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Labyrinthos said: "There is an unwritten rule around here that new members should show a little more respect to more senior members than you have shown as a member for less than a day. From the tone of your letter, I suspect that you regularly post under a different name, but lacked the testicles to do so this time or that you were previously ZOTTED for being an A-Hole."

I debated not replying to anyone over this, but... let me just say in response:
(a) How are new members supposed to read/understand these so-called "unwritten rules"? ESP, perhaps? I can understand a "respect you elders" attitude, but you seem to be implying some sort of totalitarian hierarchy here where dissenting opinions from "underlings" will NOT be tolerated. Is that truly how a Free Republic is intended to operate? Or is that just your opinion of how you wish it would operate, Labyrinthos?
(b) I do not post under any other nickname, and I have never been "ZOTTED" here (whatever that means).
(d) I have been called an "A-Hole" many times in my life, and this certainly won't be the last time. Sticks and stones, and all that... As they say, opinions are like a-holes - everyone has one. Including me. Especially me. :)
(d) Bottom line is... I spoke my mind, expressed my opinion, and tried to be as civil about it as possible - which is, quite honestly, more than I can say about the replies to my post, save for a very few. In fact, one of those "very few" was Pegita, who privately mailed me a very gracious message, which I did appreciate, and I responded to her in kind.
(e) I have made my own "unwritten rule" (since they are apparently unwritten by definition, I figure what the heck - who will know?) - "Senior members here should not jump to unwarranted conclusions regarding new members". I have been lurking here for a few weeks now, and fully admit I picked a very unfortunate time and circumstance to let my emotions reach a point where I finally decided to take the time to register so that I could express my own feelings and opinions. Religious topics have been known to provoke such emotional outbursts over the eons, so I don't feel especially out of sorts on this.

As I said to Pegita, I will not (and never intended to) continue the religious portion of my posting - you all now know how I feel and therefore there is little need to expound on such an inflammatory subject matter - but I did want to just go on the record and clarify, for anyone who may care (I'm sure most will not) that I'm not here to rabble-rouse or "troll". If I happen to make a few enemies along the way, so be it. Such is the price of being a part of a FREE REPUBLIC, is it not? We're certainly not all going to agree on everything, all the time... In fact, if you DON'T make some enemies along the way, you probably haven't been staying true to yourself and your opinions. I hope my future postings here will be better received. As with life, however, there are no guarantees - save that we will all die someday (but please - let's not broach the subject of "heaven and hell", ok?). :)