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The 'Cowards on the Internet' discussion on the FC; expanding the discussion
Topic Started: Jan 19 2008, 09:40 PM (121 Views)
ginger
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I bring the Drama Llama
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For anyone who's not an FC member, Darren started a thread about a message he received on myspace from someone who claimed to be a fan. I'm sure I can trust you guys and will repost his initial post here

Quote:
 
Trying to find the positive in all this, so bear with me.
But tonight I logged on to MySpace - and got my monthly small minded Christian related (perverted?) 'warning' letter for being a homosexual. This particular one was very condescending, as the author pointed out that athough she was 'very sad' and 'disappointed' that I 'became' gay, she wanted me to know that at least 'God forgives me'.

The letter was full of ignorant assumptions about me, 'Why didn't you just SAY you were gay from the beginning?' (Err coz I hadn't worked it out!! Not that it's any of your business!) .. and then signed off by saying that in spite of all of my 'life choices' she still loved me.

Apart from the obvious baffling ignorance of someone assuming that sexuality is a choice, apart from the horrible assumption that homosexuality is a hell condemnation from God, apart from the fact that someone might assume that because I'm gay I'm therefore Godless - what I find most offensive is the cowardly act of sending such a note via the anonymity of cyberspace.

There have been many people along the way, who've written quite frankly offensive or abusive letters to me or members of my band (not gay related just downright rude!) and it's always via the message function of MySpace.
A few of those people have been very prominent fans who, in public, are full of glowing praise but in private can be quite nasty.

I've often toyed around with the idea of just having a page on my site where I copy and paste their vitriol for all the world to see. I think how much courage they'd have then when their poison was exposed for all the world to see.
But then I stop myself - and I realize that the thing that separates me from the ignorant minority is that I'd never do such a thing.

Well, at least not today.

Thoughts?

x


On the FC its now a wonderful, uplifting, enlightening and ultimately polite and heartwarming thread (of about 700 comments lol). Love to know your opinions over here.
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steph
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don't be frightened of turning the page
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I think Darren can always count on his fans to jump to his defense. I guess what I'll do is just paste here what I wrote there:

I consider myself a Christian, or at least more of a Christian than anything else. I certainly believe in God. But what I've come to realise in the past few years is that the Bible is written by MEN, not God. Therefore we can't live our lives strictly by all of its rules. I think these hardliners who tell people they'll burn in hell are misguided and obviously it's very frightening that there are even people like that in the world. And it is very upsetting to see somebody you care about have their feelings hurt by some of these people. I'd never ever want to see somebody persecuted for being who they are.

But if you truly respect other people, it has to run both ways. Many replies to this thread have been mocking and ridiculing of the Christian faith. 'Religious bull shit' I believe is one phrase I just saw, amongst others. It IS nasty that some crazy hardcore Christians are doing this to people, but it's also saddening to see as much hatred and disrespect being spat back at ordinary, level headed religious people.


Another thing I will add is that I think (well, hope) that in a few years, homophobia will be all but wiped out, or at least treated with disgust in the same way that racism and sexism is now. I think we're raising a generation of kids who truly do not see any difference between two men being together or a man and woman or 2 women. One of the rpoudest moments of my life was to hear my 3 year old niece say 'boys can marry boys, you know!' when she was playing with her barbies and decided the two ken dolls should go off and get married together. I really hope todays kids will be more tolerant and accepting.


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steph
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don't be frightened of turning the page
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Ok so it was a polite, hearwarming and uplifting thread and now its turning into a big fat religious debate which I won't be following anymore for a number of reasons. Firstly, there are people throwing bible verses at each other. And while I'd say I lean more towards christianity than anything else and have some knowledge of the bible, I certainly don't know enough to keep up with that kind of conversation. Secondly, from what I can understand, it's turning into the handful of religous people being left to fight their corner whilst Darren (sometimes quite rudley) disregards their opinions and has everybody else agreeing with him simply because of who he is.

Several people have suggested they are quite offended and have requested the conversation now be brought to an end but you can bet your ass the thread won't be closed until Darren is done with talking.

And I am still going in the same old circles.


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ginger
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I think there's a lot of 'not getting it' on both sides now, and it has degenerated as a thread somewhat, but then I don't have massively high standards, and any thread that doesn't end up in multiple bannings and bitchfights is a success for me.

I can understand why Darren is hostile to religion given the mail he has received (I'm only guessing but reading between the lines it's not the first mail he's had along those lines). I guess even when he doesn't mean to that will come through in his comments.
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steph
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don't be frightened of turning the page
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Hehe at least there have been no bitchfights yet! :lol:

Yeah that's true. No one can blame him for feeling the way he does about religion. And the bottom line is, most decent people would hate the idea that anybody should be treated the way he has been and of course it's crossing a line to actually write to his home. And we can only hope that things will get better in the future.

But I just saw him say 'I can say whatever I want' in reply to someone who'd written an obviously long thought out response to the religion debate. I thought that was a little direspectful and childish. He has all these people taking their time and showing him the respect of being polite even if they disagree with him (which by this point was nothing to do with the original topic, I believe they were discussing the old and new testaments and the idea that not all of it is God's word). So it just rattles me that I guess Darren does not accept it well when he is disagreed with.

I just have a problem with the way the thread changed from being a totally grown up discussion to one where people could not really talk freely anymore without being challenged by a hundred other people who really were just saying things to show Darren that they're on his side.

I think I need to stay away from big things like this because I see things that I don't relly want to see. I keep saying that. One day I'll do it. :D Ne'ermind, it's over now anyway. I think the conversation has come to a natural end.


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aka_Wind
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well .... i think for true conversation we need to read those 'hate' post he got. all we can read is Darren's point of view. sure it's wrong was to post something about people you don't know really close (do we know Darren close? no)

i remember peoples comment on Darren's wedding - they was full of hate like 'he deceive us by not telling he was gay, blah-blah-blah' spmeone told about religion too but it's over. people who don't want to lnow about Darren anymore is gone. people who don't care gay or straight stayed.
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Geo~Toni
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Mystical being
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Ok i did write something about this topic but the site time'd out before when i hit reply... Grrrrr!

Cn't be asked to re write it now. LoL!
Blessed be, Geo Toni x~X~x

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steph
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don't be frightened of turning the page
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Geo~Toni
Jan 22 2008, 02:43 AM
Ok i did write something about this topic but the site time'd out before when i hit reply... Grrrrr!

Cn't be asked to re write it now. LoL!

It's been doing that alot lately. So annoying! I've got into the habit of copying whatever i wrote before I post it in case the site times out.


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