An Open Letter

[wsherman]

Dea Members of Skirt Cafe':

I've been reading a lot of angry posts of late and not a few where hurt has been expressed. The sources of the anger and hurt seem to be cited as the political right and Christians though I admit that I may be making it over simple. These expressions have caused some wonderful threads to devolve until they bear no resemblance to the subject originally under discussion and that is saddening.

I am a Christian, and I've been one since September of 1968. I have spent most of that time as a member of the Southern Baptist Church about fifteen years ago I became a Presbyterian after going through a very heartbreaking experience which has no relation to the comments about Christians that have been expressed nor do they have anything to do with wearing skirts. Politicaly I am just right of middle. Now you've got a brief snapshot of me and where I'm coming from.

As a Christian I extend an apology to those who have been hurt and wounded by the words and actions of those who are not as loving as they should be. I fear that the Pharisees are alive and well.
By that I mean that the rules are being practiced rather than the love of Christ. Having said that I would have you understand that this does not apply to all Christians who are in my experience are good caring people. Still I would apologise for the hurt caused and ask your forgiveness.

Everday I pray for the peace and well being of our country, I pray for those who I know are struggling which includes our members here. It greives me when I hear our country deninigrated and expression of ill wished upon her. Whatever the faults may be this is still a good place to live and there are a few in the world that are far worse. But that is my opinion.

In closeing I'd say that the Cafe' is a place with great potential for advancing the cause of men wearing skirts. We do that cause a disservice when we stray from the intent of this forum. We may also be driving some who would benefit from the information available here away when we indulge in diatribes.

Finally I ask: When we engage in the rhetoric that runs down others, how are we different from those who slander us?

Take Care
Bill

[oldsalt1]

I think you got it wrong. I am on the political right and I can not find one instance where someone on the right has demeaned the left. I can list a dozen posts where the left has chosen to resort to name calling and other demeaning comments toward anyone who disagrees or in any way or has a different opinion.

[denimini]

I think you got it wrong. I am on the political right and I can not find one instance where someone on the right has demeaned the left. I can list a dozen posts where the left has chosen to resort to name calling and other demeaning comments toward anyone who disagrees or in any way or has a different opinion.

Finally I ask: When we engage in the rhetoric that runs down others, how are we different from those who slander us?

?

[Ray]

Oldsalt, I would disagree. Referring to the losing presidential candidate as "the b**ch" isn't exactly complimenting the left.

Bill, although you are religious and therefore possess a belief system that is alien to me and most of my countrymen, your plea comes from the heart. I'll try to bear your sentiments in mind.

Ray

[oldsalt1]

Well what do you expect its coming from a wackjob trumpett Ray I think that it was your comments that were so bad that the blog had to be locked.

[crfriend]

Thank you Bill for that. Thank you very much.

Though Bill's and my theologies may not line up, Bill seemingly writes from the heart and has a good and worthy message. We would do well to contemplate it and take it to heart.

I will also remind the readership here that there is vastly more that unites us as people than divides us. Whilst we all hope for a better future for ourselves and our families, we all have differing visions about how to make that happen -- and that's to be expected. I'll also remind the readership that no matter how rich you may be, that you're at least 3 or 4 orders of magnitude down from the oligarchs in the USA who call the shots -- i.e. you're vastly closer to the poverty line than you are to being one of the powerful. Contemplate this as well. We should celebrate our common goals, and figure a path to best achieve them. In doing so, we should study history and discard the failed experiments from the past. Study things; get to know how -- and, more importantly, why -- they work (and break) and let's set forth on a path to a better future. Sniping at one another only increases the power of those already in power and who have ruined things for the overwhelming majority in their own quest for wealth and conquest.

To those who unquestioningly acquiesce to the current state of affairs, all I can say to you is, "I hope you get precisely the world you want, and I hope you experience the terror and fear that will engulf you when the State comes for you once everyone else has been disposed of.."

[oldsalt1]

Thank you Bill for that. Thank you very much.

To those who unquestioningly acquiesce to the current state of affairs, all I can say to you is, "I hope you get precisely the world you want, and I hope you experience the terror and fear that will engulf you when the State comes for you once everyone else has been disposed of.."

CR practice what you preach this last sentence sure sounds like sniping to me

[crfriend]

CR practice what you preach this last sentence sure sounds like sniping to me

Not so, and I'd recommend reading your history. Mindless divisiveness is the way societies die.

To reiterate, we have vastly more in common than we do differences.

[Ralph]

Bill, that was fantastic and expressed a worldview very similar to my own. It grieves me when I see my (mostly conservative) friends from church mocking my (mostly liberal) non-Christian friends, and vice-versa. It seems like much of the problem comes from being unwilling to put one's self in another person's shoes. Instead of seeing the opposing view as a human reaction to human problems with a human desire to make things better, each side portrays the other as monsters bent on destruction of all for their own personal gain.

Yes, there are monsters. I'm not an idiot. But identify specific individuals as monsters by their specific actions; don't write off thousands or millions of people who happen to share some opinions with the monsters as also being monsters. I keep reminding my friends, Jesus didn't say to love only those who love you back or have the same color skin as you or speak the same language or go to the same church.

[oldsalt1]

Bill I apologize for going off on a tangent and debating the well meaning intent of your post. I think we all do a pretty good job of things when we stay on topic. I applaud you for your beliefs. And we can all show a little more charity towards each other especially when we get off topic. Again thank you for your post

[john62]

Discussing skirts and our experiences is far better reading than watching people tearing each other apart, especially when one does not live in the USA and has no understanding of your rather strange political system. Also as a practicing Christian loving each other and encouraging each other is far better than getting angry and frustrated with each other.

John

[moonshadow]

Hi Bill,

I wanted to say to you and to the other well meaning Christians on this board, that you do not need to apologize. I know I have come off as very abrasive in some of my writings, and often times I forget the multitude of well meaning true Christ following Christians on this board and abroad. Basically everyone I know in the real world is Christian, and many of them are great people, and I probably should reach out to them as well and thank them for putting up with my ranting. Including my own wife who, regardless of my beliefs remains true to the Christian faith to this day.

I wrote a post on Fred's family outing thread that may have went a little too far, and so it is I that should apologize. I have not edited the post, nor deleted it as deep down, it is the way I feel and I can't help that, however I want to tell you that my writings on "Christians" are not meant to be taken personally. Those writings are inspired by not only what I see in the news, but even in the real world as I drive by certain church marquees that I personally find highly offensive and a disgrace to the message of Jesus.

However I do realize that nobody on this site is responsible for those offenses and so I suppose I should cool it a little. It's hard though. I want you to understand Bill, I'm 36 years old and still somewhat "full of piss and vinegar" Simply put, I see things that bother my soul and I get angry and tend to fly off at the mouth (or on the keyboard if online).

But anyway, I want you to know that I don't view the Christian faith as the enemy, nor you, or any other Christians on this board. The enemy I fight are those who use and pervert the Christian faith to advance their personal agendas which usually involve intolerance, hate, greed, etc. I know that's not you, nor is it Darryl, Fred, Jenn, Dave, or any of the other Christians on this board.

And though plenty of woe has come unto the world at the hands of Pagans as well, I thank you for taking my sometimes offensive and cutting remarks as a gentleman and with virtue.

There are reasons I am the way I am. It's not all because of the war on LGBT, or my job, or my clothing choices. I suppose a lot of it goes back many many years, clear into my childhood. I guess I've just had a lot of screws put to me in the name of Christ over the years and it's made me somewhat VERY hostile when it comes to most popular religion in this nation.

So no sir, you do not need to apologize, for it is I that owe you all an apology. Though I can't promise it will be the last time I rant about a "zealot" on this board, I will promise to do my best to be more considerate of the true followers of Christ in my writings henceforth.

Love in our creator,

-Moon

[Fred in Skirts]

First off Moon, I don't need for you to apologize to me you have not offended me in any way. I know from where you speak. While I am a Christian I am not a member of any of the organized religions that are abound in this world. Being a member of an organized religion does not mean you are a Christian. I have and wear non Christian emblems such as the one you wear. It has wings and a pentagram on it. I have had a few remarks that I am going to hell for wearing it and I usually just tell them that if that is true I would see them there, they shut up after that. Up until this past silly season I really enjoyed reading on this board but since, it seems to have changed. The tone has become much darker and dreadful. I just wish it would lighten up again and we can get down to wearing skirts and dresses. I have had my fill of politics and religion, they really do not need to talked about here there are plenty of other places that cater to that sort of thing.

[john62]

Here,here.

John

[Sinned]

As I also consider myself a Christian I try and treat my fellow man with the respect due them, as difficult as it is at times. Many times I have had to clench my jaws tight to stop me saying something I oughtn't to. I applaud Bill's missive and it is something that I have been wanting to say for a while. Perhaps Carl is right and politics and religion should be vetoed as most of the bile has come from those topics.

To change the topic I came across this on my travels through the internot:

Boob.jpg

Peace, my brothers ( and sister Jenn ) let love and harmony abound in this small world around.