In Reply to: Re: Thick Skin posted by Miguel on August 11, 2004 at 20:02:09:
There's really no need to apologize, but I appreciate the gesture. I should have been more clear, but I didn't intend to single you out. I've never had the sense from reading your various posts over the past few months that you were the sort of person I couldn't "talk" with here. Actually, your original comment about thick skin got me thinking, and that's a good thing. One reason why it got me thinking was the way in which you presented the idea. I didn't feel that you were being self-righteously condemnatory. Instead, you presented it half-jokingly, which softened the suggestion. It was the half-serious part of the suggestion, though, that I focused on and which led to this thread.
This is probably a good place to also clarify, in case I've given the wrong impression, that I have no problem discussing and debating with most people, on or off this site, who identify as christian. It is only a small (or maybe not so small) band of people on the extreme right of the christian spectrum that I seem to have a hard time with. There are probably several reasons for this.
It's my impression that I'm able to converse with the vast majority of people who post here, regardless of their personal beliefs. It's just the few who are so certain in their beliefs that they feel they must convince me that trouble me. It's that approach I react against because it reminds me so much of how TF operated. I would really like to be able to discuss more of my own journey here, as fraught with uncertainties as it is, but I've been very reluctant and cautious so far, taking baby steps. As I said, perhaps I'll eventually develop thicker skin in this regard, but it will take time. So in the end, Miguel, your suggestion was more helpful than hurtful. Thanks.