Quote:
Originally Posted by Drake
Igzy, there are two fallacies in this short opener.
First, an ad hominem attack is not determined whether it's true or not. Often it is.
Second, your experience of being afraid and taken captive is not transferable to others.
|
Simply speaking a tough word is not ad hominem. Ad hominem is attacking the person in a plainly below-the-belt way. I can be tough, I know. But it's important to me to be fair.
By your logic it is never appropriate to, for example, say someone is in denial. But you can't really think that because you just accused me of being in denial. So by your definition you made an ad hominem attack against me.
But I won't hide behind that, because I think it's more important to be honest and open and not hide behind claims of ad hominem attacks.
You said experiences weren't transferable. But your attitude since you came to this board is that your experience diminishes contradictory testimonies somehow, or at least makes it so you don't have to seriously consider them. Doesn't that imply your experience should transfer to others?
But I've admitted to having good experiences in the LCM. I seriously consider them. The issue, however, is not that good experiences don't happen there. The issue, at least for many here, is the over-abundance of bad experiences coupled with doctrinal claims which put pressure on people to not leave the movement, which are classic features of abusive groups.
You've read many testimonies of these bad experiences and had ample time to study major abuses such as what happened in the Great Lakes area, with Philip Lee, and so forth. Yet your reply has been to simply imply that "none of that happened around me" so you guess the stories can be brushed aside or even ignored.
What you see as frustrating hyper-negativity toward the LCM here is really the fruit of frustration of the way, over and over, you guys try to deflect and downplay real and serious stories of abuse. Which is what Ohio refers to in post #68.
Please forgive us, but it is disheartening when you talk to people who claim to have a corner on the truth who don't seem to know how to be fully honest. Why should anyone believe you have much to offer those seeking truth when you can't seem to be able to do that?
So, what am I supposed to do? Just say that kind of behavior makes sense? I don't think it does. Maybe in your world, but most of what I know about your world tells me that there is a lot of denial there. If that sounds ad hominem or irrelevant, I'm sorry. But I think bringing it up is necessary.
I'm here not because I want the LCM to end, but because I want the hurting to stop. If that's a failing I'll gladly own it.