Hey. I guess there are a bunch of terms that get all confused. Like how many people think of 'arguing' as involving angry people and hostile voices and name calling and crockery throwing... And many other people think of 'arguing' as formal debate / discussion that is helpful for clarifying what people believe and helpful for clarifying differences.

I think...

I'm used to having discussions where people say what they think. And sometimes there are links of agreement with what has gone before and sometimes there are points of disagreement with what has gone before. But that that is okay. You can disagree with something that someone has said while agreeing with something else that that person has said and still liking them a whole heap.

This isn't the only forum I do that on. I do that on the other forums too. I say what I think on the therapy board and the meds board and the personality disorders board etc etc. Sometimes that involves agreeing with aspects of what someone has said and sometimes it involves disagreeing with aspects of what someone has said.

I always try to be respectful.

I do think, though, that some people are primed to seeing me as hostile and attacking and they interpret my words in that way when I am most certainly not attempting to be hostile or attacking. I'm also not trying to undermine other peoples experiences or beliefs. But I do think that some people are primed to seeing me in that way and when they persistently post that I am off topic or that I am not allowed to post what I just posted or when they accuse me of being hostile and attacking when I am most certainly not trying to be... Well... Over time I guess that does wear me down. I do explain that that isn't what I'm intending. I do clarify my intention. I don't call others names. I don't say that they are off topic (I've only said that once). I don't criticise what they have posted. I don't complain to others about their post. But when people persistently reply to my posts on this forum by jumping to conclusions and attacking me... Then sometimes I do post things that I regret, that is true.

I guess that something that I worry about... Is how this forum is supposed to go...

Because people don't stick to making claims about their experiences or their beliefs they make claims about the world more generally. At times that involves their making claims that could be considered offensive to people of other faiths. If, for example, someone posts that Jesus said 'the only way to the father is through me' then that is not at all supportive to someone of Jewish faith.

I agree that context is important. It wouldn't be appropriate for someone to post the above in response to a thread that was started about the Jewish faith.

But then if I'm posting something about how to make the religious holidays more accessible / accepting to people of a variety of different religious faiths... How supportive is it for people to assume I'm christian bashing or picking on the USA?

I don't understand these boards sometimes...

I do have spiritual moments... But I don't really see a place for them here. Because I can't talk about what I do believe. Even when I'm open to people disagreeing with me (so long as they don't attack me or jump to conclusions about me).

Other people can post what they think...

But when I do that I get jumped all over...