The reality is that no one gives a deep crap of what Recovery or anyone else believes
How sad that some people think this way. You've gotta speak for yourself (KS) and not for everyone here. I personally have come to change many things that I believe because of what people have written on this site. I respect the views of everyone (even atheist/agnostic arguments) even if I don't agree with them. Yes, I may want to prove my point and argue, but I still respect their right to believe or not believe. I may not come across that way sometimes, but I am a real person with real feelings on this side of the keyboard.
It's interesting, KS. Sometimes I feel like you speak like Recovery. You want to call everyone delusional and be insulting to everyone that has an opinion different than your own. I've seen it happen many times between you and many other posters. It gets into an insulting match of who can make the other feel worse about themselves or their beliefs. Why can't we tell people our opinion and respect their response without having to get insulting? If you have such a good case about what you are arguing, why can't you do it without comments that insult the others intelligence and make them feel like YOU are smart but THEY are delusional or stupid?
I know this wasn't about you. But it's something I've noticed about both you and Recovery.
Onddayillbefree: That was beautifully done. I wouldn't be able to be that eloquent at 3am!!! I think it illustrates and important point. And before someone thinks that I'm claiming to not be this way, I'm not claiming this. I have a lot to work on. But I also think that we should try to show love, respect, and understanding towards everyone that posts here.
I'm thinking right now about Oompa. Some of the things that we are feeling are very raw. Some that may have been out of the WT for a long time may have had those emotions fade and start to not watch how they say things anymore. But remember, there are some people that are still deeply confused and hurt by what the WT has done to them. We need to respect them and understand that they are going through things that we are not going through. They may be at the point of suicide. They may be at the point of turning to drugs or alcohol for some sort of comfort. And please remember something we say can deeply hurt another person here.
Obviously we can talk about things and have our own opinions and beliefs. But that should never bleed over into insulting others, disrespecting their views, and making them feel less worthy or even stupid.
I think about how sometimes we call other people delusional. I've been guilty of it. And others have too. That's a personal attack on someone and their beliefs. Can't we debate without having to cross over into the realm of personal attacks and insults?
I really think this should apply to current and believing JWs that post here too. We've all seen how people like Bane, Alice, Elephant, and Recovery have tried to insult us and what we came to believe was true and untrue. We should we do the same to them?
I believe that the ONLY way a JW is going to reasonably listen to the facts is if the facts are brought to them in a calm, loving, and reasonable way. We can do this whether we are Atheist, Christian, Islamic, Mormon, or Jehovah's Witness. We forget that today. We forget to show tolerance, love, and understanding when we feel so strongly about something. We get frustrated because of the beliefs that others hold that are different from our own. Sometimes this feeling is understandable as the OP pointed out. When we first get out of the WT, we are angry, bitter, confused, and resentful. But that SHOULD fade over time. And we should let a more tolerant and loving attitude shine, no matter who we are, what we believe, or what God we choose to worship.
