I No Longer Post Because......

[simonzelotes]

Thanks,Laleo...

There you go again,asking the tough questions :)-->...They are questions I enjoy answering,but on the internet I tend to be more careful with my wording so it doesn't come out sounding real stupid,...for all to see,...day after day,week after week,until the thread ends up in the archives somewhere(I guess that's one difference between the internet and real-life)...

In thinking about what you,or Belle or MJ said,I realize I am interacting with genuine people here,who are posting their real thoughts and ideals,oftentimes,their most intimate one's...And believe it or not,I take that pretty seriously...If I seem overly cynical about the cultishness of this site,one need only look at the two-thousand-and-something posts below my handle to see that I am also wearing the shoe....

I think,when "cult" is used here the focus tends to be on the "controller",i.e.,TWI,whereas I tend to think more about the "controllees",myself included...Which goes back to what I said about learning more about myself...Laying aside the social aspect of GS for a minute,do you think whatever voids,or deficiencies,we had in our lives that caused us to whip out the checkbook and buy the way's product,even if it was merely a sense of belonging somewhere,are still lurking somewhere in our beings that caused us to join greasespot?...Even if Pawtucket doesn't require us to put 'God' at the top of our posts,or to post daily,do we still require ourselves to belong to a group,even if it's a much less demanding group?

As far as weighing real-life gathering places with here,the sex is definitely better in real-life.....Wait-I didn't just say that,did I?...Well,I didn't mean to...

This place,or any other forum,for that matter,can quite easily become a crutch,and we can find our real-world social skills diminishing...Here,we can butt into any conversation of our choosing without saying "excuse me"...Why is it so much easier to be open with people we know so little about,other than maybe their handle,but we have such a difficult time getting past the small talk with people we interact with in real-life on a regular basis?...Is it because the people are better here,or does the limited mode of communication and the safety of our anonymity appropiate our living with our social 'hangups'?...When you think about it,the rewards are limited on a forum such as this...I mean,((((Laleo)))),((((Belle)))),((((Pawtucket)))),((((Simon))))is not quite the same as a real live group-hug :D-->....

I suppose there are times when a forum such as this is all the socializing we have room for...Then again,it isn't as though you've got an ex-wayfer living on every street corner either,to chat about things we chat about here,either...I'm wondering if all this is answering Moddishwasher's original question...

[markomalley]

I don't bother with the 'tacks forum too much anymore because it is a consistent rehash of the same things over and over again. GWB is the savior. GWB is the devil. Campaign 2004 is still running and will, I suspect, still run until January, 2009. Opinions are presented (on both sides) as facts. Facts are dismissed as opinion. After a couple of years, I know who the players are and what side they're on and, frankly, they believe what they believe and won't let anything get in the way of those beliefs. I don't need typing practice; I post in order to inform, persuade, or entertain...I don't post just to get my post count up. So why bother anymore?

As to the doctrinal forum, likewise, why bother? I have yet to see anybody's mind be changed through the debates on that forum. Arguing for arguing's sake is sometimes entertaining to read, but is a waste of time to prolong through my posts. There are trinitarians on this board, there are unitarians on this board, there are a-tarians on this board. I have yet to see one change their mind on their beliefs as the result of something posted on "doctrinal." So, again, why bother.

As to the prayer forum, I read and pray for folks. But putting a post on a thread that says "praying for you" just seems to be sort of superfluous to me. If a person who requests prayer actually gets some comfort from reading that Mark is praying for them, please let me know and I'll start putting "praying for you" posts on the threads there.

As to the "Open" and "About the Way" forums, if I have something to add that I believe will be constructive, I'll post. Otherwise, I just read.

The speed hasn't been that much of an issue for me, all in all. If its excessively slow, I leave it alone for a while. If the response time is good, I look. No big thing one way or the other.

And no I'm not POd at the moderators. I rarely, if ever, have any interaction with them on an administrative basis.

Hope the above is useful to somebody around here.

[laleo]

Hey, Simon, I appreciate your post. Thanks for taking the time to answer.

quote:

Do you think whatever voids,or deficiencies,we had in our lives . . . even if it was merely a sense of belonging somewhere,are still lurking somewhere in our beings that caused us to join greasespot?

That's a question I've asked myself too many times. Yes. Definitely yes. But that's one of the things I've liked about GreaseSpot -- being able to re-connect with that part of myself that I left behind at my last Twig fellowship, and (mostly) being okay with it, without shame or apology.

By the way, did you ever live in Indiana? Sometimes you remind me of someone I knew there.

[mj412]

quote:

Originally posted by laleo:

Hey, Simon, I appreciate your post. Thanks for taking the time to answer.

quote:

Do you think whatever voids,or deficiencies,we had in our lives . . . even if it was merely a sense of belonging somewhere,are still lurking somewhere in our beings that caused us to join greasespot?

That's a question I've asked myself too many times. Yes. Definitely yes. But that's one of the things I've liked about GreaseSpot -- being able to re-connect with that part of myself that I left behind at my last Twig fellowship, and (mostly) being okay with it, without shame or apology.

By the way, did you ever live in Indiana? Sometimes you remind me of someone I knew there.

WOW!!!

ME to!!!

some how I sit here thinking you know these are part of my own special group. ex twi or not.

you know what makes me different from the rest of the world sits here.

kind of freaky aint it?

[pawtucket]

Raf,

Unrelated.

[moony3424]

I try to move on with my life. I go to a good church, I work full time at a hospice (yes, THAT hospice in FL), and I go to school part-time. Come to think about it, I think a big reason that I don't post as much is that I'm too busy. :D-->

[Raf]

quote:

As to the doctrinal forum, likewise, why bother? I have yet to see anybody's mind be changed through the debates on that forum. Arguing for arguing's sake is sometimes entertaining to read, but is a waste of time to prolong through my posts. There are trinitarians on this board, there are unitarians on this board, there are a-tarians on this board. I have yet to see one change their mind on their beliefs as the result of something posted on "doctrinal." So, again, why bother.

Then you're missing out.

There are fantastic discussions going on about Biblical Universalism and salvation. And the discussions on dispensationalism are fantastic, too. I don't know how many minds are being changed, if any, but these are some of the best doctrinal dialogues we've had here in a long time.

Paw, thanks for answering.

[Tom Strange]

I come in every now and then though not nearly as often as I used to... it's nice to "connect" with people who have had similar experiences (or not so similar) and were in the same "cult" as I was...

...I work too much these days and this is a nice place to stop down... talk a little baseball, etc...

I haven't been down to the doctrinal section in a week or so... is it still "available" to join Laleo's new and improved church?

[simonzelotes]

quote:

Originally posted by laleo:

By the way, did you ever live in Indiana? Sometimes you remind me of someone I knew there.

No,Laleo,I am not John Lynn...

But I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night....

[markomalley]

quote:

Originally posted by Raf:

Then you're missing out.

There are fantastic discussions going on about Biblical Universalism and salvation. And the discussions on dispensationalism are fantastic, too. I don't know how many minds are being changed, if any, but these are some of the best doctrinal dialogues we've had here in a long time.

I understand and I do read the doctrinal forum from time to time, but have never felt like wading in there. But I do appreciate the invitation. May take you up on it at some point...

[ex10]

I don't post as much anymore because I changed jobs, and don't have internet access anymore like I used to. ;)-->

Plus, many of the old timers have disappeared. They happened to be the people I knew in a former life. :D-->

By the way, nice to see you laleo. I feel like we're old friends.

[laleo]

Thanks, ex10. Like you, I tend to look for specific people when I visit, and I miss them when they're not here.

Anyway, I'm glad you're around. If we ever meet, I know I'll recognize you immediately.

Congratulations on your new job. I hope you're enjoying it.

Tom: If I were half as witty as some of the others around here, I'd consider launching my new, improved church. As it is, I'll have to defer to those who are far more qualified than I. Like you, for instance. How about you stepping up to the plate?

Simon: --> :)--> (Just checking out the new smilies.)

[ex10]

The funny thing is, since I quit posting, I get way more emails and private messages from old friends who want to reconnect.

Thank gawd, I wasn't a jerk that nobody wants to talk to. :)--> I say that with the utmost humility. :D-->

Honestly, being an anonymous corps pedestrian, was way better than being an important somebody.

People still speak to me.

[outofdafog]

Okay this might sound wierd, but I come here just as I would a "support" group but not all the time. Actually in reading this thread, it made me ask myself "why I really come here". It can be just like a group that meets downtown face to face, except after a long day at work you don't have to get up and go out again. (showing my age) I guess face to face is always best, but with the new technology, it makes sense to use it for some good.

Having been on Waydale and Greasespot, my need to be comforted has changed to "hoping to comfort or help someone else" by sharing my experiences.

It's give and take for me. Hope that doesn't sound selfish

[outofdafog]

Please don't misunderstand.....I learn something new here almost every time I come. So I take alot away with me also.

[andreatheflorist]

I try to limit myself to when I could possibly have something important to say...or really feel the need. But for the twi 1 folks-maybe reading about that vs twi 2 or whatever it is now-well that could be helpful for those still in, or like myself ran into this when felt down depressed and wondered what had happened. I can not imagine what it is like to be "in" and reading this. I'm out for a long while, but was agast and agog over some things here...to still have to smile and collect the cash mail the blue envelope-jeez...so there. had an old computer-slowness??? I upgraded and can now read in color-so slowness?? not a probelm!

[Mod Kirk]

Thx again for everyones ideas. It helps us plan things when we know what people are thinking. Your thoughts and advice are welcome.

[Zixar]

There were many reasons I moved on. Many old friends had stopped posting, only to be replaced by new enemies. Arguments would start at the drop of a hat, the same people would choose up sides, and off we'd go. It just became more and more drama and less and less friendly company. With all the actual problems going on in my life, I just could not stomach subjecting myself to this needless stress.

But I'll always treasure the friends I made here. There are some truly wonderful folks here that have seen me through some very bad incidents in my life. (most recently Cindy! and Steve!, who've really helped sort some things through in my dissolving marriage.)

I don't wish anyone ill will here, and I'll stop by from time to time, but no, the GSC chapter of my life is pretty much closed.

God bless you all,

Zix

[Sudo]

Zix,

Good to see your font again. I didn't know you were having problems. A dissolving marriage must be one of the worst things to go through... right up there with death of close family. Maybe worse in some cases.

I'm hoping you handle it well. Good luck.

sudo

[laleo]

Ditto to everything Sudo said.

I'm glad you stopped in to explain. No wonder you'd been so cantankerous! ;)-->

I hope your visits become more frequent as things settle down in your life.

God bless you, too, Zix.

[Zixar]

Actually, most of this stuff happened after I left GSC, but it was building in the background. I just didn't see it until her enabling of her son's drug habit turned into lying to my face and a slide towards financial ruin.