((((everyone))))) THANKS for your responses.

I have something else to add as I was thinking about all of this and a common question is: How to remain supportive when we do not agree with the persons behavior or ideas?

It is possible, although difficult, to be supportive to someone while disagreeing with them.

A few old adages work good in situations like this. Remaining calm-toned,non-confrontative, ect is absolutely necessary if you want to come across as supportive and not just as putting someone down. I realize too this can be hard when we are upset or flapped by something that we have read. Also, "I Feel" Statements, or things like, "It is my opinion" or "I think maybe..." can help to make what you are saying a little easier and gentler. This is because when you say that you take responsibility for the opinion you are expressing rather than putting it all on the other person, therefore they have the choice to take your advice, or continue on without it.

It is important to also examine our motives too, when it comes to things that have us crabbed off a bit. Ask yourself, are you posting for the right reasons? Does your response come from a place of anger? A place of concern? A place of general caring? A place of fear?

I think that if you deem that your wish to post is coming from a want to lash out in anger or other negative emotion, it is good to step back and take a break from the post. Say that you will come back in a little while, read again, and see how you feel. Sometimes this lets the initial indignant feeling or anger wear off and we are in a better place. If it still makes you upset, I personally would not post, or would just post something short like " Im sorry but I disagree with this" and leave it at that. But, in most instances it is just better to leave it, although that can leave us thinking "But i had a valid point/I wanted to make a difference/ect."

I always try to remember that even when people are making poor choices or reflecting bad behavior, almost always something has happened to lead them to that situation. I always ask myself what may have happened to that person that led them to become the way they are/behave the way they behave/have that particular feeling about things? I think this humanizes things to a certain extent.

Something else to think about is the difference between compassion and what is called "idiot compassion"(also known as enabling)

Let's say I am a drug addict(Well, I AM a recovering drug addict - Clean for ten months now - go me )that is currently doing drugs, and I post how I have no money because of my drug use.

"Idiot" Compassion would jump in and offer to send cash to help out and say how sorry they were that I was feeling poorly, without ever adressing the issue that caused me to be in the situation to begin with. This would of course most likely be spent on more drugs, thereby causing the problem all over again.

True compassion would ask what i needed money for(say, it was groceries, or so I the addict told you) and would send a grocery certificate, and then ask what they could do to help me get the help I need, or move towards getting off the drugs.

You know, maybe that is a poor example. But, its the best I could come up with in my half sleep deprived brain state at the moment, lol.

Just some ideas to bounce off you.