[bookworm]

Originally Posted by OBW

Now I have taken Don to task, both publicly and privately, concerning the appearance of disagreeing with another’s account (or “story”) because it is different from his own. My conclusion is that while there may have been a little of this in play, he was more concerned with the idea that some other account was being used to paint everything when he had an experience that did not match. Maybe his manner in taking exception was not the best at the time, but he was correct. If it was all as black as some were trying to say, why did any of us stay for even a few meetings? How could this kind of gross behavior be hidden from the new ones? The answer is because it was not the whole of the church or even of the people that we are dissecting.

Last, I note that this particular thread has, almost from its inception, been one of “calling others out” to answer for their sins. Even the one time that someone came along to try to bring some harmony to the thread by resurrecting it and apologizing for his part in the problem(s), it seems that it could not be allowed to happen and another hornet’s nest was stirred up to begin another lynching. It may have been entirely a happenstance ─I’m not saying it was intentional. But this thread seems cursed. It only seems to bring out the worst in so many of us.

OBW,

If one reads John Anderson's posts #1303 and 1304 on this thread it is apparent that he is appealing to Don to read for himself Jane Anderson's account so that he can see for himself that it does not paint it all "as black as some are trying to say." Don's reading The Thread of Gold would defuse much of the defensive attitude that he displays and that fosters the ideas that "lynching" as you say, is taking place on this thread.

You are free to take anyone to task--even Don R.--on this thread but I would say you are way out of line in labeling a thread "cursed."