U/D,
Easy does it U/D! No one dislikes you personally, how can they, they do not even know you. It is the things that you write in your posts that are attracting hostility.
I love "spirited" discussion, but this is different. It feels like forum anarchy.
Maybe my new found "love" for my country (not the blind patriotic crap) and life coupled with the obvious animosity toward this love by some...well just bums me out. I don't like to rain on others parades...so why rain on mine.
If you want a quiet life, the thing to do is stay away from political threads or other areas in which people become emotionally invested. The reality is that if you stray onto those threads and make statements that have not benefited from research and are not based on fact your posts will draw attention. You must admit U/D that many of your statements are politically naieve, and when people focus on them you respond not with fact but with an. 'I can say what I like - I am not in the WTS any more - so stuff you!', attitude. In the real world, yes, you can say what you like, but it will be open you to the attentions of other people and you must be prepared for that.
The post JW world, and you have made it clear that you are newly exited, is not like a Kingdom Hall when any statement that is said with conviction, Bible in hand is believed. That is why the vigorous challenges in these sorts of threads are often very uncomfortable, but also part of our learning curve as we try to find out who we are and what we really believe. Until we exit the WTS we are people with half a mind, we must discover the other half. Often sitting back and learning is the best option for a while.
You may chose to accept or discard what I have written, that is your perogative. Please be aware that no one is 'out to get you'. Present information with evidence and reason and posters are much less likely to shred what you have to say. You are judged here by the contents of your posts and the political threads are a war zone in themselves. I have by and large kept out of them myself until the past couple of weeks as the fancy has taken me. But I do read them.
For example, you believe that the Bush Administration has done the correct thing in invading Iraq, but apart from the 'go kill those bastards' type of comment, you have never given us a reasoned post as to why you think they are right. That is what is expected in such threads. Sith in recent days, has been presenting his ideas with research attached and this has made them much more valuable than merely his opinion. So, he cuts and runs when cornered, but we can forgive him that.
So take it easy, breathe deeply and take a step back and look at all this in perspective. Who are we? A group of people finding our previously silenced social and political voice, stumbling into walls as we learn to walk, but growing stronger as we do. Of course, what we say will not make a blind bit of difference to anything out there, but it will make a difference to our own character.
So I am not going to apologize for upsetting you U/D, imho that would not be respectful to you. You have a right to your opinions, you have a right to express them, but be prepared to be challenged.
Best regards - HS
