I needed help with getting over the witnesses, I came here to help anyone that I could to see the Biblical perspective of looking at things and not through mens teachings and eyes.
I for one see, with myself and others, if there is a Bible or God thread, see an attacking for ones faith many times, and the funny thing is everyone has faith, maybe not in God but they do have faith in something or someone.
We seem to go thru 'phases' here of 'I'm leaving because the board is changing' threads. There is certainly a microcosm of social-evolution involved with any structured community, and that evolution may create in certain people a need to 'move on' [though often they are back rather soon after].
I believe the board has helped many people and I have seen it about the leaving threads also, some do and never come back, I also see people begging or looking for that social acceptance that they are missing as the witness, the need to feel apart of something, a need to feel wanted and in my own perspective, feel that some have given up their own thought process, their beliefs in God and Christ, given up the "core" of themselves just to feel that need of acceptance and still looking for "someones" approval and still never getting it, men's approval means nothing, the same as it did when we were apart of an organization that fed off personalities, pats on the back, hey look at me I am doing more than you in the club. Time to look in the mirror, at ourselves, forget cyberland.
My assumption is though - in looking at the past threads and social environment here - that not much has really changed. There seems to be a flux of energetic change at times. Sometimes the board seems obsessed with a particular doctrinal matter. Other times it becomes more social in nature and almost seems to brush off certain doctrinal topics as 'old hat'. The focus seems to shift all over the XJW continuum of thought over time.
As Solomn said, "there is nothing new under the sun". The board has and will continue to change, for the better or not is up to each of us individually, when I look at the overall dynamics of the board. I would say we are self defeating, we are suppose to be here overall to help those who need help and let those struggling to leave realize that things taught and seen in the organization are wrong and that they are not "crazy". In looking at the boards overall theme, to me, it feeds right in to what the Society says about leaving the organization, "If you become an apostate, you will leave God, you will fall out of his grace, you will condemn the Bible, you will become worst than at first". I started a thread about "Hating God", not my call to judge but I started it because when I hear the comments and posts, the board to me is not a haven for ex or present witness to run to but rather exactly what the witnesses say when someone leaves their ranks. In my personal opinion and that is all it is, the overall air of the forum is one of Anti-God and a place that is self defeating in leaving the witness religion as a place that you want to stay away from and be built up. I find I am more depressed with the posts here than built up, just looking in the mirror and maybe my comments wont be accepted by most, but I have talked to others here in PM's and on the phone. We are hurting ourselves and others from coming here, not helping.
It seems to me that when we 'tire' of the board, that it is likely more that we have grown, or perhaps that we have refused to grow in some cases.
I see it could be both ways, but more of grown as seeing it as taking over your life with very little to offer after the initial couple of months or weeks here unless you want to make it in to a popularity contest, after while, Who are we really, What do I really stand for, Am I that weak that I was blown like a reed in the wind and have completely left all that I was either raised with or educated on, Am I that much in need of friends that I am willing in cyberland to give up everything that I once stood for????
So what do you think? Is the board too inflexible nowadays? Is it too social? Not enough meaty doctrinal discussions? And the bigger question then is begged:
I see it becoming more and more inflexible and growing towards a totally anti-God site that unless you want to be a part of it, change your thinking, your posts and who you are to fit in. Funny JWD, it is now more of a total social site that the silliest threads get the biggest responses and "meaty" subjects are either many times riducules or mocked. I may not be popular here, but I know what I stand for and I am the same here or in person, whether anyone likes me doesnt matter, I spent 22 years of my 46 trying to please people and I wont do it again, there are only two Persons that I care to please now no matter what.
What can you do to make this a better place to be for those that are here? Or is social evolution too strong to change the nature of the beast here?
I dont see it changing for the better, I see more and more cursing, more and more intolerance for God and the Bible and the funny thing is, one day, we were all a lover of God and the Bible, man screwed that up, not God, the beast is here and it is growing, the intolerance and poking fun at those who are here for what we ALL once enjoyed, loved, banked on, bet our lives on, is only going to worsen, as it does, this site will not be known as a haven for witnesses or ex-witnesses, but rather a place to stay away from, it will not surprise me, the organization will name this place by name to find if you want to totally leave God and not just become and apostate (very loosely used) but a complete agnostic or atheist.
I know that my comments will offend some, they are not meant to offend but just my observation with others but needed to be said. I am also not saying that ALL atheist here are rude or judgemental or crasp in their comments, just the overall air of where the board is heading and many time there already.
Respectfully and honestly, abr