Ex- I don't consider any site enemy territory- I haven't joined JW sites simply because I haven't felt like it. I'm trying to have a life on the side :)-->
Enemies? I guess I don't really care enough to have real enemies. Sure, there are people that annoy me, but I'd hardly consider anyone an enemy, particularly over the internet.
I'd seriously take a look at and consider WHO is calling whom "the enemy". I've looked at both sites. I've posted at one of them. (About the same as I post here, just senseless drivel!) Both sites are like this in that they have different characters that "live" there. Of course, the different sites have different tones... but I don't... well... I just think this whole thing has been blown way out of proportion...
I think of two things:
1) turn the other cheek... if the folks on "the offended" site wouldn't post things from or about things on the other site, this would all pass... they wouldn't have anything to post back about and they'd probably find something else to talk about.
2) let him who is without sin cast the first stone... I don't see how folks can complain about their posts being posted on another site and talked about when it's the very same thing they're doing.
Now... back to the "enemies" thing. I think it depends on how you post. There's a poster here, who is Christian, who has posted at both of the other sites and not met with any disrespect or slander. I think how you approach it has a lot to do with what you take away from it. If you go in there with a chip on your shoulder (either site or this one for that matter) someone is probably going to try and knock it off.
(number 2 wasn't meant to be an exact quote from the Bible, so please don't feel the need to come in and correct me if it's wrong... there's more important stuff going on, thanks)
AND IF ANYONE WANTS TO QUOTE THIS AT ANOTHER SITE, GO AHEAD. I DON'T CARE IF YOU DO.
Exie,,,,,,or should I call ya ExCathedra...ya wannna go snipe huntin in tha bluegrass then we can be friends according to some rules. But I promise not to cheat,,,,I'll give ya head start! OK!!!!!!....Yer friendly tour guide to tha bluegrass!
I can't speak for "us all." I can only speak for me. (I'll bet everyone else that makes up the you all is glad about that!!!!)
As for the current skirmishes between sites, I can only say this: No one from GS speaks for everyone on GS whether they're typing here or elsewhere; nor does any one person or group of people represent everyone else in any of the GS "subgroups" (i.e., Christians, non-Christians, not-sures, vegetarians, carnivores, whatever).
I agree w/ Tom the Strange but Delightful--the whole "us/them" thing has gotten out of hand, and from what little I've seen on the two other forums, passions have been running hot.
I've read comments from some of the ex-JW board members (not all of them, and not always) that seemed geared to fan the flames, and I've seen comments from the "oh my God they're evil--we must protect ourselves" camp who seem to have done the same.
I'd love to see a truce be called to let things cool off a bit, although I doubt that's gonna happen. If **I** ruled the world, all the people involved in this recent drama, on BOTH sites, would quit running back and forth backbiting each other. But I can't even rule my dog and cat, so my ruling anything is pretty much out. :P-->
Here's another thought: Everything is magnified on the Internet--passions of the lovey-dovey kind and the hateful kind and the "I have a cause" kind. Maybe a better word is concentrated--undiluted by the real-life accountability and face-to-face contact that let us read people more clearly and react to them more like we would to someone next door or at work.
We were having a discussion on the LES site about cross posting. To have a meaningful conversation about it, an example was used. I was asked privately whether this was appropriate and decided that it was: no names were used, the example cited was an illustration, and the topic is entirely appropriate.
I don't recall anyone using the word "enemies" on my site. It could have. I've lost track of who has said what on which site. I know that I bristled immediately here on this site when the word "enemies" was used.
I don't consider anyone on any of the sites an "enemy". I am registered at LES, and have posted a few times, since I plan to abide by the rules, I don't anticipate any problems. As far as I know, I'm the token agnostic over there ;)-->
I am also registered and have posted at the ex-JW site. I just don't see any reason to be involved over there. It would not have occurred to me to even look at it if Refiner & Oz hadn't been here at GS.
There is talk about posters being "howled down" if they express unpopular views; I guess that beats being edited or banned, huh? The level of "discussions" is on par with a bunch of foul-mouthed junior high school kids. I'm not saying that places for that kind of "debate" shouldn't exist, just that I prefer to be involved in arguments where the merits of the opposing points are discussed, not the various opinions of a poster's parentage, sexuality or level of beauty/ugliness. Several who are involved take the approach that it's a haven of free speech; I guess...but can't you make your point without calling me a #@%&'n ^%$#@*&^?
Finally, several posters from GS have started posting at the ex-JW site. Some (not all) of these posters have been posting what I consider foul things about other GSers. Others have been cheering on verbal attacks against GSers. Some have been flat-out lying about GS policies and the behavior of moderators. Free speech, no interference...yeah, yeah, yeah. Have at it; they're not my enemies, but I'm not about to associate with them either.
littlehawk you're so funny. that was a funny right ? you give me a head start ? ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
quote:Here's another thought: Everything is magnified on the Internet--passions of the lovey-dovey kind and the hateful kind and the "I have a cause" kind. Maybe a better word is concentrated--undiluted by the real-life accountability and face-to-face contact that let us read people more clearly and react to them more like we would to someone next door or at work.
now that is something i've lost sight of. thank you linzee
i've just been trying to figure some things out, mostly about myself
but i won't be able to keep up with 3 discussion boards that's for sure :)--> plus i'm thinking of joining a gym (ballys in ohio ;)-->) ha ha ha ha ha ha just kidding. i want to punch something and really feel it more than cyberly ha ha - no i think it would be good for me
I have registered and posted a few times on the JW site, but, as Oak said, just out of mere curiosity and it was more along the lines of Tom's posts and only about TWI teachings.
I do plan to register at Raf's site, but have only had time to lurk a little so far. Like Oak, the conversation on the JW site did seem a bit juvenile and superficial for my taste. I use curse words occasionally, but only occasionally and when I'm really fired up about something. Perhaps the subjects are deeper and more substantial than they appear to me because of the amount of foul language used.
I was looking forward to starting to post here and getting to know everyone, but people seem to be getting overly emotional and offended at things that really don't seem to matter in the whole scheme of things. I hope that I'm not considered anyone's enemy because of where I go and what I say. I visit quite a few other boards, but this is the only one I ever spent a lot of time on (I was lurking, but I was here).
a lot of excultists were in their cults in junior high. they may have been waiting to express themselves their whole lives
i know you would never know this, but cussing doesn't bother me. i'm a lot more afraid of piety
but anyway to each his own.
when i was a kid i could never go into a confessional booth without bursting into giggles. if i HAVE to behave, i just can't seem to do it. talk about junior high :)-->
In fact, now that you mention it, I had been mentally keeping a list of things I wasn't supposed to do that I couldn't wait to do after getting outed and divorced from TWI. Cursing wasn't one of them, but I was in TWI II and it was expected. ;)-->
And I should mention that there are subjects on the JW board that are like the doctrinal topics....way over my pea sized brain's capability.
I confess, without giggling, that I have peeked at both "Little Bit of Heaven" and "Potty Mouth Haven." I think lots of folks are making way too much of what other people say.
The person who used the words "enemy territory" put them in quotes, indicating that he didn't mean it literally. All he meant was that Christians can't hide from the world but have to step out into "territory" that sometimes is (or seems to be) hostile. Heck, that's true of everybody.
Regarding the question, I can't think of anyone I consider an enemy, except sometimes a certain red-haired ex-Catholic, ex-TWI person.*
I don't consider anyone on any of the sites an "enemy". I am registered at LES, and have posted a few times, since I plan to abide by the rules, I don't anticipate any problems. As far as I know, I'm the token agnostic over there ;)-->
I am also registered and have posted at the ex-JW site. I just don't see any reason to be involved over there. It would not have occurred to me to even look at it if Refiner & Oz hadn't been here at GS.
There is talk about posters being "howled down" if they express unpopular views; I guess that beats being edited or banned, huh? The level of "discussions" is on par with a bunch of foul-mouthed junior high school kids. I'm not saying that places for that kind of "debate" shouldn't exist, just that I prefer to be involved in arguments where the merits of the opposing points are discussed, not the various opinions of a poster's parentage, sexuality or level of beauty/ugliness. Several who are involved take the approach that it's a haven of free speech; I guess...but can't you make your point without calling me a #@%&'n ^%$#@*&^?
Finally, several posters from GS have started posting at the ex-JW site. Some (not all) of these posters have been posting what I consider foul things about other GSers. Others have been cheering on verbal attacks against GSers. Some have been flat-out lying about GS policies and the behavior of moderators. Free speech, no interference...yeah, yeah, yeah. Have at it; they're not my enemies, but I'm not about to associate with them either.
....all of which, BTW,
is the more detailed version of what I said before.
I don't see any benefit in posting there or reading there,
and I don't have time to look into bad things someone MIGHT
be saying about me. Heck, I don't have time for all the things
I've been studying Celtic culture and spirituality for the last several years...the Oak is sacred to followers of certain pagan traditions, the spear is an emblem of Lugh, god of light and learning.
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ckeer
Ex- I don't consider any site enemy territory- I haven't joined JW sites simply because I haven't felt like it. I'm trying to have a life on the side
:)-->
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Zshot
Enemy territory???
I don't check out that many web sites. And, the ones I do go to, is because I want to.
Besides, sometimes, I think I spend too much time on the internet...
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Mister P-Mosh
Enemies? I guess I don't really care enough to have real enemies. Sure, there are people that annoy me, but I'd hardly consider anyone an enemy, particularly over the internet.
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Tom Strange
I'd seriously take a look at and consider WHO is calling whom "the enemy". I've looked at both sites. I've posted at one of them. (About the same as I post here, just senseless drivel!) Both sites are like this in that they have different characters that "live" there. Of course, the different sites have different tones... but I don't... well... I just think this whole thing has been blown way out of proportion...
I think of two things:
1) turn the other cheek... if the folks on "the offended" site wouldn't post things from or about things on the other site, this would all pass... they wouldn't have anything to post back about and they'd probably find something else to talk about.
2) let him who is without sin cast the first stone... I don't see how folks can complain about their posts being posted on another site and talked about when it's the very same thing they're doing.
Now... back to the "enemies" thing. I think it depends on how you post. There's a poster here, who is Christian, who has posted at both of the other sites and not met with any disrespect or slander. I think how you approach it has a lot to do with what you take away from it. If you go in there with a chip on your shoulder (either site or this one for that matter) someone is probably going to try and knock it off.
(number 2 wasn't meant to be an exact quote from the Bible, so please don't feel the need to come in and correct me if it's wrong... there's more important stuff going on, thanks)
AND IF ANYONE WANTS TO QUOTE THIS AT ANOTHER SITE, GO AHEAD. I DON'T CARE IF YOU DO.
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Littlehawk
Exie,,,,,,or should I call ya ExCathedra...ya wannna go snipe huntin in tha bluegrass then we can be friends according to some rules. But I promise not to cheat,,,,I'll give ya head start! OK!!!!!!....Yer friendly tour guide to tha bluegrass!
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Linda Z
Hi Exsie:
Nice to see ya.
:)-->
I can't speak for "us all." I can only speak for me. (I'll bet everyone else that makes up the you all is glad about that!!!!)
As for the current skirmishes between sites, I can only say this: No one from GS speaks for everyone on GS whether they're typing here or elsewhere; nor does any one person or group of people represent everyone else in any of the GS "subgroups" (i.e., Christians, non-Christians, not-sures, vegetarians, carnivores, whatever).
I agree w/ Tom the Strange but Delightful--the whole "us/them" thing has gotten out of hand, and from what little I've seen on the two other forums, passions have been running hot.
I've read comments from some of the ex-JW board members (not all of them, and not always) that seemed geared to fan the flames, and I've seen comments from the "oh my God they're evil--we must protect ourselves" camp who seem to have done the same.
I'd love to see a truce be called to let things cool off a bit, although I doubt that's gonna happen. If **I** ruled the world, all the people involved in this recent drama, on BOTH sites, would quit running back and forth backbiting each other. But I can't even rule my dog and cat, so my ruling anything is pretty much out.
:P-->
Here's another thought: Everything is magnified on the Internet--passions of the lovey-dovey kind and the hateful kind and the "I have a cause" kind. Maybe a better word is concentrated--undiluted by the real-life accountability and face-to-face contact that let us read people more clearly and react to them more like we would to someone next door or at work.
My 4 cents.
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Raf
We were having a discussion on the LES site about cross posting. To have a meaningful conversation about it, an example was used. I was asked privately whether this was appropriate and decided that it was: no names were used, the example cited was an illustration, and the topic is entirely appropriate.
I don't recall anyone using the word "enemies" on my site. It could have. I've lost track of who has said what on which site. I know that I bristled immediately here on this site when the word "enemies" was used.
I am now posting on all three sites.
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Raf
Upon further reading, I will now be mostly lurking on all three sites.
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Oakspear
I don't consider anyone on any of the sites an "enemy". I am registered at LES, and have posted a few times, since I plan to abide by the rules, I don't anticipate any problems. As far as I know, I'm the token agnostic over there
;)-->
I am also registered and have posted at the ex-JW site. I just don't see any reason to be involved over there. It would not have occurred to me to even look at it if Refiner & Oz hadn't been here at GS.
There is talk about posters being "howled down" if they express unpopular views; I guess that beats being edited or banned, huh? The level of "discussions" is on par with a bunch of foul-mouthed junior high school kids. I'm not saying that places for that kind of "debate" shouldn't exist, just that I prefer to be involved in arguments where the merits of the opposing points are discussed, not the various opinions of a poster's parentage, sexuality or level of beauty/ugliness. Several who are involved take the approach that it's a haven of free speech; I guess...but can't you make your point without calling me a #@%&'n ^%$#@*&^?
Finally, several posters from GS have started posting at the ex-JW site. Some (not all) of these posters have been posting what I consider foul things about other GSers. Others have been cheering on verbal attacks against GSers. Some have been flat-out lying about GS policies and the behavior of moderators. Free speech, no interference...yeah, yeah, yeah. Have at it; they're not my enemies, but I'm not about to associate with them either.
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excathedra
thanks for the replies
littlehawk you're so funny. that was a funny right ? you give me a head start ? ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
now that is something i've lost sight of. thank you linzeei've just been trying to figure some things out, mostly about myself
but i won't be able to keep up with 3 discussion boards that's for sure
:)--> plus i'm thinking of joining a gym (ballys in ohio 
;)-->) ha ha ha ha ha ha just kidding. i want to punch something and really feel it more than cyberly ha ha - no i think it would be good for me
.
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Belle
I have registered and posted a few times on the JW site, but, as Oak said, just out of mere curiosity and it was more along the lines of Tom's posts and only about TWI teachings.
I do plan to register at Raf's site, but have only had time to lurk a little so far. Like Oak, the conversation on the JW site did seem a bit juvenile and superficial for my taste. I use curse words occasionally, but only occasionally and when I'm really fired up about something. Perhaps the subjects are deeper and more substantial than they appear to me because of the amount of foul language used.
I was looking forward to starting to post here and getting to know everyone, but people seem to be getting overly emotional and offended at things that really don't seem to matter in the whole scheme of things. I hope that I'm not considered anyone's enemy because of where I go and what I say. I visit quite a few other boards, but this is the only one I ever spent a lot of time on (I was lurking, but I was here).
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excathedra
a lot of excultists were in their cults in junior high. they may have been waiting to express themselves their whole lives
i know you would never know this, but cussing doesn't bother me. i'm a lot more afraid of piety
but anyway to each his own.
when i was a kid i could never go into a confessional booth without bursting into giggles. if i HAVE to behave, i just can't seem to do it. talk about junior high
:)-->
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Belle
Point well taken ex. I didn't think of that.
In fact, now that you mention it, I had been mentally keeping a list of things I wasn't supposed to do that I couldn't wait to do after getting outed and divorced from TWI. Cursing wasn't one of them, but I was in TWI II and it was expected.
;)-->
And I should mention that there are subjects on the JW board that are like the doctrinal topics....way over my pea sized brain's capability.
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LG
I confess, without giggling, that I have peeked at both "Little Bit of Heaven" and "Potty Mouth Haven." I think lots of folks are making way too much of what other people say.
The person who used the words "enemy territory" put them in quotes, indicating that he didn't mean it literally. All he meant was that Christians can't hide from the world but have to step out into "territory" that sometimes is (or seems to be) hostile. Heck, that's true of everybody.
Regarding the question, I can't think of anyone I consider an enemy, except sometimes a certain red-haired ex-Catholic, ex-TWI person.*
*I'm talking about the guy in my mirror, ex.
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excathedra
ha ha ha ha ha long gone you got me there for a split second !!!!!
**
oh i thought enemy territory was hanging out with spiritually dark ones in order to help them but not let their darkness rub off
ps. good point about your only enemy. too true
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WordWolf
....all of which, BTW,
is the more detailed version of what I said before.
I don't see any benefit in posting there or reading there,
and I don't have time to look into bad things someone MIGHT
be saying about me. Heck, I don't have time for all the things
I can see a benefit in.
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Oakspear
Wordwolf:
Wow...I said something that was more detailed than you did
- I am humbled before thee, oh king of detailed explanations and rebuttals 
;)-->
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Tom Strange
Hey Oak... you never did explain how you came up with your name!
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Oakspear
I've been studying Celtic culture and spirituality for the last several years...the Oak is sacred to followers of certain pagan traditions, the spear is an emblem of Lugh, god of light and learning.
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Tom Strange
cool... thank you sir!
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dmiller
why -- the Adversary, of course.
;)-->
Next question should be --
"Who do you consider the adversary?"
-->
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