Dave, I am very relieved to learn that I did not push you over the edge with my poor attempt at humor! I was shocked and alarmed by your response, but wanted you to know that I still cared about you, regardless of your "more honest" response. If this helped you feel that you learned something about us, good for you. I'm just glad you aren't coming unraveled. However, once again, you leave me feeling manipulated. (I can deal with it.)
Izzy -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Dave Sent: Monday, June 09, 2003 1:58 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [TruthTalk] Slithering DAVEH: Note to ALL TTers------The game is over. I am reverting back to my true/old self, whether you like it or not. Before I respond to DavidM's below comments, let me explain. I thought I had the 'green light' from DavidM to give other TTers a taste of their own medicine, which I did yesterday. And.....I've got to admit, it was rather fun. But it wasn't 'me'. I was hoping TTers would realize what I was doing and ask me to go back to being the polite guy I was before. But I didn't get that reaction at all. In fact, Izzy seemed rather comfortable with my new testy personality. Perry thinks he's got a new insight as to what makes me tick. And much to my horror......DavidM seems to have swallowed it hook, line and (as I said before).....stinker! <VBG> Now let me say that much of what I said was true to a certain extent, but I tried to toss in a bunch of humor so that it would be obvious that I wasn't all that serious. Yeah.....I know.....I didn't use any smilies, as I didn't want to make it too obvious that I was playing a game. Unfortunately, my ruse was taken far too seriously, and nobody (that responded) seems to have seen the humor or the connection to what I was trying to demonstrate. Now, I admit to being naive, but I don't think my gullibility level comes close to approaching those who responded to my posts today. My only regret is that a few more (especially Brother Glenn & g) didn't weigh in too. But, if I were guessing, I doubt that BG would have been sucked in. I'm not sure about g though....care to admit what you were thinking, g? While I doubt that anybody is going to ask, I'm going to offer my thoughts about this anyway. It seems to me that some TTers take TT way to seriously. If I can offend you by being polite, and not offend you by being expressly obnoxious.....well, I think there is some humor in that.....but I doubt many here will see it. I'd like to think that is not a result of Protestant imprinting, but I'm not sure. I'll have to ponder it for awhile. So.....my unasked for advice for TTers: Lighten up a bit. I've probably not made any friends with this stunt. But I suppose I don't have that many in TT anyway. However, I'll ask your forgiveness if my actions yesterday offended you. I'd like to think this has been a learning experience for all of us......as it certainly has for me. If any of you want to unload your anger on me, go ahead......I'll restrain my reply unless you specifically ask me a question. I'll now briefly respond to some of DavidM's comments below...... David Miller wrote: > DaveH wrote: > > ... tonight I've endeavored to change the wording > > of my posts to make you folks happier. Is it working??? > > Unfortunately, it is depressing me. I feel not only very > > extrememly uncomfortable speaking like this, but I also > > feel...well...rather slimey...and, dirty... > > and...ahhhhhh...welllllll...like a Protestant. > > I would be embarrassed if another Mormon were to read my > > posts today and think I'm really like this. > > Dave, in case it is any consolation to you, I want you to know that I > understood what you were doing and did not think you were losing your > temper. DAVEH: I am glad to hear that. I hoped that would show through, but was rather surprised that Izzy initially thought I was angry. Anybody who knows me, knows that I do not anger easily. FWIW......the only time I can remember being angry since I was an adolescent was probably 30 years ago or so while I was dreaming. What I did in that dream out of anger (killing somebody) made me never want to experience that feeling again. So.....I just don't allow myself to get angry. > To tell you the truth, I found your candor rather refreshing. DAVEH: LOL.......As you now know it was all an act, laced with truth. But I've got to ask, DavidM......would you want me to continue in that manner in the future? (I won't.....but I'd like to know which you prefer.) > You kind of switched over so completely all of a sudden that you looked > like a completely different person. In your effort to do this, I think > you might have crossed the line some in feeding perhaps some carnal > feelings, and that might account some for the dirty feelings you have. DAVEH: Now the truth is that I do/did feel uncomfortable talking like that. But when done as an 'act', it is easy. I've never been theatrically inclined, as my mouth works faster than my brains. I have to have time to think things out. Putting them on paper (or computer) gives me time to be a little creative, which is very difficult for me to do in real time. I thought my comment about my Mom washing my fingers with lye soap would tip you off to the humor in this. And of course, I just couldn't keep from posting that it made me feel like a........Protestant. I figured that'd really give the game away. I imagine what makes it sound so convincing to TTers is that it might sound like there was a ring of truth to it, eh! Well, I'm beginning to believe (falsely, I hope) that Protestants are comfortable with the thinking and language I was using. If I were to talk like that in my LDS environment, I'd end up without any friends at all. (And it is true......I would be embarrassed if another LDS person thought I really meant all I said.) Yet I'm beginning to think that in the Protestant realm I would fit right in. Any truth to that, DavidM? > But there is something even more at play here, and this is the concept > of REPUTATION. DAVEH: Yes.....there is a lot to be said about reputation.....I just hope I haven't ruined mine yesterday! :-) > I don't think you are going to hear this too easily, but > your real problem with the open honest approach is your reputation. DAVEH: You are losing me on that...... > Being open makes us vulnerable, DAVEH: Agreed. And I feel pretty vulnerable right now! > and it exposes our inner heart in a way > that is kind of like taking the lid off a garbage can. Our first > instinct is to get that lid back on that garbage can as quickly as > possible. > > What you should be doing is looking to the Lord to so purify your heart, > that when you are open and candid about what you think, purity comes out > rather than defiled thought. > > What you said to Izzy showed that your heart truly did not think too > well of her. DAVEH: I was trying to reflect back to her that which she projected to me in previous posts. From her reply, I believe I succeeded. I've got the feeling that previous to yesterday, Izzy did not respect anything about me. Yet I sensed a tone of respect when I treated her in a way she felt comfortable treating me. Now don't get me wrong......I'm not a shrink and shouldn't be discussing a 3rd person in open forum.....but I hope Izzy doesn't mind all of us learning from what happened yesterday. Maybe that's why as a Mormon, I'm not well accepted here. I'm a round peg in the TT game board of square holes. Once I 'square up' my image, I can then fit into a square hole and Izzy feels comfortable with that. Until then, both Izzy and Perry didn't know how to categorize me. I'm like a loose cannon bouncing around, likely to hurt somebody. I don't know.......I just hope somebody doesn't turn me in for practicing psychiatry without a license! <VBG> > If that is a problem (and I think it is), the solution is > not to cover it up with nice words, but to look to the Lord to help make > your heart right and balanced. Do you understand what I am saying? DAVEH: NO! You're all screwed up on this, DavidM! You were sucked in too. :-) Yes, I know.....you are trying to be serious, and I'm making light of it. Sorry! > As > long as you polish the outside, the inside is still defiled. DAVEH: FTR.......I have not changed. I'm still the same polite Mormon Boy I was 2 days ago, except I probably have no friends left on TT now! And.....I don't care if you or anybody else is offended by my polite nature.....I'm reverting back to my former (real) self, so to speak. > If what > comes out of the heart is not pure and holy, then seek for the solution > to that root problem through Jesus Christ rather than adding the polish > to the outside man in the hope that the inside will never be seen for > what it is. > > I am encouraged that you have taken this step. I applaud you for it. > It is great to see someone willing to change, willing to take a step, > even if they are unsure about where it will lead them. I encourage you > to continue, not pull back, but let God work at your very heart, causing > your speech to become pure from the root and not simply as a polished > exterior. You are on your way, but don't be too surprised if being > honest in this way leads to an illumination of your soul that you never > expected. What you previously thought were paths to truth may begin to > fade as you walk this new path. DAVEH: I appreciate your kind and serious thoughts, but as you know....this situation got way out of hand. I did not mean to hurt or offend you or anybody else, DavidM. In retrospect, perhaps I should not have let you influence me to the point of playing this game. But.....right or wrong, I did it and find the results interesting. FWIW.......I wish Blaine had been here for all this, as I think he would have laughed himself silly as I was doing it. I did copy a few posts to him, but not enough to get the full picture. I'll certainly copy this one so he'll understand it a bit better now. I wish he'd return, but I think he found the environment here to be a bit too spiteful for his liking. > Peace be with you. > David Miller, Beverly Hills, Florida. -- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dave Hansen [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.langlitz.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ If you wish to receive things I find interesting, I maintain Five email lists... JOKESTER, OPINIONS, LDS, STUFF and MOTORCYCLE. ---------- "Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer every man." (Colossians 4:6) http://www.InnGlory.org If you do not want to receive posts from this list, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and you will be unsubscribed. If you have a friend who wants to join, tell him to send an e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and he will be subscribed. ---------- "Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer every man." (Colossians 4:6) http://www.InnGlory.org If you do not want to receive posts from this list, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and you will be unsubscribed. If you have a friend who wants to join, tell him to send an e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and he will be subscribed.
