Hi, gg.

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Okay, I think you've made that clear, thanks. I guess part of my struggle about this is knowing that disagreeing does not necessarily equal invalidating or putting down.

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That's true and is acted on in any other forum but this one.

Why, you ask? OK, yes, I have a vivid imagination and can almost hear it.

It's not that posting a differing or opposing view is automatically unsupportive and inappropriate, or that others' views aren't important or not valid. They are important and can be stated, but if they might be taking away from another's stated belief or faith *in this forum*, it's best to state yours in another thread.

It's generally not OK to do here because belief is something that others knowingly hold strong feelings about. Also, posting disagreement to another's personal beliefs regarding *faith* can feel yucky, just because, and way down deep to the core. It might not be easily explainable, but still *is* due to the strong, personal faiths grabbed hold of individually.

It's almost stronger than...say I make a post about my child, my love of my life just to say how awesome something is that he's done and how it affected me, and someone comes on and says, "I disagree with your belief that he's a good child, with good intent, because you told me once that he said this which indicates he's not a good child." OUCH...that can hurt deep for some, granted not all.

Because of this, we have specifically requested that responses in this forum, be made specifically to contribute not only something positive for all reading, but especially positive for the OP even if that means only posting in positive reinforcement or agreement, or not posting at all in that thread, and take something that might be construed as invalidating a personal belief to another thread.

Now, that said, say I make that same post today...it would be not only acceptable, but appropriate for you to start another thread to say, "I've been wondering about children. I don't understand how a child that acts out continually can only be perceived of as good by its mother. Can other mothers help me understand that?" Now, in doing that others then make the decision to apply the same I've written above to your thread...respond positively as they feel they have something to contribute to your topic.

In this, you still discuss your thoughts prompted by another without taking from the OP's personal reasons for creating a thread, etc. Much the same as you have done with this thread.

I hope that helps.

KD