www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall Alex

Alex,

Dear Daniel,

O.K., I'm off this forum until you either apologise or withdraw your comments.

Your view of Hus is your own - and it isn't the only one out there.

I've received so much encouragement from precisely Orthodox priests in this endeavour - and a number of Lutherans have become Orthodox (and Catholic) as a result of certain bridges that this helped build.

I'm really shocked at your inability to see beyond your own parochialism, Friend!

I'm suspending myself until the Administrator will deal with you.

Alex

Dear friend from afar, Alex,

What is the point of your reaction? I'd post this in a PM but your mail box is full. If I ran off everytime someone wrote something like this I'd never post. Daniel's comments were at best funny and at worst only slightly critical.

I hope you stop this overly dramatic approach to disagreements in the future. When you aren't reacting in this way you are easily my favorite poster. You make me long for the day when we will meet face to face. On the other hand when you make comments like this, depart in a huff, threatening never to return you make me wonder if I would be able to cope with your instabilities.

I don't know what prompts you to do this. But please, stop.

Dan Lauffer

Dear Dan,

There are people who are more sensitive than others to offensive words.

Not all of us are born with thick skin.

There are rules of the forum, rules that apply (and did apply) to me as much as to others.

When the rules don't apply, then there is a problem.

The Administrator and Deacon Montalvo are both quite right in being dismayed at my comings and goings here.

It is obvious that I can't handle the situation.

But I would argue that I shouldn't have to.

Alex

Alex,

I cannot speak for the Administrator, but I am not dismayed by your "comings and goings", you just seem to be a "boomerang" Orthodox Catholic. I have a valued employee who has the same temperment. Every few weeks, he resigns at 5:00 PM, yet is on the job the very next day. The general manager was concerned about it the first few times, but then he began to see the cycle. So I certainly do not get excited over dramatic exits.

As to your comment about thick skin, you are one that certainly enjoys to poke fun at others.

Below is a quip you made to Tammy about Daniel the Byzantine Ascetic in the "invented greetings" topic in the Town Hall forum:

"Dear Tammy,

When you find out, will you let me know?!

And I'm absolutely not going to say anything about Daniel the Byzantine Ascetic!

So please don't provoke me . . .

Alex "

This was your response to Tammy's quip about trying to figure out how to live "a proper Catholic life."

Your comment about Daniel is veiled sarcasm in reference to Daniel's embrace of Orthodoxy after a relatively short time as a Byzantine Catholic. Daniel the Byzantine Ascetic had not even posted on this topic, so you were chiding him behind his back.

I will not step in unless the posts serve no purpose or the topic looks to be heading downward (and yes that is subjective). We are after all working to become mature Christians, so let's let the light of Christ illumine our behavior and our posts toward one another.

Deacon John,

You speak much wisdom.

Alex,

Good to see you on the forum. Though I'd love to see you face to face. Have you cleared out some of the PM's from your mailbox? My advice is to ignore the overly negative posts. Just delete them. Most people who are consistently negative have more personal problems than you or I could ever hope to cope with. There's a quip I'm learning to live by "What you think of me is none of my business." It's a goody. Ignore the unfairly critical. Their criticism aren't worth worrying about and you will have more time to do the things you really enjoy.

Dan Lauffer

Dear Friends,

I apologise for having caused trouble here.

I apologise for opening my big mouth and for causing consternation for the Administrator, who does not deserve this from mem, and to Deacon John Montalvo.

I apologise to Daniel n, whom I've so obviously misinterpreted and I hope he does not decide to leave here.

And I thank all those who wrote me, whether to say I was right, or I was wrong - and that I should seriously consider staying away from here for good.

I'm obviously unstable and I take things to heart too quickly. And Professor Dan is more than correct in this regard.

I know I'm not a saint, as Hritzko suggested, and I think I'll better spend my time in future keeping things to myself and working on my spiritual (and emotional) state.

Thank you all.

Alex

Dear Alex,

As you are well aware I do not send private messages (I once did to a member but it had nothing to do with this forum).

I'm glad you addressed points number one and two (the editing is mine) in this open manner. The moderators did not deserve this.

I once said that this forum is very tolerant and permits a wide variety of views and topics to be discussed.

You create from the heart. There are very few people who have this genuine talent. People who have creative abilities express their inner feelings. When someone attacks their creations, they pierce the 'artists' heart. Some people can only pierce and not create. But you learn from this and your next creation usually better addresses anticipated criticism.

I suspect that the moderators did not tell you to stay away. My feeling is that they just said to better control your 'artistic impulse' to feel like a 'martyr' when your ideas criticized. I have been there and know what it feels like.

I hope you continue to remain a contributing member. The site gets kinda slow when you are not around. Take my advice in the other thread . It worked wonders for me.

You are correct in stating that I didn't say you were a Saint, but you are a couple of steps up the ladder as compared to me.

Dear Fr. Deacon Montalvo,

I did nothing behind anyone's back - I said what I said to Daniel in front of everyone in a style of humour that you obviously don't accept.

Do you not see in Daniel a person who will doubtless change jurisdictions several more times in his life in search of the non-existent "perfect church?"

If Daniel asked me anything right now, I don't think I would refuse him and I suffer his predicament. If what I said was trying to poke fun, it was only because some here, including Anthony Dragani, were being overly stern with him.

And, yes, I have spoken to my confessor today and he was more stern with me than anyone here, believe me.

I should not have referenced private e-mail yesterday in connection with the administrator and yourself.

That I readily admit and say so.

Alex

Again, I must make the inevitable distinction between Daniel (Byzantine Ascetic) and Daniel N

I will speak of Daniel (Byzantine Ascetic) here.

Alex,

You attempted to be very charitable with Daniel and to ask others on the Forum to give him the benefit of the doubt and not to be too harsh on him. That was so commendable.
Daniel is a GOOD guy with an intelligent and searching mind. He knows that I disagree with his approach. We have agreed to disagree and i pray for him. I know that I and others have made that usual but quite tiresome (to a young man) argument "ah you are so young!!!, wait till you get experience" I know from experience that this approach drives young people away. Hopefully, we are all praying for Daniel now that God leads him to a balanced Spiritual Father that will give him a true grounding in what Orthodoxy really IS as a way of life and not just a few polemical statements.

May God bless you, Alex. I see your warm and generous heart in your posts with Daniel. It is an impetuous heart but NEVER a cold one!!!!!!!!!! God love you!


Brian Seraphim

It is apparent that at least some of the hostility I thought was directed at me was intended for another Daniel. Mistaken identity would explain some of the stranger comments and messages I've received. If I decide to continue posting it will be with another screen name and a new avatar icon...my sense of humor will no doubt remain unchanged.

I hope we can put this stuff to rest in a charitable way and get back to what we were doing, which at the moment I have'nt got a clue .

james

Oops, I see my change is retroactive; so much for my new role as the "Mystery Poster"...
Daniel N the Iconophile

Dear Daniel N, the Iconophile:

If you want to be THE "Mystery Poster," take a cue from "incognitus," who remains incognito to this day!

AmdG

Given the recent weather conditions, perhaps I should adopt an all-white avatar and change my nom de plume to "snowbound"! Incognitus

WHAT'S MY LINE ?

This is a new religious on line game show attempting to determine who Incognitus really is

Please send in your clues - you know him better than me.

Clue #1:

Lives somewhere cold with snow in mid January. Hmmmmm - not Boston. It's cold here but really very little snow.

As a native born Bostonian myself, I would wager he is somewhere in French Canadian Province.

james