Ex-COG Posted May 1, 2006 Share Posted May 1, 2006 We post some very personal stuff on the web. When I mention stories that refer to my family, friends and me, I find myself hiding some info; changing who the family member is or just saying "a relative did such and such", making sure not to give out cities or states it happened in, shifting details and the wording around, etc. I do it because I never know if...on some million-to-one shot...a family member or friend might stumble upon this site, read and recognize my story. I have no idea how my family would react; heck, I don't know how I would react. Am I just being paranoid, or does everybody else feel this way? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willybilly30 Posted May 1, 2006 Share Posted May 1, 2006 i guess thats possible. if it happened to me id ask them why they was here? if the situation comes i will just deal with it i guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pandora Posted May 1, 2006 Share Posted May 1, 2006 I don't. But... Um... actually now that you mention it, I should. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest GrewUpFundie Posted May 1, 2006 Share Posted May 1, 2006 We post some very personal stuff on the web. When I mention stories that refer to my family, friends and me, I find myself hiding some info; changing who the family member is or just saying "a relative did such and such", making sure not to give out cities or states it happened in, shifting details and the wording around, etc. I do it because I never know if...on some million-to-one shot...a family member or friend might stumble upon this site, read and recognize my story. I have no idea how my family would react; heck, I don't know how I would react. Am I just being paranoid, or does everybody else feel this way? Another ex-COG here I do the same thing. I never mention any specifics on my personal blog, lest it fall into the hands of my relatives and I get put on 24-hour prayer watch (with the accompanying tearful phone calls, etc) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gnosis of Disbelief Posted May 2, 2006 Share Posted May 2, 2006 No. But I don't have any fundy friends, and the only fundy in my family does not surf the Internet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chefranden Posted May 2, 2006 Share Posted May 2, 2006 We post some very personal stuff on the web. When I mention stories that refer to my family, friends and me, I find myself hiding some info; changing who the family member is or just saying "a relative did such and such", making sure not to give out cities or states it happened in, shifting details and the wording around, etc. I do it because I never know if...on some million-to-one shot...a family member or friend might stumble upon this site, read and recognize my story. I have no idea how my family would react; heck, I don't know how I would react. Am I just being paranoid, or does everybody else feel this way? It seems wise, I think. I don't use the names of my family, but they know what I am so they are not going to be shocked. I even send them links sometimes when I've written something good. But you know how it is. A prophet is not welcome in his own country. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
♦ nivek ♦ Posted May 2, 2006 Share Posted May 2, 2006 Ex-COG... I simply do not giuve a flaming fuck anymore. Not on any elderly family members "Let's enrich the House of daFatman when we die" nor do my close relatives think I've had more than an "OH GOD (that was kickass GOOD!)" experience in years. After a bit when you have been away from the flock, and the sway they have had on your life, the grip on the social and mental process give way, your thinking of self and those kind of social-political problems simply fade. Long way to say "Fuck off and die, it is now MY life".. k, Owner of the Big Red Button of FOAD, L Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-Demona- Posted May 2, 2006 Share Posted May 2, 2006 Nivek, you put it beautifully. I simply do not give a flying crap talking about it here. If they find out through here, then they are either in the process of deconverting themsleves or are trolling for ammunition. Either way, I would have the upper hand, because I could equally blow the top off their little secret too. But the odds of that happening are slim. Those who know I post on this site already heard from me beforehand that I'm no longer Christian. Those who don't know of this site, weren't told by me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Emerson Posted May 3, 2006 Share Posted May 3, 2006 I usually put things in general terms and the story could be applied to any regular jane doe. Sometimes I'm scared to tell you what I honestly think, not just you but everyone. Like I still believe in god, just not the xtian god and even if I say I believe in a general god, I don't know, I just can't help but feel that I won't be accepted since most of you guys seem to be atheists. Like I want to be admitted to the club house but I'll never be. I'm not nivek or Mr. Grinch, and I like them, its just they are hardcore atheists and I could never be that. And those seem to me the type of people who get accepted there. I also don't usually tell family and friends where I post online. Their usually not into things like forums and mbs and chats. Yes I do regret sharing personal things here because of moments of weaknesses that I've had, like the virgin thread in the sex and christianity forum. I'm sorry that things got out of hand there. Ugh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willybilly30 Posted May 3, 2006 Share Posted May 3, 2006 their are lots of people here that are not athiest i am not athiest. sure their are some here that might debate or argue if you say you believe in a god but not everyone. i was afraid of the same thing here but i have found many openminded people here even some of the hardcore athiests are friendly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizard Posted May 3, 2006 Share Posted May 3, 2006 I don't change details..I don't generally give names either. More like "my son", "my friend", etc.. I live in a very large city, San Antonio. And honestly? I am who I am. Those who need to know, do. Now, if I'm asked directly "Are you Lizard on that ExC site?" I will answer honestly..but, I've only been asked once.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
specs appeal Posted May 3, 2006 Share Posted May 3, 2006 Ex-COG, I do that too. Well, I don't change things but I do conceal certain details. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ex-COG Posted May 4, 2006 Author Share Posted May 4, 2006 I am getting to the point where I don't care what people think...well, somewhat. I want to be able to be my (new) self...both online, and around my family. I just have this bit of reservation...which I think is based on not wanting to hurt those close to me. I have to remind myself that, if family and friends are hurt by my thoughts, observations, and deconversion, it's not because of me; it's because they have chosen to view the world in a certain narrow way, and thus have chosen to react in alignment with that world view. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LosingMyReligion Posted May 4, 2006 Share Posted May 4, 2006 No. I am pretty straight up with my info. Primarily because I know that none of my family will come to a website like this. And if they are looking around then perhaps they are on their way to deconversion...Sorta like "straight" guys who regularly cruise gay porn sites as "research." On that note while my issues are pretty straightforward I don't go into specific detail about locations, names, and etc. That would be inviting an internet stalker or something. Overall, I don't care. Most of my family I don't really like right now. They are a bunch of superstitious, bible thumping, nut jobs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kellyb Posted May 5, 2006 Share Posted May 5, 2006 Well, I'm one of those weirdos who's not really scared of internet stalkers. I figure I could just as easily get stalked by the guy next door. I've only had one internet enemy, and that dude was a NUT, but I don't think he's going to find me here in my home town and shoot me or anything, and if he were to stalk me from forum to forum and try to stir things up, I'm pretty sure it would be pretty apparent who was the lunatic. Anyway, that's not what you were talking about. All my fundy family is dead, so I have no worries there. My christian friends just think I'm "going through a phase" or something...so nothing I say here would shock them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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