If someone treats me mean, it can be more effective not to treat them likewise. Easier said than done.
Jaffacake,
I understand where you're coming from in saying this. For the longest time when I first came on here, I just flew under the radar, always staying neutral and staying well away from anything argumentative.
As I got to feel a bit stronger in my position here, I began to voice my opinion in some of the testy areas. This (and I) have grown to what am today. In the topics that I have personal knowledge about, I tend to feel the most comfortable in my posting, but I stay away from the type of topics that include deep bible chronology (JCanon type of threads, LOL) because I usually don't have a clue about them OR how to prove or disprove them.
When it comes to personal attacks----or should I say unfair personal attacks at that---I bristle and have to say something. This most often means saying something biting to make the offending poster sit up and take notice. I try not to use profanity and vulgarity (but don't push me LOL) and get my point across.
I hate to go all "pollyanna" on here, but there is so much underlying negativity and seething hatred "out there" that I find it hurtful to see it carried out here on JWD. We are fighting so hard and trying to overcome so much in our own lives concerning our treatment by the WTS, it hardly makes sense to have ones come here and take potshots at others for no reason other than wanting to be hateful!
Posters like this deserve anything that gets thrown back at them...and more, IMO. I haven't yet learned how to reason with an unreasonable person......whether they are bigots or just plain mean-spirited only using this forum to display their "charms" and are not open to any reason.
Annie