Phoenix: I still do not have the feeling I was being hostile.
I don't pretend to know Washu. At all, in fact - yet I do know what his posts portray, and since I haven't anything else to go on, that is what I'm going on. You'll note I always accept the possibility of being wrong. Part of my 'quest' was to find out if others admit to that possibility, or that they truly believe their ideas to be 100% rock-solidly correct. If that is the case, then my description, which continues to be misread as an insult, is quite accurate and should be considered a compliment. (comparable to: "you have an unshakeable faith in God" - "Why yes I do, thanks")
Although my posts probably won't show it, I respect Washu's beliefs and ideas, as much as the next - again, if I understand them correctly. What probably sets me off and makes it all sound hostile may be the fact that his lines in many posts (even some who have no relation to this kind of subject at all) sound quite disrespectful of practically
any other belief. This is part of the strong-believer vs. the infidels syndrome. It just sounds like a kick in the teeth, albeit probably unintended. Even now, the arrogance of the Missions of old (intended or not, good-willed or not) is unsettling. Almost as much as the Jihad (in any of the more reasonable explanations, that is, otherwise it is a bit more than 'unsettling')
One thing that surprises me, is how often something has to be dragged into discussions when it is obvious that it will either have to be ignored, or result in disruption of the discussion. We are all prophets by nature, but we also have to deal with the fact that our answer will not satisfy others, and where our answer leads the thread away from what is desired for the community. (Arguably,
this is exactly where any self-respecting thread in CC wants to be)
I'll not deny that I am in this probably more of a hypocrite than I want to be (which is, at all
) - but so be it. I'm sorry for that, and I'll be more mindful of it in the future - this has been part of something I wished to try, but I'm afraid it's hard to explain. Even if I'd understand clearly enough to find the right words to describe it, I'm sure none of you could be bothered, so let's leave it at that.
It is obvious that at least my own reactions were predictable - that's the very reason I fight them - or let go of the subject, which is sometimes the same thing. I guarantee you that it will have been the last time though, human nature or no. I saw it as a continued exploration, but it apparantly ended up being an attack - that too is reason for me to take my distance in some cases, like I used to do before the summer of 2004. I have at least learned part of what I set out to learn, and I believe I haven't hurt anyone too badly in the process.
No-one has a need for hostility, whether intended or not - warn me if I do something similar later on. But be wary not to explain things as attacks, when they are neutral observations.
