Posted by AF [AF] on November 09, 1999 at 23:40:57 {4Hfg918T5g1EwaxRomAMdaOt1gg/Zk}:
In Reply to: *********Apology posted by Friend on November 09, 1999 at 21:09:18:
:: I think you don't even know what you're talking about anymore. Just what do you think I'm doing?
: I think you have talked yourself in circles on this thread to the point that you have confused yourself about this issue between us.
"This issue" meaning my arrogance. I'll have to give this one a bit of thought.
: ... But I do take umbrage at you holding your own conclusions of that genuineness (or not) above other’s conclusions. In so doing you show horrible disrespect to the maturity of other participants here. There are words for that particular habit.
On this I will agree. Of course I hold my conclusions above others' conclusions. Otherwise I would hold their conclusions.
It's interesting that we've now come full circle in arguing about this point. In the past I've argued that JWs were arrogant for teaching that only they could be true Christians or be saved. You've argued that they're not arrogant, but only hold to strong convictions. But now that I've held to strong convictions and stated that others' convictions are not worth as much as mine, you claim that that's arrogant and you even chastise me for it. Thus, you show yourself to hold two standards -- one for JWs, and another for everyone else. I've complained about this for years, but JWs inevitably claim No! No! No! just as you have done. You can see arrogance in me when I act in a certain way, but you can't see it in your religion when it does the same thing in a much bigger way. I assume you can see the extension to the so-called JW judicial system.
: You have asked how I would react to this as a judiciary. My answer is that if I am in doubt I would forgive. In this case I certainly doubt your notions of insincerity but I do respect your view. In that case I would favor forgiveness though I would not deny or disrespect your view.
You're waffling here. We have a very clear case of deliberate deception and an attempt to cover it up, along with an `apology' that even Richard Nixon would be embarassed about. The only way I'll be convinced that you're not waffling is if you explain why the points I quoted from the Flock book don't apply to this case.
: In short, between us, what you are doing is demonstrating arrogance. Please take that as coming from a friend. (Proverbs 27:6) I am not your enemy.
I appreciate your advice and hope you understand that I too am not your enemy. I also hope you understand that a good deal of what I've done here is to show by example that JWs don't like in individuals the very characteristics that they laud in the JW organization.
AF