[OBW]

I thank everyone for their comments. Even if they were not exactly what you might think I would be thankful for.

And this includes the one I received privately that said it was probably time to move on.

And while a couple sort of caught onto the main thrust of my dilemma, many did not get it, so I will be a little blunt.

This was, for me, both the asking an processing of questions that are different from, but related to, the questions that Unto asked about the forum just a few days ago. I had a reason to join up with these forums — first with the Bereans back in 2005, then this one when it opened at least partly in response to problems we were having with that initial forum.

The main thing it did for me was move my thinking away from any thought that I could ever go back there again. (No, no, no, no, NO!! I'll never go back anymore.) Every time I worked through something different, I realized a new entire arena in which Lee and the LRC were way off. And then that sense of "offness" began to transfer onto Nee. I'm still kinder to Nee. But he made the same kinds of errors — just not in as egregious a manner and with much less arrogance. But I can attest that he spoke with humble arrogance. (He was humble as he declared that God has showed him things that no one else had or could see.)

There was an interest in the kinds of willful control that Lee and his followers, the BBs, exerted upon the membership. But since my mind latches onto facts, logic, grammar, and so on, the more that we get into emotions and feelings, the more isolated from the mainstream of the discussions I become. Note how often the one or two posts that I make in one of those "I've got the goods on the bad behavior" threads is more on the theological issues on the side of it rather than the meat of the discussion.

And for me, there has been too little substantive discussion of the theological errors that gave way to so much outward unrighteousness and also to complacency in the membership. So many of the people who really want to go there are no longer here. I feel like a relic of a past era.

But more than that, my questions were for the collective consideration of everyone. Similar to Unto's questions, I sort of am asking, "what is your calling related to this forum? Why are you here?" There probably are not many bad answers. But for me, not every one of them is the same. And if few enough are here for the reasons I am, then my part becomes extremely limited, or destined to be seen as a kind of sniping and off-topic because that is not where the forum membership really wants to go.

Oh, I will probably never completely go away. I've said I was taking a break many times, going all the way back to 2008. And I always return.

But there is too much interest in picking on the posters we don't like. Bilbo, Harold, zeek. There were others before them. And I do not say that there is nothing to say about it. But too often we do just what some of them probably want, and that is to focus on them and their antics rather than the meaningful topics of the forum. So, as we lambaste them and get out our tar and feathers, they are winning the battle.

The key to winning against trolls and baiters is to not take the bait.

But even if we manage to act better, the nature of the forum is currently changed. And it is not sufficiently to my interest to remain strongly active. I like a lot of you. And a lot that have since gone.

But that one private encouragement to move on was not someone trying to get rid of me. They think that they have been through the same thing and it may just be that my time is winding down. My goal is not to have a bunch of people like me. My goal is to engage in issues of interest. And I must admit that the interest factor is fading.

I hope that things change to be whatever it is that is needed to reach those in the LRC that are curious about another perspective. Mine may be too blunt for them anyway. I belong in the group that takes them further down a path away from the LRC once they have changed their mind at least a little. My positions are a little too much like saying the "C" word all the time (without ever saying it). For those willing to sit an listen, I will provide the evidence for them. But for someone just daring to look into these forums, I might as well have said it.

So, without a large community of people taking all kinds of stances within this broad topic pool, I'm a little bit too much.

Oh, I'll see you more often than you see me, but I think that until something changes, I will be much more silent. If that is not enough for you, then draw me out.